08/09/09

Not what it used to be

by AnonII

I first tried Vespa in 2006. Perfect pasta, heavenly asparagus, lovely presentation, pleasant wait staff. By perfect pasta, I mean that the bite and flavor were perfect, the cream sauce delicate, the 4 or 5 stalks of asparagus perfectly cut and arrayed and shining with flavor, fresh peas. I was impressed and I loved it.

I tried Vespa again in 2009. Pasta was smothered. The plate looked like a heap of garbage. It appeared that the cream sauce had just started to break. My fellow diner's ravioli stuck in the teeth. The desserts (tiramisu and chocolate semifreddo) were scooped out of pans and slapped onto the plates with lakes and globs of sauces that overpowered the desserts themselves. The ladyfingers in the tiramisu were over-soaked in a tasteless coffee syrup. The filling was not grainy but lacked flavor and richness. Between 2006 and 2009 I had stopped into Vespa with friends just for dessert. We had profiteroles - they were good but the pastry cream was still frozen inside.

I had a cappuccino. I thought surely in an Italian restaurant.... Cappuccino should be 1/3 coffee, 1/3 steamed milk, and 1/3 bubbly, frothy foam. This cappuccino was lukewarm, probably 2/3 milk and there was a film of spent foam on top. Even if what I was served was a poorly made latte, the size of the cup suggested that they meant to make a cappuccino.

I feel that I can give an informed review as I have been to culinary school for baking and pastry and have worked in a top-notch coffee shop in a metropolitan city. I can't help but feel insulted by Vespa. I will not go there again. I will be going to Italy in a few weeks from now. I know that once I've been there, my 2009 experience at Vespa will appear to be all the more pathetic.

• Pros: Pasta itself is good, great atmosphere
• Cons: Presentation, cappuccino, desserts

11/16/08

Recommended for atmosphere (romantic) but not the service (pushy) or the food (below average at best).

by steeveo

I've lived in Chapel Hill for over 20 years so I consider myself somewhat knowledgeable about the local restaurant scene. My recent experience at Vespa confirmed what I have always felt about the restaurant, and what I have heard others mention as well; that the staff seem somewhat pushy to get you in and then get you out, and that the food itself was not very good.

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Let me preface by saying that my date and I were one of three groups of people seated in the restaurant at about 6:15. Our waiter was great, but when we were given the wine list another manager-type person came over and offered to help us out on our wine selection. He repeatedly told us that they were "out" of many of the items on the per-glass menu and I felt he was a little pushy trying to get us to purchase a bottle. They only had two types of wine from italy by the glass, in an italian restaurant?

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The bread arrived and it was cold, dry, and not tasty whatsoever. Not a big deal, I suppose.

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Then the food arrived; I got the Gnocchi and my date got the Fetuccini Primavera. Mine was almost cold, heavy, and almost tasteless. My date's meal was better (she said she liked it) but I personally thought she was being polite (I thought it was average at best). I didn't think it was worth the price we paid by any means.

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I recommend Vespa for the atmosphere (romantic) but definitely NOT the service (pushy) or the food (below average).

• Pros: Atmosphere, parking
• Cons: Pushy and rude service, tasteless food

09/15/08

Al Dente Pasta!!

by domokun

This is the only reasonably-priced restaurant in the area where I can find the pasta cooked just right at

al dente!! A friend of my recommended this restaurant as one of her Italian friends' favorites.

However, their outdoor dining space is not the best as it's almost on the sidewalk or in the parking lot.

• Pros: Food, Price
• Cons: Outdoor dining area

05/25/07

Some words from a regular...

by thesonofclan

The absolute strongpoint, and reason that I go back to this restaurant again and again, is the ease with which you can make it your own.

At Vespa you won?t find the large sterile environment of a mega service restaurant; it?s much more romantic. The ambience is beautifully Italian, with Mediterranean colors, classic movie posters, a brilliant copper bar and a gorgeous garden for outside dining. The lighting gives the place an intimate feel, which is great for sharing a bottle of wine.

