Visiting from out of town, which is always ??? It was clean and quiet and provided excellent food and service. We would visit again if in the area.
Victoria G
The atmosphere is nice, but I called for a take out order, and ordered a sandwich and was very clear with what I wanted. They made a mistake, which they owned up to, that’s fine, people make mistakes I understand. But they still charged me and I had to wait an extra 15 minutes, which was an inconvenience to me and I was already on a schedule. So they made me late to what I had to do, still charged me, and didn’t do anything extra for that at all. If you cause someone to wait 15 extra minutes, good service would’ve been to compensate something, or send something extra over. I probably won’t be back, unfortunately.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 3
Service: 1
Ann Mullen
Very friendly and efficient wait staff, good beer and wine offerings
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Diana Szabo
I got the gnocchi and oh my!!! Soooo good! Melt in your mouth with a simple and delicious tomato sauce, topped with fresh ricotta. Will definitely return
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Bernard Puc
Over the years, a consistent performer. Highly reliable to provide good service, food, and drinks. Need we say more about the truffle fries? Just order them.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Mark Jones
The back of the gift card says it expires one year from date of issue. The owner assured me that it does not expire. Thank you so much for your response!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Patrick S. Duffy
I have been there twice now. Both times the food (3 people, 3 different orders) was exceptional. Everything from Appetizers straight through Dessert. Portions were perfect, sauces were delicate, wine list has anything you would want. We intend to go back often!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Len Isquith
We get food from Dennis at John’s Cafe for our major events and this past one was my daughter’s high school graduation. People rave about the food. They ask constantly where we get it. It’s not just good food. It’s the taste that makes it above anything we’ve ever had in CT or anywhere for that matter. Even beyond the food, it’s the prep of how it’s packed up for us for pickup and labeled and everything. Dennis is so meticulous in everything he does and I can’t rave enough about his place and his food. Thank you!!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Rebecca Hales
John’s Cafe is tucked inside a charming old house on Main Street in Woodbury. The staff is warm and welcoming, and Chef/Owner Dennis has been at the helm for years, creating a sense of familiarity and community. There's a lovely outdoor seating area in front, and the interior is cozy—perfect for catching up with friends or enjoying a solo lunch. There’s also an upstairs room available for private party rentals.
To start, I was brought warm bread with a white bean purée—comforting and flavorful.
I ordered the Roasted Beet Salad with goat cheese, radicchio, arugula, and pancetta. If you’re a beet lover like me, this is a must-try.
The Crispy Rice Arancini were perfectly light and crunchy on the outside—delicate and delicious.
The Fig and Prosciutto Flatbread was another standout. The in-house crust was crisp and flavorful, with the sweetness of the fig beautifully balancing the salty prosciutto. A touch of arugula on top added freshness. Gluten-free options are also available.
Next, I tried the Pasta with Pea Pesto, made in-house. The pasta was perfectly cooked, and the peas and lemon created a bright, fresh flavor—ideal for spring or summer.
For dessert, the Profiteroles were light and crisp—generously portioned and perfect for sharing. Sweet, but not overly so.
I also tried the Berry Shortcake special. The biscuit was spot-on, and the berries were incredibly fresh—a lovely seasonal treat.
My favorite dishes? The Fig and Prosciutto Flatbread and the Berry Shortcake special—both beautifully balanced and bursting with flavor.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
K. Asiyo
my partner ordered the salmon which was overcooked , and overpriced for the portion, it was served with 4 slices of potato wedges and 4 asparagus which were not cooked well , our waitress was fine although she kept forgetting some items , espresso martini was delicious
Excellent food and service. Had lunch...pasta and Sunday Sauce (meatballs, sausage, red sauce) all home made. All 5 said their different dishes were fantastic.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Johns Cafe Clam Chowder
Svetlana Cemin
We were a party of 3 and wanted to celebrate a special occasion. We were seated upstairs. The waitress came in and the first thing she said was that the bathroom was on the first floor. Nobody asked anything about the bathroom. We ordered our dishes, I asked for salmon medium rare, she brought it in overly cooked. It was a small piece of salmon on a bunch of cold cabbage. I asked her to please return that for a medium rare salmon because this one was overcooked and while I was waiting she came back with the old salmon I had ordered on a small plate, cut up in pieces, saying that the chef said the salmon was perfectly cooked. This cut my appetite and we were all shocked by this behavior. I felt so humiliated. My daughter also had the most tasteless pasta ala vodka she ever tried. Really bland. It’s unfortunate, but we won’t be going back. The waitress didn’t even apologize.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 1
Service: 1
chris hill
We called last minute for reservations for 3. Nice high top table in the cozy bar area. Price fix menu for $35 was delicious 😋 Thanks to Dennis and staff for nice evening on a Cold Windy night.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Mark Laff
My wife and I spent a delightful New Years Eve dinner at John's Cafe last night. My steak was so tastful and done to a perfect temp. My wife delighted in her gnocchi in vodka sauce, such comfort food. The service was impeccable. Our new favorite spot!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Gnocchi, Perfectly Cooked Medium Rare Steak
Gregg McKirdy
Rehearsal dinner up stairs...on August 29. Food was excellent, wait staff did a wonderful job. They worked very hard to make the evening special...they did so successfully.
