Authentic Italian Food that is amazing! The presentation was nice and the quality of food was excellent.Staff was so friendly and serves make great suggestions/knowledge on the menus.Parking: The parking in Newport is always a little tight on the street but if you find public parking.
Mark Wizda
Fantastic Italian restaurant in Newburyport, MA. They were very accommodating to our party of 7. The staff was very attentive and the food was prepared perfectly and was delicious. Highly recommend for a either a small party or intimate evening.
Maryellen Ciardiello
Vera is an extremely cozy restaurant with a well thought out food and drink menu. When you walk in, it feels warm and inviting.Server - our server Caroline was amazing! She was attentive and very friendly. When we were trying to decide on dishes, she was extremely knowledgeable and helpful.Atmosphere - extremely cozy. Very loud - I would not plan on having a conversation easily with a party of more than two.Food & Drinks - the food was delicious. Well prepared, great portions.The unfortunate reason for such a low review is the owner John. From reading prior reviews, this seems to be a common issue. While we were finishing our dinner, I noticed how frequently a man kept coming and reaching over to take individual items off. Finally when he took the water glass, I kindly asked his name and what his role was. I was shocked to find out that John was the owner. I expressed my frustration with how frequently he was coming to the table - his response was that they were busy and needed the table without any apology. Understanding the need to turn tables, it is frustrating to be rushed out of a restaurant especially in such a passive aggressive way. While trying to have a conversation with John who left and then came back - he felt the need to explain that this is how it's done in Manhattan where he's from.We had an amazing experience with food and service - it is unfortunate that the owner who seems stressed and rude will be a reason I will actively tell people to not choose Vera.
Thomas Martellone
I love Vera Ristorante's food, service and atmosphere. We popped in the other night just for dessert. Their pana cotta is ridiculously good. As always, the service was great and dessert was awesome!
Ludovic MASSON
Very good Italian plates but very very noisy !!There is a decent menu list, with different choice. Black pasta were good - carpaccio was okay. Service is here and correct.But it is so noisy inside... really too much...
J B.
Food was good. Service definitely could have been better. The waiter basically ignored my non-alcoholic drink order for over 45 mins. I sat thirsty while others enjoyed a $100+ bottle of wine. Ambiance was nice- we sat outside and there was live music for a little bit.
J. H.
The food and service are a five. Really good Italian. And the waiters/waitresses are all nice and efficient. They have a large bar which is fun but makes for very few tables elsewhere . They have two long tables with metal swing seats that are super uncomfortable and hard to sit on ( especially for my 85 year old Dad). But the smaller tables in the back are fine. I do wish they would have reservations so you could get a normal table. We often don't go there because it gets busy and we don't want to sit on the metal swing seats. I like to go here around the holidays as it's particularly festive. The vibe is good and so is the food. If they had a confirmed reservation with deposit so people show up, we'd be in.
BackPacker46525
We’ve been a few times. Always loved it but got the same menu items. This time we split the chicken parm. Who serves chicken parmigiana without pasta?! $20 extra for that. Three nice pieces of bread arrived sometime without dipping sauce or butter. Asked bartender for butter but never arrived. Bread was discarded at end of meal.
Stacey Furtado
The best bolognese in town. Pizzas are great, too! Their manhattans and martinis are great. We love coming here in the winter, sitting at the bar, and splitting a pizza and getting a small pasta. A perfect night out!They have a front and back patio - both are great (the back is really great if you have kids and need some space). Dogs are allowed on the patio and the staff is welcoming and wonderful.Can’t recommend Vera enough.
Noah C.
Prosciutto arugula pizza: 3/5 (proportions are all way off, but flavor and crust is good) Genovese pasta: 3/5 Chicken parm: 3.5/5 Overall: 3.25/5
Inside looks great, but food, not what I expected. My wife got the Halibut, good, bur very little for 39 dollars and I got the Chicken Parm, it was ok, but served with broccoli, no pasta, huh? Chicken was good, but for 28 dollars this should be with pasta. They need to rethink the menu, this is not formal dinning. Also a small one plate of oh pasta is 18$. We go to a lot of places that cost about the same or more, waaay better.
Lisa Lapusata
Went to Vera tonight for the first time … Had a wonderful experience… outside dining on a beautiful summer night . The waiter James was Fantastic!! Answered all of our questions regarding the menu and offered great suggestions! He was patient and friendly offering great service ! Even Henry the busboy was friendly and attentive!!! James made our dining experience tonight so fun !! The food was fantastic from the appetizers to the entree to dessert ! James made great suggestions on the wine and brought over a sample for me to try ! I would definitely go back and ask for James !!! James was worth a 5 star review however my only concern was the owner ?? Not friendly at all … didn’t get a good vibe from the moment I came in contact with him and didn’t know he was the owner at that time … seemed irritated and wasn’t even a busy night … at the end of the night after learning he was the owner I approached him to share my experience with James … He barely acknowledged me …. Had no eye contact and seemed less than impressed with anything I had to say about my fantastic experience with his employees! Again I highly recommend Vera .. food was fantastic the waitstaff superb however the owner should take a lesson from his employees!! Thank you James and Henry !! You made our dining experience fantastic tonight !!
