Gusto Italian Café — Restaurant in Center Harbor

✨100 out of 10 – A Glorious (and even Gluten-Free) Dream at Gusto!✨

We came to Center Harbor for a quick getaway, and what we found at Gusto was more than just a restaurant—it was a revelation. A hidden gem that blew us away with every single bite.

Let’s start with the food—because WOW. I’m gluten-free, my husband isn’t, and we both agreed: this was the best Italian food we’ve both ever had. Truly, across the board. The kind of food you daydream about long after the last bite. We ended up eating nearly every meal of our 48-hour trip here—because we just couldn’t miss a single dish.

The pesto? Life-altering. Fresh, vibrant, bursting with flavor—the best we’ve ever tasted.The pastas (GF and regular), the sandwiches, the smoothies, the desserts… every single item felt like it was prepared with passion and soul. The specials? Get them. Don’t even hesitate. And don’t leave without trying the pastries—we even grabbed some to go on our way out because we couldn’t resist.

Whether gluten-free or not, you’ll be blown away by the depth of flavor and love packed into every bite. The GF desserts were next-level. The regular desserts? Equally divine. It was always buzzing, always joyful, and every meal felt like a celebration.

And now, the people—because as extraordinary as the food is, the heart of Gusto is its team.

Kira was the very first person we met, and she set the tone for the entire weekend. So kind, so thoughtful—she helped us find the perfect table for our special trip and greeted us like old friends. Her warmth stayed with us all weekend. We met Romina that first night—what a dear! She radiated happiness and made us feel so welcomed, like we were part of something special. Elena (who shares a name with the owner!) was pure sunshine. Over the weekend, we got to know her better, and every time we walked in, she made us feel like family. Raul—oh, Raul! He’s got a heart of gold. Truly one of the kindest souls. We laughed, chatted, and by the end of our visit, it felt like we were saying goodbye to an old friend. And Colin, who helped us with pastries on our way out—another total gem. Such a warm spirit and the perfect last impression of a place overflowing with goodness.

Gusto isn’t just a restaurant. It’s a place where you’re fed in every sense of the word—body, heart, and soul. We’re already planning to come back on a future trip because once you’ve had a taste of Gusto… nothing else compares.

Thank you for filling our hearts and bellies....

Wife and I have been here before for lunch and loved it. When they opened for dinner, we decided to give a shot.

Food is top notch. We had the arancini and eggplant for appetizers. Both were tasty. For the salad course, my wife had the beet salad and i had the ceaser. Both tasty, but a tad over-dressed. We’ll simply ask for lighter on the dressing next time (or on the side!). The pasta was excellent. A nice balance of flavors.

Service is friendly, but definitely not seasoned. We were seated downstairs and it seemed there was only one server taking orders while others acted as runners for food. We waited for over ten minutes before anyone even greeted us. But the server was friendly and apologetic about the wait. She definitely tried to be helpful. I wish it got better from there, but we had to ask for water refills several times (one time from the host, the runner and then the server before getting a refill - one guy at another table simply grabbed the pitcher himself to refill waters at his table). The appetizers and salad course were paced decently, but then it was a long wait for the main course. This was not the kitchen’s fault, but seemed a lack of coordination amongst the service staff. When our main course arrived, it was only just warm - meaning it had sat out for a bit. I’m sorry to say this was the case as the service staff was clearly trying. I’m afraid that better coordination and perhaps more wait staff are needed.

We’ll think about coming back because the food was excellent and the staff was trying with a friendly attitude. I’m hopefully that with more practice (or more staff), they will get...

The first time I came here was February and I ordered my go to Cappuccino. It was fantastic then but I look for consistency before I review coffee. I'm elated to report I had it again and omg, seriously, this is the best cappuccino for me in years. Smooth and a perfectly foamed top. But I loved that it was made by the American Barista, as he calls himself. He did an absolutely fabulous job at making this. Even the temperature was perfection. When your cappuccino doesn't need sweetener because of the quality of the bean and how it was made, you know the owners and their staff look at it as art. They just don't throw a beverage together to get it out to you. Now, let me add in, that their pastries are simply Heaven. I'm a snob because my family owned an Italian bakery just outside Boston for 54 years. Everything was scratch made. Their sfitadella has so many airy layers here and the flavor begs for me to be eating this in Italy. If you love hazelnut as I do, any of their connections will please your pallet. My hats off to the American Barista today who made my outstanding...