Cugini's Pizza Middletown, NJ — Restaurant in Middletown Township

I had the pleasure of visiting Cuginis Middletown location during their grand opening week and it was fantastic. The owner AJ was so friendly and his staff was extremely helpful attentive and personable! I had a chance to try one of their specialty pizzas, the Napoleon Dynamite Grandma Pie and it was delicious ! This pizza is Cuginis version of the Tri color pie , with vodka sauce, marinara & a creamy basil pesto on top of a healthy layer of fresh sliced mozzarella, sprinkled with Parmesan and finished with fresh chopped basil. The crust was a thin square for the grandma that was crisp and flavorful , there was absolutely no flop to this pie and it was cooked well done but not burnt, it was perfectly baked! I also enjoyed the spicy Vodka Mezzi Rigatoni that was excellent! The pasta is made fresh daily , the vodka sauce was whipped up as I ordered the dish , this wasn’t a pre made sauce or something pulled from the fridge, you can tell every entree is made fresh to order and you can taste that quality and love in the dish ! But the dish that knocked my socks off had to be the bone in veal cutlet Parm! Again the veal cutlets were made in house that very same day, layered with the house secret sauce, fresh sliced mozzarella and a sprinkle of parm! The cutlet was juicy, not dried out or overcooked and had a crisp outer edge under a blanket of oozing mozzarella. The flavor from the bone was amazing , this was an entree you’d find at a fine NYC Italian restaurant but AJ makes this daily at your neighborhood pizzeria. Each dish was excellent and I cannot wait to come back with my family, oh...

I’ve been to Cugini’s many times and the food is always solid and definitely one of the better pizzerias in Middletown. This time we ordered a Chicken Vodka panini, French fries, a Texas Burger, a Grandma pie, a Chicken & Spinach Alfredo pie, and a Margherita with toppings. Ordered online at 5:20 p.m. for a 6:00 pickup, but when we arrived, the place was packed with at least 15 people waiting for pick up and my order wasn’t close to being completed. My order wasn’t ready until 6:35 p.m. The biggest issue is the pickup system. They don’t ask for names or give out order numbers, so orders get mixed up constantly. When you go in, they ask you what items you ordered and try and piece your order together. I even saw a customer waiting 20 minutes for a personal pizza, only to be handed a large half Margherita, half plain just to make up for the mistake. Only the owner was making all the pizzas and he looked overwhelmed. I can’t blame him, he’s doing his best and was apologizing profusely. Despite the chaos, the food itself was excellent. The pizza dough was crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, the burger was cooked perfectly, and the fries were nice and crispy. Overall, great food but a frustrating wait. The quality keeps us coming back, but they really need a better order and...

Cugini’s Pizza in Middletown is a fantastic new addition to the area! We’ve been fans of the Port Monmouth location for a while, but this new spot takes things to the next level. The owner, AJ, is incredible. He is always present, always welcoming, and always going above and beyond to make sure everyone feels at home. He’s not just serving food. He is sharing a passion. You can truly taste the love and soul in every dish.

This location has more of a restaurant vibe, with plenty of seating, and even a live pianist on Friday nights, which makes the whole experience extra special. They also have a space in the back you can rent for private parties. It’s perfect for celebrations with amazing food.

Whether you're there for the classic plain pie, a Sicilian slice, or something new that AJ offers you to sample, everything is fresh, flavorful, and made with care. They also have gluten-free options and personal-sized pizzas, so there’s really something for everyone.

Highly recommend checking this place out. You won’t be...