4.5 stars
I have to say that I really loved Vino Amore! I had never been to the town of Piermont, but made the trip to the adorable locale specifically to try the place. The village was artsy and historic; it was also right on the Hudson River with a lengthy pier for waterside strolling, as well as a quaint downtown full of cafes, shops, and restaurants. Vino Amore's welcoming storefront fit into the town perfectly, but they also offered a modern, Manhattan vibe that no other place did. Inside, there were several tables, as well as a lengthy bar offering a large list of cocktails, wines, beers, and even mocktails. But, just beyond this cool dining space, there was a calm oasis of a backyard. The large square space had a bunch of tables, a few couch areas for larger parties, and a bar that even had one television above it, though it thankfully had the sound off. Plus, as an added bonus, there was live music on that Sunday afternoon, which they plan to continue weekly! The acoustic guitar tunes were the perfect backdrop to the peaceful area, and the crowd was truly enjoying every moment.
We were seated at the bar, and I decided to try the Let's Meat Margarita, a cocktail I assumed was created at its sister restaurant, Let's Meat, in River Vale. The drink was bright pink, thanks to its inclusion of dragonfruit; the jalapeno-infused Espolon Reposado tequila and black habanero salt rim added a spicy kick that I very much enjoyed. I took a sip of my brother's Fall Back Cider, which was made of Tito's Vodka, apple cider, orange liqueur, lime juice, and apple. Unfortunately, we both found the orange flavor much more present than the apple, which was not what we had anticipated.
After taking in some fantastic music and soaking up the atmosphere, we sadly knew that it was time for us to leave for the evening. We had seen so many delectable menu items pass before our eyes, so we decided to take some pizzas home for dinner to other patiently waiting family members. We placed our order with the bartender that was splitting his time between both the inside and the outside bars. It took a while for our takeout to be ready, but the owner, Bob, who was incredibly friendly and constantly checking in on folks, saw that we were curious about our food's whereabouts. He quickly confirmed that our order would be ready momentarily, which it was. We really did like the staff, though we thought that it would be better to have separate indoor and outdoor servers on busy days like that one, just to ensure things continued to flow smoothly.
Anyway, when we arrived home, we immediately grabbed slices of The Southern Belle and Fig & Prosciutto pies, both of which totally wowed us! The Southern Belle included mozzarella and goat cheese, as well as white peaches and Calabrian honey. The goat cheese added a slight of funkiness that really paired well with the sweet fruit, and the honey gave it just the right amount of heat. The Fig & Prosciutto pie was even better, in my opinion, with its "sauce" of fig jam and its lean, thinly sliced meat. Some arugula had been thrown on top for good measure, adding color and peppery notes. The crust on both pies was also sheer perfection! It was just thick enough to really give you something to bite into, but still thin enough to not be too chewy. It had been baked to the perfect crunch. We were really impressed with the quality of the pizzas and definitely plan to go back and enjoy them in-person.
From the serene and welcoming atmosphere, to the excellent live music and delicious food and beverage program, Vino Amore really delivered! We cannot wait to go back! read more