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Cafe Vino
Categories: Food Coffee & Tea Nightlife Bars Wine Bars Restaurants Tapas Bars Coffee & Tea, Wine Bars, Tapas Bars [Edit]
1200 S College AveFort Collins, CO 80524
(970) 212-3399
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 6 am - 12 am
- Delivery:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- Free
- Good For:
- Dessert, Lunch, Dinner
- Music:
- Background
- Best Nights:
- Fri, Thu, Sat
- Happy Hour:
- Yes
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- Outdoor Area/ Patio Only
- Coat Check:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Good For Dancing:
- No
- Ambience:
- Trendy
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
43 reviews for Cafe Vino
Review Highlights
"Don't miss the bacon wrapped dates."
(in 9 reviews)
"She tried the Guiness braised short ribs with caramelized..."
(in 3 reviews)
"The goat cheese was perfectly flavored."
(in 4 reviews)
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43 reviews in English
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Review from David H.
Fort Collins, CO
9/1/2011
Fort Collins has needed this for years!
I used to live in NYC and one of my best friends manages one of the top wine bars in the nation called Terroir (I actually grew up with him here in FoCo). This is our Terroir!
Outstanding food, wine, service, and atmosphere. I've only been twice and I can't wait to go back again and again.
Go there, don't wait or hesitate you are missing out! -
Review from Lauran H.
Napa, CA
8/10/2011
First star for excellent service, second star for variety of choices, many coming on small or large sized plates, third star for bacon wrapped dates, featuring Nueskies bacon, imported from Wisconsin; fourth star for Scrumptious desserts; fifth star for fresh cocktails and large wine selection.
We'd love to see some Southern Colorado and California wines offered by the glass. We're from the Napa Valley, gourmet hot bed, this place would hold it's own against most Napa Valley restaurants!!!
A must try in Ft. Collins! -
Review from Susan W.
Lafayette, CO
1/5/2012
My boyfriend took me here one night and I have fallen in love since. Even though we had terrible service in May 15 or 14th (the CSU graduation day) WE STILL COME HERE!!! THEY provide really professional, excellent service even when we had really bad service that ONE DAY. THe food and the atmosphere is so lovely with friends, on a date, for brunch or with your parents. I always enjoy coming here for your tapas!! I have yet to try the entrees. The desserts are always enjoyable. Thank you for being in Foco. I always brag about this place to my Boulder friends, and yes there are great places in Foco.
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Review from J D.
Fort Collins, CO
1/9/2012
Great atmosphere and the Tapas style menu is a perfect match for the place. Weekend brunch is also very good. I'll agree with some of the negative reviews that they need some consistency in the quality if service and hosting, it does seem like there is some leadership missing in that dept. With that fixed it would be an easy 5 star.
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Review from Samantha M.
Fort Collins, CO
1/1/2012
Went there one night to hang witha friend at the bar - lots of seating but they were packed! if going for dinner be sure to make a reservatino. Great atmosphere, relaxing, and the cheese plate we split was quite good.
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Review from Dexter R.
Fort Collins, CO
5/10/2011
I went here for the first time with family from out of town. Big mistake! We saw the sign for bottomless mimosas and checked out the breakfast menu and thought it looked good.
We arrived to a less than half full restaurant and were told it would be a half hour wait. Although that seemed odd we sat and waited. The host disappeared and no one came in for the next twenty minutes. We tracked down the host and asked if we could have mimosas while we waited. He brought them out and once again disappeared.
Looking for a refill after another twenty minutes of waiting we walked around the restaurant looking for the host. We found many open tables and seemingly no staff. We decided to sit at the bar. One waiter walked by twice and made a concerted effort to not make eye contact with us. After an hour of being ignored, and with no one to pay for the mimosas we casually walked out.
The host ran out into the parking lot and said we needed to pay. We said we would be happy to if we could first see the manager. We saw the host run in, talk to the manager and then he stuck his head out the door and yelled "just go!", apparently not interested in hearing about how shitty the service was.
Much better breakfast places in town (Silver Grill, Back Porch Cafe, Snooze, Ingredient) don't waste your time. -
Review from Devorah R.
Aurora, CO
11/19/2011 1 Check-in Here
Great Vino selections, crowd is sophisticated, and laid back. I enjoyed the Wine Flight Menu. Next time, I will also order with some kind of appetizer and or meal to match up with my Vino!
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Review from Amber A.
Hollywood, FL
5/18/2011
L O V E !
Went there for an early afternoon snack that turned into a full blown dinner because the food was so good!
We sat outside on the patio at one of the community tables and enjoyed the sunshine. Despite their location close the main road their dining area is nice and quiet due to the glass noise blockers.
Our waitress was super sweet and very helpful in picking from their menu of tapas and wine. We had the bacon wrapped dates, lamb lollipop, cheese platter, hummus platter, muscles and a salad! By the end we were increadibly stuffed and oh so satisfied. The lamb chop was juicy and tasty and the muscles were plump, delicious and swimming in this amazing white wine sauce.
