INSIDE DISH

After an interior facelift, too, to brighten up the space, The Vineyard looks refreshed and renewed, with touches of vintage charm here and there. They’re ready to serve you some stellar Italian fare, and that’s what they’ve been doing since September 2021 when the place changed hands. Luke was schooled at The Culinary Institute of America and makes everything from scratch, including the pasta; butchering is done onsite, too. They’re using the bones for stock—nothing gets wasted. People are responding positively. “We probably go through 150 orders of pasta a week,” he says.

The dishes are carefully and thoughtfully composed and beautifully executed. You’ll find refreshes of classics, and creative takes on some of those classics, too. Much of the menu is sourced as locally and ethically as they can. Mushrooms come from Primordia, Monocacy Coffee Roasters provides the caffeine and a rotating selection of beers surfaces from breweries such as McCall Collective,

Bonn Place and Sherman Street Beer Company.

And about that menu. You’ll find Italian American mainstays such as marsala, piccata, Calabrese and Parmesan—all available with chicken or veal. “We do the saltimbocca a little differently,” says Luke. Theirs is “alla Roma,” with prosciutto, fresh sage, maitake mushrooms and white wine. Other standbys include scampi, with either mussels, shrimp or clams. New and homespun items include the Nona salad, a charcuterie board featuring olives, vegetables, meats and cheeses—“All the good stuff you might expect to eat at your Italian American grandmother’s house,” he says. There are also some moments of unexpected combinations, such as the ravioli that’s treated Asian style, like gyoza dumplings (every culture has its dumpling, it’s true) in a ginger- and soy-infused stock.

Word of mouth is definitely helping gain them some traction, as they’re in a bit of a sleeper location. “You’d have to know about us to find us,” says Rachael. But the menu and service are both working to expand their base, and bring new people in. It’s not uncommon for Luke to send out dishes to customers as he’s trying things out, to solicit feedback and gauge interest. (It’s also the kind of move that makes patrons loyal— especially if they fall in love with whatever dish just unexpectedly just showed up, “compliments of the chef.”)

Those niceties aren’t just for show, or an ego flex. It comes from the heart, a gesture of genuine outreach from the