If you like thin, gourmet pizza, then Amato's is the place for you. Made with a wheat or white crust, the pies are the size of a dinner plate at their largest and easily consumed in a single sitting even then (if you have a decent appetite anyways), but made with interesting, good quality ingredient that make them special. The one I find most interesting and which I ordered is the "Oahu" which has coconut, almonds, coconut, ham and pineapple. The cinnamon and coconut are what really make this an interesting mix and also the flavors that stand out the most. The rest of the ingredients, including the tomato sauce, are not layered on very heavy, nor is the layer of fresh mozzerella that thick. This lets these other flavors really stand out. ...and though I was a bit skeptical of tomato sauce with my coconut and cinnamon, it actually does taste very good. I wonder what it would be like with a white sauce... Oddly, these flavors don't show up on the list of ingredients for "make your own" pizza. The toppings, cheeses, and bases that are available, though, are quite intriguing. Olive oil and pesto bases, gorgonzola and gouda cheese, and items like kielbasa and habanero peppers mean that there really can be something for everyone. If you don't like pizza, Amato's also offers pasta and subs. This visit, though, was about the pizza since I had a coupon for half off one pizza. There were no problems for me in using the coupon, nor really with service. They were extremely busy, though, with pretty much every table and most of the bar filled. I had a little trouble getting my drink for this reason, I think, and things were a bit slow. I was in no rush, though, and really didn't mind. As to atmosphere... it's pleasant. I like the stone hearth and upscale touches. It's very much a family place, though, and there were a number of families present when I was there. Prices... for this style of pizza, they aren't bad. My "full size" oahu was about $10, and though I had no leftovers, I left full enough. Smaller appetites or those ordering appetizers might be alright with a half-sized order. Subs range from about $6 on up. Pasta, like the pizza, come in small sizes under $10, and large sizes that might be more than $10. I'm not sure how large these portions might be at the moment, though. Anyway, for upscale pizza with interesting ingredients, Amato's is a good bet. ...do note, though, that they are not open on Sunday.
(4)
Andrew M.
First of all, the pizza is some of the best you'll find in central Ohio. On the edge of OWU campus, it has a fun vibe that is good for all ages. We were surprised to find the place was NOT overrun with douchey hipsters & college pricks! Be prepared to order several pizzas as they are pretty small. We consider ourselves "eaters" and found we needed more. The beer selection is good too!
(4)
Tessa S.
Great service, great atmosphere, and great food. We were there during a music festival, but got a seat at the bar right away, which faces the wood oven. I really love sitting where you can see some of the kitchen action - like dinner and a show! We were served promptly and everyone that interacted with us was super nice. The Adrianne pizza was really good! My only suggestion would be to add pears to your pizza toppings menu. It would be a yummy addition to the caramelized onion pizza.
(5)
Michael O.
Downtown Delaware at its finest! We live eating here but they have to do something about seating - there's simply not enough table capacity. Lunch and dinner, great menus and good quality. Great place to park your car and walk around downtown, I have plenty of friends that drive 45-60min just to eat/drink here.
(5)
Tanya and Jason S.
We have to give this place a 5 out of 5! The food was great. The service was great. Amato's is a kid friendly place. The owner came out and asked us how the food was. We told him it was great. Best pizza in Delaware Ohio. A must have for any pizza lover. We will certainly be back! They have the most toppings for pizza we have ever seen.
(5)
Tim T.
I am a huge fan of woodfired pizza. However, I feel the prices are just a tad high. You can get an Extra Large pizza up the street for the price of their large. Otherwise, the food is good. The seating inside seems limited. I think they would do good to have one store front instead of separate ones for take-out and dining. If you take-out, the little room is cramped.
(4)
Sicilian L.
AMAZING!!! BEST pizza in town. BEST service- the kids are GREAT!!! BEST desserts too!!! The nice boy even gave us a strawberry and chocolate drizzle on our cannoli to go. LOVE this place- it was our first time and we will be coming back!!!
(5)
Mike D.
I've been here twice one year apart and both times the food and service were excellent at lunchtime. Small thin-crust pizza is a great meal with a nice selection of topping options. I will most likely continue coming here for lunch on my annual trip to the area.
(4)
Kyle B.
