Sicily Coal Fired Pizza — Restaurant in Middletown

The food here was not good at all. I started with the octopus and eggplant frites. The eggplant was probably the best thing I had. The octopus was cooked well but was a very small portion and had a very bland, not really tasting of anything sauce in dabs on the plate. The eggplant was fried beautifully with cotija cheese and honey on top. I then had the kale salad. It was ok, but there were lots of bad greens that were yellow and should have been picked through. Definitely not made to order, but if it is, the salad guy should be taught what to serve and what not to. There was some kind of creamy dressing on the side that again, was bland and I couldn't identify. Seems to be a theme here. Before I get to the entree, I've got to get to the service. I was with a friend and I explicitly told Joey, our server that we didn't want to rush. I said is that ok? I wish I could get his tone across because it was snippy and he clearly wanted to turn the table. The place was busy when we got there but within an hour there were empty tables everywhere. Despite my telling him several times not to rush us, he brought my salad out while I was still eating apps. Then before I finished any of it he came over and said the pasta would be out soon. I said I wish you had asked me when to fire it. There were still three plates of food in front of me. I'm not sure if the pasta was sitting under the heat lamp and then put back in water to rewarm but it was complete mush, inedible. There were maybe six clams and not enough sauce despite the pasta being so mushy. I showed Joey and he did have the chef remake it. The pasta was cooked better this time but I ordered spaghetti and clams and other than the six clams around the plate, there were no clams in the sauce at all. I order this dish everywhere, it's how I judge an Italian restaurant. This one was by far, the worst one I ever had. I tasted garlic which was good but no clams, no sauce on the pasta and I'm not sure fresh spaghetti goes with this dish. Again, I've never had it with fresh pasta and I've eaten it at the best Italian restaurants. Joey also picked a wine glass off the table with a little wine in it before I had finished it. My friend loved the Sunday sauce she ordered but the pasta was hardly cooked, way beyond al dente. I think this place is mainly a pizza place, everyone around us was ordering that. But if your menu says you make fresh pasta, whoever is in the kitchen should know how to cook it and definitely didn't. Joey finally cracked a smile after I told him I was in the business my whole life. But he should not have rushed us the whole meal and should have seen from the way we were eating and drinking that it would be a decent sized check, which it was. I'd been wanting to try this place for awhile, there were some great reviews. Maybe the pizza is the way to go, but the kitchen definitely needs some training on how to cook everything else and the servers need training on how to pace a meal and read your customers. I explicitly asked not to be rushed and we were the entire meal. My friend and I each said we'd never go back. I honestly don't...

Went in last night even though we weren't super hungry - wanted to try it out though since we heard good things and were in the area. We split a buffalo chicken pizza and I got a beer. Pizza was good - really fresh. Unfortunately our waiter Jake had some sort of issue which is why this experience gets 1 star. Killed the experience and any intention we had of ever going back here. Everything started out fine - but we hadn't been there before so unfortunately for Jake, we needed more than 30 seconds to make a decision. I think this is what set him off - were we a problem table? No, we just needed a min to check out the large beer selection and the pizzas. Like I said, we weren't super hungry so wanted to make a solid decision. That's all. After we ordered and he dropped our pizza off we never heard from him again. He literally walked by us 20+ times since we were sitting right next to the pizza bar/kitchen, but he never once stopped to ask how the pizza was or if I wanted another beer etc. He didn't even look at us. It was actually really odd the way he was behaving. I had wanted another beer and was expecting him to notice that we were out of both beer/water during one of his many trips past our table, however he did not. We literally sat there for 10-15 min after we finished eating before I finally asked for a box and the check as he passed - HE DIDNT EVEN STOP, just said "yup" as he continued on. A very nice manager approached our table minutes later and asked us how everything was and if I wanted another beer. I did want another beer...20 min before SHE approached our table, which Jake would have known had he cared to check on us. Which I told her. Maybe our bill wasn't large enough for decent service from Jake? I apologize for not being as hungry as the 6 top he was babysitting. Also - it's not like it was busy in there, a simple check-in is really all we needed. It was a Monday night at almost 8pm, there were no lines out the door. Jake did not seem overwhelmed. Finally he came back with our check after appearing to speak with the manager and DIDNT SAY A WORD to us. Not sure what she said to him and honestly at that point we didn't care. He was rude and his behavior was so odd. We actually couldn't believe it. He didn't speak to us again until he said "thanks" when he brought my card back with my slip to sign. Don't worry. I tipped appropriately and made sure to tell a few friends asking how it was about our experience. I would recommend the pizza though - but do yourselves a favor,...

Today, The Slice Mob had the absolute honor of lunching at Sicily Coal Fired Pizza. We’re a group of lifelong friends whose bond goes back 50+ years. Every month, we gather to share memories, laughter, and—of course—amazing pizza. I’m beyond blessed to have these friends in my life.

Sicily is a cool spot located right on Main Street in Middletown, with the bonus of super-convenient parking by their rear entrance. No need to drive in circles scouting for a spot—huge win. We arrived as they opened, with a few early birds already enjoying their food and drinks. By the time we left, the place was hopping—almost like Times Square on New Year’s Eve, but with way better pizza (sorry, NY) 😂.

Nine of us strolled in unannounced and were immediately greeted by a friendly host who quickly got us set up. Our waitress, Dana, was incredibly patient and didn’t miss a beat, even as we took our time deciding on our pizzas.

We ordered a variety of pies, and while I couldn’t physically try them all—believe me, I wanted to—everyone raved about their choices. It’s safe to say we made the right call coming here.

As for me? Of course, I ordered two pizzas. Why wouldn’t I? First up was the New Haven—a thin crust with red sauce and Parmigiano Reggiano. It was cooked perfectly, with just the right amount of smoky char. The sauce? Perfection. Not too sweet, not too acidic—just balanced in every way. I always judge a pizzeria by their most basic pizza, and this slice passed with flying colors. With one slice down, it was time to move on to round two.

Choosing my second pizza was tough. Two options caught my eye: the Broccoli Rabe and the Spicy Sicilian. Since I can be a little spicy myself—and my family hails from Sicily—the choice was obvious. The Spicy Sicilian did not disappoint. Thin crust, perfectly charred, with an incredible sauce as the foundation. Topped with mozzarella, salami, cherry peppers, and a drizzle of agave, this pizza was a masterpiece. Thankfully, the pizzaiolo had a light hand with the agave, striking the perfect balance between spicy and sweet. Too much could have ruined it, but instead, it was absolute bliss.

There were plenty of other tempting items on the menu, so a return trip is definitely in order—I’ve got my work cut out for me.

All in all, it was another fantastic lunch. The pizza was perfect, the service was stellar, and the memories shared with lifelong...