While Campagnia has always been one of my favorite restaurants in the city, now that my workplace is near it, I have been eating their much more often. I have never gotten to try their dinner yet, but lunch alone is amazing and probably a bit lighter on the pocket book.
Campagnia is stylishly decorated with wooden tables, straw chairs and an industrial ceiling. I prefer the patio though, with the sunlight, white tables and surrounding plants, a very peaceful place. Campagnia is one of those places you can go and everything you order will be exceptional.
For lunch one has a choice of the many sandwiches with an option of macaroni salad, a fresh green salad, or if in a less healthy mood, thin cut crispy fries, fried to perfection. I have recently tried the chicken wrap with avocado salsa, chipotle aioli and feta cheese, as well as the phyllo wrapped crab and shrimp melt with pasta primavera and three aiolies. Both were incredibly fresh entertaining dishes with inventive twists.
For my latest visit I ordered the New York steak with three pepper butter sauce, baked potato and sour cream, and sautéed spinach. I ordered the steak medium rare and actually got it that way and it was very tender as well. The sour cream on the baked potato, though still not enough for me, was more generous than most restaurants and the potato was very soft. Spinach is something that takes an excellent chef to not overcook, but Campagnia was up to the task. Instead of butter they serve their bread at the beginning of the meal with an Italian dressing, something that is rarely found in Fresno. I usually order tea so I can stay awake. The tea has a rich flavor and a natural sweetness with no sugar added. The staff is some of the most attentive in town.
Campagnia is certainly one of the top three restaurants in the city.