Kevin Devaney
After reading a few reviews, I felt compelled to write a review of my own.My girlfriend and I live in NBPT and frequent most of the restaurants in the area often and have for years. Vera quickly became one of our favorites. Unfortunately, they were set to open just as COVID hit. I cannot imagine what it must have been like for the owner and employees to put all the work, effort, time, and money into a brand new place to have that happen. They managed to hang on, no easy feat, I am sure.The food is excellent and from what I have read, that is unquestionable. That is half the battle in the restaurant business.The people are what make the place, from the owner John to Jo, Emily, Sara, James, and all of the others whose names I do not know. Everyone is terrific, friendly, and attentive.As for the owner, John, I have not seen a more hard working owner. He is constantly moving, seating people, clearing tables, etc. Running a restaurant is like conducting an orchestra, and he constantly waves the baton whether we see it or not. He is always busy trying to keep things running smoothly with the help of his excellent staff. This is place is great in large part because John works hard to make it great.
Laurie Elizabeth Bernard
We visited about 3 weeks ago - ladies weekend away in Newburyport. I've been here before with my husband and the service was ok, food was good. This last experience was terrible on nearly all levels. My friend is pregnant and has food allergies (dairy) and immediately presented that information. Ordered a dish stating this and we waited for dinner while we enjoyed the view outside. After 30+ minutes the waiter returned and basically barked at her telling her there is dairy in the dish she ordered, and telling her to pick something else. She chose another dish. About 50 minutes later we all received our meals and began eating. Food was good, except about ten minutes later the same waiter returned and yanked away the re-ordered dish and hollered (as if it were her fault) "that has dairy too". And walked away. Not exaggerating. Manager, maybe the owner, popped over and stated "apparently I have an incompetent server"... And offered alternatives.So I have offered 2 stars as a rating1 because the manager comped our bill and offered an alternative. The other star is for the busboy who made conversation with us, offered more water, noticed empty drinks and flagged down the server and worked hard to keep people happy while the waiter ignored us for over an hour. We tipped the busboy generously and let him know how outstanding his work ethic and enthusiasm was. The owner did replace the dish with one that was actually dairy free, and while we appreciated that effort - by that point it was all too much and the poor girl was already uncomfortable with rash and hives. It did seem evident that the local/regulars were the only one paid attention to by the server. Too bad. Nobody flowed up before we left either. Super bizarre when a food allergy was stated.
Carah F
This was the experience of my life, Lisa calm down the owner is 100/100. So nice and funny and nice slick back hair he is the best.
Authentic Italian Food that is amazing! The presentation was nice and the quality of food was excellent.Staff was so friendly and serves make great suggestions/knowledge on the menus.Parking: The parking in Newport is always a little tight on the street but if you find public parking.
Fantastic Italian restaurant in Newburyport, MA. They were very accommodating to our party of 7. The staff was very attentive and the food was prepared perfectly and was delicious. Highly recommend for a either a small party or intimate evening.
Vera is an extremely cozy restaurant with a well thought out food and drink menu. When you walk in, it feels warm and inviting.Server - our server Caroline was amazing! She was attentive and very friendly. When we were trying to decide on dishes, she was extremely knowledgeable and helpful.Atmosphere - extremely cozy. Very loud - I would not plan on having a conversation easily with a party of more than two.Food & Drinks - the food was delicious. Well prepared, great portions.The unfortunate reason for such a low review is the owner John. From reading prior reviews, this seems to be a common issue. While we were finishing our dinner, I noticed how frequently a man kept coming and reaching over to take individual items off. Finally when he took the water glass, I kindly asked his name and what his role was. I was shocked to find out that John was the owner. I expressed my frustration with how frequently he was coming to the table - his response was that they were busy and needed the table without any apology. Understanding the need to turn tables, it is frustrating to be rushed out of a restaurant especially in such a passive aggressive way. While trying to have a conversation with John who left and then came back - he felt the need to explain that this is how it's done in Manhattan where he's from.We had an amazing experience with food and service - it is unfortunate that the owner who seems stressed and rude will be a reason I will actively tell people to not choose Vera.
I love Vera Ristorante's food, service and atmosphere. We popped in the other night just for dessert. Their pana cotta is ridiculously good. As always, the service was great and dessert was awesome!
Very good Italian plates but very very noisy !!There is a decent menu list, with different choice. Black pasta were good - carpaccio was okay. Service is here and correct.But it is so noisy inside... really too much...
Food was good. Service definitely could have been better. The waiter basically ignored my non-alcoholic drink order for over 45 mins. I sat thirsty while others enjoyed a $100+ bottle of wine. Ambiance was nice- we sat outside and there was live music for a little bit.
