Bocca Osteria — Restaurant in Town of Otsego

We had been to this establishment before and had a positive experience, so when we visited Cooperstown for my hubby’s birthday, we were excited to visit again. We arrived at this establishment around 5:30 and were told that we would have 30 minute minute wait which we felt was reasonable for a Sunday evening so we waited. About 20 minutes into our wait a party of 7 walked in and were rudely greeted by the host behind the bar. Then several other smaller groups walked in and were also treated rudely by the hostess. She even went as far as to snap at a man who asked for a drink at the bar and tell him he would be getting his drink tomorrow. It was clear she was overwhelmed when she mentioned that the owner’s nephew was in charge for the night and followed her mention with some colorful language. She then began speaking poorly about an Italian employee in an earshot of the customers and even said “he is an Italian who doesn’t even speak English, I don’t know why he is even allowed to answer the phone”. Fast forward to an hour of waiting—she began sitting 4 groups that walked in well after we did. My husband thought that she might have accidentally forgotten us on her list so he went up and checked in with her only for her to snap and say that she was seating her parties of four before our party of three because they did not have any tables for three available. My husband then proceeded to ask her what a table for three looked like to which she had nothing to say. My husband went on to explain that we felt it was unfair that 3 groups of 4, who walked in just ten minutes prior were sat before us, who had already waited over an hour. She snapped and stated, “ I am not going to change my rotation for you”. At that point we realized that she wasn’t trying to resolve any issues or even offer an explanation that made sense so we left. We won’t be returning due to her unprofessionalism and blatant mistreatment of a multitude...

TLDR: First time visit! Beautiful interior, friendly and accommodating staff, and good food. Not very vegan friendly, but would come again!

It would be really helpful to add dietary restriction indications or allergens on the menu. Simply noting “egg-free” or “dairy-free” would make a huge difference in the servers having to run back and fourth with questions. Creating ONE fully vegan dish (that is NOT gluten free) would be a great addition!

Elaborating: I was a bit confused to be honest, because it seems that EVERYTHING is made with egg - the homemade pasta I understand, but I had never heard of bread, pizza dough, or gnocchi being made with eggs.

The server suggested vegan greens for me (leaving the meat and cheese on the side, and removing the breadcrumbs…). Very kind and a creative idea! Though I’ll admit that I probably won’t order them vegan again, because it’s just not the same without being baked with all the extras.

I was told that the gluten-free pasta is also vegan, so I ordered that with red sauce and added a bunch of veggies. It was good!!

That all being said, I would and will come back! Suggestions above are to help with the future experience of those with dietary...

If you are visiting Cooperstown, this is where you want to eat. As a tourist, I have gone here twice due to Bocca's combination of a sophisticated yet casual atmosphere alongside great food and service.

While both their pizza and Spaghetti Alla Carbonara were delicious choices, my favorite dish overall would have to be the Calamari Fritti. The squid was nicely tender, and was not smothered in breading but rather was lightly fried. The combination of the lime juice with the peppers lead to a perfect flavor that topped all calamari I've ever had before.

The restaurant itself is beautiful; I recommend sitting outside at night. The string lights, wooden exterior, and elegant indoor lighting creates a calm, euphoric feeling. Everything is kept clean, including the spacious bathrooms. All of our servers have been respectful, unique individuals who cared about our quality of service.

Thank you Bocca Osteria for giving Cooperstown residents and visitors a classy dining experience. Your restaurant is the best I've seen in the area, and I hope to come back...