A limited-time collaboration between Scratch and Fresca transposes beloved Italian flavors onto neighborhood-favorite smashburgers and fries with four new creations.
The versatility of burgers opens them up to an array of flavorful possibilities, which probably explains why they’ve become go-to staples when you’re in need of a good bite that doesn’t ask for much (besides your two hands and an appetite). Dining collaborations have become a new way for concepts and chefs to exchange the best of their techniques, flavors, ideas, and philosophies, and Scratch—known by many for its rich, crisp smashburgers wedged between their signature potato buns—has made it a point to team up with an array of culinary spots to keep things fresh and exciting. From November 1 to 30, 2026, it’s adding an Italian twist to its offerings through a limited-time collaboration with Fresca, Makati’s beloved trattoria serving fresh pasta and other regional fare from the country. The Scratch and Fresca partnership comes at an apt time, as both concepts celebrate two years of their restaurant journeys, which includes building a community of loyal customers.
For Chef Francesco D’Arrigo of Fresca, it also marks the trattoria’s first collaboration, a good step forward that shows how far it has come since it began as a pop-up pasta bar in Quezon City, back in 2023. “Before we opened in Legazpi Village, I used to do pop-ups, so there is something familiar and exciting about bringing our food into another kitchen,” D’Arrigo shares. “With Scratch, we could have fun with Italian flavours in a different way, with people who care about food as much as we do.”
“We admire what Francesco and his team have built—the quality of the food and the care they put into service,” adds Scratch co-founder Patrick Santos. “Bringing that together with a burger place people have come to love in Poblacion felt like a great match. There was room for both kitchens to bring something of their own.”
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What’s On The Menu?
When Lifestyle Asia asked Fresca’s Chef Francesco and Scratch’s Chef Mikko Reyes what the research and development process was like, the two simply laughed and smiled, describing it more as a conversation of little friction, with ideas exchanged and visions aligned on what the new limited menu needed to be: something that showcased the best of both worlds while being a distinctly Italian offering informed by the simplicity and quality ingredients Fresca places at the forefront of its service.
The collaboration features four limited-time creations: the Fresca Smash and Mortadella Smash burgers, along with Nduja Fries, available at Scratch’s Poblacion, BGC, and Eastwood branches; and the indulgent Osso Bucco burger, exclusive to Fresca.
Lifestyle Asia had the opportunity to try out the new creations at a special preview, and they’re worth saving all your stomach space for. The Fresca Smash is straightforward, but there’s beauty to its simplicity: a pistachio pesto that balances out Scratch’s beefy smash patty, bacon switched out with the thicker bite and unique depth of crispy guanciale. Then there’s the Mortadella Smash for those who want that extra dose of meat and cheesy goodness, a smash patty layered with mortadella, gooey mozzarella, and salmoriglio (a Southern Italian herb and citrus sauce) that helps cut through the smoky-savory layers with just the right amount of zest.
Complimenting these Scratch burgers are the Nduja Fries, crinkle-cut potatoes topped with an nduja mayo that has just the right amount of bold kick, a sprinkle of black olive powder lending a fragrant sharpness that keeps things interesting.
Fresca has a surprise for diners as well with an exclusive collaboration Osso Buco Burger you can only get when you dine there: a decadent creation with tender, melt-in-your-mouth chunks of osso buco. You’ll find the meat has almost zero resistance to bite, soft shreds of veal adding the generous dimension of Italian home cooking to your usual smash burger.
Three burgers and a serving of fries comprise a menu that gives you enough variety to want to keep coming back, but it never overwhelms, each creation distinct and perfectly balanced. I ask the chefs what they’d recommend, and I’m met with amused smiles, Reyes admitting it “depends on the day,” and D’Arrigo recommending splitting them with friends. After trying out the new collaboration menu, I understand why asking for a favorite is tricky: each burger offers you something you’ll be craving throughout November, and when you have something this tasty for a limited timeframe, you’ll really will want a little bit (or a lot, no one’s judging) of everything.
See more of the Scratch and Fresca limited collaboration menu below.
The Scratch and Fresca limited Italian engagement collaboration runs from November 1 to 30, 3036. The Fresca Smash is priced at ₱480, the Mortadella Smash at ₱440, and the Nduja Fries at ₱330, available at Scratch’s Poblacion, Eastwood, and BGC branches. The Osso Buco Burger is available only at Fresca Trattoria in Legazpi Village, Makati for ₱545. For more information and updates, Follow @scratch.mnl and @fresca_trattoria on Instagram.
All photos courtesy of Scratch
Frequently Asked Questions
Scratch and Fresca launched a limited-time Italian collaboration menu from November 1 to 30, 2026, Fresca’s first restaurant partnership, developed with Chef Francesco D’Arrigo and Scratch co-founder Patrick Santos.
The menu includes the Fresca Smash, Mortadella Smash, Nduja Fries, and a Fresca-exclusive Osso Buco Burger made with tender, shredded veal osso buco.
The Fresca Smash, Mortadella Smash, and Nduja Fries are available at Scratch’s Poblacion, BGC, and Eastwood branches through November 2026.
The Osso Buco Burger is priced at ₱545 and served only at Fresca Trattoria’s Legazpi Village location in Makati, not at any Scratch branch.
The Scratch and Fresca Italian collaboration runs the full month of November 2026, from November 1 to 30, marking both restaurants’ two-year anniversaries.
