Yelp usually doesn't steer me wrong and didn't this time either. The restaurant is located in a very unprepossessing strip mall in Parsippany, but inside it is nicely decorated and clearly is very popular. We were greeted ebulliently by the very nice server, and the service was great throughout the meal, with two servers and the chef or manager (both?) checking on us. There is an extensive menu, from which I chose the Jersey Carbonara and my dining partner had the Shrimp and Pancetta Risotto. Both entrees were delicious and filling, The restaurant bakes delicious bread, which is light and fluffy and somehow tastes vaguely cheesy also. We rounded off our meal with what I hope was a decaf capuccino--one of the smoothest coffee drinks I've had the pleasure to sample--and a truffle with two kinds of ice cream and a little jujube inside. 10/10 would eat there again. read more

This Italian restaurant is tucked in between a few shops in a mall strip, but once you step inside, you instantly get the feeling that it's family-owned and genuinely cared for. The atmosphere is warm and inviting, making it a perfect spot for a cozy date night. It's also BYOB, which is a great bonus and makes the experience even better. I ordered the lobster ravioli, which was very tasty and full of flavor. That said, the portion was on the smaller side for the price. What really elevated the night, though, was the dessert menu everything we tried was delicious and ended the meal on a high note. Overall, it's a charming spot with great service, solid food, and a lovely atmosphere. Definitely worth a visit if you're looking for a relaxed Italian dinner with a date-night vibe. read more

Gourmet Cafe - Italian Near Me - Parsippany, New Jersey

I frequently stop at Baldwin Pizza for lunch and when I do, I see Gourmet Cafe a few doors down. After looking at the website and reading a bio of the owner, I was looking forward to stopping in for lunch. Today I had the chance to stop in. This is a cool little restaurant, nicely decorated, with very friendly servers. I ordered the Open-Faced Tuna Melt. The sandwich and the pasta salad it's served with was delicious! The apples and cranberries with melted Swiss cheese on top was different but very tasty. There's many other great sounding choices on the menu, so I'll definitely be returning! read more

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Service was ok. The food was far from ok. The quality of our food was lacking. I honestly do not remember what my wife had ordered. I had a chicken dish that was very poor. read more

Awesome service and food! Be prepared if you want wine pick up a bottle on the way over since they don't have a license to sell but can pour yours. They were nice enough to give me a bottle of Pinot Grigio they had on hand. read more

Gourmet Cafe - Wine - Italian Near Me - Parsippany, New Jersey

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Went back to this fabulous restaurant for the 2nd time and it was just as terrific. 5/5 on Food, Service, and Ambiance. Staff is so good and the food is obviously prepared with a lot of love and attention to detail. Even got to chat with Chef/Owner Matt and he was awesome. We brought 2 close friends tonite and they absolutely loved everything. Cant wait to go back. Restaurants like this are very rare. read more

Another great meal only equal led by the prompt and courteous service. Matthew and his team always hit the mark. This is our go-to when in town. The dishes are made to perfection, you can taste the love they have for food. The linguine with shrimp and scallops is such a dish. Jumbo shrimp and sea scallops served over al dente pasta in a savory pink vodka sauce...perfetto! No corkage as it's BYOB Gracie Mille, Matthew for an excellent meal. read more

Gourmet Cafe - Linguini with Shrimp & Scallops smothered in cheese!! - Italian Near Me - Parsippany, New Jersey

We have been dining at Gourmet Cafe for years! Chef Matt loves cooking for and giving back to his community! From is amazing dishes to his huge heart, we just love supporting him! Not only has he fed us all these years, he's watched our family grow! He gives back by employing some of the best servers! They all feel like family after dining with them for the last 15 years out of the 18 years he's been in business! Thank you Matt for your culinary genius and for being the heart of Parsippany! Cheers! read more

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Food consistently good. Mathew the owner/chef always comes to the table. I have been dining there for years and have never had a bad meal. I highly recommend gourmet cafe read more

Writing a review from the table. Cute little strip mall restaurant. Enthusiastic crowd and staff. Owner circulated and chatted up some patrons. I made sure to let him know we were very pleased. Servers were all helpful and friendly. It was our first time here. We didn't have a reservation (we aren't locals), but they accommodated us anyway, happily. Make sure you have a reservation. Bread: Warm, toasty. Oh my goodness, the risotto croquettes. Do not miss these. That and a wedge salad would be a great light dinner! I didn't do light though: "Jersey" Carbonara (bacon and cream sauce). I asked if they could make it without onions, and it was no problem. Soft shell crab on special for the hubs. He was very pleased. It was light and flavorful. We are waiting for the famous butterscotch bread pudding as I type. BRB it's here!! Shame I didn't have patience to take a picture of it before we killed it. Wait! We were out of here for under a hundred bucks?! App, two entrees, and shared dessert. read more

