Pasta Fresca opened its doors in 1997 as a family-owned Italian eatery in the charming Forest Acres area of Columbia, South Carolina, located now on Forest Drive. In 2023, its owners, Scott and Lauren Goodale received the incredible honor of being inducted into the South Carolina Restaurant and Lodging Association's Hall of Fame, along with a few others, and joining the likes of Villa Tronco, Rush's, Shealy's Bar-B-Que, Lizard's Thicket, and other award-winning restaurants in South Carolina in prior years. Keep reading to discover the recipe for success of this delicious Italian restaurant in Columbia, S.C.

The foundation for most Italian dishes is, of course, pasta. And at Pasta Fresca in SC, that pasta as well as the sauces are all made fresh in-house from scratch daily.


This difference from places that use packaged pasta is noticeable when you take the first bite of your meal! It's the fresh pasta difference.
For some of the dishes at this incredible Italian restaurant in Columbia, S.C., you choose what type of pasta you want from a selection of dish options on the Pasta Fresca menu like Loaded Alfredo, Creole-Mex, Seafood Gorgonzola, and more. This is in addition to the classics you'd expect to find at an Italian spot.

If you just can't decide what to order, perhaps try the Southwest Chicken with Cilantro Mint Butter Sauce, a longtime customer favorite!


I chose this restaurant for my birthday celebration, and I can personally attest that the Salmon Bacon Fresca is amazing. The other members of my family thoroughly enjoyed their meal as well!

Columbia's Pasta Fresca offers an extensive drink menu including special alcohol-free selections, beers, hand-crafted cocktails, and wines from across the country and the world. Pictured here is a wine that was added to the selection in February 2024, Lauren Goodale's pick, a weird and wonderful blend of Pinot Blanc and Muscat from Slovenia with a floral, fun, fruity, and fresh taste.

This Spicy Grapefruit Margarita looks delish!

With pasta being such a filling type of meal, you may want to take some home for later if you want to save room for dessert. One customer said of the cannoli that she's never been a fan of it but Pasta Fresca's is amazing! You'll find a similar theme in most Pasta Fresca reviews.

When you're looking for award-winning restaurants in South Carolina, Pasta Fresca is one of our top recommendations. If you're in town on a Saturday to try Pasta Fresca, check out the unique Soda City year-round street market for a little shopping beforehand:
https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/south-carolina/soda-city-market-columbia-sc/
Take a great shopping bag along with you and fill it with goodies!
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