Great place for pizza with endless options for your pizza as you can pick 1,3, 5 toppings and create your own pizza. Choices for toppings are wide ranging and very intriguing. They also have specialty pizzas which cover the typical pizzas. This place also has a great selection of beer and a nice patio in downtown Delaware to relax and hang out with friends. This day a friend of mine met me here and we had some time to kill so we just ordered a Bell's Oberon and hung out while we waited for the rest of our party. We were there around 5-6 and got a table on the patio immediately. The service was excellent as our waitress checked on us multiple times while we were waiting. Pizza was delicious. Ingredients are fresh. Only possible complaint I have is the pizza sizes. I ordered the smaller of the sizes and it wasn't quite enough for me but I feel the larger may be too much. Other than that this place is highly recommended if you are wanting some pizza and don't want typical chain delivery style pizza.
(4)
Peter J.
Great Pizza, Decent Service, Good Prices.... The best pizza place to try in Delaware. If you like it spicy (and I do) try the Cherry Bomb Pizza.
(5)
Barb D.
The food at Amatos has been very good every time we've been there. The pizzas are a refreshing change from the traditional pizza joints. I enjoy the unique toppings and sauces. They have recently added pasta to the menu and it is excellent. We've tried 3 of the options and they've all been top notch. The only complaint that I have is the speed of the service. The staff is very friendly, but it takes way too long to get the food on the table. We've had the same experience during busy and slow times. Speed up the service and it becomes a 5 star place.
(4)
Toby B.
In the world of homogenious mass-produced pizzas, Amatos is the shining light in the storm that reminds us of how great pizza can be. Wood fired on site and the food is made with the freshest of ingrediants and the selection of toppings covers the wide gamet of otpions. A great place to eat -- the new sit-down restaurant is very open and can get loud at times but has a nice ambiance. The new patio is a wonderful place to enjoy dinner or just drinks with friends.
(4)
Clayton M.
The best Pizza in central Ohio.
(4)
Mark H.
Pros: Good wood-fired pizzas with a fairly interesting array of toppings; decent beer selection at great prices; good & friendly service. Cons: Can be inconsistent -- as another reviewer pointed out, we've seen burned pizzas as well; can be slow -- if the place is near full, make sure you have well over an hour to spare; patio is nice, although the nearby truck traffic is loud and the fountain is always crawling with screaming kids; interior seating can be loud and, if there's a wait and you happen to be seated by the door, you can count on someone who's waiting parking their butt six inches from your head as there's no room people to stand. We've picked up their carry-out pizzas for years. They recently expanded next door and created the sit-down restaurant, which is a nice addition to downtown. I think they're still working through the learning curve a bit, but they have the main ingredient in place: good food, good service, good location. I'd suggest giving them a try on a weeknight.
(4)
Pete S.
Took almost an hour and a half to get our pizzas that we were told "only take 4 minutes to cook". The waitress made excuses about a large carry-out order, but we watched as a table near us, they came in almost 20 minutes after us, finished their pizzas and left while we were still trying to figure out where our pizzas were. There was also a live band on the patio that was so loud that you couldn't talk inside the restaurant. I would give the food 4 stars, the pizza was excellent when we finally got it, but the service and noise bring it down to a 2 rating.
(2)
Greg K.
Ordered carryout here for a group of 10. They were not set up for such a big order, but handled it well. Got 3 pizzas, several small salads, a meatball sub, and a meatball appetizer. All the food was great. I would clearly return, if in Delaware, OH again.
(4)
Alisha J.
I love Amato's because it is close by and offers some of the best, authentic Italian pizza I've had (outside of Italy). The pizzas come in 2 sizes and are small, so plan on sharing a couple or ordering one all for yourself. There are lots of "pre-built" pizzas to choose from, or you can choose your own toppings. I really love the cipollini and the hulk pizzas. The atmosphere is family friendly, as well as romantic. There is an inside area and a bar, as well as an outside patio. The restaurant is located right in the square downtown, so great for people watching on busy weekends. It definitely can get busy, but the service is always great and quick. They also offer carry out! I have not had anything except for their pizzas and a few select appetizers (all good), I just can't bring myself to stray from those delicious pizzas!
(4)
Eric H.
