Cafe Vincotto

What a fantastic discovery! This casual spot offers incredible food, a vibrant atmosphere, and outstanding service. We started with the burrata, which was incredibly fresh and paired perfectly with a flavorful pesto. The highlight for me was the octopus—exceptionally tender, with a smoky purée that added a unique depth of flavor. The short ribs were unbelievably tender, some of the best I’ve ever had. The service was just as impressive as the food—attentive, friendly, and knowledgeable. The staff made us feel welcome from the moment we walked in, offering great recommendations and ensuring everything was perfect throughout our meal. I highly recommend this place!

From the freshly-picked local farm vegetables to delicious homemade baklava, this restaurant is a hidden gem. Special thanks to Chef Steven for the perfectly crafted V burger. The peach salad with yellow watermelon, watercrest, Belgian endive, and fresh fennel were my family’s favorites. The owners and overall team at Cafe Vincotto are very friendly and attentive, going above and beyond for us. The delicious food, flawless service, and charming ambiance provided us with a memorable dining experience. Can’t wait to be back!

Every once in a while you get lucky. I enjoy trying new things, especially new restaurants. Being completely transparent, I have grown to have low expectations, period. I learned a long time ago that if you expect nothing you will never be disappointed. Well, Cafe Vincotto just set the bar extremely high. This place is nothing short of exceptional. From the time you arrive, you are treated like family. It only gets better from there. Tony and his team are going to spoil you. Full disclosure, if you don’t get out much, you will not appreciate the lengths this gem goes to. It is refreshing to be treated so well and to have multiple taste bud orgasms at the same time. Stop settling and take a culinary journey today. Thank you Cafe Vincotto for reminding me that people still care. This place is the best of the best! God Bless America! God Bless Blue & Gold! Remember Everyone Deployed Everyday!

Unassuming suburban restaurant somewhere between a classic suburban red sauce joint and newer modern Italian restaurants found mainly in NYC. We had a relaxing dinner on their patio. The meatballs were the highlight, monstrous hunks of meat, and the best meatballs I’ve had in years. Beet salad and octopus appetizers also great. The chicken Milanese was perfectly cooked and extremely tender, as was the veal chop. House spaghetti is squid ink with seafood and sausage, was a lovely mix of flavors, a traditional Italian American preparation cranked up with bits of andouille sausage. Dessert was excellent, a good baklava and the even better “European Tres Leches” cake. Very personable service. Cannot wait to return. BYOB.

So many details. I was happily surprised by this beautiful restaurant that was once a stark venue, easy to miss on Springfield Avenue. BYOB accompanies delicious food with layers and layers of flavor, homemade pastas and desserts, the most tenderest pork chop, fresh fish-delicate Sea Bass, beautiful presentations. Picture perfect entrees but I was too busy eating to take a photo. Small things-details, extra-large ice cubes, hot milk for the coffee and the prettiest restaurant bathroom I have ever been to. Service was very attentive with Tony and Bona checking in on our experience.

If you're NOT eating at Cafe Vincotto then I'm not sure where you're eating. Tony & Bona are the best hosts to their restaurant. They are not only kind, they treat everyone that walks through their doors like family. It is cozy, has a wonderful fireplace, and each table feels special. Now the food - exceptionally fresh. If you see something on the specials you like, GET IT! It may not last long. The chicken milanese is a great classic, and the octopus is always cooked perfectly. The ingredients they use are sourced individually and are always top tier! Save room for dessert because the Baklava is something I'd eat for breakfast!

Great addition to the Berkeley Heights restaurant scene. It was packed on a rainy Saturday night. Food was top notch from start to finish. The colossal meatball is a pound of meat - really enjoyed it. My family loves the tender octopus tentacle. The calamari was light and perfectly fried. For mains, the branzino is our favorite fish - love the crisp they get on the skin. The squid ink pasta is sizable and a treat. I ordered the trout special which was enjoyable but I think the branzino is still the king. Service is wonderful and Tony and his wife are a lovely couple. We will be back soon.

An absolute gem added to downtown Berkeley Heights. Everything from start to finish was top notch. Rolls and garlic herb olive oil were tasty. Meatballs and coconut shrimp were excellent starters. Branzino was fresh and the red pepper sauce complimented the fish well. Braised short rib & vincotto chicken were very well constructed dishes. Pistachio tiramisu (homemade) capped off an awesome dinner. Service was on point throughout, very professional with smiling faces. We will be back without a doubt. BYOB and easy parking.

Cafe Vincotto is a fantastic gem. Great food; super friendly and welcoming owners, and desserts are to die for. Presentation is always top notch.