We are total fans and we'll be back on our next trip (and we're saving room for desert next time!) -
Review from Ryan D.
Fort Collins, CO
4/12/2011
As a preface: the following is a message to all those married and long term relationship folks out there. You will understand as you read along...
Sometimes its best to just shut yer trap, nod yer head, and say "Whatever you want, dear, is fine by me." Not always, but sometimes, this leads to revelations unexpected and pleasant, sublime and simultaneously bombastic in their amplitude. Thus, I submit the following:
Normally, I hate eggs. Bland. Rubbery. Greasy. I've felt this way about them for the nigh 38 years I've spent on this particular hunk of rock called Earth. I can count on one hand (and not using all the fingers on said hand) all the times I've had eggs that I genuinly enjoyed. Cafe Vino changed me, wholly and completely and irrevocably.
This whole thing started as a mistake. My partner and I were going out for a nice Sunday breakfast. Since moving to the Fort 6 months ago, we've been trying to hit a few local spots every month to see what all the city has to offer. I had heard good things about the Egg and I on College, so I figured it might be worth a shot and off we went.
About half way there, my partner decides he would like to try this place we've seen on College by CSU. It looked great from the outside: a largish building by the Fort's standard that resembled a huge, modern mountain home. Needless to say, I was somewhat reluctant (I had really been determined to try the Egg and I), particularly since the place looked like an upscale dining establishment that served only lunch and dinner and I was ravenous for BREAKFAST!!!!! I suppose I'm whipped, because rather than stand my ground, I relented. Secretly, I was bubbling inside with the dissapointment of a craving unfulfilled.
It got worse when I saw the menu. Now, all I wanted was the basic, standard stuff, no frills: coffee, bacon, hash browns, biscuits and gravy. Instead, I saw a "brunch" menu with crab cakes benedict, curry chicken sandwichs, duck confit, and coconut chocolate chip pancakes. (A small side divergence: they do not serve a typical brunch - e.g. buffet style - but instead just a breakfast/lunch menu.) I was starting to get a little steamed. I wanted what I wanted, period.
The first sip of coffee, however, peaked my interest. Strong, with a nice lingering bite. Good stuff. Really good stuff. I ordered "The Vino" and my partner ordered the Breakfast Croissant.
We waited. Sipped coffee. Chatted. The food arrived.
Sitting in front of me is a SMALL dish, biscuit on the side. Bacon, eggs (eeewwwww!!!!!), melted cheese, potatoes and assorted veggies. Your basic scramble. I knew this would not fill me. Bile rising in my throat, the first release of adrenaline surging through my frayed nerves. MUST....SUPPRESS....URGE....TO.....KILL....MY..... PARTNER.... I Lift the fork, knowing that I will not leave this meal sated, my craving not suppressed.
GOTT IN HIMMEL! MON DIEU! YED MAI! OH-MY-FREAKING-GOD! The moment the eggs hit my mouth, I had a moment of pure rhapsody. The heavens opened up, the planets aligned, and I was one with the universe. Delicate. Light. Airy. Flavorful. PURE.
The next 10 minutes were spent with my head over the plate lapping up every morsel in front of me. If I had not been in public, I would literally have licked the plate. I might even have been tempted to eat the plate, too.
I cannot say what they did to those eggs (and the rest of the dish as well, which was superb). I thought it may have been the organic eggs, but I used to raise free-range, organic chickens and those eggs tasted nothing like these. The Japanese have a term, umami, which in a non-academic vernacular is a 5th taste that is difficult to describe but is a flavor that takes a dish over the top. Those eggs were umami.
All I could do was sit there for a few minutes and breath, slowly and deeply. I was sure I could have ordered 3 more of the same dish and finished them all.
I'm glad I didn't get my way, that I didn't go to the Egg and I, that my partner was right. For once, I was completely content to be wrong.
A few brief observances:
Decor: upscale and nice, but not snobbish and overbearing. Very relaxing. I could easily spend hours sitting there reading a book ordering dish after dish after dish.
Service: friendly, efficient. Worth a good 20% tip.
THE ONLY DOWNSIDE I FOUND: I get the whole Spanish "tapas" concept/style. But I really think that for breakfast or for entree food, the portion should be a bit larger, particularly considering the prices. I would honestly say adding approx. 50% more per order would be apropos. But I cannot take a star off for this, as I see it to be a minor quibble.
If you go, plan on ordering more than one dish, and be prepared to be surprised. -
Review from marnie j.
Fort Collins, CO
10/22/2011
Went there with a girl friend last night for a Mom's Night Out. A Friday at 7:30. The place was pretty crowded, but we were able to get a table for two right away.