My wife and I dined here on a Saturday night with our two boys, aged nine and three. The tables were full inside, so we said that patio seating would be okay. The hostess led us to a table that was sitting in a small pool of water. After moving to a drier spot, we waited without our table being touched by a server for 20 minutes. During this time, three different servers passed us by. We finally flagged down the hostess who found someone from inside to wait on us. After ordering, we waited with two now restless boys for our food. And we waited. And we waited. The server finally came back and said our pizzas had just been put into the oven. We waited some more. Our server then dropped off one of our two pizzas and then said the other one was coming because they'd made a mistake on the order and put the wrong kind of olives on it. If she'd let us know earlier, we'd have gladly taken it anyway. We're not particularly picky or high maintenance. Our second pizza came after we'd finished eating the first. No apologies were made for the delay. The pizza was also soft in the middle due to being underdone, with the topping sliding off the mushy ends of each slice as we tried to eat them. I'm not hard to please, but I do expect to be treated like my business matters. We won't be back.
(1)
Matt P.
This pizza joint in downtown Delaware definitely has some great wood-fired pizza. Not many beers on draft, which was a little disappointing, especially for having pizza. They did have CBC IPA so I was SAVED! They also have a very nice patio area. The only complaint I have is smelling like a campfire after leaving. We squeezed some seats at the bar since it was slammed packed on a Saturday night and that's where they wood fire all the pies. Not sure if the smoke came from that or coals they had fired off to the side as well. A sign of bad ventilation...? Took forever to get our order, which was wrong when it arrived. I think our order simply fell through the cracks with everything they were trying to get prepped and out. Was it worth it? Well, they have the Delaware pizza market cornered, but not worth a drive from Columbus. Just go to Bono. You'll get the same thing but with cleaner clothes.
(3)
Christine H.
Amato's has excellent pizza, and the rest of the food is very good as well. We love eating at local places, supporting our community, but we also are pretty picky about where we go. Amato's is our go-to Italian place if we are staying in town. Typically my husband and I order take out and choose a number of appetizers that travel well. We get the antipasto platter, the caprese salad, the sausage, peppers, and onions, and maybe a pizza {for me, since he's gluten free}. I always say I'm going to try another type of pizza, but end up getting my favorite- the 5 cheese pizza with pesto. It is just so so good. We also love their cannolis. If I could, I would give Amato's 4.5 stars instead of 5 because the take out, and sometimes sit down service, is a bit slow. But that is a small price to pay for a great local place. Just know in advance and plan accordingly.
(5)
Ryan D.
Stopped in to Amato's for the first time ever for lunch on our Anniversary. Everything was pretty awesome! The staff was amazing, we asked for some guidance on the menu and received a very good explanation on what ingredients the use and what styles of food they have. We stopped in just after lunch time so they weren't busy, about half the table were full. That's probably a good sign at 2:15 on a Thursday. I can't imagine how busy they get during normal meal times as good as the food is... And, the place smells amazing with the wood fire! AMAZING. We had a make your own pizza and the chicken diavolo. I was skeptical, but both came out piping hot and were equally amazing as the smells coming from the wood fire. You can tell they use fresh ingredients and everything on the pizza an pasta was full of flavor. Overall, Amato's is amazing for lunch. The staff was friendly and attentive, the food was excellent and the atmosphere is par none. If you haven't been there it's worth the trip and we will be back!
(5)
Grace M.
I feel as if I should give Amato's another try before I review, but first impressions are important so here we are. To begin, the location is lovely. The decor is open and yet warm with exposed brick to remind you you are indeed in historic downtown Delaware. And I bet the patio is attractive during the warmer months (darn winter). However, their wooden chairs are not at all comfortable. The place was busy on a Wednesday so maybe they like you to scoot along your way? I chose the eight inch margarita pizza while he opted to pick his own toppings for a twelve inch. If you like crisp, thin crust then this is the place for you. Emphasis on thin. We probably should have ordered salads, as we both left fairly hungry. From my first visit, I'd give the pizza three and a half stars as there just was nothing particularly delicious or memorable about it.
(3)
Susan R.
