Houston & Peach

Much anticipated, casual fine dining Italian restaurant opens in Warner Robins

Brother and sister Christian and Monica Torres quietly opened the doors last week to their casual fine dining Italian restaurant in Warner Robins.

Fresco Italiano at 1208 Russell Parkway is the second location of this popular Tifton restaurant with their lunch and dinner rotating menus expected to be tweaked to reflect what locals here most like, Christian Torres said.

“We’re just so very glad to be here and look forward to becoming part of the Warner Robins community,” he said. “We have found everyone here to be very friendly.”

Sister and brother Monica and Christian Torres, owners and operators of Fresco Italiano in Warner Robins.
Sister and brother Monica and Christian Torres, owners and operators of Fresco Italiano in Warner Robins. Becky Purser bpurser@macon.com

They opened their Warner Robins restaurant to friends and family Wednesday and then to the general public Thursday.

The soft opening gave their restaurant team time to learn the ropes. Also, the restaurant just received its alcohol license Friday, and Torres hopes to be fully stocked this week.

Fresco Italiano quietly opened Thursday on Russell Parkway in Warner Robins. Friday, the casual fine dining Italian restaurant received their liquor license and expect to be fully stocked this week. Host Danielle Norton, pictured here, is ready to greet customers.
Fresco Italiano quietly opened Thursday on Russell Parkway in Warner Robins. Friday, the casual fine dining Italian restaurant received their liquor license and expect to be fully stocked this week. Host Danielle Norton, pictured here, is ready to greet customers. Becky Purser bpurser@macon.com

The cuisine

The family owned and operated restaurant naturally offers antipasto, the traditional first course before sitting down to an Italian meal, that includes salads, mussels and artisanal cheese and meats.

Many of their pasta dishes such as lasagna, spaghettini, lobster ravioli and fettuccine alfredo can one be found on both the lunch and dinner menus.

A 100% black Angus ribeye steak from Creekstone Farms that’s hand cut in house and aged for 28 days at Fresco Italiano in Tifton. The wine is our Caymus 2018 from Napa Valley. The restaurant’s owners are opening a Fresco Italiano in Warner Robins.
A 100% black Angus ribeye steak from Creekstone Farms that’s hand cut in house and aged for 28 days at Fresco Italiano in Tifton. The wine is our Caymus 2018 from Napa Valley. The restaurant’s owners are opening a Fresco Italiano in Warner Robins. Courtesy Fresco Italiano

Steak choices also are available on both menus. Their 100% black Angus steak is hand cut in house and aged 28 days.

Some dinner options currently offered include lobster and shrimp linguine, chicken piccata, eggplant Parmesan and steak such as a 16 ounce ribeye, a 16 to 20 ounce New York steak and an 8 ounce filet.

A lunch option at Fresco Italiano in Warner Robins: half an Italian panini made with salami, hot ham, soppressata, pepperoni, balsamic vinaigrette, lettuce, tomato and provolone cheese and a half Sylvester salad of mixed greens, strawberries, apples, pecans, fontina cheese with raspberry vinaigrette.
A lunch option at Fresco Italiano in Warner Robins: half an Italian panini made with salami, hot ham, soppressata, pepperoni, balsamic vinaigrette, lettuce, tomato and provolone cheese and a half Sylvester salad of mixed greens, strawberries, apples, pecans, fontina cheese with raspberry vinaigrette. Becky Purser bpurser@macon.com

An Italian panini, hamburger steak Marsala, meatball sub and other sandwiches, burgers and paninis are currently only on the lighter lunch menu.

Saturday brunch options include bruschetta classica, french toast, shrimp and grits, Fresco’s chicken sandwich and chicken kabobs.

The menus are also tweaked to include seasonal dishes, Torres said.

The restaurant offers a full-service bar, a wine-tasting bar, a charcuterie bar and a dessert bar.

A chocolate mousse dessert with ice cream at Fresco Italiano in Warner Robins.
A chocolate mousse dessert with ice cream at Fresco Italiano in Warner Robins. Becky Purser bpurser@macon.com

The Torres family opened their first Fresco Italiano in Sylvester and later relocated the restaurant to Tifton.

Initial operating hours are 11 a.m. to 2:00 p.m for lunch and 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. for dinner Monday through Thursday. The same hours for Friday and Saturday except the restaurant is open an hour longer for dinner on those days.

The restaurant also offers a Saturday brunch in addition to its rotating lunch and dinner menus and eventually is expected to also be open on Sundays to include brunch.

Fresco Italiano at 1208 Russell Parkway in Warner Robins.
Fresco Italiano at 1208 Russell Parkway in Warner Robins. Becky Purser bpurser@macon.com

This story was originally published May 31, 2022 at 5:00 AM.

BP
Becky Purser
The Telegraph
Becky covers new restaurants, businesses and developments with some general assignment reporting in Warner Robins and the rest of Houston County. She’s a career journalist with ties to Warner Robins. Her late father retired at Robins Air Force Base. She moved back to Warner Robins in 2000. Support my work with a digital subscription
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