Pane e Vino — Restaurant in Cape Charles

My husband and I usually visit Cape Charles roughly 10 times each summer. We were quite excited to see a new restaurant opening, Pane e Vino. We had heard very mixed reviews. People we spoke to mentioned poor customer service but the online reviews were glowing so we decided to hope for the best and give it a try!

Unfortunately, after one visit here we were so appalled at the rudeness of the male owner we would absolutely never return. We usually dine at Hook at Harvey or Ambrosia, where we always receive excellent service and delicious dinners. For lunch/breakfast we enjoy Edible Picasso, The Almeta, Cravings, and Coastal Bakery. We truly wanted to have a new place to add to our small list of restaurants in our rotation that we love.

We were rudely greeted when we walked into Pane e Vino by the male owner. He told us to order our drinks immediately and actually stood at our table while we were rushed to select our alcoholic beverages. My husband and I discussed leaving before our drinks even arrived due to the hostility we received immediately. It was very unusual. It was 7:30 in Cape Charles and we had no reservations elsewhere so we decided to stay.

The food was decent. It wasn't horrible but not a single dish we tried was excellent. We started with mussels (very little flavor in the broth, very small amount of broth, and many gritty mussels). We also had bread with burrata which was mediocre. We joked that the bread wasn't fresh and must have come from Food Lion. I truly can't even remember the third dish we ordered but it wasn't memorable clearly.

We have traveled and dined at many wonderful restaurants in the US and abroad and truly have never been treated as poorly as we were in this restaurant. The whole experience was mind blowing as most businesses in Cape Charles try to offer lovely hospitality and service. We were most upset as we had secured a babysitter for the evening, spent $200 on dinner, but been unable to have a lovely experience due to the average food and truly awful service.

We want the best for Cape Charles and hope the owner will at least pretend to be appreciative of his paying customers or a new well-run restaurant will...

I am unsure of how this location has received so many positive reviews. I read all of the positive reviews but asked a local prior to going; I should have listened to the local who indicated it as not good....but I wanted to try a different Italian experience. I messaged owner for reservation and asked if they had food other than tapas because online menu says/shows lasagne, meatballs, etc. And the response was they have a 'mixed menu all delicious'. After arriving, we almost left several times; wish we had. We had to ask for menu, only one menu sheet for entire restaurant, so 4 of us had to share one menu. Person who brought menu could not answer any questions. We had to ask owner to explain items, no description, no prices....that should have been a hint. He was cooking, waiting on people, doing register, bringing out drinks, etc. Food was extremely disappointing, with all 4 of our foods brought out at a different time, person's long after others were finished. $23 for a small lukewarm lasagna with no sauce, meatballs look nothing like shown, artichokes were cold, which I had no idea of even after he explained. They have large loaves of bread displayed, so we asked for bread and got a small bowl of a few small thin slices of a baguette. Plus, I paid $4 for water because he brought me a small bottle...I just wanted water to drink...did not ask for bottled water and nowhere was...

It's unfortunate that some visitors to Cape Charles focus on minor issues like fruit flies instead of appreciating the town's charm. Paul and Josephine work diligently to ensure a wonderful experience for their guests and take precautions to address the seasonal challenges of the fall months caused by local agricultural practices.

I can confidently say this restaurant is one of the finest in the area. Dining here feels like a trip to Italy without the airfare. The hospitality from the owners is truly exceptional, showcasing a level of courtesy and elegance that's hard to find, especially on the Eastern Shore.

Every detail, from the exquisite flavors to the inviting ambiance, reflects a commitment to quality. It’s surprising that someone would leave a negative review after an anniversary celebration, particularly given that the daily changing menu is a testament to the freshness of their ingredients. Not everyone may understand the significance of this dedication to fine dining. This restaurant may not be for everyone, but those who appreciate authentic, refined experiences will find it a gem, as reflected in its overwhelming number of...