Amato's is a very solid eatery in downtown Delaware. It's probably more like 3.5 stars, but it gets a bump to four in the absence of half-stars. + Our servers are always very nice. + Reasonably-priced food that is pretty decently good + Great patio when it's warm + Vegetarian options woooooo The dining room is a little hectic when it's full, and we had the awkward situation of being seated at a six-top with a party of three while a large party awkwardly stood around right next to us waiting for a table (sorry!). The food isn't as good as the original business that trained them, Bono Pizza, but it's more than serviceable. The last time, I got a veggie sub that, while it could use some work (especially with the eggplant--marinated eggplant = chewy, dense texture after it absorbs the marinade.... roasted eggplant with just a little salt, that would be more my jam), was better than a lot of veggie subs. It could come with some chips or something tho, just saying. A sub by itself on a plate is a little sad. Overall, will definitely return here for more pizza.
(4)
Mindy C.
Delicious wood fired pizza, but the real star to me is the antipasto salad. Loaded with goodies like salami, cheese, banana peppers, etc. Be aware the acoustics make it extremely loud. The service was just ok- my second time there I think my waitress had too many tables or something-she was rushing a lot and slammed things down on the table. Overall, good experience, great food.
(3)
Damon R.
Amato's is awesome! The food is always consistently good, the service always friendly and welcoming. I typically go on Fridays because that is the only day they serve Italian beef. It's amazing and has become my favorite but it's not on the menu so just ask the server.
(5)
Megan C.
We have been going here since they first opened in their little tiny location... and they've grown tremendously to the building next door and expanded with the same quality food they offered before! We are thankful to have such a great place in Delaware that has lasted this long AND improved. It used to be my little secret, now I don't know of anyone who hasn't been here. I order the 5 cheese on wheat crust and my husband orders the adrienne on white crust. I do switch up my order for my summer lunches, I get a salad with homemade creamy tarragon dressing. First of all, where else can one even get a fresh hand tossed pizza with only the best ingredients or an entire salad with homemade dressing for this price? No where else in Delaware, that's for sure! They never skimp on ingredients and everything is always vibrant and beautifully plated. The quality cannot be beat. The contributions they offer to the community are great. Management treats all the customers like friends, they walk around to tables and talk to everyone. They stay up to date on the happenings in the community and ask customers opinions on various topics. One of the owners takes the time to allow children in the restaurant or travels to them to make pizzas or teach them and displays their crafts for the community to see. I believe they even purchase as much as they can locally to provide the freshest available items and support the local economy. The service is always great, the workers seem genuinely happy to be working here and serving the customers, which says a lot about the management in my opinion. I prefer the bar seating to watch the food get prepared on the grill or put in the wood fired stove. It provides an original and fun experience for people that are new to Delaware or visitors you're sharing a meal with. They also have a fabulous patio outside that is fenced off with tables to allow the customers outside seating to listen to the local bands that play or watch the people gather on First Fridays. Not to mention it's at the main downtown intersection, so the view of downtown doesn't get much better. Overall, it's a wonderful experience that I highly recommend as a local and for those new or visiting Delaware.
(5)
Lauren F.
You can't go wrong at Amato's! I'm yet to have anything that I didn't like! Pizza is awesome, the veggie sub is killer, and the salads are fresh with amazing house made dressings! I wish I had a location closer to home but this is definitely worth the drive!
(5)
Bill S.
The place is beautiful and there is an instantly noticeable friendly atmosphere. We started with the meatball appetizer. They tasted great and came out FAST, which is awesome. The meatballs weren't quite as warm as I'd like, but they weren't cold. Overall a great start. Gonna ding em a point on the heat factor- sorry guys :) I had #19 - Adrianne. Pesto base jalapeños, Gorgonzola, feta and mozzarella - it was glorious. The boy had #2 - San Giorgio. Pretty traditional pizza - delicious. Service was super friendly and fast. Our server was very nice, always had a smile, and stopped by often to check-in, but not too often. Ingredients were fresh and tasty. We drove an hour to give them a try and it was worth it. We're coming back
(4)
Amy H.
Pretty good, love the patio. Bruschetta was just ok but the chicken diavolo was really good. I was glad it was pretty spicy, usually the "spicy" dishes on menus aren't very spicy but this one was. The spaghetti and meatballs were good, not amazing. The caramel cheesecake was really really good, I was excited to hear they are doing in deserts now. Will be back to try the pizza.