4.5 stars. This is a small, intimate spot great for celebrating special occasions or just having a nice meal. It’s a very good value for the ambience. I took my mother and MIL here as a late mother’s day meal. We started with the burrata and calamari which was fried. Both appetizers were the highlight of the meal. I could not get enough of the burrata on the salad, and the calamari was fried to perfection. For dinner, my mom had the chicken vincotto which was tender. My MIL had the branzino, which was my favorite main course dish. Finally, I had the pappardelle, which I wanted to love, but wasn’t my favorite. There was an odd taste that I wasn’t the biggest fan of. The menu is small, and this isn’t the place for super picky eaters. It’s BYOB and I definitely recommend bringing a bottle of wine. It’s a good place to relax and have conversations. At times, it was a tad loud as the restaurant is very small. Service was good, although it took awhile between courses to get our food. I would definitely return!

Ten stars out of five if I could! Local gem in the style of a European bistro. Fabulously lush floral interior decor, whimsical bathroom fixtures. Phenomenal food, Mahi Mahi entrée had perfect sear on the fish and exquisite sauce pairing. Short rib was melting tender, well matched to the buttery rich mashed potato especially great for having discernible bits of it (not homogeneous goo). Crispy onion slice a nice crunch factor. Roasted carrots sweet and nice burst of color. Bonna (Bona?) took great care of us and was super gracious and Tony as well. Bravo!

First time, group of 6 on a Friday night and they delivered! Food and service was great. I asked the waitress to surprise me between the short rib or the papardelle, she chose short rib. So yummy. All pasta is house made, such a plus. They are BYOB, so the price is wonderful for a high-end experience. Really can’t recommend enough and can’t wait to go back

Amazing food - great hospitality- and a great atmosphere! Tony makes you feel at home and his food is unmatched for any restaurant in the area. 10/10 recommend- if wild tuna pops up on the special you must give it a try

🥘 What a wonderful experience from excellent food, service, and ambience at @cafevincotto . The prices were beyond reasonable for the experience that I received from my pallet, customer service, and surprisingly nice my wallet. 💳 I highly recommend this place and tell Tony i sent ya!!! #foodies #steak #scallops #shrimp #risotto #baklava #farmtotable #fresh #delicious

Amazing food but even better company! Tony and Bona make your experience feel like your family! Perfection in every bite! A must try!!!!!!!!

Second time be here for family dinner, always amazing food and service! I love the vibe here, not super peaceful and with warm atmosphere, good choice to stay for friends hang out or couples. Feel free to bring your drink. Tony is excellent!

Had the meatballs to start which were very good, and the chicken milanese was absolutely amazing. Super crispy and juicy chicken and amazing flavor. Staff is excellent; super attentive and very kind.

Service oriented, and then reinforced with great platings and dishes. Parking on site and strongly recommended making reservations. BYOB. I know I'm going back. 9-12-23. Updated pictures. Better pictures 2nd time around. Red snapper, octopus, beet salad (must have) watermelon and peach salad, organic chicken and the homemade baclava!

Cafe Vincotto is more than an amazing place to enjoy a meal cooked to perfection with an essence of flavorful European cuisine. It offers an intimate dining experience with a friendly and attentive staff. I had a wonderful time recently at a private party at Cafe Vincotto. Everything was delicious from the appetizers to the dessert. If you are planning a birthday party or any special event (business or personal) or just want a wonderful meal, Cafe Vincotto should be your first choice!

The food was delicious and so creative. The menu is first class and everyone should experience favorable exciting food. The owners have created a wonderful restaurant for all of us to have an outstanding evening. The staff is totally on top of their game and better than many expensive NYC restaurants. Enjoy!

The service is superb. Everyone is so friendly and made us feel like home. Food is so delicious and the choice of wine is excellent. The atmosphere is very cozy and comfortable. The price is very reasonable and we felt it's very good value. We truly had an incredible time there. Thank you so much and we are looking forward to coming back soon.

Tony and his amazing staff made our birthday celebration truly special. He was so flexible in helping us customize the menu and even offered creative suggestions, right down to the music. The food was outstanding, with beautiful attention to detail and presentation. Highlights included the caprese salad, meatballs, and especially the calamari—it was incredible! The salmon, Chicken Vincotti, and pasta primavera were all fresh, flavorful, and delicious. I highly recommend this place, whether for a night out or your next celebration. Can’t wait to come back—thank you, Tony!

This is hands down one of the best! Food is delish, with fresh ingredients. The short ribs are fab! Tender and flavorful. Steak. Wine. Wonderful! We love it there. Shout out to Tony and the Chef and the staff. Highly recommend. A hidden gem of NJ!!! Go now!!! Run!!

This restaurant met all our expectations. The food is incredibly fresh and super tasty, and the service is truly five stars. We had a wonderful experience from start to finish—highly recommended!