We went for wine and tapas. We started with the Sin Zin flight. We both loved the Temptation. Our server, Maren was amazing. Very knowledgeable. She suggested apps to complement the Zin. We ended up letting her make suggestions for the rest of our food and drinks. Maren absolutely enhanced our evening. I look forward to a return visit.
All the staff we encountered were friendly and knowledgable. We enjoyed our apps and desserts. We had enough to bring some dessert home.
My only complaint was that it got really loud in there. Really. Loud. Until about 9:00 or 9:30. -
Review from denise d.
Fort Collins, CO
12/15/2011
We love this place. The atmosphere is one of the best in all of Northern Colorado. The food is absolutely amazing and the service is by far the best. We would highly recommend.
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Review from Carole N.
Fort Collins, CO
9/3/2011
Love this place! Great wine, food and deserts. One of my favorite spots in Fort Collins! Don't miss the bacon wrapped dates.
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Review from Kim B.
Fort Collins, CO
2/19/2011
I think this place was meant for me. From the pasture-raised local organic eggs (Grant Farms) to the delicious tea to the oldies music playing overhead (Beatles and Herman's Hermits, anyone?), I was quite at home. We decided to try their Saturday brunch as I had seen on their sign out front that they use Grant Family Farms eggs. As a quasi-ovovegetarian (I will only eat pasture-raised eggs), I was thrilled that there is a breakfast/brunch place where I felt OK eating the eggs.
We were a little concerned that there were so few people there at 11am on a Saturday, but we decided to give it a shot anyway. Thank goodness we did--our brunch was FANTASTIC!
My husband and I ordered two entrees to share--the French toast (which the server was happy to substitute soy milk for dairy in the batter) and The Vino. Both dishes were so amazing that I had a hard time deciding which would be my last bite. Their eggs (which I ordered overhard--not one for runny yolk...blech) were seriously the best restaurant eggs I've ever had. This is due to both their preparation of them (fluffy and awesome) and the deliciousness that are Grant Farms eggs. I also had a cup of their Autumn Harvest tea with soy milk, and they gave me enough tea to brew two large cups of strong tea. Impressive, as tea most places will make it through one brew at most.
Their prices are on the higher end for breakfast, but I don't think they are much more (maybe $1-2 higher per entree). However, you have to remember that they source a lot of their ingredients from local, organic farms--good food costs a bit more, and I'm perfectly OK with that. I would pay more for happy hen eggs, organic mushrooms, and real maple syrup any day over factory-farmed eggs, mushy 'shrooms, and maple-flavored corn syrup :P
Since we we there for breakfast, we didn't try out their alcohol selection, but they have a good 20+ beers on draft as well as a unique selection of bottled beers. Also a little on the higher price end, but their selection is stellar.
We will be back! Definitely check it out! -
Review from Kelly H.
Fort Collins, CO
1/12/2011
Mmmmmmmmmmmm....
My mouth is watering as I write this review and dream of bacon-wrapped dates. Yum.
Went there with some girlfriends for appetizers and cocktails after work.
I had read some reviews earlier on Yelp so I figured I was well-prepared and knew what to order.
However, EVERYTHING on the menu sounded delicious!!
I ordered the Dirty Martini which was wonderful and tasted so much better than most dirty martinis which use jarred olives (at CV they use Castelvetrano olives, which still have the pits in). Yum.
Then, we ordered bacon-wrapped dates, the antipasti platter, and the portobello ravioli. Everything was absolutely delicious.
I know that some reviewers have complained about the price of this place, but honestly, I am never one to complain about spending money on quality food and good ingredients. Especially when it's in support of a local business.
I will definitely be back! -
Review from Ryan B.
Greeley, CO
3/7/2011
My girlfriend won a gift card to this establishment through work, so we decided to give it a shot for brunch. We had heard some good things about their brunch menu, organic ingredients and bottomless mimosas
The menu is fantastic with a variety of options for the 'hangover' crowd, which is what the brunch clientel amounts to. I saw staples like french toast and eggs benedict but also some interesting options. Personally, I hate ordering the 'same ol' thing' at restaurants, so my girlfriend and I tried a couple out of the ordinary items on the menu. I am glad we did!
She tried the Guiness braised short ribs with caramelized onions and potato cakes (12 dollars). It also came with two over-medium eggs. She raved about the meat and the onion (which I thought had outstanding flavor as well), but hated the potato cakes. She said they had too much lemon and not enough other flavors. She also ordered the bottomless mimosas, and I don't think you can go wrong with that (12 bucks for as many as you want).
I ordered the Duck Confit (10 dollars). It was essentially shredded duck on top of a sweet potato cake smothered in hollandaise and creamy pepper sauce. It also came with two sunny side up eggs. This was exceptional and one of the top 10 breakfasts I have ever had. The duck was cooked perfectly, the cake was moist and flavorful, and the eggs were perfectly cooked. Even my girlfriend said she wished she had ordered my meal :)
The one negative to the experience was the service. The waitress (although seemingly competent) didn't offer the specials and had no clue whether substitutions could be made with meals. She kept saying she would have to check. She also wouldnt let us just cash out the gift card so we could pay her a tip. She made us order something else so we could give her a tip. Even more strange considering our friends had cashed out their gift card for a tip recently without a problem.
