Il Fresco - Scarborough

I went to this restaurant for brunch and was the only customer there, yet it took 30 minutes for my food to arrive and 15 minutes for a drink. The service was extremely slow. The pancakes didn’t match the pictures—I found them to be thick and dense instead of light and fluffy. They served table syrup instead of maple syrup, and the sausages were overly greasy. The tartufo dessert was also disappointing; it tasted like a poor-quality version. Overall, my experience was not great.

We had a group of eight, and our dinner was absolutely delightful. The servers were incredibly genuine and friendly, and we didn't feel rushed while ordering or leaving. It was a great value for the money.

The waitress then took our order. My girlfriend requested the 8oz steak, but the waitress never asked how she wanted it cooked. I had to remind her to make sure it was medium well, only for her to repeat “medium rare" back to me. Throughout the evening, I found myself repeating myself multiple times. I ordered the seafood risotto, and thirty minutes later, the waitress asked if we wanted dessert. I replied that I’d like to receive my main course before even considering dessert options. Finally, when our mains arrived, the steak was burnt on top and drowned in gravy. To top it off, it was served medium rare instead of medium well as requested. My dish was equally disappointing; the rice was not the mushroom risotto as advertised, and the shrimp was so overcooked that I couldn’t even peel off the shell. To make matters worse, the shrimp wasn’t deveined—it had a long, dark vein running down its center. We asked for water, but the waitress brought over a half-full, used bottle from another table. I could hardly eat my meal and sent it back after just a few bites, and my partner did the same. Other tables around us were voicing similar complaints, including the couple next to us. The husband received his meal before his wife’s, and they told us she had ordered seafood too but was served pasta instead. When I asked to take dessert to go—one cheesecake and one strawberry shortcake—the waitress brought us two cheesecakes on plates. I reminded her that I requested it to go, and she said they were out of strawberry shortcake but didn’t bother to ask if we wanted something else; she just assumed. We settled for tiramisu instead in place of the strawberry shortcake. When we received the bill, there were no adjustments made, despite us sending back our main courses and expressing our dissatisfaction with the entire experience. I was baffled. To top it all off, when we got home and decided to eat the desserts, the tiramisu was frozen.

I've visited this restaurant at least a dozen times, and each experience has been fantastic. The food is exceptional, the portions are generous, the drinks are delightful, and the staff is friendly and well-informed. My favorite dessert, without fail, is the Crème Brûlée—it's a winner every time!

This restaurant has a very clean and inviting atmosphere, featuring an appealing menu full of authentic Italian and seafood dishes, as well as a wide selection of wines and spirits. Our group ordered a variety of meals, all of which were generously portioned and tasted incredibly fresh—crucial for seafood dishes. The prices were very reasonable considering the quality. Although there isn’t a dedicated kids' menu, my server went above and beyond to ensure that my children were well taken care of, and they left happy! We don’t live locally, but if we did, we would definitely be regulars. Thank you, Il Fresco, for adding to our delightful evening! To make this a five-star experience, I would recommend offering a proper kids' menu and enhancing the ambiance. The local news playing on the TV isn’t very engaging; perhaps adding some Italian guitar music would create a more enjoyable atmosphere while guests savor their delicious meals.