Vine Street Café

The food is delicious…….BUT… their kitchen can’t handle the number of customers they pack into the restaurant with their expanded backyard!! Our meal took more than an hour and a half to arrive at the table which is unacceptable! It was also obvious that their bathrooms needed a good cleaning.

Cute restaurant with indoor and outdoor seating in shelter island. The service was fantastic. You’re served bread that’s hot piping and delicious at the start. The rest of the meal was so so, standard American restaurant fare. Got the miso salmon, felt like a dish I could make at home. Still a great vibe and perfect for a summer night dinner. The sticky toffee pudding was yum but would probably get a different flavor of ice cream to go with it next time

Very, very good. The gluten free scallop dish was amazing. Prawns over asparagus were terrific. Tuna tacos were unique. The $24 glass of Bordeaux was a poor value, but that was my choice. A great restaurant.

We had very pleasant time for my friend’s birthday dinner at Vine street cafe. All dishes the staff recommended were very good! Bolognese was way too delirious 😋

Five stars overall. Extremely high rating for the food Good rating for the service Extremely low rating for the obnoxious people sitting next to us. But likely they won’t be there when you go! We really enjoyed the skirt steak and the duck. Both have a beautifully blended array of unique flavors and perfect texture. Our server was friendly and knowledgeable, but she was clearly waiting on an unmanageable number of tables. When we’re next on Shelter Island, this will be high on our list.

The surprise here was the food, which was just extraordinary, the best duck confit I’ve ever eaten, the miso salmon outstanding. Excellent wine by the glass. Amazing atmosphere full of energy and just the nicest people working there. But I just can’t get over the duck, substantial portion, incredibly tender, replaced the Gramercy Tavern duck as my all-time favorite.

While (quite rightly) the food here consistently gets very good reviews, I think it's about time to really get honest about the appalling quality of the service. I have eaten here twice in the last month and both times experienced Vine Street's disappearing waiter syndrome where your waited disappears into thin air at key moments such as before ordering, after an order is in, after clearing and being asked for the bill. They simply disappear for 10-15 minutes sometimes. It makes no sense as there are certainly enough of them. But it's as if they are secretly waiting in another neigbouring restaurant too so they can never be truly attentive. The manner of (two different) waiters on both nights was surly or somehow resentful. One younger waiter insisted on simply saying "Cool" to any and every request made. On the second recent visit, there was literally no one front of house so we stood awkwardly in the entry way for 10 minutes while more guests piled up behind us. Front of house and the wait staff need a serious upgrade here. The service and the food have to live up to each other to merit the price here and make the experience what it easily could be. On both recent visits there seems to be a complete absence of a manager overseeing the entire operation.

Very noisy as groups of people with no regard to the other patrons act as though they are having a party in their own dining rooms. The service is good and the food is above average, but be prepared to pay up as the food is extremely expensive. For example, one piece of fried chicken is $42, two small pieces of duck is $53, and a small appetizer plate of fried calamari is $23. The quality of the food is very good, but in my opinion, not worth the prices charged.

What a shame. I was really looking to give this place a 5 star review because I have heard so many good things about this place. The night was botched due to poor service and gross incompetence. Our server took our order, brought us water and then disappeared for 50 minutes. We asked for our server 4 times and she didn't appear until after we had to ask for the manager. They realized they messed up and tried making amends. All of a sudden, they were paying more attention to us. They brought us the tuna tacos on the house to hold us over while we waited for our food. The tuna tacos were really good. 9/10. With the crispy wonton shell it was really good. Our reservation was at 8:30 and we didn't get our food until close to 10pm. I got the filet mignon medium rare as did the rest of my party. Others got their steaks perfectly cooked. Mine came out overcooked and had to send it back. They tried coming back and telling me that I don't know what medium rare is. They claimed that the low lighting is deceiving. I knew that was a lie because I pulled out a bright spot light and pointed out the obvious difference between the two steaks. The difference was irrefutable. They finally admitted their mistake and made me a fresh one. While it was one of the best Filet Mignons I have ever had, it wasn't worth the long wait. They did the right thing by taking my steak off the bill, and brought us dessert on the house. However they shot themselves in the foot by arguing the steak with me. That is unforgivable. This place could have been an easy 5 star if they get their act together. As far as the amenities here, there is no wifi or TVs here. It is a nice escape from the hustle and bustle of reality. The food here is amazing. A perfect score. 10/10 The sticky toffee pudding was unreal 10/10. The Brie cheesecake is out of this world 7.5/10. The crust was excellent.

