It would be hard to find a restaurant that fits more perfectly into the community it serves. Come to think of it, “restaurant” doesn’t adequately describe this Bayonne favorite. Yes, you can enjoy a sit-down dinner, but the Da Vinci Room has made a name for itself as a gathering place for parties of all kinds.
The ornate dining room with brick walls, large chandelier, and myriad paintings was a fun shoot for photographers Terri Bish and Alyssa Bredin. They also enjoyed a delicious meal of Basil Pesto Crusted Salmon with mashed potatoes and spinach; and New York Strip Steak with Red Wine Demi Glaze, topped with thin fries. For dessert, a scrumptious cannoli, drizzled with caramel.
The story begins with the smashing success of Mona Lisa Pizza in 2002. “As it grew, we needed more space and took over the florist next door,” says owner Chris Cocchi. “We moved the pizzeria to the florist and created the Da Vinci Room.”
What exactly had he created?
“We mostly do boutique-style events for groups of about 85 people,” he says. They include showers, communions, confirmations, graduations, birthdays, anniversaries, repasts, and small weddings. “Milestones,” Cocchi sums up.
Family-style is a popular option. “The food comes out in giant platters as if you were sitting at home with the food getting passed around,” Cocchi says. “It’s very intimate.”
In fact, “family” is an important concept at the Da Vinci Room. It’s not a family business but Cocchi says he feels as if his staff and customers are family.
“Bayonne is a traditional family-oriented town,” he says. “People still have old-school values that you don’t get anywhere else.”
And an influx of new people from Brooklyn, Jersey City, and Hoboken is bringing youthful adventure to long-held traditions. These new folks will definitely be taking advantage of online ordering with a Da Vinci Room app.
“I believe Bayonne is up and coming,” Cocchi says. “We’re on the cusp of great things. There are a lot of new faces and interests, but people are rooted and staying here. It’s God’s country below 8th Street.”
The extension of the light rail a few years ago and the renovation of SilkLofts in 2014 were both “great additions,” he says.
Cocchi’s family is from Sicily, and he comes to Bayonne via Staten Island. No surprise, then, that the cuisine is Italian American.
The pizza tradition is as rich as melted mozzarella. The restaurant makes more than 128 types of pizza, including gluten-free and whole-wheat pizza and pasta. It’s famous for its award-winning buffalo pizza.
Photographer Alyssa Bredin sums up The Da Vinci Room experience. She says, “Everything was delicious.”—Kate Rounds
The Da Vinci Room
165 Broadway
(201) 535-5050
bayonnemonalisa.com