(4)
Ally H.
Tasty, fun. Service is slower, so come when you're on a relaxed schedule. The food is really great.
(4)
Alan L.
The Pizza was incredibly good. Exceeded my expectations by far. However, Trevor, the bartender was the worst restaurant employee I have encountered this includes my trips to France. I stood 3 feet away from him for 10 minutes trying to get his attention. I never lost eye contact with him. He never acknowledged me. Finally a very sweet waitress figured it out and was very helpful and took our order. From the time I encountered Trevor to the time I got my food it took 75 minutes. The whole time Trevor never acknowledged me or my son. Probably because he was too busy berating the dishwasher that was busting his butt to keep up. Trevor was angry that he didn't have clean glasses to make drinks. Of course it didn't help that he broke two glasses while we were there. So overall I would highly recommend Amato, but avoid Trevor at any cost.
(3)
Chad H.
For the price I expected a lot more in taste and size. I would accept the portion size if the taste was better than it was. My favorite woodfired pizza is from a nice place in grandview and UA (not mentioning name so not to advertise) and I was expecting the same here but it's not even close.
(1)
Brian C.
Great salads and really great pizza Great staff, also have really good pasta, try the diavolo! The have a small but good array of craft beers on tap. This is Delaware s best
(5)
Nathan P.
Wow, is this place great. Good food, good beer choices and amazing pizza! We enjoyed our pizza and pasta. The beer was a craft brew that was a bit hoppy for me, but still good.
The smell when you walk into this pizza place is amazing; smoky wood fire mixed with garlic and fresh cooked pizza, what could be better? When sitting at the bar you can watch the staff make the pizzas in the open kitchen. The pizza itself come in two sizes great for sharing or enjoying alone. A little tip, if the restaurant is busy opt for table sharing. You can be seated much faster. When I used this option I found it nice to chit chat with others about the yummy food.
(4)
Steve T.
My favorite restaurant in Delaware. The Napoli pizza was great. Crust was thin and toasty. Toppings were tasty with anchovies and garlic. The ambience is nice and the service was good. $8 for a 8 inch personal pizza.
(4)
Brian D.
Upon hearing the word "woodfired", I knew a road trip was in order. Amato's sits in downtown Delaware. The restaurant side and patio seemed like it would be an ideal place to grab a pint and enjoy the woodfired pizza. Indeed, I believe they were recently voted the best pizza in Delaware. Amato's has a separate entrance for take-out orders, so I was relegated to the "back door." Amato's has some great flavor, but the 30 minute ride home did not do this very thin pizza any favors (if you're hungry, order two). While I love char spots, some bites (as you can see from my photo) were pure carbon (a one star deduction). The sauce did not distinguish itself as it's spread on very thin. The peps and shrooms were quality, but nothing to really Yelp home about. The meatball appetizer comes with four very large meatballs (a good value). While they are somewhat difficult to fork through, they have a very unique seasoning (helped by some pesto sauce thown on top of the tomato sauce). They also had a nice bite to them. My one beef: too salty. The wife loved them. I would love to go back to Amato's and try some of their specialty pies - definitely a bit north of A-OK.
(3)
Steve Y.
We love Amato's. The pizza is well-crafted and the most interesting parts of the place are the homemade intangibles that accompany the pizza. For example, the roasted red pepper salad dressing is homemade and the meatballs aren't frozen and served after a microwave reheating. The servers show hometown personality and the vibe is casual. Craft beers. Wood fired pizza. Engaging personalities and good food... Our favorite place. Period.
(5)
Joshua G.
One of my favorite restaurants in Delaware. It has a cozy, neighborhood feel. The wood-fired pizza is the best I have had outside of New York. The shrimp scampi appetizer is delicious. I have never had a bad meal or bad service here. There is also great outdoor seating space.
(5)
Paul M.
I had the Marghetia pizza. It was good but needed more basil. My wife had the San Gergio pizza it was great and had the best flavor.
(4)
Meghan H.