Gourmet Cafe - It *was* Butterscotch Bread Pudding... - Italian Near Me - Parsippany, New Jersey

Absolutely adorable, hidden gem. Everyone is extremely friendly and accommodating. The owner himself even comes over to your table to check on you. I started out with the breaded eggplant, tomato, and burrata , absolutely perfect, so creamy and delicious! I also ordered their famous drunken chicken parm, definitely lived up to the hype! I also had a side Caesar, which I could've had four bowls of so amazing! I can't wait to go back to try the rest of the menu ! read more

Gourmet Cafe - Cappuccino - Italian Near Me - Parsippany, New Jersey

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Outstanding food and truly exceptional service. It's a small place in a strip mall, so you could easily walk right past it or underestimate it. You should know it's bring-your-own-wine (they can't sell alcohol). Matt is the chef/owner, and if I'm not sure what to get, I ask him to pick anything for me. read more

Gourmet Cafe - Italian Near Me - Parsippany, New Jersey

Recently visited with friends and everything was excellent. All around everyone was happy with their meals. My Pork Chop Giambotta was a 10! Thick but extremely tender. Service was spot on making for a great evening. read more

Highly recommend making reservations as this is a small but nice BYOB restaurant. Came here for dinner on a Saturday evening and it did not disappoint. Food and service were good. parking is shared is with the other stores in the area. During the evening, the owner /chef of the restaurant went to each table to say hi and ask how everything was. Yes, we brought our own vino... complimentary fresh baked bread to start Appetizers to share: burrata and prosciutto special and caesar salad to share - both were good Entrees: Rigatoni with shrimp and crab meat and veal saltimboca - both enjoyed the entrees remember to make room for dessert: The pistachio gelato truffle was sooo good. Highly recommend it! Definitely will be back again to try more items from the menu and more pistachio truffle :) read more

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It is fair to say that Gourmet Cafe is the best restaurant in Parsippany - and has maintained that status for years. Why? The food is delicious. Consistently so. The staff achieve the balance of fine dining and elegant service in a comfortable environment. My party of six dined here on a Sunday evening. Chef Matt checked on us several times. Not a perfunctory - how's everything? He truly cared that we were enjoying our meals. I could go on about how my scallops were perfectly prepared and how everyone enjoyed what they ate. That would all be true. But, you go to Gourmet Cafe for the complete dining experience. You know your patronage is appreciated. And you will never leave feeling the least bit disappointed. read more

Wow, what an experience the food was absolutely marvelous. The service was perfect. The ambience was a little rough, but I wasn't there for that. I was there for the food which was spectacular. read more

So next time you're looking for a lunch destination, consider your favorite Dinner Place, Gourmet Café offered the same professional ambience with a great lunchtime menu Chef Matt! read more

We came here with six people. We had a cousins reunion. we all got appetizers and we all got dinner. Most of us got coffee. We thank God for the BYOB. We paid $50 a person with tip! My cousins come here all the time. They said the food never disappoints. The owner came over to the table and was just amazing. It was very busy, as always. Again, thank God for the BYOB because as you all know, alcohol is a fortune, I don't get the lousy reviews. Everything was perfect. But then I remember, some is there a garbage outside oh my God I'm blind thank you girls thank you it was amazing. people can be really annoying. read more

Parmesan crusted chicken sandwich was phenomenal and fresh . Bread was light and fluffy yet crisp chicken was tender and juicy but crispy

I was in town for business and decided to try the gourmet Café for dinner. Great food and menu it had a lot of seafood dishes, which I love so I got the shrimp and crab pasta. It was so good! It was creamy and the shrimp and crab were really good. The owner was very, very nice and made sure my dinner was great. The bread was excellent too. I really enjoyed the gourmet Café and will definitely eat there when I come in to town for business again. read more

Chef Matt is a excellent cook. Been there several times if it's not on the menu, he will try to make it for you. Great atmosphere friendly waiters food is excellent. I will still keep going back. read more