The food and service are a five. Really good Italian. And the waiters/waitresses are all nice and efficient. They have a large bar which is fun but makes for very few tables elsewhere . They have two long tables with metal swing seats that are super uncomfortable and hard to sit on ( especially for my 85 year old Dad). But the smaller tables in the back are fine. I do wish they would have reservations so you could get a normal table. We often don't go there because it gets busy and we don't want to sit on the metal swing seats. I like to go here around the holidays as it's particularly festive. The vibe is good and so is the food. If they had a confirmed reservation with deposit so people show up, we'd be in.
We’ve been a few times. Always loved it but got the same menu items. This time we split the chicken parm. Who serves chicken parmigiana without pasta?! $20 extra for that. Three nice pieces of bread arrived sometime without dipping sauce or butter. Asked bartender for butter but never arrived. Bread was discarded at end of meal.
The best bolognese in town. Pizzas are great, too! Their manhattans and martinis are great. We love coming here in the winter, sitting at the bar, and splitting a pizza and getting a small pasta. A perfect night out!They have a front and back patio - both are great (the back is really great if you have kids and need some space). Dogs are allowed on the patio and the staff is welcoming and wonderful.Can’t recommend Vera enough.
Prosciutto arugula pizza: 3/5 (proportions are all way off, but flavor and crust is good) Genovese pasta: 3/5 Chicken parm: 3.5/5 Overall: 3.25/5
Restaurantji Recommends
Inside looks great, but food, not what I expected. My wife got the Halibut, good, bur very little for 39 dollars and I got the Chicken Parm, it was ok, but served with broccoli, no pasta, huh? Chicken was good, but for 28 dollars this should be with pasta. They need to rethink the menu, this is not formal dinning. Also a small one plate of oh pasta is 18$. We go to a lot of places that cost about the same or more, waaay better.
Went to Vera tonight for the first time … Had a wonderful experience… outside dining on a beautiful summer night . The waiter James was Fantastic!! Answered all of our questions regarding the menu and offered great suggestions! He was patient and friendly offering great service ! Even Henry the busboy was friendly and attentive!!! James made our dining experience tonight so fun !! The food was fantastic from the appetizers to the entree to dessert ! James made great suggestions on the wine and brought over a sample for me to try ! I would definitely go back and ask for James !!! James was worth a 5 star review however my only concern was the owner ?? Not friendly at all … didn’t get a good vibe from the moment I came in contact with him and didn’t know he was the owner at that time … seemed irritated and wasn’t even a busy night … at the end of the night after learning he was the owner I approached him to share my experience with James … He barely acknowledged me …. Had no eye contact and seemed less than impressed with anything I had to say about my fantastic experience with his employees! Again I highly recommend Vera .. food was fantastic the waitstaff superb however the owner should take a lesson from his employees!! Thank you James and Henry !! You made our dining experience fantastic tonight !!
After reading a few reviews, I felt compelled to write a review of my own.My girlfriend and I live in NBPT and frequent most of the restaurants in the area often and have for years. Vera quickly became one of our favorites. Unfortunately, they were set to open just as COVID hit. I cannot imagine what it must have been like for the owner and employees to put all the work, effort, time, and money into a brand new place to have that happen. They managed to hang on, no easy feat, I am sure.The food is excellent and from what I have read, that is unquestionable. That is half the battle in the restaurant business.The people are what make the place, from the owner John to Jo, Emily, Sara, James, and all of the others whose names I do not know. Everyone is terrific, friendly, and attentive.As for the owner, John, I have not seen a more hard working owner. He is constantly moving, seating people, clearing tables, etc. Running a restaurant is like conducting an orchestra, and he constantly waves the baton whether we see it or not. He is always busy trying to keep things running smoothly with the help of his excellent staff. This is place is great in large part because John works hard to make it great.
We visited about 3 weeks ago - ladies weekend away in Newburyport. I've been here before with my husband and the service was ok, food was good. This last experience was terrible on nearly all levels. My friend is pregnant and has food allergies (dairy) and immediately presented that information. Ordered a dish stating this and we waited for dinner while we enjoyed the view outside. After 30+ minutes the waiter returned and basically barked at her telling her there is dairy in the dish she ordered, and telling her to pick something else. She chose another dish. About 50 minutes later we all received our meals and began eating. Food was good, except about ten minutes later the same waiter returned and yanked away the re-ordered dish and hollered (as if it were her fault) "that has dairy too". And walked away. Not exaggerating. Manager, maybe the owner, popped over and stated "apparently I have an incompetent server"... And offered alternatives.So I have offered 2 stars as a rating1 because the manager comped our bill and offered an alternative. The other star is for the busboy who made conversation with us, offered more water, noticed empty drinks and flagged down the server and worked hard to keep people happy while the waiter ignored us for over an hour. We tipped the busboy generously and let him know how outstanding his work ethic and enthusiasm was. The owner did replace the dish with one that was actually dairy free, and while we appreciated that effort - by that point it was all too much and the poor girl was already uncomfortable with rash and hives. It did seem evident that the local/regulars were the only one paid attention to by the server. Too bad. Nobody flowed up before we left either. Super bizarre when a food allergy was stated.
This was the experience of my life, Lisa calm down the owner is 100/100. So nice and funny and nice slick back hair he is the best.