Fresco By Scotto
“This place is the ultimate trendy NYC hot spot where you find every day diners like me along side celebrities, politicians and NYC power brokers.”
“However, upon entering the restaurant, it gave off a warm, welcoming aura but still maintained a NYC feel.”
“Especially the lamb and those zucchini chips smothered in gorgonzola.”
Fresco By Scotto
Takes Reservations: Yes
Delivery: Yes
Take-out: Yes
Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
Bike Parking: Yes
Good for Groups: Yes
Has TV: Yes
Waiter Service: Yes
Caters: Yes
Price range.
$$$ Price range $31-60
8 reviews
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Nice Italian restaurant, convenient location.
It was crowded on Black Friday evening.
Service was very efficient and nice.
As antipasti we chose a plate of grilled vegetables to share for the whole table.
I had a seabass which was excellent. My family had the spaghetti with meatball and the raviolis. We were all very happy with our courses.
Unfortunately we were in a hurry so we couldn't get any dessert but by the look of it, they seem delicious!
I have to admit, I had my doubts about Fresco before going. Being owned by Rosanna Scotto and her family and being a restaurant where many big NYC figures and celebrities have visited, it runs the risk of being overrated and pretentious in my mind. However, upon entering the restaurant, it gave off a warm, welcoming aura but still maintained a NYC feel. There is a bar to your left upon entering and further down is the main dining area; it's not huge but a good enough size to cater to a number of diners and maintain it's intimate feel. The decor is no frills, with light colors throughout and Italian-esque murals painted on the walls. I found the murals to be a conversation piece; they were funny without being silly or immature. I will say though the decor is a little dated, but I've seen worse.
The bread basked contained a variety of carbs – rolls, breadsticks, and crackers. It came with a white-bean puree which was a nice alternative to butter or olive oil. We started our meal with three appetizers to share: fried calamari, the fried zucchini and potato chips, and a margherita pizza. The calamari was a good texture, and it came with a remoulade and lemon on the side. The pizza was good as well, it had a super thin crust, almost like a crispy pita in texture. The star of the apps tho was the fried zucchini and potato chips. They had a great consistency and were topped with crumbled gorgonzola cheese; the flavor combination was delicious – definitely worth getting. For my main I had the Fresco grilled sausage, which was served on top of roasted peppers and white beans and topped with broccoli rabe. The dish was flavorful, with my only complaint being the broccoli rabe didn't have that bitter bite I'm used to. For dessert I went old school and had the ricotta cheesecake (a staple Easter dessert in my house); it had a lot of flavor and was a good consistency with a fresh flavor.
Service was great; they were very attentive to us and food came out at a comfortable pace, we really weren't waiting too long for anything.
Overall, I was pleasantly surprised with Fresco. The food was tasty, the service was great, and the overall atmosphere was very welcoming.
It has it all – food, service, celebrities and the NYC price-tag you would expect for up-town dining. Was it worth it? Of course. This is a special occasion, business dinner setting. White linen table cloths, fabulous service and a buzzy, NYC feel. The food was amazing – the chips covered in cheese made my heart stop (literally and almost physically!), the pasta, bread – everything was elevated and wonderful. Can you get good Italian food at 1/2 the price elsewhere? Of course you can! But for an amazing dining experience that you'll remember and cherish, break open your wallet and enjoy!
Attended Fresco by Scotto for your classic corporate midtown lunch. Would I go here on my own dime? Highly unlikely. The restaurant filled up in no time for the lunch rush. Due to the busy lunch rush, the waiter unfortunately forgot to bring us the bread bowl (which is allegedly typically a highlight of the meal) until we were half way through our entrees.
I ordered the "Whole Wheat Pappardelle with Duck & Wild Mushroom Ragu." The dish was mediocre at best, likely needed a little more sauce and would have been great to have had some of their bread handy. The duck and mushrooms were delectable though. Needed an extra coffee to get through the afternoon at the office but that's what I get for eating a large pasta dish for lunch.