Note: BYOB Parking: 10 Ambiance: 8 (small, but warm) Menu: 10 Service: 10 (slows down when the place is packed) Food: 9 (a great score for me) Everything our group of 4 ordered looked and tasted great. Chef definitely uses fresh ingredients and we all agreed that our apps, salads and mains were some of the best that we've had in the area. And my 88 year old Italian father in-law can't stop talking about the place. A definite must try in north Jersey. read more

we are traveling from out of state and was looking for a nice place to eat. Our hotel had this restaurant on their list of recommended places. From the moment we walked in, we were greeted so graciously. once seated, we were provided with their menu choices on an iPad type device. Each offering provided a stunning picture of the plate. we were first served a delicious cut loaf of Italian bread while they brought our beverages. The food was served with minimum wait. All plates were piping hot and prepared perfectly. The meal couldn't have been better. The owner and staff stopped by to make sure we were enjoying our dinner. Don't let the appearance of the strip mall play into your decision. The interior was small but tasteful. We will make sure to be back again the next time we are in the area. read more

One and Done! I came here for my birthday as it was a Sunday and not many places open on Sunday. I read such favorable reviews that I was excited to try this place. I made reservations for 6:30pm (none needed as place was not full). Our server had the table ready with water already sitting there along with a plate of butter. He did not greet us, just asked our name and sat us down. He brought out hot bread and offered to open our wine. Ten minutes later, we are still sitting at the table with no menus. It was not until I turned around to look back that he caught my eye (he was chatting with the other server in the bar like area and had not bothered to check on us). He came out and apologized saying, "Oh, I thought someone gave you a menu," as he handed us the electronic menus before walking away without asking us if we had any questions. (did not know who he meant because it was just him, the girl and another older gentleman waiting tables). After another 15 minutes, the girl server was walking around and I asked her who my server was as no one had come to inquire about our order. She said, "Oh, he is in the back, but I can take your order if you are ready." We ordered, and waited. Appetizer came out. It was sub par, but edible. We continued to wait another 25 minutes and the main dishes came out. I ordered the chicken saltambuca, my mom the drenched chicken Parmesan, and my daughter the pasta with mushrooms, bacon and sun-dried tomatoes. The saltambuca was tasteless. I had to add tons of salt. It was also warm and not hot. My daughter's pasta was inedible. It was room temp at best and she could not eat it due to its strange combination of flavors. The drenched chicken Parmesan was dry and flavorless, but mom said it was passable. It was not until we were done with our dinner that anyone bothered to check on us, and it was only to clear our plates. I was asked if I wanted anything wrapped, and told the female server (our male server NEVER returned to check on us at all) that it was inedible and that no, we did not want it wrapped. She asked if we wanted anything else, instead. While that would have been helpful at the beginning of our meal, at this point it was not at all helpful as we were done and ready to leave. No one ever came to refill our water, refill our bread or ask us how everything was. Instead, they continued to chat amongst themselves. I had selected this place based on reviews and am only sorry I did not go to La Rocca in Montclair as I had previously planned. There, they are very attentive and the food is superior. Here, not so. I definitely will not be back, and although I left a 15% tip (I usually leave 25-30%), the service was worth far less. I will not be back and can not believe that they have 4+ star reviews. I don't like leaving negative reviews and often try to give someone the benefit of the doubt, but the combination of inattentive service coupled with inferior cuisine left me resentful and annoyed. Happy Birthday, Indeed. When asked if we wanted coffee or dessert, I said, "No, thanks. Just the check, please." Did not want another disappointment. My daughter is going to make killer home made lava cake at home for me. At least dessert will be excellent. My advice, Go elsewhere or cook at home. This place is not worth it. read more