I remember when this place first opened. It was in an tiny building with no seating, just a walk up window. For how small the space was, the pizza was and still is hands down the best in town. In a town with more than a handful of chain restaurants, private owned small unique restaurants have thrived, and Amato's has moved beyond just thriving. On almost any given night around seven Amato's with it's new dining area and outside seating is packed while the other pizza places with a dining room are dead. This gives you an idea of how popular this one place has become. Now to the food itself. When they first opened they had an amazing list of specialty pizzas. Over time some have gone away as they refined their menu but the quality has never wavered. The only thing I miss from the beginning was the huge selection of toppings. With that said there is still more interesting unique toppings at Amato's than found at all the other pizza places in town combined. The salads and sandwiches are a newer addition and are equally as good as the pizza itself. There are the expected and the unexpected. The house salad is one of my favorite salads in town and is the perfect size for one. I haven't had any of the sandwiches yet, but from the smell of those ordered by my dining partners, they are amazing as well. I will still always go to Amato's for the pizza.
(4)
Tom P.
One of the best pizza places around the columbus area. I used to live in Grandview and really enjoyed bono pizza. There style of pizzas is very similar but actually made a little bit better with much better ambience at their restaurant. I always order the Adrienne which is pepperoni, jalapeno peppers and some other great ingredient, which is an amazing pizza!! My wife has tried some of the different vegetarian pizzas and has enjoyed them all. The staff is always very helpful and they always have a few decent beers on tap.
(5)
Tom D.
Wow - what a great place for a lunch and what a great Italian Sausage Sub - had 1/3 pound of Italian sausage grilled, and served on a toasted bun with marinara sauce, sauteed onions and pepper - for 6.99 - you just can't beat that. The place was clean, the staff were super friendly - even the cook came out to meet us - because he wanted to see the person who ordered the Cherry Bomb specialty pizza. That pizza has "HOT" all over it - listen up ... tomato sauce, sriracha hot sauce, fresh tomatoes fresh jalapeno peppers, fresh habanero peppers and fresh mozzarella - not for the meek for sure! Large selection of items and great tasting food all around. Certainly worth a lunch stop!
(4)
John D.
Service was good as usual. Very attentive servers. The hostess probably should not have been wearing sprayed on yoga pants, but that is a rant for another day. The Italian Beef sub was great. It has taken them years to finally nail it. It was always good, but this incarnation is what it always needed to be. Crust on the pizza is still too thin. At least for any pizza with more than 1 topping. Sauce is still just ok. Sausage is very good. Outdoor seating really adds to the experience.
(4)
Heidi L.
Brick Oven fired hand tossed pizza with some wine and olives. May I ask, can you get any better than that? Ambiance and decorative setting make for an amazing experience with friends. Their selection of original pizza combinations can be overwhelming if you have a hard time making decisions but that is by no means a bad thing. Selection is everything! There are so many I want to try! Located in a towering 3 story old brick building on the corner of Williams and Sandusky in historic downtown Delaware near campus. Bring the friends and or fam and prepare to have a blast.
(5)
Timothy S.
The bruschetta was great. The hot Italian sausage sandwich was even better. The waitress was very friendly. I will be back.
(4)
Dew T.
I loved the mushroom pizza. Delicious. Not a lot of vegetarian options so I was glad the mushroom was great. I'd stop again when in Columbus.
(4)
DL S.
I dare ya, like double dog dare ya to find better food in Delaware - here - the region! Go ahead... The food is ALWAYS great, service is wonderful and just a super crew all around. I, we, friends and fam have had anything and everything on the menu and it's ALL great. Period. These guys have got it. Perfectly cooked FLAVORFUL food! You can see why they have so many regulars - they know where to go for great food. I saw some whiners (on Yelp) who mentioned that "it took to long..." You know what, head down to Mickey's and get a fillet o fish and stop whining. If i have to wait for well prepared, flavorful food, FINE. It is a pleasure. Besides, you can enjoy more drink. Oh yeah, "too noisy..." Shut up. If you want 'a more subdued dining experience, hit MCL'. If the "place ain't jumpin' and kinda like a tomb" that may be a sign. You can see why so many Yelpers like Amatos and why everyone rates it so highly - ah, DUH! Cuz it is so good here. You will see that the owner(s) really do CARE how the food is, your experience and how happy you are when you head out with a full belly. Also, gotta share, the prices/portions are awesome and with everything here why, dear lord, would you go to a chain place? Honestly, having eaten all over the state, region and east coast, i would be hard pressed to find better. Truly a GEM!