With respect to the staff, I consider it a pleasure to know them all by name (I admit I come here a lot). The manager is a great guy who is very quick to show his appreciation with a glass of moscato and a smile, and the small group of servers is always courteous. The owner Marlo is a true Italian who can be very charming and an interesting addition to the meal if you?re lucky enough to catch him. I also suggest eating at the bar, the bartender is a very magnetic guy. They really treat their regulars well.

To top it off, the food is wonderful. While their menu doesn?t change, the specials always do, and they can include some excellent homemade pasta. The gnocchi, by the way, is second to none, as are the calamari and mussel appetizers.

To conclude, I think this is a very special place. With respect to the rancorously bad reviews, I can only think that it reflects the quality of the customer rather than the quality of the restaurant.

• Pros: Ambience, dedicated parking, fresh food and family style service
• Cons: The menu doesn't change; don't let this stop you! (the wines do)

05/12/07

THIS PLACE IS TERRIBLE

by dyingsun

Vespa tries to offer an "authentic Italian amotmosphere". They fail terribly.On their overpriced entrees they skimp out on the main ingredients (I had the sausage in marinara with virtually no sausage). After having a 4 course meal (appetizers, salads, entrees and dessert plus drinks for a party of 10 ) and paying the tab, which included tip, the lame excuse of a manager told us that he needed our table for another party and we were no longer welcome. On top of that, they cram all parties into a very small space where all other customers and servers bump into the back of your chair and it is impossible to move in the restaurant without hitting someone else. The service was incredibly slow because of the amount of customers they took on. All these jerks are concerned about is making money. After confronting the slimeball about this garbage he said "we have twenty people waiting". It was a Saturday night so of course people were waiting, however this does not justify kicking paying customers out of an establishment. TO MAKE A LONG STORY SHORT AVOID THIS PLACE AT ALL COSTS!!!!

• Pros: Average food
• Cons: Terrible service, rude managers NOT CUSTOMER ORIENTED what else do you need to know?

09/15/06

What tha?

by perfectdrift78

Short and sweet:

This place is a joke! I don't know who could give this place a grade on a scale of 1 to 10 an 8 or 9. What are you thinking!? We were ignored, served drinks that made me nervous, and served food that my dog wouldn't eat. Considering this is the first and probably only time I'll ever be ill enough to write a review, I suggest you take it to hart before wasting your money at this place.

• Pros: good ambience
• Cons: everything else!

A favorite Italian restaurant in Chapel Hill.

by Contributor

In Short
Under the restaurant's zippy logo, which includes a stylized sketch of Vespa scooter, you'll see the word "cibobuono." That's Italian for good food, and many would agree that's exactly what's being served from the kitchen of Vespa. You'll be greeted by a brass bar, a piano couched in the corner, and a gallery of mirrored walls. The menu is a nice merging of Northern and Southern Italian cuisines.

02/20/06

Molto Bene!

by freckleface

What a great restaurant. My husband and I went for Valentine's Day and had a fantastic meal, from appetizer to dessert. The calamari is perfectly cooked. I had the gnocchi special and it was quite possibly the best I've ever had. My one complaint is that the seating can be kind of crammed depending on where you sit. But the food can't be beat, especially for the price. And there's a parking lot!!

• Pros: Great food, Great value, Free parking
• Cons: tight seating

04/03/04

Vespa is amazing

by matburn

Whether you are on a date, going to a nice dinner with some friends, or taking your parents to dinner, Vespa is the best Italian restuarant to choose. I find myself constantly going back because of the amazing, imaginative, authentic, unique, and robust food, and the wine and Italian beer is good too. While the menu seems small, I have tried over 12 items on the menu and have loved them all! Hands down the best Italian in the area. They'll make believers out of you too.

• Pros: Food, Atmosphere, Desserts

09/19/02

Excellent Food

by rmelzer

Had the occasion to dine on Wednesday and Saturday of the same week. The menu changed within those few days, but each offered more choices than my fellow diners and I could chose easily. The meals were definitely Italian, but not the usual meatballs and spaghetti. The food was excellent. The service, well don't be in a hurry, but isn't that Italian too?

• Pros: Excellent Food
• Cons: Slow Service