It's expensive. Make no mistake. But it's incredibly good food. Truly delicious dishes. Arguably the best in the Hamptons. We ordered lots of different dishes. All great. But the star of the meal is the spicy tuna tacos. OMG whoever is preparing this dish should be awarded the key to shelter island. It's phenomenal. Congrats team at Vine. Keep doing what you're doing because you're doing it so well !!!!

Great restaurant. Food is very good . They have fish, meat & quality is superb. It has outdoor seating though I prefer inside. Small bar where u can also order. Try it I'm sure u will be happy.

Some of the best food my wife and and I have had in quite a while! The Veal Chop was superb!!! The service was great as well. Our only gripe is the bathrooms!! Terrible location right in the middle of ongoing kitchen traffic and way too small for a restaurant of this caliber and size! Other than that, this is a very special restaurant & worth the trip from the mainland!

The first time I can here I was underwhelmed. The menu was limited and there wasn't much that I liked to chose from so I didn't have the best experience, especially because it's extremely expensive so for me it was a waste but my aunt loves it and so does everyone on the island it seems so I thought I'd try again. And I'm glad I did! We went for New Year's Eve this year and my opinion completely changed! The menu seemed to have more options and I really enjoyed the food. I got the market salad which was large and satisfying. Very fresh ingredients and great balance of flavor. I also got the octopus which had the option to make a dinner portion. It was tender and filling. My aunt had the calamari salad and which is large enough to share-- so good! She also had the salmon which looked delicious. Only issues: They accidentally gave me the appetizer size then fixed the error but I had to wait a bit. My aunt ordered a wine that had clearly turned bad it was fizzy?? but they brought her a Sancerre instead which was great. The staff is extremely nice, accommodating and hard working-- it was a busy night after all. Regarding the aforementioned price point: I know that it's a small island, open year round, farm to table and otherwise it's costly to get things over there. Not to mention, everything is expensive these days makes it more understandable. However, $43 for octopus and salmon is mind blowing to me. So that's in part why I can't give them 5 stars.

The food, the food. It's too good. After a long day of commuting to the hospital for a family member having heart surgery, no one, but NO one, wanted to cook. We wanted good food not a fast food stop gap. And we wanted to be cozy at home. We ordered duck confit, sautéed spinach with lemon and garlic, grits, and a sticky toffee pudding for dessert (with house made toffee ice cream). Two of us ate this large order for one and still had food left. Every morsel was delicious. The grits made me so happy. I will dream of them. I've never eaten in the restaurant which I hear is a treat but a few times we've taken food out. There isn't a nicer take home experience. Just exceptional. Thanks for making a difficult day better, Vine Street. Thanks so much.

Vine Street Cafe On a frigid Friday night in January, we stopped into this casual dining spot on Shelter Island. While the atmosphere could use a little refresh, the staff was pleasant and the food was quite good. We started with a few orders of spicy tuna tacos (really tasty) and crispy calamari salad (good). The entree menu has many terrific options (we LOVED that zoodles were available for all the pasta choices), so it took a while to choose amongst the very appealing dinners. We opted for the halibut (well prepared to order with greens in lieu of potatoes), which was delicious and the meal standout. The lobster pot pie was enjoyed as was the filet mignon. The spicy raab, was so tasty. All of us so enjoyed our meals and look forward to returning to sample more of their well curated menu options.

Vine street café is your classic, great Hamptons, Long Island restaurant. It has a really cute interior and a great outdoor area. If it's a nice day I recommend sitting outside. it's on shelter Island, which is a little bit a ways from the central Hamptons, so it gives you kind of a far away feeling. it's very cute and quaint there. Cocktails to start were great I got the evening in Paris, which was very light and delicious- not too alcoholic. Everything is very local, which is what's great about Long Island restaurants. So the tuna was yellowfin from Montauk and it was so fresh and delicious in a taco and then I got the miso salmon, which was also incredible. It was miso, glazed and cooked perfectly. Lastly, we got cheesecake, which was also very light and delicious. We also came with vegetarians and vegans, and they were accommodated very well. The food was seasoned well they got tofu and a vegan Ragu. Service was also great, everyone there is very nice and helpful esp with dietary restrictions. While this place isn't super innovative - It's a very safe, reliable and delicious choice. And you get to go to shelter Island and take the ferry which is always fun.

Went for a spontaneous dinner with our 13 year old. Striking how nice everyone is and how wonderful the service was. We had MP as our waitress who was awesome. Had the grilled bass, calamari salad and fried chicken. Everything was delicious. Even our daughter gave a thumbs up.

Food is consistently delicious. Love their price fixed menu. You know your taste buds will be happy, as will your wallet.

