Pasta Fresca

So I ordered a carry out for a Seafood Santa Fe thinking I was going to get something good due to the reviews but instead I got 4 pieces of shrimp and 3 scallops. The food had no season or taste the only good thing about was the spice leave. But besides that food it dry and you can't dish out the food.nothing like what I expected

Came here looking for some tasty more authentic Italian food. Brussel sprouts were the best brussel sprouts we've had in months. We washed that down with some fancy tasty bruschetta and that was prepared perfectly with generous proportions. The loaded Alfredo was the main dish and the sauce was outstanding, the temperature perfect and The noodle texture was spot on. Generous portions of food and taste was five stars.

Listen UP!! This is THEEEEEE best place in Columbia if you love homemade pasta dishes! It was our first time going and WE absolutely enjoyed it!!! Fresh food, fresh bread, homemade sauce 😋😋 Very friendly environment! Also the waitress Hailey was so very professional and so very nice 🙂 she helped us out on the menu because it was our first time there, she definitely said whatever yall pick you're going to enjoy and she definitely told the truth!! If you're in Columbia SC stop by and give them a try I promise you won't be disappointed 🤗🤗🤗🤗 We will be back🙂🙂❤️

We have eaten here a handful of times over the last few years, and it's always been pretty good. Tonight we got take out and not one person finished even half their food. It started with the soup that was not in the bag, so one person didn't have a soup/salad. Then the gnocchi was so soft and soggy it was like mush. The chicken masala was not masala.. chicken was hard. The meat sauce was bland and the tiramisu was like something from a discount grocery. We got take out unfortunately so could not send things back. But this was over $100 for take out and not one meal was enjoyed.

We were traveling through Columbia and specifically looking for homemade pasta. Since there aren’t many handmade pasta options in town and it was a Sunday night, this restaurant was recommended. We ordered the seared scallops with Spanish angel hair pasta and the meatball and sausage spaghetti. Unfortunately, the best part of the meal was the small salad that came with the pasta. For the meatball and sausage spaghetti, the meatballs and sausage were dry and tough. The spaghetti itself had a texture similar to reheated instant noodles. The sauce tasted like it had been reheated multiple times — overly sweet, salty, and lacking freshness. The seared scallops were large, but that was the only positive. They tasted like previously frozen scallops — rubbery, overly salty, and lacking flavor. After the first bite, I was genuinely concerned about the quality. The dish had almost no real sauce or seasoning beyond lemon, and overall it was very unpleasant. We came in hoping for fresh, homemade pasta, but this was a disappointing experience.

Amazing plate to eat a very good pasta and fresh, very good portion, amazing service, the only negative notes was the mojito, no flavor, very bad and the canoli desert was very good and fresh but empty in the middle, out of that everything was very good!

Absolutely enjoyed my experience here! I am always in the area and had never stopped here before The food was fresh and full of flavor and you can really taste the quality. The ambience was welcoming, we had a relaxing meal. Drinks were good, and the staff was friendly and attentive. Definitely a spot I’d come back to when I am in the area. Highly recommend!

I’m a member of the Columbia Supper Club and we ate here this month. It was so good! Everyone got something different so we could try a bunch. It was all delicious! Plus the tables aren’t crowded, it was easy to talk to each other and the servers were magically there whenever we wanted something. All around great spot!

Tried this place 3 times, only to drive off because the parking lot was full. Now *knowing* what it's about, I will gladly issue regrets for not having parked and walked the short distance. I thoroughly enjoyed the basil crab bisque soup. The Alfredo pasta with shrimp scallops and chicken with bacon surpasses anything other Italian take on Alfredo in the greater Columbia region. Chained or unchained.... Sat at the Bar, and service was attentive and expeditious. To be fair, this was my first visit of many to come... I will definitely be back.

Stopped by on a Friday around 5:00 and seated right away. We started with a loaf of loaded bread, garlic, mozzarella, and parmesan cheeses. It's served with warm marinara. Both were pretty good though pretty basic. I ordered the BBG with angel hair pasta. You can choose which pasta you want. It was a combination of beef tips and brussels in a gargonzola cream sauce. The tips were cooked well done. I'd prefer they cook them medium rare. They were not tender due to being overcooked. The brussel sprouts were not prepped. They still had the hard stems on them. They would be better if they were trimmed first. The meal was very tasty. The flavors in the sauce were well balanced. Next time I'll ask if my beef tips can be cooked to order.

