At Cynthia, the menu moves with time,
a quiet conversation with the season.
Spring arrives softly, in peas that snap like morning light,
in asparagus, in fava beans,
green, tender, unassuming.
Each ingredient touched just enough,
never asked to be more than it is.
We honor the whole
every cut, every corner, every story.
A slower rhythm lives here,
one that remembers where things come from
and carries that memory gently to the plate.
There’s a trace of New York
clean, direct, grounded.
And a whisper of Brazil
warm, open, alive.
Together, they speak in balance,
in something both precise and breathing.
Nothing wasted.
Nothing overdone.
Just food
arriving exactly
as it should.
Cynthia New York opens Thursday, April 16th with an early spring seasonal tasting starting at $140 per person.
Please contact reservations@cynthianyc.com for all bookings and press@cynthianyc.com for all media requests.
We do not take reservations by phone or through a bookings partner.
Our Family History
Cynthia is named for our founder's aunt, Cynthia Peck - the heartbeat of a beloved California dining institution and the person who taught our family that hospitality is an act of love. In 1971, her husband, the actor-dancer-choreographer Steven Peck, opened Angelo's & Vinci's Ristorante beside Fullerton's historic Fox Theatre. Part stage set, part trattoria, the restaurant grew into a world of its own: cathedral-high ceilings draped in fairy lights, Renaissance murals , and family photos smiling down from the dining room altar. Steven dreamed it, Cynthia made sure every guest felt at home inside of it.
When Steven passed away in 2005, Cynthia carried the torch, running the dining room with grace and keeping the doors open for birthdays, weddings and three and four generations of regulars. Under her care, Angelo's & Vinci's became more than a restaurant; it was a gathering place that fed the community and gave back through decades of fundraisers and local support.
After 52 years, Cynthia said farewell with a public letter of thanks and one last dinner service on August 1st, 2023 – closing an era, but not the spirit she sparked in us. We named our restaurant Cynthia to honor the way she made people feel: welcomed, seen, and celebrated. Every warm plate and generous gesture here carries her imprint.
Thank you Aunt Cyn, we love you