All I can say is wow. In the land of bad service and overpriced food, Vine Street delivered above and beyond. On a crowded Saturday night in July, our table was ready on time, our service was experienced and professional, and the food was by far the best we have had on the entire East End. We had the tuna tacos, calamari salad, linguine fra diavolo , duck confit, oysters and beet salad and all were delicious, interestingly spiced and cooked to perfection. The home made bread was to die for, and not charged for as so many other places annoyingly do these days. Too bad we have to take a ferry to get here, as we would come more often!

Ok prices at restaurants have gone up, but Vine St is outrageous. I ordered $52 swordfish but it was such a tiny portion that they covered the rest of the plate with some lettuce. Not worth the price.

Vine Street Cafe never disappoints! You know the food is great because the bread basket that comes to the table is phenomenal and that's always a good sign. Service is quick and always friendly. Highlights include the Calamari Bar Snack, vegetarian mushroom rigatoni bolognese and the country fried chicken with cheddar grits. 10/10 can't wait to return

My favorite restaurant on Shelter. Consistently delicious and perfect atmosphere. You feel far away from the crazy sceney Hamptons. But best time to go is weekday or early as it gets very busy on weekends and the later you go you fight for parking and the servers struggle. They are all lovely people and work very hard but it's hard to attend to everyone when it's full!

Honestly the best food on the Island! Service is perfection and the food never disappoints. Manager Chris Calloway is always on top of things and makes sure customers are taken care of. I LOVE this place!

Best service on the island. Good is consistent and love is found in every bite. The staff are well trained and hit the standard every time.

One of the best restaurants in the east end. Experience has been consistently excellent since it's opening. As a Shelter Island resident it is nice not to have to leave the island for five star food and service

I first experienced Vine Street Café's allure during the Café's first summer - 2003 - with my young wife, and although the overall impression was 'rustic' (compared to today's country-elegant maison), the farm-fresh and sea-fresh offerings and presentation and graciousness of the staff left a shining star on our hearts. I was afraid to go back, that the experience could never equal the romance of its first impression on us (or was it a dream?) But we did return 19 years later (2021) and recognized Vine Street Café's DNA within its evolved contemporary polish. The experience - this time in the snug dining room - was once again hypnotic; the culinary equivalent of experiencing a Van Gogh or Monet or Wyeth painting. Our lead server - a fit young man - had All The Time In The World For Us (we did not abuse the privilege!) and endorsed our choices enthusiastically. Follow-up food runners were cheerful poetry-in-motion. The lead server was right: Our choices were P-E-R-F-E-C-T-I-O-N in terms of flavor and freshness (not to mention the brilliant presentation). I think I remember having the Swordfish (OMG), and now-legendary Tuna Tacos. There is nothing about a Vine Street Café experience that is not exceptional; from the so-often-depreciated bread cradle (not Vine Street!) to crucial room lighting to the warmed serving pieces to the fine balance (on the part of the waitstaff) between unobtrusive and proactive. We were not willing to wait another 19 years for our next visit, so we returned the following summer (last summer), and chose seating in the tent (what wonderful space!), and our lead server was again as graceful and as persuasive as an Angel, and our meals as if prepared by Angels in the kitchen with we two their only guests . . . . We are returning this Saturday . . . confident of our expectations.

Very disappointed! Service was average, food was below average. This was my 2nd time visiting this establishment. My son ordered the Saturday special which was a veal chop. He requested medium rare. It came out raw. He sent it back and it now had a burnt outside flavor with a still raw inside. My husband ordered the skirt steak medium well it too came out raw. It was sent back and returned to medium however it was a very tough piece of meat. The waiter never apologized. After we ordered 2 desserts the waiter stated that they are on the house because of what happened with the entrees. It would have been a better gesture to apologize and offer dessert on the house prior to us ordering dessert. Overall a very unprofessional staff. Kitchen staff need to be educated on cooking temperatures for cooked meat. On a positive note cocktails were yummy, atmosphere is quaint and relaxing. However, I will not return because the quality of the food does not warrant the expensive prices. It's sad that this restaurant cannot improve on their quality control. Management needs to step up and train your wait staff to be more attentive to the customers. Also, if two out of four entrees are returned, the management should have come to our table to apologize and offer some sort of compensation. Truly a disappointment.

My wife and I have traveled the world for food, and Vine Street Cafe on Shelter Island is possibly our favorite. From the ferry ride, to the high end but casual feel, to the absolute love put into the food.

We unfortunately had an absolutely awful experience at this restaurant. We came here to celebrate my husbands birthday and it took two hours, TWO HOURS, for us to get a glass of wine and an entree. We waited so long that we didn't even want to get dessert on his birthday. Then, one of the employees blocked our car in in the parking lot so we waited another 30 mins for that person to move their car. The "manager" or so he calls himself, couldn't be bothered with us saying he needed to seat other guests before trying to help us get out of the parking lot. Do not recommend if you're looking for an enjoyable, stress free night and especially not if you're trying to celebrate.

