Vinny's Cafe — Restaurant in Baltimore

Hubby and I passed Vinny's as we were heading to another restaurant in the area and it looked so quaint that I told him I'd really like to come back over and dine there. Fast forward to tonight, we gave it a try. Lisa greeted us at the door and took us to a very nice, quiet table. I appreciated this because I had a crazy day at work and I just wanted to have a few minutes peace with my husband. The restaurant itself is a hometown sort of place that makes you feel like you are in a dining room, but you feel comfortable as you are.....and that tonight was perfect.

We told her that it was our first time there and she made some great suggestions for what to have. The menu is hard to even choose from because there is so much that looked and sounded amazing! She talked us into this meatball, ricotta, marinara appetizer. Her description of the meatballs was enough for both of us to be inquisitive. Meatballs are suppose to be light little pillows. They should never be over handled to the point that they turn into billiard balls. These did not disappoint! They smelled amazing and tasted even more amazing! Bread/pizza bread and butter was brought out...all very tasty!

Hubby and I both had a drink tonight and for the price, we only got one, but one was all that we needed. It wasn't loaded with ice to the point there was no liquor and it provided that little buzz that I needed personally! :)

My husband ordered lobster ravioli and a salad and I ordered veal parmesan. To be honest, I really had a hard time picking anything. When our meals came out, I think we were blown away at the size of them! My hubby was able to finish eating his full pillows of pasta.....me, not so much. Never did I expect the size of veal that I got and the accompanying pasta that was under it. It was absolutely tender within a crunchy topping and had just the right amount of marinara so that it didn't lose the crunch but kept all the flavor.

We finished with a coppa pistachio dessert that I was able to eat four bites of. Totally delicious and well worth having.

Everything was served at the appropriate temperature. We loved the vibe of the neighborhood coming in to dine. Just a fun little place that I know we will be back to. Lisa was the best server, but all employees we came in contact with were a credit to Vinny's Cafe. Thanks for a great evening.....we can't wait to...

I just had the worst experience at Vinny's Italian Cafe. I recently heard about how great Vinny's Key Lime Pie is and so by word of mouth, I traveled over an hour drive to give it a try on Monday 8/11/2025. They did not have any, I was disappointed but I ordered their Reese's cup cheesecake- which was amazing. I decided to drive back again on Thursday, 8/14/2025 for the key lime pie but this time I called before making the hour drive and a man answered. I asked if they had any key lime pie and he answered that they had plenty and that he would hold one for me. I was so thrilled. I arrived and told them I was there to purchase the key lime pie, the lady looks around the dessert case and replied that they don't have any. I said there must be some mistake because I literally just called and showed the lady my phone call stamp and the time frame of the call and that the guy who answered said he held one for me. She asked around to see who took the call but did not get any clarity as to who gave me the misinformation. I was disappointed to say the least. I was also disappointed that after sharing that I had driven an hour, that she nor the manager that came out thought to take any initiative to try to turn my unfortunate experience and wasted gas into a more pleasurable experience. I felt bad for even asking if there was something else they could do for the inconvenience the representative caused me, but the manager (I won't say his name) told me that he does not have the authority to do anything further and offered an apology. I have worked in customer service for over 15yrs and I know that as a manager, there was something he could have offered other than an apology- and it would have been the only right thing to do. But cool. I believe the dessert gods for whatever reason do not want me to have that pie. They don't have to worry about me ever showing my face there again. And what is sad is that I just remembered that Vinny's was the last restaurant that I ate out at with my Grandmother before she got really sick in 2019- She passed June of 2020 during the peak...

TLDR: An underrated Baltimore gem serving top-tier pizza and Italian comfort food, with a standout Sicilian Grandma pie.

Vinny’s Cafe in Dundalk might fly under the Baltimore pizza radar, but it has no business staying there. After hearing from some locals that this spot ranks up there with Baltimore legends like Matthews, Frank’s, Squire’s, and Pizza John’s, I to check it out.

I ordered takeout, going with their Sicilian Grandma pie and a vodka chicken parm sub. When I walked in to pick up my order, I noticed the inviting dining room and a fully stocked case of pizzas and desserts, all looking fresh and ready to go. The fact that they serve slices is a major plus and not something you find much anymore in Baltimore.

The vodka chicken parm sub was fantastic. The chicken cutlets were nicely breaded, the hoagie roll tasted fresh from the oven, and I loved being able to get the vodka sauce on the side so I could dip instead of wearing half the sandwich. The sauce had great flavor and paired perfectly with the smoked mozzarella and provolone melted over the chicken.

As good as the sub was, the Sicilian Grandma pie was the star. Their take on Sicilian is light, airy, and almost focaccia-like, which made for an incredible base. It’s not the traditional Long Island Grandma style with the dense, olive-oil-rich crust, but it holds its own. For me, Grandma style pizza showcases the essentials better than anything else. With Vinny’s, the dough, cheese, and sauce all shine in perfect balance. It’s the litmus test pie, and Vinny’s passes the test with ease.

Overall, I’m beyond satisfied and pretty sure I’ve found my new go-to pizza spot in Baltimore. Next time, I plan on dining in for the full experience and grabbing one of their NYC style pies. Vinny’s Cafe is the real deal, and more people...