Fabulous service by Monica. Great for date night but family friendly. Homemade pastas, sauces. I had the ravioli with spinach and walnuts in the creamy marinara, absolutely decadent. The loaded mozzarella bread sinfully delicious. Then there was the three layer mousse cake. This was the best Italian food I have had since moving to South Carolina. Absolute perfection.

Good for dinner! We visited Pasta Fresca on a Thursday evening and were seated right away as a party of 9. The interior was spacious, with minimal decor and plenty of seating. For drinks, I got the No-jito, which was great - refreshing, not too sweet. I appreciated the large "Alcohol-free" selection, as well as the variety of craft cocktails, wine, and beer. They also had a happy hour and daily specials. My friends enjoyed the Paloma and Kentucky Mule. For appetizers, we ordered Garlic Bread and Flash Fried Brussel Sprouts to share. The Garlic Bread was tasty and came with a side of marinara sauce. The Brussel Sprouts had a nice crunch, but could've been a little more flavorful. I did like the roasted red pepper pesto aioli though. For my entree, I chose the Gnocchi. All entrees came with a small house salad, which was pretty average. The Gnocchi had a great pillowy texture and were super filling. I couldn't taste the tomato in the sun-dried tomato alfredo sauce as much as I'd hoped, but it was still tasty. The brussels sprouts on top were the same as in the appetizer. The portion size was generous, so I had plenty of leftovers to bring home. My friends enjoyed their pasta as well, especially the Chicken & Spinach Lasagna, which I will be ordering next time. Service was fast and our server Addie was helpful and friendly. Would return to try more!

I am not a big pasta person, so I was actually not too enthusiastic about going to Pasta Fresca. Parking was a bit challenging, unless you were lucky or it wasn't busy. They have a patio area with dining tables and chairs. The inside is cozy and happening. They have a back room for a large group. The customer service was great. From the hostesses to the staff, everyone was nice, personable, and on point for providing a good service experience.    The pasta options are somewhat vast on the menu. The wine I tasted was delicious. A perfect pairing. The cocktails looked delicious. I love that they have mock cocktails. The loaded cheese and garlic bread were so delicious. It is definitely a treat! Even when you feel like you should not overdo it, you definitely should. Go with the loaded bread. It was accompanied by a marinara sauce.    I had the creole-mex, no mushrooms. It was way better than I expected. It was flavorful. The noodles were delicious. With every pasta dish, you get to choose your noodles. I thoroughly enjoyed my meal. I loved the well-cooked shrimp and good sausage. The other dishes pictured were what was ordered that night at dinner, including a blue crab-stuffed ravioli.

Service 10/10 Server was great and food was delivered quickly even on a busy friday night. Atmosphere 8/10 Loud music and on a busy night was heard to hear other around the table. Food appearance 10/10 Stunning presentation, some dishes looked almost too good to eat. Food flavor 3/10 Food looks amazing but once you start eating you realize 80% of the plate is noodles. Entrees did not have enough sauce and some of them are split or watery. Noodles seemed to be overcooked and lacked texture. Appetizers 4/10 Good variety, delivered quickly, okay flavor but textures were consistently sub par. Overall 4/10 Food looked good and had descent flavor but was drowned out by bland, mushy noodles. For a pasta restaurant was really disappointing.

Delicious! You can tell the pasta and sauces are homemade. Gem of Columbia. Cannot wait to return!

This place was amazing Charlie owns the restaurant and the deli and they were both amazing the food was delicious and made fresh everything made in house and his sauce is amazing I personally loved the lemon cookies . And everything else is just amazingly delicious

Want fresh pasta? Go to Pasta Fresca. It's always a good meal and not your run of the meal pasta place. The food is fresh and service is great. A plus for Columbia with a meal for everyone. We ate on the patio as it wasn't sweltering Columbia heat and it was nice. Definitely a step above most places in Columbia.

