Reggie's — Restaurant in Hamilton

Let's face it - if you're wanting good pizza in Hamilton, there aren't many options. The current undisputed heavyweight champion of the city is undoubtedly The Crust, but I was very excited when I heard about the opening of Reggie's because I thought there may a new contender to the throne.

We finally visited and were impressed with the setting but disappointed by the pizza. The ambience is great and the restaurant was very busy. Service was hit-or-miss but the staff were friendly and did their best under the circumstances. Extensive wine list. Drinks came quickly, as did the food, which is prepared in an open kitchen. Reasonably priced when compared to dining out at most other decent places.

The pizza, though, fell flat. Admittedly I prefer a Neapolitan pizza over a New York pizza, but good pizza is good pizza regardless. I am sad to say this was not good pizza. The base was thin and firm (almost too firm) with a good crisp, but the dough was strangely "heavy". For the margherita (always the bar), the balance between tomato base and mozzarella was off; we could barely taste the former, and the cheese became rubbery rather quickly. There were no options on the menu using bufala or Fior di Latte mozzarella. The pepperoni pizza was especially "heavy" but was not overloaded with toppings.

The saving grace for the pizzas were the toppings, which were very good all round! Especially the chorizo. It was a strange gustatory dynamic - the foundation of the pizza being below average, and the toppings being above average. I would have preferred it the other way, though.

The tiramisu was good, although the portion was massive - we would have been happy with half of what was served.

Overall, we left feeling deflated. Considering how awesome the other places are from the team at Reggie's (Mr Pickles, Last Place, Wonder Horse etc...), we were anticipating so much more. Still early days, I suppose, and I hope to visit again in 6 months time to see if things...

I’ve been to Reggie’s a couple of times now and it’s quickly become one of my favorite spots. The food is all about quality, and you can really taste it in every bite.

Most recently, my friend and I had the beef ragu hands down the best pasta I’ve ever had. The sauce was creamy, rich, and just melted in your mouth. We also tried the pizza special, which had pumpkin and walnuts. It was a really creative and out-of-the-box combo. Personally, I didn’t think the pumpkin worked perfectly on the pizza, but I really appreciated the boldness of the flavors. The pizza crust itself, though, was incredible probably the best I’ve had anywhere.

On a previous visit, I tried the pork sausage pizza and the lasagna, and both were amazing. The sausage pizza especially was full of flavor and perfectly balanced.

Beyond the food, the atmosphere is warm and welcoming, and the staff are friendly. The whole place has such good vibes. If you’re after delicious Italian food with a focus on quality, Reggie’s is...

We visited on a Saturday around 12:30 pm and were lucky to get outdoor rooftop seating. The view was great, and the service was good, but the food and pricing left us disappointed.

🚩The meatballs ($28) came with just three small pieces in an average-tasting sauce that felt reheated—paying over $9 per tiny meatball was far from what we expected.

The chorizo pizza ($33) had a basic, non-Italian-style base, and while the chorizo was decent, it wasn’t remarkable. To top it off, the staff got our order wrong.

🚩The lasagna ($28) had the same sauce as the meatballs and tasted below average, with the pasta having an “fast food” texture.

All three dishes arrived within 10 minutes, making us question what was actually made fresh. Overall, the food quality didn’t match the ambiance or the high...