We are new to the neighborhood and went here pre-Valentine's day. We had accidentally canceled our reservation and Tony accommodated us with a table. We had the beet salad (good but a bit overdressed and a lot of arugula), and I had the vegetable risotto (which they kindly made with veg stock, very tasty) and my husband had the ribeye (which he really enjoyed). We had the chocolate torte (amazing with gelato). Everything was tasty. Everyone who came was a local with hugs for the staff. We didn't necessarily have a dedicated server so some points were slow. We can't wait to get that welcome and come back! The places was decorated with balloons and flowers for Vday - very elegant.

The food at Cafe Vincotto is absolutely delicious and beautifully prepared. Every dish is fresh, flavorful, and made with high-quality ingredients. You can really taste the care and attention in every bite. From the savory options to the desserts, everything is perfectly balanced and full of authentic flavor. The portions are just right, the presentation is elegant, and nothing feels rushed or average. The staff makes you feel comfortable and well taken care of. Great experience all around.

Cafe Vincotto is a true “hidden gem”. The food is spectacular and the service is phenomenal. Tonight I had the spinach salad and the pork osso bucco. My wife had the beet salad and the pappadelle bolognese. All four dishes were wonderful. Very creative and extremely tasty. Kudos to the chef and his team. The atmosphere and ambiance are equally amazing, highlighted by a wonderful fireplace. But the most distinguishing quality of this establishment is the service. The owner and his wife go above and beyond to make guests feel welcome and appreciated. We dine out frequently and cannot think of another restaurant that compares to Cafe Vincotto in terms of warmth of service. We always feel incredibly welcome and appreciated. We have dined at Cafe Vincotto at least six times in the past 24 months - maybe more. The service and the food are consistently spectacular. BTW: (1) family members have also dined at Cafe Vincotto and share our accolades. (2) prices are extremely reasonable. It’s BYO but at $50 per person, before tip, we feel this is VERY reasonable given the overall quality of the dining experience.

I went with my wife last night and had a fantastic time. The restaurant looks smaller but inside it is a beautiful aesthetic and feels much bigger than it seems. Plenty of room where the tables are not on top of each other. The service is very attentive and warm, and the food came out quick while still being very hot and of course delicious. The bread is some of the best fresh bread I can remember having, the meatball starter was amazing, and my wife wants to learn how to make the sauce it was so good. The main was a great size and tasted phenomenal. We will be going back.

Visited Café Vincotto while traveling from Switzerland, and it exceeded even my very high expectations. The moment I walked in, I felt genuinely welcomed. The service was warm, attentive, and truly exceptional. Every dish was crafted with incredible care and quality — you can taste the freshness in every bite. It’s rare to find a place that delivers both heart and perfection, but Café Vincotto does exactly that. An unforgettable experience. I’ll be recommending this gem to everyone back home!

We went last night for a ladies dinner and it was exceptional! From the moment we sat down Tony and his staff welcomed us so warmly. With four ladies drinking different kinds of wine, Tony knew what everyone was drinking as he refilled our glasses. The pasta fagioli is out of this world!! The best around for sure. We also had the eggplant tower which they split into two dishes for my sister and I. The portion was very large! It feels like family here- from the meals to the friendly service, there is nowhere around the area that even comes close.

I have walked into Cafe Vincoto many times, drawn not just by the aroma but by a feeling that settles in the room. The food here is truly amazing. My favorites are the burgers and the steak, but honestly, every dish I’ve tried has blown me away. Appetizers, main courses, and desserts—top notch from start to finish. But what makes this place stand out isn’t only the menu. It’s the ambiance, the warmth, and the hospitality crafted by Toni and Bona. They’ve built a space that feels both refined and inviting, where you can sense the care in every detail. The atmosphere isn’t just present; it’s infectious in the best possible way. I’ve had so many memorable moments here. Once, I came with client/friends who were so captivated by the warmth and the food that they scheduled their baby shower right there on-site. Another time, I was there with friends and before we left, she was talking about booking this place for her engagement party. And when a friend/cleint needed a place to get together for her husband, when she was doing renovations in the house they just bought, I suggested Caffe Vincoto, and Toni went out of his way to accommodate, turning a regular get-together into something special.Thank You so much Toni and Bona for taking great care of my friends and everyone who walks inside your beautiful place. You are the best! Caffe Vincoto in Berkeley Heights NJ is a great spot for a first date, a romantic evening, an engagement party, baby shower, birthady parties, class reunion, or a casual dinner with friends. If you’re planning a memorable night, I always tell my friends and clients to start here. Walk in, say hello to Toni and Bona from me. They’ll take excellent care of you, and who knows? It might just be the start of your next unforgettable moment. PS: Say hi to Tony & Bona from me and enjoy your evening 😊