All in all, the food was fantastic and is worth coming back for. A change in waitress would have given this a perfect 5 star rating. -
Review from Pat P.
Torrance, CA
12/1/2011
Obviously this place has its ups and downs. The best part of the evening was our waiter Brian. The drinks were sub par especially the mojito with is supposed to be one of their signature drinks. To their credit they tried to fix it but I just should have asked for something else. The tapas we ordered went from brunt dates to uneatable quinoa. We finally told our server that it wasn't any good and he wished to make it up to us but by then we were out the door. We have been to this place before and enjoyed it so maybe they need to watch their quality control!
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Review from Ashley L.
Fort Collins, CO
8/29/2011 1 Check-in Here
We ordered a little bit of everything thanks to a gift card we'd received. It was all yummy, but the standouts were the Guiness braised short ribs, goat cheese stuffed peppadews and the bacon wrapped dates. Holy moley!! They had a good variety of beers, both on tap and bottled. It's a little pricey for us, but definitely a great place to splurge for a special occasion.
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Review from Brad S.
9/12/2010 1 Check-in Here
It's a cafe, it's a wine bar, it's two, two, two things in one! More importantly, Cafe Vino offers some awesome eats along College Ave that are slightly more sophisticated than what you may find surrounding the campus. After a night of partying in Old Town, we visited Cafe Vino for a relaxing Sunday brunch. "Brunch - the meal for people too lazy to get up for breakfast™"
It's a rare occasion when I can't decide on something to order, but there were a LOT of good-looking dishes on the brunch menu. I mean, how can a patron be expected to choose between Guinness-braised short ribs, duck confit, or any of their grilled pizzas? Ultimately, though, the breakfast burrito won my favor, and this is saying a lot given that the smothered burrito is nearly the state dish of Colorado. Scrambled eggs, yukon gold potatoes, peppers, chorizo, wrapped in a garlic tortilla and topped with a poblano sauce, the smoky chorizo made the burrito something special, and that salty sausage along with the bitterness of the poblano sauce made a sophisticated and bold version of something I had already eaten at so many other restaurants in Colorado.
The patio was a wonderful place to spend a couple of hours, though we didn't necessarily plan on spending that long there when we arrived - the service was pretty slow. It was attributed to a busy Sunday morning, but the place seemed half empty, so unless they have a booming takeout service, I don't know what was going on. Still, it's the food that I came for, and the food delivered mightily. An excellent restaurant amongst many other great places surrounding CSU. -
Review from Bill E.
4/20/2008
I heard great things about this place, so I was excited to try it on a Friday evening. Right from the get-go, it was clear that Fort Collins as the new "it" place! We were greeted by two great hostesses, who gave us the scoop -- grab a drink in the bar, enjoy it out on the patio... they'll come looking for us. They tracked us down, and unlike some hostesses who seem to be annoyed when it's busy at the front entry area, they were very friendly and welcoming and made a great first impression. By the way, they were stunningly attractive (I really hope my wife doesn't read my yelp! reviews!!!)
The interior is beautiful... modern and classy. The bar is long, and can handle a lot of people, though not quite enough. Also, check out the firepit table on the patio. I do NOT suggest reaching across this table to shake a colleague's hand! :)
Waiting was no problem at this place... there was interesting crowd watching to do... a mix of college students (though this is NOT a college bar place), young professionals, girls night out groups, and couples of all ages.
Despite the name, if you're a beer guy, you'll love it... seemed to be at least 20 beers on tap, and from what I hear, a very good selection. Wines were by the glass and 3-glass flight (a good way to go), and the prices were right.
The food was good, but not legendary. It's a tapas-like menu, so lots of little things. Nothing you won't see at most other tapas-type places. They offer small pizzas, which were good and filling enough to compensate for how small the small plates really are. We were frankly a little disappointed with dessert.
One thing to watch out for -- there were 4 of us and were seated at a rather small round table. Between 3 glasses per person of wine flights, water glasses, various tapas plates coming out, we had NO ROOM to put things. The waiter could have been better about getting plates cleared (and refilling water) as soon as we didn't need them so we could have some room on the table.
That said, I'm really glad Ft Collins has a place like this. It's a GREAT choice for after-work drinks and appetizers, and any time you are interested in being around some of Fort Collins more interesting people.Listed in: My OTHER Home Office
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Review from Kristin M.