Wow, great meal at Pasta Fresca Saturday night 9/2/23. Margaret our server was great and she was busy with a lot of tables. Got in around 6:40pm with no reservations. Seated right away. Bruschetta appetizer was outstanding and presented beautifully. Wife got the Chicken Alfredo Fresca over fettuccini which she really enjoyed. I had the shrimp special of the night. Margaret recommended it over the angle hair pasta and it was a great suggestion. It was loaded with large shrimp. Both main dishes were served hot and fresh. Wife said the wine selection was good with her Pino Noir. Arriving before 7pm the crowd was good but not to loud and we enjoyed our meal and conversation. Will definitely be back!

Top 5 places in Columbia for pasta. The dishes are made fresh, pasta made in house and sauces are so delicious. The cheesy bread was my favorite as a starter. I highly recommend making reservations. It gets packs and the restaurant is not the biggest. There is also a bar area. The service was great. Perfect for a date night, girls' day or solo dinner.

The food was amazing and the portions were ridiculously large. I just wish they didn't put mushrooms in everything lol but the hostess weren't too friendly but our waitress was so we didn't bother . Great for a date night or a celebratory dinner because of the mood which was great for us tonight

Delicious food! Reservations definitely recommended. Also the parking lot is smaller and gets full quickly. I love their tortellini, the portion size is great and I always have leftovers. I wish we had one over in Irmo or Lexington!

Pasta Fresca has been on my list for years now and I finally decided to have a crack at it. How did it hold up? Pros: - CHEAP. Chicken Parm (massive portion) for $16?! I've had half the portion for $36 at other Italian restaurants. $4 glasses of house wine?!?!?! My bill for an appetizer, four glasses of wine, and two entrees was $62. Am I back in 2010? - PORTIONS. Are massive and come in (what I think) look like dog bowls. I loved it though. Worse part about a restaurant experience is leaving hungry. This will not happen here. - CLASSIC FLAVORS. You're not going to get a mind blowing meal, but it's the classic Italian Flavors you'd want. - HANDMADE PASTA. Do I really need to say more? Cons: CHICKEN PARM: Isn't my style (I'll go into that down below), but still really good. Most people will enjoy it. Alright, we started with calamari. It was delicious. I've never really had bad calamari, but this one is solid and cheap. Again, I've paid $18-$22 for calamari plenty of times in my life and this one was $11. It was fresh. Okay, I have an eight year chicken parm recipe. I'm a chicken parm snob. I've taken a trip to Boston only to eat chicken parm the whole time and I did. Now, the flavor on Pasta Fresca's is there, but not how I want it. I want my chicken parm pounded paper thin with crispy edges. Pasta Fresca has the normal that's a thick chicken breast with no crunch or texture. Just soft chicken with sauce/cheese on top. Again, most people (especially in the South) will love that. Now that my chicken parm snob of the year award has been awarded, I'll say Pasta Fresca would probably get a 3.5 for food all around. It's very, very solid Italian Food and especially in South Carolina where that can be hard to find. It's all fresh and you can tell time was taken for it to be good. The prices and ambience are a 5/5. You're really spaced out here from other tables and I enjoyed that. Service was a 5/5 as well. Overall, it's a 5 in my books. Sometimes in restaurants, it doesn't have to be a homerun 5/5 meal; sometimes it can just be the little - correct things that add up to become great.

Wow what can I say . Three of us this afternoon totally enjoyed this experience. Anna provided us with courteous, and friendly service. She was extremely attentive to our needs. We tried a sampling of several different menu items and all of them were excellent. The sauce for the pasta was very flavorful and the pasta was cooked to perfection. All of us agree that we would return another time. Thanks to the entire staff for a great meal!

Pasta Fresca is underrated! This place is consistently pretty packed and there's a reason. I came here twice in one week (okay, maybe two days in a row)... First, they have happy hour daily from 5-7 (I believe those are the correct times) where you can get drinks at a discounted price. However, even if you do not come during HH the drinks are very reasonably priced like between ($8-$10) for cocktails and wine. The food... the house salad the first time was ok. However, the second time my friend told me to get it with the strawberry balsamic vinaigrette instead... NOW THAT was a game changer! So, ask them to switch out the dressing and thank us later. The Pasta Fresca Ravioli is my favoriteeeee... first... it's vegetarian (no meat) but for all you carnivores you won't miss it as it's filled with spinach, cheese and walnuts. The walnuts give it this nice little crunch which is amazing. And you can pick your type of sauce... marinara, creamy marinara or Alfredo. I only had the creamy marinara both times so that should speak for itself! Both times I had tiramisu which is made on-site, the first time this was soaked to perfection, it was amazing, the second time it could of been soaked more as the last layer the lady fingers were still a bit firm. And I sat at the bar (because waiting for a table had a bit of a wait) the bartender (I believe her name is Ellis) was great! She ensured that everyone was being taken care of.

