Fresco’s Mediterranean Cafe

The beccofino salad is sooo good. The place has a lovely outdoor seating with the fountain view in the middle of the charming town.

This restaurant is now closed.

I would have given Fresco’s 4 stars if they weren’t perpetually out of the Jiminy Chips everyone keeps raving about. Seriously, every single time I come here they don’t have any. And when I come here it’s usually around 11:30 a.m. so it’s not like they sold out during a busy lunch hour already.
Okay, on to the positives! Everything I’ve tried here, from pita sandwiches and paninis to salads and soups has been quite tasty. My faves are the Grassetto Sandwich (grilled chicken, artichokes, sauteed red onion & Mediterranean spread on toasted bread) and the Mediterranean salad. I’m a light eater and I usually get two meals out of one of their sandwiches. You can even make a meal out of just a bowl of homemade soup here as it comes with a bowl of HUGE homemade croutons. They have daily specials too, so be sure to check out the chalkboard when you come in.
They seem to be in the process of slowly, veeeery slowly, redecorating the inside, which could use some updating. But it’s clean and the people are friendly and that’s what really matters.

Wow. Not impressed.
This is my second time to Fresco’s. The first time wasn’t a bad experience.
This time I was meeting family to have dinner. I picked this restaurant because I had remembered it had decent food. First of all their website is outdated, and there are pictures of a stocked wine bar that doesn’t exist because they stopped serving alcohol like 2 years ago. The kid at the register didn’t give us much help. We came in around 7pm on a Wednesday night. He wasn’t rude, but he sure wasn’t helpful. The girl with the plugs was very rude. I asked her for a menu and she walked by me. There is definitely no help when you walk in. Be prepared to know what you want.
You order at the counter, so we placed ours and took a seat. The dining area was a quarter of the way filled, with mostly older couples in the room. The women behind us in line got their entrees before us. Not sure how that happened, being that everything ordered was similar. They did not bring out our tomato bread starter before the entrees. They brought everything out together, and mixed up who had what to eat. The ‘Verde’ pasta lacks the vegetables it boasts about. You might get three artichoke quarters at best, and one or two asparagus. They are heavy handed with the broccoli, the least expensive green.
My brother got the Bolognese, which he said was actually quite good.
Since I had a gift certificate, I ordered two Bolognese to go, but had I not have had the card, I wouldn’t have gone here at all. I would only come here if you were really hungry, and didn’t want to make dinner. What is lacks in flavor, poor service and stark décor it can make up for in being edible food, that’s relatively inexpensive, and you won’t have to do the dishes.

Been twice now. Delicious, straightforward flavors, fast.
I enjoyed the chicken pita again. The portions are generous; atmosphere is clean, and the staff friendly. Last time i recall there was a little too much tzatziki sauce; this time the sandwich was much more well-​balanced.
If you’re in Elmhurst, need a quick bite and departure from the usual fast food, stop in!

I was pleasantly surprised with my lunch. We popped in here for a quick bite, I wound up with a chicken Caesar wrap and my SIL had a salad that she enjoyed as well. Portions were good, I think I ended up bringing home half a wrap, but overall– flavor was there!
Location-​wise, my only feedback was that it could have been cleaner. It sure wasn’t dirty though. My example would be that they serve drinks out of those old plastic cups, maybe upgrading might help keep customers opinion positive? Upgrade to glass or even switch to to-​go-​cups?
All in all, I would pop back in for a quick and tasty bite—

I should really give 4 stars for the food and 3 stars for the service if there is any.
We just decided to drive to Elmhurst to get the lunch today. I have not been here for a while and wanted to eat some kind of salad.
I decided on Beccofino — a bed of lettuce topped with cubed turkey, seared pear, walnut, and cheese. My friend ordered Pomodoro-​Chicken panini with a side salad: Tomato, Artichoke & Cucumber Salad.
My salad came out really good. It was light and summer-​ish with seared pear in it. Usually I got my dressing on side to avoid too much salt. This salad just had the right amount of dressing. Only miner complain I would have is the lettuce was kind of tough. I think the lettuce heart went somewhere else.
My friend liked her side salad and said the panini was fine.
I don’t really know what kind service we should expect from order from the menu on the wall type of restaurant. The guy at the register didn’t offer any help on the ordering. I did leave tip at the register when I paid for my meal. The food came out quickly and the boy placed meal on the wrong side for us. That was it. No one came by to ask if everything was OK.
I probably will come again when my friend or coworker wants to meet up here but won’t be initiated by me.

