Fresco closes after 28 years, and abruptly leaves new location in downtown Santa Barbara

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - Fresco Cafe has turned out the lights after 28 years in Santa Barbara.

The decision to close caught many long time customers off guard, especially since Fresco had just relocated to a new site in downtown.

Last fall, Fresco owner Mark Brouillard said he moved from his Five-Points
Center location because the rents had gone up significantly.

He found the location of the recently closed Sevtap winery-restaurant at 23 East Canon Perdido St. near the Lobero theatre and looked forward to serving the downtown flow of locals and tourists.

The rent at the new site was reported to be half of the previous location. The kitchen, however, was also smaller.

It was not a smooth transition, and Brouillard recently said after six months his beer and wine transfer to the new address had not been cleared by the Department of Alcohol Beverage Control (ABC) which made operations difficult.

It's unknown if this was part of the decision to close earlier this week.

Fresco consistently received high marks from customers for food quality and its recipes. Brouillard was often at the register or amongst the customers at their tables checking on their orders and chatting. Many had become friends.

The menu included salads, sandwiches, pizza, soup and many daily specials. The new location had inside and outside dining, within a block of State Street.

After hours, one of his employees was known on the streets for bringing the leftovers out to those in need around the area, in a quiet act of generosity.

A sign in the window thanks customers for 28 years of loyalty. In part it says, "we remain very grateful for the opportunity to serve Santa Barbara for these many years. We have been fortunate to work with best group of people anyone could hope for. We ask that you continue to support small businesses here in Santa Barbara, as they are the center of the community that connects all of us."