my boyfriend and i went for a 6 months date, and it was wonderful! we're pretty easy going, so the mistakes that we had were not upsetting to our evening. all of the food tasted incredible. we shared the fried mozz balls (10/10, spicy marinara 6/10), tomato basil crab bisque which he really enjoyed, and the caesar salad was simplistic but tasty. i got the cheese ravioli with creamy marinara, but it just tasted like normal marinara to me. my bf got the loaded alfredo and really enjoyed it. their fettucine noodles and alfredo sauce are SUPER tasty, and i'm picky on that their cocktails were good as well, if you don't like tasting your liquor. I got the blood orange martini (10/10!!) & my bf got the Jameson Almond Old Fashioned, very good, and i'm not a dark liquor girl! per our server, she gave him the loaded spaghetti instead of loaded alfredo. apologized, got the right food going, brought us our boxes, and got the mozz balls taken off of the bill for us. she was lovely! and stuff happens, we're pretty sure she had the entire patio to herself & it started off a little slow, but with enjoyable company, why complain? it was a good night for us & we WILL be back! notable mention, SO many people were getting take out food or doordash orders. i can't wait to get some togo!

We got take out for both meals. The spaghetti and meat sauce was the best we have ever had. 5 out of 5 for that meal. The loaded alfredo came with shrimp, scallop and chicken. Chicken should have been cut smaller pieces. Not a whole lot of seafood in the small serving to justify $26. But spaghetti was well worth the $11. Overall was a good meal.

Service was okay, food was basic. The house wine was very good. Would I return maybe if someone else is paying.

First time trying pasta fresca and it was amazing . Our waitress Bri was also amazing, the place is nice and clean . 10 out of 10 my family and I will be returning!

Sooo yummy! I invited my neighbors to come to dinner with me, as I have heard so many great things about this place. We were greeted by the owner (well, I think he is the owner) and three sun shiny faces. We were seated immediately. We arrived at almost 6, and they were really busy. Our waitress came over and took our drink orders and allowed us time to go over the menu. She came back and took our order. I ordered the chicken and spinach lasagna, my neighbors ordered the chicken Fresca and chicken Parmesan. Everything came out hot and delish! We all enjoyed our orders. The portions are very nice for the price so we all had to go boxes. I will come again and try something new. They will return as well! Great service, nice environment and awesome food!

The vibe was very good in here. It felt clean and fresh. Our server was very knowledgeable, guided me through the menu, and checked on us often. I really enjoyed the happy hour drink specials. Unfortunately, the food was lacking. None of the 4 people in my party enjoyed their food. I felt the southwest chicken dish was oily and tasted off. No one felt the pasta was high quality. The garlic bread was lacking in butter and garlic, so it was mostly just eating dry baguette.

Made a reservation online for a Saturday night. Was seated immediately upon my arrival. Wait staff was knowledgeable, friendly and prompt. Had a great meal and some good drinks in a great atmosphere. This spot is known for great variety of Italian food and it did not disappoint. I will be back.

The food, service, and atmosphere are all fantastic. I'm so glad we found this restaurant while we were visiting Columbia. The pasta was made fresh in house and was absolutely delicious. The menu had a lot of great options to choose from, including kids menu options.

I have been here several times. The service has been excellent. I can't say enough about the servers attitudes and attentiveness. They were very friendly. The food is really good and mix drinks have the right amount of alcohol. I would recommend this restaurant.

Went here with a large group for a bday dinner. Someone had to make a reservation and put a card down to reserve the back room but they allow you to bring in your own cakes. The pasta is great and they make their pasta in house! I got the Cajun chicken pasta and it was very flavorful with some spice which I liked a lot! They also have more traditional types of pasta as well. Another cool thing they do is happy hour on weekends that I think ends at 7 so perfect place for an early dinner! Service was also great, highly recommend!