Fort Collins, CO
11/24/2009
Fort Collins is a pretty relaxed town. With a mix of college-influenced atmosphere, a micro beer lovers paradise and modest families, you can go out in your relaxed fit jeans just about anywhere and not feel out of place. The dining experiences reflect that with a number of low key bars like Lucky Joe's, Micro-brews and meals at Coopersmith's and wholesome family restaurants like Red Robin. There are only a few places that offer that unpretentious feeling while still being classy, providing Fort Collins with a more sophisticated affair. Cafe Vino is one of them.
Cafe Vino offers the best of both worlds, a premium coffee internet cafe by day and a European-style wine and tapas bar by night (this review will cover the late night tapas and wine bar side - the coffee and pastries will be reviewed at a later date). Located on the corner of College and Garfield on the main floor of an office building, their masculine decor of deep earthy browns, rock-faced fireplace, wood that was cut from one tree bar top and dimmed lights tenders an intimate place for conversation and a unique epicurean medley.
The stylish ambiance with discriminative dishes sets them apart from other hot night spots in Fort Collins. Feel free to don your relaxed fit jeans here because while they are a classy joint, they are still down to earth and friendly. -
Review from Sam A.
Fort Collins, CO
12/1/2009
Cafe Vino offers an unparalleled experience in Fort Collins. During the day, it's a great coffee bar that provides free WiFi making it the perfect office away from the office. And at night it's transformed to an awesome tapas bar. Full liquor menu. Reasonably priced wine - by the glass or bottle. And excptional food.
To the people commenting on the price - sure it's probably a little more than the chain restaurants. But considering the quality of ingredients (you cant get more fresh, or more consciously farmed at a restaurant) and dining atmosphere, I think it's one of the better values in Ft Collins.
Whenever guests or clients come to town we take them to Cafe Vino. Everyone is very impressed that this caliber of an establishment has settled into this town. Whenever we plan a night out with friends, the first meeting place off everyone's tongue is "Cafe Vino".
Must try: espresso martini and bacon wrapped dates. But the hummus plate is my fav thing on the menu. -
Review from Holly L.
Scottsdale, AZ
6/8/2011
My FAVORITE place to go in Fort Collins!
The food is mouthwatering and the drinks are delicious.
At night, it's a great place for a date or a gathering of friends. I have not eaten anything there I didn't enjoy (which says a lot since I frequent the place about once a week). Love the spinach and mushroom pizza. I usually drink wine, but their mixed drinks and beer selection are creative and vast. The staff is cool and knowledgable.
During the day, I have gone for a low-key meeting of friends or business associates. It's a great place for a fun work meeting. Coffee is good and so are Sunday Mimosa specials and Bloodys.
It is not located in old town, but DO NOT pass this place up!!! -
Review from Marcus K.
San Rafael, CA
4/23/2010
Came here a few times over the last week and always had a great time. Service always good. The first time I came in looking for some wine and they had a good selection. I explained to the waitress what I was looking for and she recomended one that exactly fit the bill (Cline Cashmere). The next night I came in and we had two flights of the white wine along with an order of the mussels. The mussels were sooooooo good. I did not want to eat anything else because I want the taste of the mussels to stay in my mouth all night.
So on the third night, I came in for another glass of wine but wasnt sure what we wanted. They let us try a few we finally found one that was perfect. After sipping it, we had coffee and desert (Tiramisu) which was also excellent (especially after they doused it with just a little extra alcohol).
Overall...this place has great service. If I lived in town, I'd be here all the time. -
Review from Aaron H.
Fort Collins, CO
9/27/2009
I've been there two or three times. The most recent time (two days ago) my group and I were not satisfied with what we received.
The drinks are overpriced. My group ordered a few glasses of wine and while the restaurant has half and full glasses of wine available, we were never asked which one we wanted. Considering the wine was $5.5 and $10 respectively we should've been informed about that by the server. I ordered a beer and that was reasonable priced at $4 at pint.
The food we ordered left something to be desired. Two of us ordered the seafood pasta, expecting that it was going to be a full meal. When it arrived it consisted of 6 pieces of pasta. I asked whether this was the large plate or the small one. The server snidely replied, "of course it's the large one."
Maybe when this place goes out of business something worth my money will take its place. Needless to say, I won't be going back. -
Review from Chris H.
1/11/2011 1 Check-in Here
Cafe Vino is a step away from the norm for a town that is more known for it's breweries and laid back lifestyle, rather than fine dinning and wine. Located right off of College, it is hard to miss.
Saturday night was especially busy, and the wait was 30+ minutes. No, problem if there is a seat available in the lobby. Time was passed with a round of drinks. The restaurant is dimly lit, and rather cramped. They really squeezed in every table they could. The booths are set for four but seat two comfortably. Our server was Ryan, who guided us through the menu with some good suggestions. The plates are small and meant to share, but there are some larger plates that can be for one (pasta and pizza).
As one would think, their wine list was very extensive, but you would also think they would offer a large number of wines by the glass since, well....they're a wine bar. They only offered maybe 12 by the glass, and that's being generous.
