Vecchia Osteria — Restaurant in Newtown Township

My birthday dinner at Vecchia Osteria wasn't just a meal; it was a pilgrimage to authenticity that left me questioning every Italian restaurant I'd ever called "good."

Mom and Charlie treated me to an evening that transported us straight to southern Italy without the jet lag. Upon being led to your table, you're enveloped by sunlight streaming through latticed windows onto lemon-adorned tablecloths, creating the kind of atmosphere that makes you forget you're in Newtown – this is the cliff-side café of your Mediterranean dreams, complete with weathered blue doors that whisper stories of Napoli.

Perhaps it was my grandmother's Neapolitan roots calling to me, or memories of my own visits to Naples flooding back, but everything about this place felt like coming home. The Pasquale family has recreated not just the flavors of their homeland, but its very soul.

The culinary journey began with revelations: paper-thin carrot ribbons that had been coaxed into silk through patient marination, draped over crusty bread and kissed with olive oil. Then came grilled calamari that achieved the impossible – tender perfection – nestled atop arugula so bright with lemon it practically sang. These weren't appetizers; they were love letters to the sea.

My entrée redefined what a salad could be: warm goat cheese crowned with a drizzle of honey, dancing with fresh onion and fennel in a composition that was both rustic and refined.

But here's what sets Vecchia Osteria apart: when Mom wanted something simple – just ravioli with butter – they didn't blink. No eye rolls, no "that's not on the menu." Just pure hospitality that speaks to the Pasquale family's Napolitano heart. Our waiter Liam exemplified this spirit perfectly, remembering Mom and Charlie from their previous visit and making them feel like treasured friends returning home. Every staff member we encountered shared this genuine warmth – they may have been managing numerous tables, but when they were with us, we received their complete, unhurried attention. This is what happens when a restaurant operates as an extension of someone's home.

The amaretto tiramisu paired with cappuccino was the crescendo this evening deserved – layers of coffee-soaked poetry that made every birthday cake I'd ever had seem like a rough draft.

The Pasquale family has created something rare: a restaurant where technique serves soul, where "The Soul of Naples" isn't just a tagline but a lived truth. Their motto "Vedi Napoli e poi muori" – "See Naples, and then you can die" – speaks to the transformative power of experiencing something truly authentic. They've brought their heritage across an ocean and somehow made it feel like you've discovered a secret that's been hiding in plain sight.

This is dining as it should be – honest, generous, transformative. Vecchia Osteria doesn't just feed you; it reminds you why...

AMAZING FINE ITALIAN CUISINE

Take a trip to Italy while dining at this charming family owned Italian restaurant tucked away in Newtown, Pennsylvania. From the first moment you are greeted, you will experience a confluence of the finest Italian cuisine, with an old-world allure of genuine Italian home dining. Al fresco dining on the patio is also available. While enjoying every bite of the absolute refinement of delectable Italian fare, a friendly and attentive staff gives you a feeling that you are part of their own family.

Although my wife and I have dined at Vecchia Osteria many times, every experience always exceeds our expectations. The food is always amazingly delicious, causing a battle between your mouth wanting just one more bite and a satisfied stomach that already achieved contentment from ample portions. Enjoy a true celebration of your appetite!

Tonight, we indulged ourselves by sharing an appetizer of roasted red peppers, buffalo mozzarella with capers, Italian seasoning and garlic in olive oil. It went “great” with the fresh Italian bread that was provided. For our main course, my wife enjoyed Fusilli Alla Polpa Di Granchio, pasta covered with Lump Crab in a cream sauce (she had them add mushrooms at no charge).... It was absolutely delicious! I enjoyed Vitello Donatella, a veal dish topped with Lump Crab and covered with Roasted Red Peppers, mozzarella (I also had mushrooms added since it sounded good when my wife did it) all in a white wine sauce…to say that I liked it would be a sin, it was amazingly tasty!!! For dessert we devoured Limoncello Cake with Mascarpone Frosting…it was the moistest, most delicate, light and delicious cake this side of Italy!!!

To merely say that our entrees and food was delicious, doesn’t nearly give enough acclaim for the best Italian food that I have ever experienced anywhere in my entire life, including meals that I have had in Italy and meals that my own mother has prepared… and she’s 100% Italian! Ahhhh, oh, my wife cooks “just as good!” As a plus, if one is even needed, the Vecchia Osteria offers BYOB with free set ups, but shhhh, keep this little taste of Italy our own secret and keep it as our own escape to the Best that Italy has to offer!

You can tell that this is a family of great chefs that LOVES cooking and making their patron families happy!

With Great Appreciation for Amazing Food,

Alan and Amy...

I hadn’t been here for a long time and wanted to take my family out for a nice dinner. They hadn’t been here before so why not. Well, it wasn’t good.

First, it was Saturday night so we expected it to be busy, which it was. Usually that’s a good sign. Our server was nice but you can tell he was inexperienced. He dropped off some complimentary marinated carrots, very good! We didn’t get bread until we asked twice for it. The bread was chewy and would go a long way if they would warm it.

We ordered apps first, the stuffed long hots and fried calamari. The long hots were wrapped with prosciutto that was to thick and barely had cheese in the middle. They should bread the peppers with panko and fry them. Wasn’t a great appetizer. The calamari was fresh, crispy and tender. The tomato sauce was very bland and the flour for the calamari needed to be seasoned.

For the second course we ordered the orecchiette w/ broccoli rabe and sausage. They should’ve split the pasta for us in the kitchen but no big deal. The pasta was al dente, garlic browned and broccoli rabe was great! The biggest issue is they used pizzeria cooked sausage and sliced it. That’s a personal foul in my book. If they just used fennel sausage with no casing it would’ve elevated this dish to the next level.

I ordered veal Milanese with salad on top. It’s not on the menu but they did it. The veal was fried in the deep fryer, another personal foul. You HAVE to pan fry cutlets. It was bland and overcooked. I had to sand it back. My wife ordered the Chicken Osteria. It had asparagus, mushrooms and tomato. It was a mess with everything just thrown on top of the chicken. The chicken was dry and she did not enjoy it. My sister in law had veal parm which she liked but the veal was again dry and tasteless. My brother had the Bronzino which was the STAR! It was excellent but needed a gremolata type sauce.

The manager came over and offered to make me something else which was appreciated. We didn’t have the time but they sent out two desserts. The tira misu was homemade but the lady fingers were not soaked and left it dry. The chocolate bread pudding was very good! We asked for espresso and our server said they don’t have it?? We asked if he could check and indeed they did.

I’m glad they were busy but we won’t be going back. There are better...