I have been visiting Pasta Fresca for the better half of a decade although this marked my first dine-in trip to their newish spot on Forrest Drive. The indoor dining area is spacious and trendy. If you prefer to take advantage of a sunny day, the restaurant also has outdoor seating options, albeit it will be noisy as the tables are just yards from Forrest Drive. Staff was attentive and knowledgeable of menu offerings. Prices were a bit high for pasta although the portions were large enough for sharing your leftovers. I tried a new dish tonight the Seared Shrimp over choice of pasta from the lighter fare offerings. Despite being framed as a lighter offering I did find it heavy on the pasta in comparison to included vegetables. With that being said, the dish was lightly sauced with a lemon butter sauce and shrimp were perfectly cooked. While the dish was heavy on the pasta, Pasta Fresca makes all in house. I tend to always opt for the spinach spaghetti. Tonight the noodles were a bit under salted but still tasty. Worth a try if you are in the mood for pasta.

Terrible service and hostess's, food is mediocre and sloppy. Their bruschetta is NOT authentic, the tomatoes are to be very small, this place huge wedges and slices of bread on the bowl rather than on a crostini, desserts not the best. Not sure why this has high ratings but this isn't true authentic Italian!!

Scallop pasta was one of more expensive items on menu, yet only had a few scrawny, hard cooked scallops and little sauce. I would have sent it back & reordered, but didn't want to hold up my dinner companions. Was not wirth the price & I didn't eat the scrawny, tough scallops. What a waste. And the salad was fair. The server was very nice & attentive. She explained that if I wanted more sauce, there would be a surcharge. The meal was not worth it & I barely ate it.

Had dinner with my bestie here tonight. The service was wonderful. Our server was very attentive and knowledgeable about the menu items. I had the chicken lasagna and a side Greek salad. Both were absolutely delicious! I would definitely return.

Pasta Fresca is always great for me! This is one of our by far favorite Italian restaurants. We always have a great time here, and the food is fantastic and artistic. We always have great serve and request Ms Cassie Marsh each time, and we are always well taken care of; highly recommend! The restaurant is very low-key and friendly, almost like a neighborhood bar. That is not a put down, but a commitment! We go there at least once a month, fantastic place!

2nd time Visiting the location because of the wonderful first experience .. and in utterly disappointed ... The waitress lacked the personality that made the visit unpleasant .. She became over consumed with another table in the corner who apparent she knew which is fine but don't forget about your other tables .. Forgot appetizer so our soup and salad came out first . When we did get the app we expressed that it wasn't good and she ignored the disappointment and went back to the table in the corner. She also didn't refill waters until our dinner was over and didn't offer any dessert ... Hopefully this finds the right eyes to have a talk with the Ana... but the receipt said Marie ... I'll let them handle it ... Pasta was amazing thought

Food was terrible. Vegetables overcooked and salmon was burnt and dried out. Never doing that again

Fast food pasta restaurant, essentially a step up above from olive garden. Food was bland and lacked Flavor hower the drinks were awesome. The waitress was super cool and offered recommendations. Would only come for drinks.

Phenomenal pasta. The wait was pretty long, but worth it. I'll make sure to reserve a table next time. We got the cheese bread, tortellini, and scallops with fettuccine - all were fantastic. Expecting that this will become one of our regular favorites in Columbia!

Best Italian food in Columbia. Pasta is made in house and they have a great variety of pasta dishes to choose from. Would recommend.

I love pasta Fresca so much. every dish is perfect. you need pasta Fresca. The fettuccine Alfredo is yum, the tortellini is yum, the spaghetti is yum, the lasagna is yum. eat it

Celebrated our 33rd Wedding Anniversary ...Upon arrival the staff was very friendly & welcoming...Pasta Fresca has a Beautiful Ambience... the Service was Top Notch... the waitress Monica was very attentive, and so were the other waitresses on the patio. Felt bad for the waitress at the next table. They sent food back and wanted them to add food for free to take home. The waitress handled it very professionally. The manager Ellis was very attentive, and made sure our evening was perfect. Complete with a full moon on the patio. This experience was definitely a reflection of her positive energy. Thank you! Trisha & Stephen

I really enjoyed this restaurant. I thought it would be more of a casual vibe, but it was actually a couple steps above. When I arrived, the hostess was very friendly and seated me quickly. The menu is pretty extensive, but they have many customizable options. I had the pomegranate martini (they are heavy handed with the liquor), loaded bread, and a customized tortellini with fried chicken and vodka sauce. My friend had the creole-mex dish. We finished the meal with a chocolate mousse pie. It was pretty good, but I would try something different next time. I have absolutely no complaints about the food. The dishes were well rounded with sauce to pasta ratio, and they were large portion sizes. I was able to have leftovers the next day from my order. I would definitely recommend giving this place a try if you are a pasta lover, especially considering they make the noodles fresh daily!