I love this restaurant. But, not during. This visit. New staff: not trained. New menu items: arrived cold and untimely. Customer service: absent. Bert disappointing. Where was Lisa this evening? On vacation? It felt like no one was minding the shoppe. Very disappointing.

The spinach incident. Why a 3 star to a restaurant that always delivers 5 star food? Normally I would not mention this and I almost feel bad bringing it up but .... I live on the island and love vine street and we had a lovely dinner Sunday evening Exquisite tuna taco appetizer and salmon entre was predictably wonderful But we ordered a side of spinach (hence the spinach incident) that never came - we asked and were assured it was in the way but apparently there was a shift change - no fault of our delightful young waiter- but it never arrived - had the replacement server simply said 'sorry' all would have been forgotten- probably a long tiring day- I get it- but at a top restaurant I do expect at the very least a simple acknowledgement - that is all I still love vine street

Delicious upscale spot. The wind and cocktails We're great and service was pretty good.

Decent food and eager summer- help service but charged $21 for an extra piece of bread. This is what a restaurant does when it doesn't really care about its clients. So I am no longer one.

We had trouble finding a great place to eat on shelter island. Food on the island as a whole was ok but a bit expensive. We were left unsatisfied and out of pocket. THIS PLACE WAS DIFFERENT! The best seafood fra diavolo I have had and I have had a lot. I asked for a mix of linguini and zoodles. They were both cooked to perfection. Calabrian chilis added some good heat. My wife had the duck confit. She loved it. We also had the fried calamari as an appetizer and a few cocktails. Everything was fresh, delicious and worth it! We will be back!

Great food and great service. You pay for excellent food that why it's a little pricey but worth it.

Sat outside with the mosquitos food was good service was great but didnt wow me. Server was friendly and knowledgeable.

After passing Vine for years to and from the ferry....we stopped last evening and were lucky to get a table for two for early dinner. We will be regulars. Food and service were great. We shared the beat salad to start and then I had the salmon with my husband having the sea bass All were delicious. Oh... we finished off with a scoop of ice cream and sorbet. Jessica, our server was excellent. Highly recommend.

Omg this place blew my mind Start to finish this was the best meal I have had at a restaurant We had Rez at 9pm, Friday night off the ferry from nyc, Rez seemed like a must! Place was packed inside and out The wine selection was good The half order of mussels was like 40 of them The broth was very different It was light and spicy and the thing I loved most about this restaurant was the food was super hot! The broth of the mussels with the delicious bread and butter you get when you sit down My husband had the steak it was cooked perfect with the fries and aoli mmmmmmm I had the pasta bolognaise The best ones I have ever had Nice portion and the meat was so fresh and soft I would totally do back Great summer vibe and the food matches Prices are fair for the area Small bar there Parking Love this spot Nice fast staff

Recommend by our new friends at the Nature Conservancy, Vine Street delivered in every area- we did not have reservations and the place filled up fast, so next time we will reserve. Food was excellent in a smart casual setting (we ate outside) my scollaps were perfect and my wife's fried chicken was one of if not the best- with amazing cheddar grits below. excellent wine selection compliments the meal and our server Danielle H was one of the best pros we have ever experienced. Can't wait to return!

We are regulars at this restaurant (and in previous years it was awesome). Come here every summer for over a decade. But wow has this place gone down the tubes. Literally just fell asleep waiting for my food. Two hours. When it finally arrived, my $56 fish was dry as the Sahara. Sent it back. Not a single apology. Neither from the waiter, nor the manager. Seems the vines have choked Vine Street Cafe.

Wonderful service , food and setting Highly recommend Brie cheesecake is the best !!!

Everything about this place is a home run, from the delicious bread and butter to the last bite of toffee.

Eating here and loving it for ten years. Someone upstairs made the bad call of expanding tables without regard for consequences. No parking on arrival. Way too long a wait for steak entrees. And fries didn't show up until steaks done. Other mishaps. No real acknowledgement. Won't be back this summer.

Can not say enough good things about Vine St. food and service is amazing I left a pair of glasses at the table last night and Deanna Iwanycicj responded promptly to my email and had the glasses waiting for me the next morning This restaurant is a gem on so many levels!

Exceptional experience. Both service and food were way above expectations. The calamari salad was great as well as the duck meat balls and the other duck main. Will definitely return on our next visit to the island.