UGU. Ordered chicken gyro or kabob or whatever they called it. Hey thanks for bland chunks of chicken in a pita. Topped with 17 full sized onions.MMMM. That will go over real well for the rest of my day. Good thing I don’t have any other clients to meet with. Or get within 3 feet of.
Took it back because the chicken wasn’t warm and it wasn’t cold. It certainly wasn’t hot. Salmonella is NOT my friend. Asked for the pork instead. ‘No problem’. 15 minutes later when my colleagues were already finished eating, I had to walk up myself to the counter to retrieve my food. ‘The pork takes longer to cook.’ Oh really, does that mean you were actually COOKING my food this time. Awesome.
The gyro was ok but not $ 7 worth. I guess this is what passes for Mediterranean food in the burbs. Best wishes, glad I don’t ever have to eat there again.

Great Great Great
Chicken pita is fabulous… tomato and cucumber salad is pretty good… they are sometimes mushy
Jiminy chips are my absolute favorite… super flavorful (Barbecue)

I’m between 3 and 4 stars on this one.
We arrived here on a Saturday evening before seeing a movie. I was expecting it to be a casual restaurant, but was not aware that it was a menu board sort of restaurant. There was a woman with two children finishing their dinner, and no other customers. We placed our orders and had had a seat. A basket of soft tasty bread was brought out to us.
Some of the employees were cleaning, so I started looking around to see if they had hours posted, maybe we were keeping them open late? One of the employees saw me looking around and asked if I needed anything. I said no, but be must have figured out what I was doing because he told me that they were open until 9 (It was about 7.45) and they were just slow because of several events going on in the area.
I was thinking it was way too quiet in there and they should turn on some music. A few minutes later a guy who must have been on break came back out and started playing the guitar. It was really nice to have live music in such a casual place. Our food was brought out to us quickly. My pasta was fine, it needed a little something, but the veggies were good, it had a light sauce on it. The hubbster seemed to like his pasta okas well — something with vodka sauce and chicken. The guy who brought our food out came to check on us a few minutes into our meal, and then offered boxes for leftovers when we were done.
I think the food might need a little work, but the service was good. It appeared that they would have outdoor seating in the summer.
Also, they are listed has having beer and wine, and there is a Miller sign in their window, but I never saw any beer or wine. (Don’t think I didn’t look!) There were several lines of text covered up on the menu board, perhaps they no longer have a liquor license, FYI.

I do love this place but don’t go often. I’m not sure why that is but I think things gotta change!
It’s a really cute place right smack in the middle of it all. No seriously. Downtown Elmhurst, in front of the fountain and it’s the high school hangout.
the chips are deee-​lish and I’ve had several of their sandwiches and have nothing bad to say about any of them.
The staff is nice and service time is average for a pickup place. FYI for the super busy ppl.- They also deliver.
I’m not a big fan of their pasta. It’s just meh. I guess I’m spoiled because I’ve grown up around Italians and their mothers who THROW DOWN! in the kitchen.
I’ll stick to the sandwiches.