I came here with colleagues for a work dinner. Once we stepped into the restaurant, we were brought to the back as they sealed off a section for us with panels. Dining options were based on a prefixe menu. The staff was quick to take our orders for drinks. The female who helped us was so nice! The man, not so much. They kept bringing out delicious homemade potato and zucchini chips smothered in gorgonzola cheese. This was dangerously good. If you're not looking to eat your main entree, eat all of this! The margarita pizza was the second "all you can eat" appetizer. It was just okay. The slice I had was fresh out of the oven but super soggy with oil and overdone. It taste more like a margarita chip versus pizza. Suffice to say, I only had one tiny slice.
On to the dinner portion! We placed our order for appetizer, pasta and main dish. They take your order for dessert at the very end. It's a slow-paced restaurant so if you're hungry, you might as well fill up on that complimentary bread/breadstick platter.
Homemade mozzarella with roasted peppers and salad – as a cheese lover, you can never go wrong with mozzarella. Two slices with roasted peppers along with the salad was just enough to keep you going.
Cavatelli with broccoli rabe and sweet italian sausage – this was delicious! I would recommend getting this as a main dish because I would have been a happy camper if they added one more scoop and I'd be good! The pasta was done just right. Sprinkle some broccoli (to get some greens in your system) and some protein with the sausage equals a well balanced meal. I cleaned the plate! It was well seasoned and didn't feel too heavy for pasta.
Chicken a la limone – I was expecting a big chunk of chicken breast and am glad it didn't come out that way. There were three, thinly sliced chicken breasts which appeared pounded down with a side of vegetables. The chicken was thoroughly seasoned, a bit on the salty side, but not bad! The sauce was good.
For dessert, I ordered a sorbet with fresh fruit and cookies. To clarify, it was one cookie – a biscotti! The sorbet was mango and the fresh fruit was divine. Very fresh and perfectly balanced with the sorbet. I think I enjoyed the fruit the most. Came in a cute presentation in a plastic wine glass.
Would I come back? Probably not unless it was another work function but nonetheless, it's always good to try different restaurants in Manhattan. If you dine here, highly recommend the potato and zucchini chips and that cavatelli pasta.
We came to Fresco for my husband's birthday & I'm so glad we did. I was last here in October with my friend & truly enjoyed it then (see my last review) & enjoyed it as least as much now. Both food & service are impeccable. Atmosphere is comfortable & elegant. The Scotto family really knows what they're doing. Can't wait to go back.
This place is very nice but I would have to admit the pricing of the dishes I don't understand. I had the chicken dish and it was $41, so make sure you know when you come here, you'll be spending a good chunk of cash, even for a salad. The staff gets very antsy and by the time your done with your meal ten people filled your water glass. I did love how the waiter went out of his way to plate our dishes with the appetizers. All and all an ok experience.
Fresco by Scotto is an Italian restaurant in Midtown East.
I came here on a weeknight for a work dinner. The food and the service were fantastic. Right when we came in, I was greeted by Marion Scotto, the owner. I did not know where my group was sitting, and she quickly and calmly found where I needed to be. They have a coat-check, so I left my jacket and bags there.
The food is really the spotlight of my review. I usually steer away from Italian restaurants since the vegetarian options are usually cheese pizza and baked ziti. I had the roasted vegetable piatto. What an awesome dish! Roasted butternut squash stuffed with polenta, yummy brussel sprouts, mushrooms, and crispy cauliflower… It was substantial, colorful, and fresh. For dessert, I had a fruit sorbet. It isn't on the dinner menu, so I think it's only on the menu for private events. In any case, that also was fantastic.
We had multiple servers come to our table and everyone was very attentive and kind. Service-wise, everything was smooth and effortless. I was able to enjoy my food and focus on the good conversations with my colleagues.
I left Fresco's fully satisfied. I would recommend Fresco for a private group event or work dinner. I hope I come back soon!