In seeking local places to eat in Parsippany, I always like to explore new places to go. Surprisingly, one very popular place never made it to my list until just recent. There was no question in my mind that the food and service would be top notch, but wanted to experience that for myself so we paid a visit to Matthew Pierone at the Gourmet Cafe Italian Restaurant . For those not familiar with this by now, Gourmet Cafe is located in the Baldwin Shopping Plaza on Baldwin Road, at the intersection of Route 46. Historically, the vast majority of my posts involve takeout, however to get the full dinning experience, a sit down meal was in order.(If you are not looking for a dine in experience, takeout option is always available and is the next best thing.) I called to see if a reservation was required on the same day I planned to go. While not required, a reservation was strongly recommended, so I locked in a time. Reservations process was super easy and quick. With the reservation made, now came the hard part. There have been many posts about the members from this group who have dined here in the past, and every single posted looked and sounded delicious. With an online menu https://gourmetcafenj.com/dinner-menu/ as well as specials https://gourmetcafenj.com/specials/ , I was able to get a jump start and do some reconnaissance on the menu. No doubt, the menu has a lot to offer with many tasty meal to chose from. We arrived at 6:30 and the place was packed. Luckily I had the reservation and we sat immediately. Gourmet Cafe is B.Y.O.B. so having a favorite glass of beer or wine is a win in my eyes in that you bring what you enjoy, and don't have to pick from drinks that you are not familiar with. Our host was quick to uncork my bottle which is always a great start to a dinner. Before long, a decent sized loaf of warm bread arrived which was pretty amazing topped with some butter. We started with the Risotto Croquettes (Prosciutto, Mozzarella, Marinara Sauce) which were tasty! I had the Chicken Giambotta (Sweet Sausage, Roasted Peppers, Hot Peppers, Potatoes, Onions, Garlic, Mushrooms, Light Tomato Sauce) The meal was amazing and my only regret for the evening was not coming here earlier in the 15 years that Gourmet Cafe has been in Parsippany. By the way, congratulations Matt on your 15th year that recently occurred! A great accomplishment in my eyes. The penne vodka was also delicious and made for a great meal. Shame on me for not rememberingknow.) Between the wine, bread (bread also was awesome when dipped in the sauce from my Chicken Giambotta meal), apptizer, and entrees, unfortunately there was no room for dessert. https://gourmetcafenj.com/dessert-menu/ The contenders for next time will be the cannoli's, the homemade apple crisp, or the chocolate mouse cake. Needless to say, dinner was delicious and there was even some leftovers to take home. Being a first time customer, while I've seen other post about it, once the dinner rush subsided and everyone had their meals, Matt took the time to visit our table, as well as those who were still there, to check on our dinning experience. No doubt he had a busy evening and could have taken a quick breather behind the scene, yet he came out from behind the scenes to greet his guests. In my mind, this says a great deal when the owner/ head chef comes out to greet his guest after a busy evening in the kitchen. That only raised the bar only higher. To sum up, everything that everyone has been bragging about Gourmet Cafe is spot on. If your looking for some really good food, with great customer service, that is B.Y.O.B., you have found your spot! read more

We went to a Mozzarella making class with Matthew and team. It was an awesome afternoon and we had a great group. Thank you Matthew!!

I visited the Gourmet Café a few days ago for lunch. I can still report that owner/chief Matthew Pierine is still at the top of his game. The menu is not extremely large with about 12 entrees offered. I arrived for lunch about 2 pm and the cafe had a fair amount of diners. I ordered the Penne with wild mushrooms ($22.50). It consisted off a mix of mushrooms, sun-dried tomatoes, bacon chips and a brandy cream sauce. Chef-Owner Matthew Pierone has never disappointed me with any of the menu items I have selected over the years. My only complaint is that prices have risen an average of $5+ since pre-Covid-19. There is a point where value comes into play. The service is professional. I had a glass of water with a slice of lemon which came quickly to the table. Once the Penne was delivered the waiter came around offering Parmesan cheese to taste. The Penne was cooked just right, not to soft and not to hard and the overall flavor for the dish was exceptional. The food takes about 20 minutes from the time you order it to when it is delivered to your table because it is freshly prepared. The restaurant has about 12 tables and is located in a strip mall. The décor is attractive but not over done. I saw couples, families and others who were enjoying a business lunch. It is BYOB. Lunch hours are 11:30-2:30 and dinner is served 5-8pm. read more

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Excellent food, service, atmosphere! Matthew is an excellent chef / owner and the restaurant is very clean and friendly service! Will definitely be back again. Highly recommended! read more

Always great food and service. We have been coming here for years and have never been disappointed. The owner has received many awards and has them on display along with family photos too. The table place settings are nicely set up and give you a fine dining feel. BYOB and reservations are suggested. read more

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Sweet local place with delicious food. We happened upon it looking for a lunch stop on our way to PA. We shared an eggplant sandwich. It was huge and they were happy to split it for us. It was freshly prepared, lightly breaded eggplant with mozzarella, arugula, tomatoes and a wonderful, fresh baked ciabatta. It has prosciutto on it, but we are not meat eaters so had it without. There was a side of pasta salad with arugula and roasted red pepper which was also very tasty. Our server was friendly and the food arrived in a timely manner. Love supporting local businesses. Will probably stop here on the way back. read more

10/29/24 We were a group of six coming in Tuesday night for dinner. We didn't realize we should have made a reservation. The owner was so accommodating. He asked us to wait a few minutes and he worked things out so we were able to get a table and enjoy a fabulous dinner. We had different entrees and everyone loved their meal. The service was excellent. We highly recommend Gourmet Cafe!!! read more