This place gets max stars because I had to go through zero human interaction (well almost). I ordered online and the process was simple. The restaurant updated me as it went along in regards to it being ready and when it was ready. It also told me exactly how to pick up my order and where it would be located. And it was spot on. Once ready I was able to walk right in and grab my bag and go. I did have a lady try ti ask me if the bag I grabbed was an online order but my look I think scared her from asking anything more. The food was good. I'd say it was a bit too much for the serving size (at least for me). It's definitely an Americanized pasta place but one of the better places your gonna get in this area.

I love this place. I started with the 1/2 loaf cheese bread. It was so good. I should've gotten the whole loaf. For my meal, I got the cheese Ravioli and paired it with the house salad. It was so good. The staff was beyond friendly. It didn't take long to get my food. This was a great eat on a rainy Sunday afternoon. Great job from top to bottom. Management and staff . The ambiance was amazing as well.

Wonderful Italian food. I had the ravioli. Tasty and plentiful. I was with a large group and our server was able to handle everything from drinks to bills. Restaurant is definitely Italian, nice bar as well.

Friendly staff quick and efficient service. Nice kid friendly options. Clean Nice restaurant tons of variety on the menu. I love that you can customize your own style of pasta and choose if you want spinach pasta. The dishes were plentiful and sauced perfectly. There is definitely enough for leftovers. Happy on a Saturday was a plus. Couldn't ask for a better mother daughter Saturday outing here at Pasta Fresca

I had been told this was an amazing restaurant that provided an amazing experience OMG i was so disappointed I cannot say I enjoyed anything. It was very loud. It was difficult to have a conversation with the person sitting across from me at a 2 person table. The service was lacking. It took so long to just take our drink order and return with a water and a Diet Coke. When she returned with the drinks and took the food order we knew it was a bad sign but we were already seated for almost 30 minutes. I had ravioli that was too salty and lacked any other flavor than the salt. After leaving the restaurant I asked the person dining with me what she thought. She said her 10yo granddaughter made better spaghetti and meatballs. We laughed it off never to return. I don't drink so maybe the great ratings were skewed by the alcoholic beverages.

Everything was delicious. Service was excellent. Quality of food was impeccable. I see why there is always a crowd. Glad I've found my new eatery. Kate was amazing .

They have a great Sunday happy hour that'll definitely draw your attention! The service was great as well as the food! I really love it when chicken and shrimp are together in alfredo. Can't wait to try it again! Sundays Happy Hour: 4:30-7 p.m. | $5 mules, $2.50 beers, $4 house wine + liquor

For starters, the house salad, was more like a homeless salad. Only 3 vegetables, lettuce, cucumber, and one slice of tomato. If I wanted a 3 ingredient salad with a cheap olive oil, I could've made that at home. The chicken parm was nothing but spaghetti and marinara, and a weird blanket of marinara at that. Where is the "chicken" and "parm"? I don't know if this is a bad effort, or just a bad chef (usually I can tell the difference) Overall, just stay away unless you want mediocre food that the world would've been better off without. The food is so bad, I'd call it a waste of food. I wouldn't even eat here again if you paid me.

A great date night spot! Quaint and cozy. We started with the Brussels sprout appetizer and it was a hit. Salad and bread comes with your entree and all dressings homemade! Then for every entree you can choose your homemade pasta noodle preference! I ordered the prosciutto Rosa with chicken and spinach fettuccine. It was fabulous and flavorful. And enough to take home for another meal! We will definitely go back!!

First time dining no reservations walked right in we were seated immediately.The parking lot is really small but no worries we found a park in the parking lot next door.After being seated we started with a appetizer which was Loaded bread and mozzarella Balls both suggestions were right on point for main entrees we had Loaded Alfredo along with chicken and spinach lasagna along with 2 Moscow mules.The food was hot fresh and delicious.Nice and clean restaurant kind of low light setting perfect for a date night or just a good evening dinner with the family.We definitely will be back again and highly recommend