The steamed mussels were stacked high, and screaming for some more flavor. Steamed in garlic, tomato and white wine it lacked any real depth of flavor and it was heavy handed on the Parmesan. The bruschetta rotates daily to the chefs special. Today was a raw Ahi tuna salad with a carrot slaw. The tuna was great...without the bread. The bread was an obvious un-toasted frozen white bread and tasted like cardboard. The peppadews were wonderful. Small red peppers stuffed with a smoky creamy goat cheese. The dipping trio comes with sun dried tomato (delicious rich flavor), white bean (very good), Katamala, roasted eggplant (had no flavor). Finally the cheese board...Ryan guides us through several cheeses, which you are given four. Ask your server what cheeses they have or you will be given whatever they want to serve. They had a great selection. The pasta trio was one of the better dishes that evening. I only tried the wild mushroom which had a demi glace over the top. It was delicious and the sauce was complimented the mushrooms well. The others were reviewed as very good as well.
The service was always good, and despite how busy it was we were never left wanting more. The food was okay at best there was nothing we had that was a must-have again. The tapas menu lacked creativity. It was as if it all came from a tapas cookbook. The service was the highlight of the evening. Cafe Vino is great for groups for sharing more wine than food, but I'd like to come back and try their pizzas. -
Review from Alden C.
Fort Collins, CO
Updated - 2/3/2011
While I am very hesitant in docking Cafe Vino any stars I do think that I should mention that ordering food from them can be very pricey for very small portions. I went here with some friends a couple of weeks ago and ordered a ravioli dish. The dish was about $8 to $10 for about three raviolis. While I don't necessary dissuade people not to eat here just be prepared to chuck out quite a bit of money for appetizer portions. I still have to highly rave about their drinks and desserts. The raviolis were good too even though I just got three of them.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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10/31/2009
I have been here a few times just for drinks and dessert. The dessert was good and I enjoyed the… Read more »
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Review from Nikki H.
Fort Collins, CO
11/9/2010 2 Check-ins Here
This is a nice place for Fort Collins, but I thought the food was overpriced. It's fun to go with a big group of friends for drinks, and the coffee/lattes are good, but if you are really hungry, this might be a place to stop for appetizers before going to "dinner".
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Review from anita y.
Berthoud, CO
1/9/2010
Went there on 1/5/2010 for the tapas after reading other yelpers.
We will definitely be back.
Ordered one wine flight, (3 half glasses for $13) and a top shelf martini $10. Each of the 6 dishes we tried was delicious.
We ordered the Lamb Bruschetta, a complex grouping of flavors that were all married by the balsamic fig vinegar. Our only complaint about the Guinness Beef dish with Potato Rounds was that it quickly got cold.
The surprise was the Goat Cheese in Peppers (I cannot remember the specific name, the menu is not accessible on the web right now) The flavor was subtle, yet bright. The goat cheese was perfectly flavored. My husband wasn't excited at the thought of a cold dish, but it was probably one of the best.
Bacon Wrapped Dates were very puny. I'm accustomed to big fat ones, and these were the size of large pistachios. And, there were only 3 in the order. We'll pass next time. We ordered the Artisan Bread Plate at the end, nothing terribly special about that. Two white breads and one with raisins and grains, served with a rather plain balsamic vinegar and olive oil.
The final dish was the Chocolate Hazelnut Tower or Torte. Yum. No complaints.
Our server was just right for our preferences; attentive but not hovering and not over familiar to us. The ambiance--a clean masculine look with original local art work on the walls. The lighting was dim enough for an intimate mood while I could still see my food.
The bill for the above meal was $89, before tip. For 2 people. I must say that we were there celebrating my birthday, so we weren't keeping track. My husband did say that it was twice what he expected. If that's the bill each time, I don't know that we would go as often.
I wonder if they have any Happy Hour specials?
I'm interested to see how this place morphs through the day from a bakery/breakfast place to a wine and tapas bar at night.
I guess I'll go back and find out. -
Review from C D.
Longmont, CO
9/3/2011
I'm very surprised to see such good reviews about this place. I'd call it mediocre at best and that would probably be an overstatement. We had dinner there tonight and were very disappointed.
Here's a run down since there were so many areas that missed the mark. First the upside:
1. Servers were pleasant and somewhat attentive.
2. Food wasn't disgusting
3. Wine was excellent; which you'd expect from a place with "Vino" in the name.
Downside:
1. The place was only about 1/3 full and really no reason for long wait times. No one greeted us at the host stand for about 3 minutes. Really? There was literally, nothing going on but no host or anyone to acknowledge our presence. There was no one else waiting for a table at 7pm on a Saturday night. This was very surprising; poor start but we wanted to try it.
2. Server didn't come to our table for 5 minutes; it almost seemed like she didn't know we were there when she showed up.