(5)
Mimi H.
I have to give them 2 stars due to inconsistency. We live in Westerville so Amatos is not convenient to us at all. When they first expanded from just the take out window to a full scale restaurant, we were blown away by what a great place it was. We found excuses to make the drive over there after work several times a month in the beginning. However as their popularity has grown, their production ability and attention to detail has not kept up. One visit this year in May and we sat waiting for our pizzas for 65 minutes(timed it!) while our server avoided making eye contact. We finally had to ask another server for refills and an ETA for our food. When we finally received our pizza, the middle dough was under cooked. We stopped there last night on the drive back from Toledo. The restaurant was less than half full and only 3 customers sitting at the bar. We sat directly across from the server station across from the bar. Before I sat down I had to brush large chunks of food off my chair. Our server was quick to take our order then we waited for 40 minutes for two pizzas. My husband finished his beer and then tried in vain for ten minutes to catch our servers eye to ask for a second beer. The empty bottle was pushed over to the edge of the table as soon as he finished it yet no employees noticed. He finally had to pick up the bottle and wave it. We saw several employees reading their phones. The last year or so, we've never seen anyone who seems to be a manager which is in sharp contrast to when the restaurant first opened. His/ her presence would likely correct the deficiencies. We ordered bacon added to one of our pizzas and we couldn't find any. Didn't bother to see if we were charged. Our pizzas were delicious as always but we've decided that we won't be making any special effort to go there again but if we find ourselves hungry near Delaware we may go back.
(2)
Kevin A.
Everything is freshly prepared with care. Wood-fired pizza with great flavor. Inviting atmosphere and attentive staff. Best pizza around!
(5)
Senie S.
Has the best pizza and salads around. If you aren't in the mood for pizza there is also always other foods that are delicious. You can never go wrong with mozzarella sticks and the appetizers there are delicious! Very tasty for a small town like delaware
(4)
Ash S.
Love this place!! Great food and awesome beer selection!! You will not be disappointed.
(5)
Bryant M.
What do you do when you want to have a birthday party at Bono? You go all the way to Delaware for the next best thing. I've heard that the folks at Bono trained Amato's how to cook delicious, wood-fired pizza, and after looking at their nearly-identical menus, I'd believe that story. Although Amato's doesn't have the same charm as Bono, and although the experience just isn't as fun, this place really does a great job. Amato's is situated in the cute-as-a-button downtown area in Delaware, and their space is really lovely - while still being comfortable. They take reservations, the service is great, and the wood-fired pizzas are delicious! So, the next time you have a group to feed and you're craving Bono, think about heading to Amato's!
(4)
Brian S.
I liked the pizza but was not totally enamored by it. Maybe it's because we have better thin crust pizza in Philly and I am a Pizza snob? Amato's version has really, really, thin crackery crust but I personally would like a thicker edge around the pie and a little more char to it (see my photo for Zavino in Philadelphia. yelp.com/biz_photos/zavi… ) The mushroom toppings on one of our pies at Amato's were excellent but the sauce and cheese were just so-so. As I said before I have been babied by San Marzano tomato sauce and buffalo mozzarella. Very friendly owner though!
(3)
Roab P.
Best wood-fired pies? I just might be! Always great craft beers on tap too! (like oscar blues) I live 45 min away and still come here. Its pricey but your paying for the quality.
(5)
Demetreus R.
The best Pizza as a whole is made in New Jersey. That being said I travel the country for work, and when I have a taste for pizza I am usually disappointed. That's cannot be said about this hidden gem of a restaurant. It's obvious how good it is by the lunch crowd which seems to be perennial. The crust is thin and passes the fold test (real pizza aficionados know what I am speaking of) and the ingredients are sound. If I had to (and I do this reluctantly) find fault in this place I guess it would be that it's to small for its customer draw. I would be angry if I had to wait for a seat, which hasn't happened but could as during lunch there are a lot of happy chatting people here. I love this place.
(5)
Amanda C.