Visiting from out of town, which is always ???
It was clean and quiet and provided excellent food and service. We would visit again if in the area.
The atmosphere is nice, but I called for a take out order, and ordered a sandwich and was very clear with what I wanted. They made a mistake, which they owned up to, that’s fine, people make mistakes I understand. But they still charged me and I had to wait an extra 15 minutes, which was an inconvenience to me and I was already on a schedule. So they made me late to what I had to do, still charged me, and didn’t do anything extra for that at all. If you cause someone to wait 15 extra minutes, good service would’ve been to compensate something, or send something extra over. I probably won’t be back, unfortunately.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 3
Service: 1
Very friendly and efficient wait staff, good beer and wine offerings
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
I got the gnocchi and oh my!!! Soooo good! Melt in your mouth with a simple and delicious tomato sauce, topped with fresh ricotta. Will definitely return
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Over the years, a consistent performer. Highly reliable to provide good service, food, and drinks. Need we say more about the truffle fries? Just order them.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
The back of the gift card says it expires one year from date of issue. The owner assured me that it does not expire. Thank you so much for your response!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I have been there twice now. Both times the food (3 people, 3 different orders) was exceptional. Everything from Appetizers straight through Dessert. Portions were perfect, sauces were delicate, wine list has anything you would want.
We intend to go back often!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
We get food from Dennis at John’s Cafe for our major events and this past one was my daughter’s high school graduation. People rave about the food. They ask constantly where we get it. It’s not just good food. It’s the taste that makes it above anything we’ve ever had in CT or anywhere for that matter. Even beyond the food, it’s the prep of how it’s packed up for us for pickup and labeled and everything. Dennis is so meticulous in everything he does and I can’t rave enough about his place and his food. Thank you!!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
John’s Cafe is tucked inside a charming old house on Main Street in Woodbury. The staff is warm and welcoming, and Chef/Owner Dennis has been at the helm for years, creating a sense of familiarity and community. There's a lovely outdoor seating area in front, and the interior is cozy—perfect for catching up with friends or enjoying a solo lunch. There’s also an upstairs room available for private party rentals.
To start, I was brought warm bread with a white bean purée—comforting and flavorful.
I ordered the Roasted Beet Salad with goat cheese, radicchio, arugula, and pancetta. If you’re a beet lover like me, this is a must-try.
The Crispy Rice Arancini were perfectly light and crunchy on the outside—delicate and delicious.
The Fig and Prosciutto Flatbread was another standout. The in-house crust was crisp and flavorful, with the sweetness of the fig beautifully balancing the salty prosciutto. A touch of arugula on top added freshness. Gluten-free options are also available.
Next, I tried the Pasta with Pea Pesto, made in-house. The pasta was perfectly cooked, and the peas and lemon created a bright, fresh flavor—ideal for spring or summer.
For dessert, the Profiteroles were light and crisp—generously portioned and perfect for sharing. Sweet, but not overly so.
I also tried the Berry Shortcake special. The biscuit was spot-on, and the berries were incredibly fresh—a lovely seasonal treat.
My favorite dishes? The Fig and Prosciutto Flatbread and the Berry Shortcake special—both beautifully balanced and bursting with flavor.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
my partner ordered the salmon which was overcooked , and overpriced for the portion, it was served with 4 slices of potato wedges and 4 asparagus which were not cooked well , our waitress was fine although she kept forgetting some items , espresso martini was delicious
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 1
Service: 2
Restaurantji Recommends
Excellent food and service. Had lunch...pasta and Sunday Sauce (meatballs, sausage, red sauce) all home made. All 5 said their different dishes were fantastic.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Johns Cafe Clam Chowder
We were a party of 3 and wanted to celebrate a special occasion. We were seated upstairs. The waitress came in and the first thing she said was that the bathroom was on the first floor. Nobody asked anything about the bathroom. We ordered our dishes, I asked for salmon medium rare, she brought it in overly cooked. It was a small piece of salmon on a bunch of cold cabbage. I asked her to please return that for a medium rare salmon because this one was overcooked and while I was waiting she came back with the old salmon I had ordered on a small plate, cut up in pieces, saying that the chef said the salmon was perfectly cooked. This cut my appetite and we were all shocked by this behavior. I felt so humiliated. My daughter also had the most tasteless pasta ala vodka she ever tried. Really bland. It’s unfortunate, but we won’t be going back. The waitress didn’t even apologize.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 1
Service: 1
We called last minute for reservations for 3. Nice high top table in the cozy bar area. Price fix menu for $35 was delicious 😋 Thanks to Dennis and staff for nice evening on a Cold Windy night.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
My wife and I spent a delightful New Years Eve dinner at John's Cafe last night. My steak was so tastful and done to a perfect temp. My wife delighted in her gnocchi in vodka sauce, such comfort food. The service was impeccable. Our new favorite spot!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Gnocchi, Perfectly Cooked Medium Rare Steak
Rehearsal dinner up stairs...on August 29. Food was excellent, wait staff did a wonderful job. They worked very hard to make the evening special...they did so successfully.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
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