My mother and I stopped in at this place at random. It’s centrally located in the beautiful downtown of Elmhurst.
The menu has a clean layout with text or pictures for those illiterate folk. There are also concise descriptions of what is in eat item. Fresco’s had a nice selection of different items at great prices. No beer? Bummer. A Sam Adams Boston Lager would have been perfect to wash down my Vegetable Panini.
So my panini was very good tasting. It offers a perfect assortment of vegetables including zucchini, squash, mushrooms, tomatoes, onion, and provolone cheese. I felt it to be a bit too salty. The panini also comes with a choice of one of three salads. I chose a bean salad with onions, garlic, and an olive oil. Yum but salt nation. My mother’s Capricioso was incredible.
4 out of 5. No doubt son.

I really, really wanted to like this place. I’ve tried it a few times, and its never been more than a «Meh» for me.
They have a great-​sounding salad with chicken, pears, and some type of vinaigrette. Sounds tasty, right? Well, they completely drown it in dressing. The lettuce at the bottom of the plate was actually floating.
I’ve tried a couple pasta dishes, and they are pretty bland. Same for the sandwiches.
The Jiminy chips are the only thing that is still redeeming for me about this café.

First Impressions: The brisk lunch business tips you off from the start that there’s something to this place. If the weather’s nice, the alfresco seating is the way to go. As you wait in line you can look at the picture menu to the side or the larger wall menu behind the counter. At the surface, it’s a pretty basic selection of paninis, pasta, salads, etc with some fancy names.
Food Impressions: Don’t be fooled by the posing, the food is actually amazing and very reasonably priced. I’ve never gotten a pasta dish but the paninis and sandwiches/​wraps are fantastic — healthy and satisfying. There’s an incongruous potato chip shop here as well and the chips are unsurprisingly fantastic to boot. Definitely consider adding the sweet potato chips to your sandwich order. The portions are perfect for lunch or a light dinner.
Final Thoughts: A great spot for lunch and even better when you can sit outside. Top notch food at very reasonable prices.

I’ve been going here since this place opened and have some concerns since my last visit:
1. What happened to the air-​conditioning and why is it never on? I’m not a fan of being humid while I eat unless I’m hitting the patio for some rays.
2. Where did your liquor license go and why?
Are these signs that Fresco’s is slowly going out of business or just bad business? I’m worried… or I’m disappointment, one of the two. Somehow, I NEED ANSWERS!

After sipping on a latte at That Coffee Shop, I worked up quite the appetite and decided I needed some sustenance before hitting the local boutiques. Low blood sugar + shopping = a cranky Jelena. Hmm, where to go? I turned to my trusted Unilocal app and saw that Fresco’s was a mere 2 blocks or so away.
Walking up, I noticed Fresco’s has a ton of alfresco seating! A nice bonus on this balmy, sun-​drenched day. I hoped to find something healthy, eat on the patio, and get a little work done on my laptop. I quickly settled on the Mediterranean tuna wrap, the cashier gave me a numbered table tent and I found the table of my mid-​afternoon dreams: exposed to the rays yet shaded enough so I could still see my laptop screen. Score, indeed.
A few minutes later, my tuna wrap was dropped off. The wheat wrap was grilled to optimal toastiness, and it was overstuffed with a blend of albacore tuna, black olives, lemon juice, mayo and lettuce. Not sure how healthy it turned out to be, but who cares… it was delicious!
Also notable, all the sandwiches and wraps are served with a side. I went with the Italian bean salad. Not only is it a huge portion, but tasted really light and zesty. I finished the entire bowl!
Great spot to bask in the sun and relax for half an hour. And very well-​priced for all the food you get! I was set for the rest of the evening with my $ 6.25 late lunch.

Cute place, tasty food. Met a friend here for lunch and enjoyed a delicious veggie panini with a tomato-​cucumber side salad. I like that side salads are their default, as opposed to the chips. But speaking of chips, this place makes hand-​cut freshly-​fried kettle chips, with 17 different flavors to choose from. They looked good, but I did not have any, because I was trying to be healthier.
They had some great looking options — salads, sandwiches, wraps, panini and pizza. I had a hard time deciding, but went with the veggie panini, which contained squash, zucchini, tomato, mushroom, onion and provolone. Yummy, although I wished the pieces were a bit smaller, I kept accidentally pulling big hunks of veg out as I ate. Bread was nicely crisped, cheese was melty and not overwhelming.
My friend enjoyed her sandwich and salad. And my cappuccino was also quite good, though I was mildly disappointed that it was served in a styrofoam cup, considering everything else came on real plates/​dishes.
Prices are reasonable, portion sizes are good and although I’m not a vegetarian, it’s good to know they have tasty veggie options… sometime I’m going to have to try those chips. Just because. Nice to know this healthy, quick-​serve option is in downtown Elmhurst. (And, they serve wine and beer, in case you’re in need of a glass!)

