Vapiano

This is the first time that I had been to a restaurant with this concept. (You get a card when you walk in, you take it to various stations, order food, they swipe your card and then you go sit down and wait for your food or they dish it up right there in front of you and hand it to you. On your way out the door, you pay.)
I went with my husband. My card started with somebody else’s charges already on it, so we just used his card for everything. All we got was a pizza and an anti-​pasta platter. The pizza was very good but the meats on our other dish we’re very cheap.
The seating area seemed very dirty. They were having a number of computer issues while we were there, as well.
Overall, I thought it was an interesting idea but not executed very well.

This is indeed an interesting place and in a convenient part of town, so I can see the appeal. It’s an interesting in-​between from a traditional restaurant and fast food. The card they give you to accumulate your tab as you go is convenient. The setting is really good for large parties or people-​watching.
It was painfully slow getting our drink orders last night, and it seems there were 2 inexperienced bartenders. They were constantly consulting a reference book for mixed drinks and asking each other where certain things were. The woman working there was not very tall, and it was impossible for her to reach top-​shelf liquors or even hold your card on top of the machine to record your order. But later, I saw her working at the register, so it was quite possible she was just helping out in a pinch. Yeah, they could have had a staffing problem last night; if that was not the case, it was poor planning or scheduling on management’s behalf.
The order «line,» especially for the pasta, can be a bit hectic and confusing. Each chef can typically do about 3 orders at once. You need to be there initially to answer questions on how you want your meal prepared, and some people will stand there and wait for their dish to be ready. It can be tough knowing exactly when you can place your order.
One lesson — I typically get whole wheat pasta when I can, and they have 2 types available here. These are REALLY grainy and chewy versions, definitely not the type I buy. The dish was otherwise enjoyable.
One other disadvantage to this style of dining is that it is very likely the folks in your party are not all dining at the same time.
I’m glad I tried Vapiano, and I’ll consider it again as an option if I have evening activities in the area. But I wouldn’t necessarily consider it a «destination.»

When your craving pasta and you want it fast, Vapiano is your new go to. Bread and oil come as a bonus because what’s better than a side of carbs with your carbs?
So first timers often get a little confused with VaPiano’s café/​cafeteria «esque» set up, so here’s the best way I can describe it.
You walk in and get a card from your hostess. Head over to any of the stations where you can get either pasta, panini’s, pizza, or salads and decide what you want. If I may impose some suggestions, I vote the pizza or pasta sections and ALWAYS the special. If you like spicy, get it spicy. I’m not sure what exactly it is that adds heat but its the perfect spice that adds both flavor and heat in your dish. One you place your order, they swipe your card essentially stalking it with the correct price and then grab a table and eat. At the end bring your card back up to the hostess and pay.
OK, now that the basics are underway, let’s talk food. Vapiano is pretty decent for a fast-​food pasta place. The Alfredo is super creamy, the marinara is a little spicy but not overpoweringly sweet, and the fettuccine noodles are thick and served in good portion with the sauces. Sadly, the chicken is more like pre-​prepared chunks so if you’re looking for a whole chicken breast to compliment your order you need to order something that specifically includes such. Other than that, it’s decent pasta. Not North End, not Olive Garden, just decent.
Prices are pretty reasonable and since there’s not much service beyond you interacting with the chef and the hostess at the door it’s a pretty minimal interaction restaurant which is good for quick business meetings, or a family dinner before seeing a show in part of the theater district.

This is an update on a previous review. I came back again, and this time I loved it! I had pastawith tomatoes and fresh basil, and it was great. will definitely come back!
I’d love it if they’d add to their dessert menu too, like maybe some cakes or cookies.

LARGE SERVING OF QUICKLY COOKED, DECENTLY PRICED PASTA.
My friend and I were in Charlotte, NC for business stumbled across Vapiano. We loved the cafeteria style eatery so much we were bummed that we didn’t eat there again during our quick trip. After looking online, it turns out there was a Vapiano in the city we’ve been living in for the past 4 years… SCORE! So obviously we had to eat here and quench our desire for pasta. We came here for Saturday lunch and it was not too busy so we didn’t have to wait at all to order food.
If you haven’t been here before, they give each person a meal card when you walk in. You swipe this card at each meal station and it keeps tracks of all your food purchases. On your way out, the cashier takes the card back and you pay. Easy enough!
I ordered the CHICKEN ALFREDO with penne ($ 12). I ordered this sauce last time, except with different noodles. The cook grabs a pre-​packaged amount of pasta from shelf and mixes that with whatever sauce you choose. I like this dish because the sauce is CREAMY, coats the noodles well and just plain tastes yummy! They also serve 2 slices of bread with your order and there’s vinegar + oil on the table.
The eating area has various sized tables with chairs or benches. The place is very spacious and good for small or large groups.
COME HERE if you are looking for a good pasta dish for a decent price. Of course there are ‘better’ Italian restaurants in Boston, but it’ll probably cost you a good $ 5 more for maybe a smaller portion. It satisfies my palate and the price is good for the amount of meals it can last me (about 2).
BONUS: they had gummi bears on the way out so of course I hit that up: D