Warm, cozy, atmosphere. Wonderful, welcoming owners, Tony and Bona, who actually roll up their sleeves and get their hands dirty by working to provide the highest quality service to their guests. They genuinely enjoy your company and are always willing to engage in conversation to get to know you better and for you to get to know them better. Awesome menu, especially the new octopus carpaccio, which I hope they keep on the menu at least through the winter. Steaks are to die for. Decadent desserts, including homemade baklava is a must not to be missed. My wife and I regularly do that as a takeout so that we can enjoy it over the next couple of days at home. We have also taken it out to give to friends as a special treat. Be sure not to miss their special birthday surprise. Looking forward to my next meal there. Anthony

Just picked up dinner from Café Vincotto, and once again, everything was absolutely outstanding ! I had the Yellowfin Tuna, sesame-crusted and perfectly rare — served with crispy rice medallions, julienned zucchini and squash, and a delicious aji amarillo marinade with ginger soy wasabi aioli. Every bite was fresh, balanced, and bursting with flavor. Michele had the Chicken Milanese, Amish pasture-raised chicken cutlet topped with burrata, arugula, radicchio, red onions, tomatoes, and lemon & fig Vincotto. Perfectly seasoned and cooked to perfection. Both dishes were incredible, and you can really taste the quality and care that goes into the food here. I’ve also dined in before — the atmosphere is warm and inviting, and the service is top-notch. Highly recommend Café Vincotto, consistently excellent in every way ! This place Rocks !

We recently celebrated our daughter’s Baptism lunch at Café Vincotto, and everything was absolutely unbelievable. From the moment we first contacted Tony, the owner, the service and professionalism were above and beyond. He was super responsive, accommodating, and brought such a fun energy to the planning process. The day itself couldn’t have gone more perfectly. The staff was attentive, the food was incredible, and the atmosphere made it truly special. We’ll definitely be hosting more parties here in the future. Thank you, Tony and the entire Café Vincotto team, for an unforgettable day!

Ordered takeout so can’t speak on the service and atmosphere but I’m sure they’re great. Got the burrata, chicken vincotto, and the cheesecake. All were amazing. Portion sizes were perfect and the food was excellent!

Excellent dining experience! Exceptional, especially relative to the price. My wife and I would highly recommend Cafe Vincotto. First, the owner is very welcoming and professional. This guy knows how to run a restaurant. Second, the service is tremendous. Very attentive and friendly. The owner and the hostess make you feel extremely welcome. Third, the food is phenomenal. My wife had the burrata and the pappadelle bolognese. She loved every bite. I had the octopus and the veal Parmesan. One of the best veal parms I’ve ever had. And the octopus was incredible. The atmosphere is warm, cozy and inviting. Amazing value and memorable dining experience.

Café Vincotto is a wonderful addition to the culinary community of Berkeley Heights. The staff is very friendly and welcoming. Our server, Bona, was warm and genuine, which made the food even more delicious. A must try if you're in the neighborhood. My husband and I had the specials, halibut and filet mignon...both were superb save the polenta that came with the filet. I would personally go creamy rather than "cacky" but still no regrets. We had the baklava for dessert. Best flavor but difficult to cut into. May need to ask for a knife. Overall, excellent dinning experience.

Very average food: Tuscan salad was good; French onion soup was a soggy mess with no cheese and full of dry cubes of stale bread; chicken milanese was covered it thick layer of fried bread with no sauce. I might come back for salads, that's about it. We ran out of patience and left without trying deserts. Atmosphere is pleasant but noisy with sound bouncing off largely barren walls. Sitting next to two couples screaming at each other (to be heard) about coloniscopies was ... interesting. Servers were attentive, but overwhelmed with traffic during peak of dinner time.

Considering the hype of this restaurant on social media, our experience was disappointing to say the least. The atmosphere was very quaint and cozy. The manager was very nice and friendly. Unfortunately our waitress was inattentive. We were never asked what we would like to drink. Food came out quickly and now I can see why. The buratta salad was good and refreshing. The special crab bisque was not really a bisque. Waiter delivered the soup but it was more of a broth. The special lobster ravioli was not homemade nor flavorful. Very disappointing. The bronzino was over cooked and dish itself lacked seasoning. The best part was the lack of communication with the wait staff. We had our check brought to us twice. Again, we had high hopes for this place. We traveled about 50 minutes to try this spot. We won’t be returning.

I had a really disappointing experience at Café Vincoto. Upon arrival, I was not welcomed at all. I was with my service animal, who had all the proper documentation and tags, yet the staff refused to let us in, stating they do not accommodate service animals. This is not only frustrating but also against the law. It was a very unfortunate situation, and I do not recommend this place if you rely on a service animal or have specific needs.