Average. The calamari salad was very average and I would not recommend, with the calamari a bit soggy by the time it was served and the dressing just ok. The fries were cold. Not good. The duck confit was ok but seemed as if it was cooked 20 minutes earlier and sat under a heat lamp, as it lost its crispness by the time it arrived. The service was slow and inattentive. Weak for the expense.

The best food & the best service in the island! My husband and I were on a mission to try out all 4star and above restaurants this week. And this was Hands down the best on the island! Food: fresh, savory, decadent, and just right. Ambiance: Friday night early dinner, so there were a few families, and just adult tables. Farm chic decor with exposed beams, and clean. Service: proper tableware and silverware. Attentive and professional waitstaff. They also have a market on the backside of the restaurant along with a comfortable outdoor seating. Must try!

A SI standard for those "in the know". Familiar menu, friendly staff, first rate bar. You'll not be disappointed with the classic dishes on their menu. Tuna tacos a must. Dnjoy!

Poor service, no parking, long line at the door when we reserve a table, and the "crispy" calamari salad arrived with four ice cold disks of rubber calamari and no dressing at all after a 45 minute wait. The restaurant was "out" of the chardonnay by the glass and we waited an hour and a half for mediocre entrees.

This place will always be a special place for me and my fiance. We went here for dinner on the day we got engaged. The food was great and so was the service and ambiance. Plus this place had many celebs and money everywhere. Made it even more memorable. Matt Lauer was just a few tables away. We shared the following dishes: -Oysters -Calamari Salad -Bolognese Pasta -Chocolate Gateau All of the food was terrific and fresh. We wanted to order more but already had a very long day, so just wanted to celebrate and call it a night. They have a full bar and we enjoyed a few of the bartender recommended cocktails. We had reservations, I recommend you do the same.

Shelter Island post-Labor Day can be sleepy but also a great chance to potentially catch some great eats at local favorites like Vine Street Café. Potentially? Yes. Here the hype sadly didn't hold up. Appetizers hit the ground running strong including beautifully dressed salads. But the entrees were sleepy and not up to snuff. While the pasta was good, it was far from "The Best Thing I Ever Ate" and the meat was overcooked and flavorless. I almost asked for ketchup. Frites could've been frozen Alexa's. In fairness we got a variety of desserts I closing sorbet, profiteroles, ice cream, and biscotti that were decent. So the experience went sour (literally) when we told our server about parts of the meal. He said they'd follow up and yet nothing. We didn't ask for anything taken off our bill but if you're going to say you'll follow up, do it. We were recommended this place and 18 Bay. I think the latter would have surely been better.

Ate here last night during a quick anniversary getaway. Food was very good and would have given more stars but the service dragged them down. It started great but went down hill after our server changed. We felt forgotten about as we sat in a nearly empty dining room for 30 min with clearly finished entree dishes. Coffee and dessert were equally slow. May try it again to see if it was a one off. May not...

What can I write that's not already written about this place? Excellent service, great location, very attentive staff. A must for any foodie. Hats off to the chef

We just found our new favorite spot. The oysters, duck, lamb, mussels and pasta - all exceeded expectations. Thanks to the servers and bartenders especially, for being interested in our experience, and showing us professionalism from greeting to greeting! We can sure use more of this unpretentious, delicious, exceptional hospitality on the east end.

By far, one of the best restaurants in the East End. We usually come into Shelter Island for one of two things: (1) Sunset Beach, and (2) Vine Street. Go here, quick! Everything is great, but make sure you make reservations. One side note on the specials, make sure to ask about whether or not the dish is filleted, if you're a picky fish eater.

Definitely worth a visit if you're staying on shelter island but hard to get to if you need to ferry over. The bolognese was a table favorite as well as the seared scallops. Great atmosphere and very cozy cute restaurant.

Seafood Fra Diavlo was undercooked. The muscles, clams and scallops were all fishy tasting. Terrible. I sent the meal back and instead ordered the filet mignon which was cooked perfectly and was delicious. However, I had to wait an additional few minutes for the side of fries to arrive. My wife had the grilled lamb chops which initially were over cooked. She reordered them and they were cooked perfectly. Her sweet potato mash was thick and bland. The sautéed kale was too spicy. All in all I was underwhelmed with Vine Street. For the high prices paid, i expect only the best and do not expect to need to reorder. I will not be back. I strongly advise the chef to make sure he samples all the seafood that comes into the restaurant. It's not enough to assume that your supplier no matter how reputable wil consistently deliver fresh seafood. As they say, trust but verify! Thank you to the owner for applying a discount to our meal to compensate for the inconvenience. That was greatly appreciated. Service was very good and attentive. Our waitress was accommodating and polite.