3. Table had grease all over it...not smudges, more like someone spilled oil on the outside corner and wasn't noticed when they "cleaned" the table.
4. The noise...again, it wasn't very busy at all. The bar tender or barista, not sure what you'd call her, behind the north facing bar was banging glasses, dragging a ladder around and just generally noisy. There was a lot of clammer from the general bar area on the west facing bar as well. The music was very loud for a dining room.
5. We sat at a booth. The seats need to be re-upholstered or replaced. You could feel the springs in them. The base of the table was very wide so there wasn't really a comfortable place to put your feet.
6. The menu is disjointed and not very well put together. Sandwiches and the lunch menu are on the same side. Why not separate that from the dinner menu if not offered during dinner? A lot of clutter for no reason. The tapas aren't really tapas. The portions and prices are not commensurate with the idea of tapas. They're supposed to be inexpensive, small portions of food to "taste" and share with drinks. The prices for the tapas are generally higher or as high as what you'd pay for a sandwich at another place.
7. The food items we ordered were a caesar salad with chicken, mushroom risotto and later we shared the marquez sausage and calamari steak tapas. First the risotto...I've said this before, it seems like people do not know what risotto actually is. It's not a bed of rice with some sauce in it. It's a semi-homogeneous dish of rice cooked in broth almost to the point of porridge, but not mushy. This was simply rice in a reduced broth...period. It wasn't bad, it just wasn't risotto. It was also a tiny portion for a fairly hefty price. My wife is barely 100lbs and eats like a bird. She was still very hungry after this. My caesar salad with chicken was the result of not seeing anything else on the menu that didn't have 800 calories and 50 grams of fat in it, so I went with this. It was dressed well and the chicken was prepared very well. But the whole dish lacked seasoning. And of course there was no salt or pepper on the table so it just stayed bland. I never add salt to my meals by the way which is saying something. The sausage and calamari was pretty good. Didn't feel like tapas, but it was decently cooked and seasoned.
8. The general set up of the place is lacking. It seems like they want a cocktail lounge setting featuring food. The place just doesn't seem well planned out.
We went because it seemed like it might be a great place to entertain clients or just have a decent lunch. We will probably not be going back. For my money, I'd go to Domenic's over this place any day. SImiilar feel (though Domenic's is much smaller) but execution is just poor at Vino. -
Review from Nick S.
5/14/2011 5 Check-ins Here
this place truly let down. after just wining and dining in san fran, my wife and i were excited to check this place out in foco, as we had missed it prior. the atmosphere is nice, the food is just not there. they try to be fancier than they are, which ends up working the palate up, only to be let down. Bacon wrapped dates. not a bad start Goat cheese stuffed peppadew, these were okay, however i would have enjoyed another spice in the cheese other than a chipotle, as i found it inappropriate
Scallops well cooked not sure if squash was the best choice to go with them. something salty, like a potato hash or there abouts.
Pasta trio Crab, was horrid, fishy, not fresh tasting, avoid this one. Mushroom best of the 3 and still not that good. Too mushy. Waygu ravioli too meatbally, not what i would expect flavor profile wise from a "waygu beef".
this being said, my wife and i are going to give the brunch a chance something, hoping that maybe we chose all the wrong stuff and next time we will correct that.
as it stands right now, this place is trying to have upscale food with upscale prices, with a huge let down in the quality and arrangement of the food. -
Review from Meridith M.
Fort Collins, CO
2/16/2011
I heard great things about Cafe Vino and expectations were met when I had the chance to try it out.
A friend and I went in for a bottle of wine and dessert. We both loved the atmosphere, the wine list was extensive (though I agree with a previous reviewer that the 'wine by the glass' selection was disappointingly small), and the dessert was great.
We had a bottle of Santa Barbara, Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi on a whim and loved it. In addition, the Hazelnut Chocolate Torte was AMAZING!
I can't wait for the next chance to return. I REALLY look forward to having lunch here sometime, the Curry Chicken Salad sounds phenomenal!
Thank you, Cafe Vino, for a well needed night out in Fort Collins. -
Review from Brian C.
7/13/2010
Small portions, over priced, great place for those that want an upscale feel with mediocre food and then tell each other how amazing everything was just to sound like they know what they're talking about. Just to top it off, while we ordered our food our waiter (who had a french accent) would correct our pronunciation of the item we ordered. Not sure if his intent was to make sure he had everything correct or if it was just to point out the fact that we had mispronounced a menu item (we felt it was the latter). Needless to say, we will not be back.
Listed in: Wall of Shame
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Review from Allie K.
Chicago, IL
7/6/2011
Food was scrumptious! We ordered a plethora of different dishes and shared them all....walked out STUFFED! The mushroom raviolis were my favorite! Also, I'm not much of a dessert person but the CARAMEL APPLE TART was OUT of the World!!! It was sweet, salty and AMAZING!!!
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Review from Amber L.