Dining at Gourmet Cafe is a very enjoyable experience from the initial "welcome greeting" you receive upon entering the restaurant, to the "thanks for visiting" you receive when leaving. The menu contains a wide variety of delicious and healthy offerings at competitive prices. The staff provides attentive and helpful service with a smile. Table spacing and seating contributes to a comfortable environment. The Owner Matt Pierrone, is a gifted Chef and excellent "people person." He makes it a point to come out from the busy kitchen and thank every (regular and new) customer for coming in. read more

Ordered take away during lunch and it was tasty and reasonably priced. Id come back and try more options. Mushrooms were tasty and almost charred flavor? Loved it. Dressing was light and salad was good size read more

Gourmet Cafe - Fresh Spinach Salad - Italian Near Me - Parsippany, New Jersey

First of all a lovely restaurant! Matthew greeted us at the entrance and it felt so comfortable. Service was top notch and the staff were attentive and friendly. I ordered the lobster ravioli with the scallops, and my girlfriend ordered the penne with scallops and crab meat. Mussels were the appetizer and they it was amazing. Everything was on point , I even wanted desert but could not eat one more bite. The food was that good. We will definitely come again! The restaurant had a warm cozy feel. read more

This place is close to where we live and since we are new to the area, we had to check it out. We came in around 4:10 pm initially to grab a late lunch but they were serving dinner - so we got dinner. We came in a bit of a transition period when they were setting up the seating outside. They kindly asked us to wait a few minutes and we were seated fairly quickly. The staff were all very friendly and attentive to our needs. After browsing images on yelp, I decided to go with the Seared Scallops with Crabmeat ($29) and my man ordered the Braised Beef Ravioli ($22). They do currently have the option to be seated outside which is exactly what we did. The service was very great and fast, the waitress was very attentive and responsive to our requests. The food was spectacular and the portions are big. I had to take half of my plate home because it was so filling. They also provide complimentary bread + butter and water (I really like that I didn't have to ask for water). For drinks they only had non-alcoholic options but I'm not sure if it's because of COVID/outside seating. A dessert menu was provided after we finished eating but we were way too full to eat any more. I just ordered a double espresso shot to finish out the dinner. The espresso was delicious as well. Overall this is a very nice little restaurant - the food is a bit on the pricier side but it's very delicious/worth it. The service is exceptional and I would love to try the lunch menu in the near future. Highly recommend this place! read more

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every time I've been it's the best. service is great. the owner is awesome and the food is some of the best Italian I've ever had.

I've mostly retired from writing negative reviews of mom'n'pop joints, but the overwhelmingly positive press here can't possibly be organic, so I feel compelled to document our experience. We tried this spot recently for a family dinner and were extremely disappointed in the food. Watermelon salad was passable - 2 stars. Rice balls were bland with sauce to match - 2 stars. Chicken parm was foul, with very soggy chicken and mediocre red sauce - 1 star, and the star of the meal was the Chicken Marsala which tasted overwhelmingly of uncooked wine and lacked salt to boot - 1 star. Service was fine and management did the right thing when we sent back the Chicken Marsala by removing it from our bill - but the fact that it reached our table with those foul flavors leads to me to question the honestly of so many other reviewers claiming that the food is delicious. read more

Always an amazing meal and service at Gourmet Cafe. The food is always fresh and flavorful.

I hesitate to post a positive review, because I would like to keep this place to myself and a few of the locals here in Parsippany who consider this the best Italian food in the area. Chef Matt is almost always on site and his menu is outstanding, with nightly specials. His staff is always excellent and the food, from pasta dishes, meat, and fish is always first rate. This is a BYO, so you can bring your favorite wine. Don't let the restaurant's location in a strip mall fool you, this is the best Italian food in the area. read more

Great little gem inside of an unassuming strip mall. Very small restaurant, but nice on the inside. A good date-night spot if you live in town. My group of 5 did not have reservations on a Saturday night, but the hostess had an open table that was reserved 45 minutes after we arrived. She kindly asked if we could order pretty quickly and possibly not get dessert then she would gladly seat us. We weren't going to get dessert anyway so we were totally on board with the offer! I absolutely loved this offer too because I hate seeing open tables but not being able to get seated for over an hour. This worked out perfect for us. We were in and out before the other party arrived :). Everything we ordered was great. The service was quick (of course) but we never felt rushed either. I ordered the Shrimp Francese and this is hit or miss at restaurants flavor-wise. Gourmet Cafe's was pretty good! Not super memorable, but it was good. Would love to try something else next time! read more