It is hard for me to believe that anyone would rate Fresco’s less than five stars. The food is simply outstanding and the price is just unbeatable. Even though it is categorized as a Mediterranean café, the food offered is full of variety. The ingredients in the food are always fresh, as this is obvious because everything tastes so good. Don’t just take my word for it, ask the managers and the workers as they will tell you they make their food with only the freshest ingredients.
Fresco’s constantly introduces new specials weekly and monthly, which is the mark of a restaurant aiming to please the customers. The pizza bread and carrot cake is to die for… They also make an outstanding caesar chicken wrap. In fact anything they make involving chicken is flavorful and delicious.
No other restauraunt in Elmhurst comes close to being as healthy as Frescos. Chipotle and Subway are in the same location, but not even close to being in the same class as Fresco’s concerning quality and price. I’ll even go so far to say that Fresco’s easily rivals the Café Amano in Elmhurst, It is actually unfair to only compare Fresco’s to local establishments. Fresco’s is at least equal to if not not superior to any restaurant in and around Chicago.
Fresco’s recently acquired fine dining with musicians performing on Friday nights. I have yet to check this out, but I’m willing to bet it would be enjoyable.
If this was the only restaurant I could eat at the remainder of my life, I would honestly be very excited! I promise you won’t be disappointed!

We discovered Fresco’s as we were plannign our move to Elmhurst. The food is tasty and fresh and is probably a smidge healthier than Chipotle or Buffalo Wild Wings, which flank it.
We love it because it is relaxed and casual. They have fresh tasty salads, pastas, pizzas and sandwiches and is one of the only places where I can have an inexpensive and quick meal with a reasonable glass of wine or a beer where the menu is KID FRIENDLY.
This place would have received five stars except for the fact that they have no diaper changing station in the bathroom.

I’m not sure why I have yet to review Fresco’s when I literally eat lunch here a minimum of 3x per week. I guess when something is so familiar it loses a small element of excitement, am I right married folks?
So Fresco’s may be my old ball and chain, and yes, I may even stray from our union every so often, but I always come back. They always do. It’s some of the freshest and tastiest food you’ll find in Elmhurst and the surrounding fast food wasteland. Just stride right up to order (no waitstaff here, only bussers who bring out your food and clear the tables) and place your order for yummy salads, grilled paninis, creamy pastas and amazing fired-​on-​the spot pizzas.
My signature salad is the Amore; grilled chicken, tons of romaine, buffalo mozzarella, pita wedges and big hearty tomatoes. Diet friendly and über tasty! If you’re feeling carb friendly though go for the Capricioso Pizza with grilled artichokes, olives, garlic, fresh mozzarella and basil on a buttery, crunchy crust. Soooo good and (almost) guilt free if you throw in a cucumber side salad.
Even though you’re not served by a waiter individually you’ll find the staff there (especially John and Bret) super friendly and helpful. Every time I come in there with my ‘crew’ we’re treated like family and who doesn’t love to feel like the big shot where everybody knows your name [and they’re always glad you came…]
Pardon the Interlude.
Clearly Fresco’s is the place to be, don’t skip the Jiminy Chips or sitting outside on the patio… it’s a great lunch spot and I hear they do dinner now too! So you Elmhurstians can hold down the fort with a nice bowl of Pasta Michelle and a glass of wine while I’m trekking back to the big, bad city. Chin Chin!