Denver, CO
7/27/2009
I would have given it 2.5 stars if I had that option.
We were in town for a conference and met another couple at Cafe Vino for dinner. We are in town every other summer and recognized that this restaurant was new since our last visit. It looked like a interesting new option, so we wanted to check it out. It was a weeknight and there was no wait, though it was busy. The ambiance is chic and trendy, but intimate, with comfortable leather parson chairs and couches, low light, large windows and an expansive outside deck with a fire pit. It's a great spot for a date, especially for a glass of wine and appetizers at the start of the night. The service was attentive and the evening was pleasant.
The tapas style menu has upscale culinary character and each dish is available in both a small and large plate. Our biggest disappointment was the portion size. The prices were steep for the portions. I have a Denver tapas restaurant that I really enjoy, and their portions are generous compared to Cafe Vino. My husband ordered the large portion of duck and it was delicious, but small. The lobster ravioli was mediocre, and there were only 3 raviolis on the 5.95 small plate. I had the meatball pizza and while the flavors were good, the crust was very wimpy in the center and not the crispy texture that I expect from a wood fired pizza. They do have half glasses of wine available, which is a perfect option if you'd like to try more than one or just want a small glass to accompany a course. I had the sauvignon blanc and it was delicious, crisp and fruity and a great complement to the pizza.
All four of us still felt unsatisfied after several courses of tapas and left wanting more. We even discussed heading to another restaurant because we were still hungry.
I wouldn't recommend Cafe Vino for a full dinner, but it's a cozy spot for a glass of wine or specialty beer and tapas appetizers for a post work social or to begin an evening date. -
Review from Ashley B.
3/11/2010
A friend of mine really wanted me to go here so we went one early Friday evening. My friend thought that they had happy hour but alas, they do not. So we showed up and got a little food and a little drink. I was really happy because I had gone to the Great American Beer Festival and tried several sour beers at New Belgium. As Foco is New Belgium headquarters I saw that they had a couple beers on tap that are hard to find and was excited because i thought one of them was a sour beer I'd tried, (not la folie). I said to the bartender "oh is that a sour one?!" and he said "yeah I think it is!" so I ordered a $6 pint of it, and he gave it to me and it wasn't a sour beer. It was a blegian. A mediocre belgian- which isn't the fault of this restaurant I know. But! The waiter asked me how I liked it and I told him that it wasn't what I thought and it wasn't what he had CONFIRMED it was! And his response was "oh yeah I guess you were thinking of la folie" which I had already told him I wasn't! If it were a 3 or maybe 4 dollar pint this might have been ok but seriously- the guy pretty much lies to me so I buy a $6 beer and then I call him on it and he does nothing about it? BS!
I looked around the menu and there wasn't anything that was that reasonably priced except for tapas but I wanted a meal. I ordered a small sized house salad, (they have small and large options) for another $6. The large was $9. This also makes me angry- my friends split a large and I got a small and the large was literally 4 times larger, at least! Mine was a small side plate of greens and there's was a serving bowl of salad. Discrepancy much?
At the end of the meal, during which one very nice man refilled my water at least 4 times and our waiter did zero times, I paid, and he didn't say another word to us. I realized that he had run my credit card, but had kept it so it wasn't returned with the bill. He didn't bother to see if we needed anything, and finally someone else looked at us like "yeah? what do you need?" and we told them. It was just too many strikes for me- it just said that they didn't really care about my business.
Oh, and did i mention that we sat at the bar? And our waiter was not a bartender and was only waiting the bar, meaning he had to walk 10 feet at most to reach all this customers? -
Review from Tanya W.
Fort Collins, CO
3/25/2010
We went here to try the coffee and meet a few friends. We enjoyed the atmosphere and the service was very good. Being a local Fort Collins place is also a huge plus.
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Review from Erin P.
Fort Collins, CO
4/9/2010
We sat right by the fireplace so between the wine, food, dim lighting and warmth, I was in my happy place at Cafe Vino! The wine that our waiter recommended was really nice and everything we ordered was tasty (dipping trio, fish, pizza). There were a lot of other dishes that I wanted to try, so I'll be back.
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Review from Stephen K.
Fort Collins, CO
9/26/2009 2 Check-ins Here
Cafe Vino has a nice selection of tapas and nice beer and wine selection. A wonderful place for a date or a quick bite.
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Review from Michelle F.
Columbia, MO
2/9/2009
Great atmosphere. Great service.
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Review from J P.
Fort Collins, CO
7/1/2009
Cafe Vino is a great place to dine and relax, however, upon my last visit, the service was horrible. The waitress, Whitney, was incredibly rude and my friend and I had to approach her to get our order taken and get refills. She seemed put off when we asked her basic menu questions and continued to go behind the counter and whisper and look at us! Other than that experience with Whitney, I've always enjoyed Cafe Vino and the service is typically nice and friendly.
