The Oven Epping — Restaurant in Epping

Prices go UP! As of the new menu in the 2nd half of 2024, noticeable price increases and free refills removed, on everything but water. I used to live in Derry and would frequent this place because the pizza "ingredient" quality is pretty good. It doesn't taste any better than average pizza, but the quality ingredients were nice. But we used to be able to get dinner for 4 for less than $50. That's a couple drinks, an appetizer, and 2 pizzas. I just went again on 2/24/2025 and our cost was $76 for all that. Mind you they didn't inform us until after I saw on the bill every drink was charged so no free refills. 2 of us had root beer and ginger ale spending $12 on 4 - 12 ounce sodas, a small cup size compared to the typical size cup of 20 ounces. 1 Gluten free pizza came out to $27... for a pizza! The other thick and cheesy was $24. Add the cheesy bread app and the drinks. $76... for pizza? We could eat at Tuckaway Tavern just 10 minutes away in Raymond for less than that and have much better food than pizza and they give free refills! Honestly when we entered the restaurant, I noticed that there was not a single table occupied by another family and thought to myself, hmm why is this place so dead right now. An hour later when we left, no one else had yet entered to sit at a table. After getting the bill, I understand why. After tipping the server, we walked out of there with $90 less in our pocket. It's not the server's fault so we tipped him the standard 20%. With these changes in prices, this place won't survive financially. People looking to spend $76 or $90 with the tip, are not looking for pizza for dinner. Customers prepared to spend that much for dinner are going to a Tuckaway Tavern or Texas Roadhouse for dinner, not a pizza joint. Even Portsmouth Flatbread pizza which is probably the top quality pizza in the state and offers far larger size pizzas doesn't cost as much and gives free refills. The owner needs to realize this is just a pizza joint and revert prices or prepare to close...

My family of three just left and honestly, I wish we hadn't even gone. Overpriced and underwhelming.

We ordered three pizzas(2 small, 1 personal), three drinks, and the buffalo chicken dip. The best thing about the meal was the drinks, they serve the Maine Root sodas.

Buffalo chicken dip: The menu in the restaurant tells you nothing about what is in it. I cannot eat blue cheese so we confirmed it did not have that in it prior to ordering. We waited forever for the dip and spinach and artichoke dip brought out to start. Once this was "corrected" we got a weird mixture of spinach and artichoke buffalo chicken dip. Not great at all. I looked the menu up online for this review and it is indeed a buffalo chicken spinach and artichoke dip, not good when that's not what you're expecting.

Pizza 1: Personal Margherita- too much cheese, the mozzarella slices were barely warm, and the crust was not fully cooked. Two pieces of basil for the whole thing.

Pizza 2: PPM- Burnt crust, too much cheese, not cut all the way through, and just very disappointing.

Pizza 3: Fire Pit Sausage(?)- Burnt crust, barely any sauce, not cut all the way through, and again, very disappointing.

We came in at 6:45ish and we left at 8:30. It was somewhat busy when we came in, nothing too crazy for a Saturday night, just some bigger parties. We barely saw our server the entire time. They were more focused on the larger parties that they had, I get it those take more time, but it almost felt like we were purposely being skipped.

Overall, as I stated before, underwhelming and overpriced. Will not return,...

I have to say im from ny so im pretty picky with pizza. Honestly i havent found many decent pizza joints in maine new Hampshire or Massachusetts besides some around boston. I other place in springvale has amazing pizza but it only comes in personal size. It never fills me up. I love all types of pizza new york thin chicago deep dish but my favorite is brick oven WOOD FIRED pizza. Not brick oven with gas burners lol. I love the smoke flavor of wood fires! The one in springvale was the only good brick oven untill i found this in epping. Its amazing flavor while also thick and comes in large and other sizes. It has a great sauce and cheese while herbs are on top but dont over power it like many pizza places do. The crust is perfect. ( ITS BRICK OVEN SO IT MIGHT HAVE SOME DARK SPOTS AS THE WOOD AND HEAT ARE NOT CONSISTENT OR EVEN! ) The price was decent and the freah mushrooms are to die for. I hate when places use canned mushrooms or canned sauce. The pepperoni was huge and they are very generous on toppings unlike other pizza places. Everything was perfect except 1 thing. When i ordered online for curbside pick up it would be nice to have them come out instead of me going in. Dont have spaces with signs for curbside if your not gonna bring them out. I had the same issue at panara and waited 55 mins in my car before going in. I will be ordering from...