Came here recently upon our trip back from Europe as I didn't want to cook. I've driven by Pasta Fresca so many times and finally decided we needed to try it out. Was able to make reservations through resy for a table of 5 no issues, and when we got here we're seated immediately. Service was quick and friendly. Started with some calamari which was cooked to perfection and some cheesy bread which the kiddos loved so much we ordered a second round. Now for the pasta it did all seem to be home made and the portions were huge. I had one with bacon, chicken, mushrooms and Gorgonzola in a cream based sauce which I shared with my daughter it was very good. My boys one got a pasta with seafood the other got the chicken parm( which could have used a lot more sauce and seasoning) and then my husband also got some kind of seafood pasta which if you love seafood had a ton of seafood flavor. Overall great find and tons of leftovers. read more

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Another win for Pasta Fresca. Honestly, I love their vibe. It's a great place for dinner or to hang out at the bar for a few drinks and bites. Customer service is amazing. The cocktails are amazing. They do have a happy hour menu as well as bar bites at the bar. Although they took my favorite pasta dish of theirs, the creole pasta, off the menu, I was still satisfied with my new choice of pasta dish, which was the loaded alfredo with bacon. It was pretty good. I really enjoyed the flavors. The cheese balls were excellent. It was a pleasurable dining experience. Nice for families, small groups, date nights, friends, or solo. They do have a back room area for a group larger than small size. read more

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This was my first visit to Pasta Fresca but it definitely won't be my last. I've driven by this location many times and was always intrigued but never came in. Boy was I sleeping on it! They make all of their pastas and sauces in house! You can taste and feel the difference as the noodles have the perfect texture! I regret that I didn't take any pictures but opted to have the Salmon Pasta dish with angel hair and it was out of this world. The combination of salmon, bacon and squash worked wonderfully as it was paired with this beautifully bright lemony cream sauce. Our waitress was amazing and the food came out in such a timely manner. We also had the fried brussels to start and they were seasoned to the tee! It's a family atmosphere so you can come in jeans or dress up if you want to, but the food is definitely worth the visit! read more

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. read more

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One of my favorite gluten free pasta spots in Columbia! Always a great meal. Love the drink menu as well. read more

Pasta Fresca - Salmon bacon Fresca with gluten free pasta - Pasta Shops Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

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. read more

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! read more

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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. read more

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When the bartender told me the special was tilefish with capers and artichoke hearts I knew it was going to be a great dinner. This place continues to impress me, both with the staff, as well as the food. read more

You'll be planning your next visit before you leave. I enjoy the traditional lasagna & so much that I order it every time I'm there. That & the cheese bread & marinara sauce. Reservations are suggested unless you're there at the time of opening & yes parking is limited do to the popularity read more

Atmosphere is very nice and with good weather being able to sit outside is a plus. Staff very friendly. Service was great almost as great as the food. Definitely a favorite! read more

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! read more

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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. read more

Pasta Fresca - Greek salad - Pasta Shops Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

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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 read more

They can't accommodate a party of 6... don't even bother. I'm sure they could have put a couple of tables together... but they just don't care... there are plenty of restaurants around read more

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. read more

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. read more

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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! read more

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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. read more

Pasta Fresca - Southwest chicken without peppers or tomatoes - Pasta Shops Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

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

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. read more

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! read more

A bit over hyped. The pasta may be made fresh however it didn't blow me away. Perhaps my expectations were too high for this restaurant. The ambiance albeit open spaced is still cozy but not really a romantic setting. Service was polite and professional. Just not sure I'd go for a second time. Not horrible but not amazing read more

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 read more

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. read more

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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. read more

Pasta Fresca - Chicken Parm - Pasta Shops Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

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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. read more

Pasta Fresca - Pasta Shops Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

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! read more

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

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. read more

Pasta Fresca - Spaghetti Meat Sauce - Pasta Shops Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

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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 read more

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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. read more

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! read more

Pasta Fresca - Classic Tortellini - Pasta Shops Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

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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! read more

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! read more

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. read more

Pasta Fresca - Feed the kid all week with this generous portion of homemade Kids buttered noodles with spinach angel noodles - Pasta Shops Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

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 read more

Pasta Fresca - Seafood Santa Fe extra spicy .... - Pasta Shops Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

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! read more

Pasta Fresca - Tortellini with creamy marinara sauce - Pasta Shops Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

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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 read more

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! read more

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