Stone's Throw Pizza & Wine - Waterbury — Restaurant in Waterbury

We visited the Stone's Throw in Waterbury. Visibly appealing dining area, playing soothing music put you immediately into a relaxed state. We had:

Marinated Olives - I can't imagine getting these wrong. Simple, but good.

Rosemary and orange Curry Roasted Cashews - Good as it sounds. If it hadn't been for the Mezze Trio I would have polished them off in a second.

Mezze Trio muhammara, tzatziki, preserved lemon hummus, with crudité and house focaccia - These had excellent tastes, with something for everyone. The muhammara was the star of the show for me; a lively flavor that if it came in a bottle, I'd be squeezing onto every meal for a week seeing what else it can elevate. The tzatziki I don't think I've ever had before, but also delicious. The hummus was also delicious. If none of these words are familiar to you, take the plunge and try it, as the plate was bursts of flavor that really set the tone for the meal.

"Classic" Sausage and Onion pizza - This is top-tier pizza; there are only so many pizzas at this level in VT (huge fan of American Flatbread), and this was so good! The crust looked the way pizza crust should be, but wasn't cooked to a crisp. The sauce was a wonderful burst of flavor that you won't get in the average pizza joint. Five stars.

For drinks, my wife had what I believe was Eden Specialty Ciders Imperial Rose. After trying a sip of it, I wanted to steal it away. This was so good with the meal and I'm going to pick up a bottle or two on my next cider run. Complex without being overwhelming.

Specifics aside, I ate our meal with a stupid grin on my face, and I described how I felt after the meal as "post-coital". You know when food is a commodity you can wolf it down, but excellent food forces you to slow down, savor, and stop eating at some point...this was textbook.

Service was pleasant, and good at not being obtrusive but still checking in two times, though at the end of the meal I think the server may have gone on break before giving us the check as there was a long lull between giving us a doggy-box and the actual check...long enough that if the meal hadn't been so satiating I would have checked in the kitchen for someone to cash us out.

Instead of tipping they add a surcharge to the bill and pay their employees a living wage, which I completely agree with. This may make the bill appear to be more expensive than the average, but if you check out their menu the prices are in-line with this level of food. Having spent some time in the UK I wish all food establishments worked like this.

My overall experience was that Stone's Throw was a wonderful experience, the sort of place I want to bring visiting relatives and friends to. I was not familiar with them before but I see they have a few locations to check out. I look forward to...

Before Stone’s Throw opened in Waterbury I thought, “really? Another pizza joint?” I didn’t think our small town could support 3+ pizza restaurants, but oh how wrong I was. I find myself going to all for different experiences - the other two longstanding options are very casual and great for cheaper takeout for families and kid birthday parties - but Stone’s Throw is absolutely my go-to for downtown happy hours / dinners with friends and lunch dates / date nights with my husband. The atmosphere is unlike any other in Waterbury- romantic but also fun, great seating options depending on your mood (bar, booths, lounge, cozy tables in the back) with servers who are more like friends at this point based on the frequency I find myself rolling in here. And their PIZZA! They keep it interesting with the topping options so I recommend you come in with a big group for your first time if you’re like me and want to try out a little bit of everything. (Pro tip- the garlic aioli drizzle is a great add on for most of their recipes.) Good pizza can take time so it’s not a bad idea to skip dessert and load up on the appetizers instead; I can easily endorse the carpaccio, burrata salad, marinated olives, and curry roasted cashews. Their wine selections are equally delicious and approachable, and the bar staff have always been great to me when I try to venture off-menu for a cocktail request.

On a few occasions I have been lucky enough to drop in when they have live music scheduled - these have not...

WARNING: $70 for 2 large pizzas!! Also, they charge a mandatory 20% service fee for service that leaves much to be desired, and it's hidden deep in their website, which feels misleading under the banner of "a Culture of Support and Equity." If this policy is so well-intended, why not feature it at the top of your website and menu so customers are aware before placing their orders?

Adding to our poor experience, the service was slow, despite the restaurant being nearly empty. Our server never returned to see how our food was, didn't come back to see we wanted more drinks, and didn’t bring the water we requested. She only appeared when it was time to bring the check.

If you're going to automatically add a tip under the guise of "employee protection," it would be great to offer service that matches the expectations for a 20% gratuity.

Perhaps a 10, 12, or even 15% would be more appropriate, but 20% is typically reserved for the very finest and attentive service and attention to detail. Stone's Throw didn't provide any of that. They used to provide a much better experience, but it seems now that they don't have to work for their tips, they can get away with lazy and lackluster service.

We won’t be returning due to this deceptive practice. It would be better to just raise prices, so customers know upfront what a...