By Sue Baldani
Regarding great food and dining out, we’re fortunate to have so many incredible local options. There are also an amazing number of cuisines, but there is one that always seems to stand out – Italian. With its pastas, meats and seafood, there is something for everyone.
Café Sapori, which relocated from Gladstone to Morristown last year, has all this and more. The owners, Matt and Mani, have 25 years of combined restaurant experience, and understand what customers want and how to provide the ultimate dining experience.
“Everyone on staff, from the chef and sous chef to line cooks, are all experts in the field,” says Matt. The word sapori translates to “flavors” in Italian, and it captures exactly what the restaurant offers.
“The ingredients we use are all fresh and high quality,” says Chef Luigi Spataro, who has over 30 years of experience. He first learned his craft while growing up in Italy and attending culinary school there.
Being with Café Sapori for seven years has helped him understand the preferences and wishes of their customers. Some of the recipes are his very own, and he prefers to use ingredients that are seasonal and minimally processed to enhance the flavors in the dishes.
“We have the best everyday menu to choose from, but we also offer specials such as Chilean sea bass, swordfish, osso buco, different pasta dishes and more,” says Chef Spataro. “We try to change these daily.”
Since the restaurant has a lot of repeat business, these specials allow customers to enjoy something new each time they come in. Or, they can order their favorites such as the Pappardelle Sapori with ground beef and topped with shaved asiago cheese, the Chicken Rossine with sauteed chicken breast and eggplant, steak tomatoes and provolone cheese sauce, or the Branzino Picante, which is pan-seared with hot cherry peppers, capers and shiitake mushrooms in a chardonnay and lemon reduction.
There is also a nice mix of appetizers that include the Calamari Sapori served with sweet sausage and cherry peppers in a balsamic reduction, Grilled Shrimp served over arugula with diced tomatoes and mozzarella in lemon olive oil dressing, and a Cold Antipasto with prosciutto, salami, olives, fresh mozzarella and parmigiano chunks.
In addition to everyday dining, the restaurant is also a wonderful place to hold parties with its two dining rooms and a large patio. People can rent one or two of the spaces or even rent out the whole restaurant for large celebrations of up to 120 guests.
“We have birthday parties, lots of baby showers, engagement parties and business parties,” says Matt. “We are also expanding the size of our patio to hold around 80 people instead of the previous 40.”
If customers want to celebrate outside of the restaurant, catering is also available. “We go to Basking Ridge, Bernardsville, Mendham, Chester - all over,” he says.
Café Sapori has convenient parking nearby too, so even though it’s located in the heart of a city, it’s easy to access. “We guarantee the food and service will be 100%,” says Matt.
To learn more and to make a reservation, go to SaporiCafe.com or call (908) 375-8730.