If you come during prime restaurant time you might need to wait for a table. And the pizza is to be enjoyed fresh right there, not the best left overs. But delicious, fresh food! Fun atmosphere, a little hectic at times. The appetizers are great, the subs[especially the veggie] are the bomb, and of course you can't go wrong with delicious custom pizza! Favorite place to eat and people watch on First Friday events!
(5)
Tasha L.
Great subs, appetizers and pizza. The best pizZa is the Adrianne. Sometimes I like to add sausage to it. A little kick and very delish! Shrimp toast and the meatballs are some of my other favorites. but the best thing there is the veggie sub! big, seasoned portabellas and just all around great flavor! its a must have for vegans! or anyone who likes their veggies. May have a hard time getting a seat at the bar and/or may be a wait.
(4)
Ben T.
Nice spot on the corner for the restaurant. Very clean place an decent ambiance. The owner is very nice and interacts with customers. Pretty tasty pesto bread appetizer. The margarita pizza was good, and after we added some salt, was excellent. Not quite harvest in Columbus but the best besides it in central Ohio. The Oahu (Hawaiian) was ok without the almonds. The pineapple seemed to be crushed pineapple out of a can but was still decent. They had a good beer selection too - bottle and draft. We'll be going back!
(5)
S C.
We ordered online and it didn't go through, so we ended up waiting over an hour for our large pizza and small salad. We ordered a small spinach salad, which comes with strawberries and pecans. Upon finally returning home, our salad had no strawberries and tomatoes, which I do not eat. The pizza had a great flavor. We got the 5 cheese, which has pesto sauce instead of tomato. The crust was so thin, it could barely be held. The pesto was great and the cheese combination was also good. The butchering of our order was enough to destroy the reputation of Amatos for this family.
(2)
Pam B.
I am going to be nice and give this place a 3 since they are just starting out with the dine-in option, but man oh man do they have a lot to improve on... First, let me point out that the guys working here were very friendly and the establishment itself is very nice and clean. I really liked the atmosphere, the different table styles they have inside, and the overall feel of the place. Here is where they need to improve: their service. While they were very friendly, they were also extremely inattentive to our needs. Each time we ordered drinks, we would have to re-ask for them and it would take a good 10 minutes before we would get them. We waited over 40 minutes before we got served our food and there were only 4 of us. The restaurant was very dead (dine in and carry out) so there is no reason why it should have taken so long to not only get served our drinks but also to get our meals. The final straw for me was that my pizza crust was pretty much completely burnt. This saddened me since I had gotten take-out from here before and it was pretty darn good. I am hopeful that this place can pick it up to start meeting the needs of its dine-in customers but if it doesn't, the subsequent reviews will definitely be less than stellar.
(3)
Tema K.
I have been going to Amato's for five years now. I ate there when they were in the previous location, which is now the take-out/ pick-up spot. The food is just fantastic. Their quality has never changed, even when they expanded and added new items to the menu. The owner, the managers and the waiting staff have always been top notch. I am pleased that they have stayed in business and will say if you are looking for woodfired pizza with a gourmet touch, good salads, pasta, subs, desserts and beverages along with fantastic customer service, this is the place to go
(5)
Matthew F.
The atmosphere here is really nice, the wood fire stove, its clean, a nice little patio off to the side. I had high hopes but...unlike the stove, the food wasn't so hot. I had a slice of the Fungi pizza which was pretty good but my sandwich, the Pechetti, was not very flavorful. It sounded very tasty on the menu but it left me wanting more spice! It was pretty bland. I don't claim to be a Cannoli connoisseur but the one I had that night tasted like it was one you could buy in the freezer section at the grocery store. The best part, other than the screaming children running around and playing in the fountain all night, was that it was a beautiful night to sit out on there patio. Its not too big, but it has about 10 umbrella'd tables. And what goes great with patios? BEER! The selection there is quite good for a smaller place.
(3)
Chad S.
The pizza was very good and priced well. 9.99 for a 5 topping pizza is not too bad. The crust is very good but a little too thin IMO. I will definitely be back but in my next visit I now know that 1 x 12" pizza per person is appropriate considering the thickness. I was shocked to see $1.59 for fountain drinks. It seems most places have jacked fountain drinks up to $2+. This was a pleasant surprise so I actually ordered lemonade instead of water. The waitress was very attendant to refills and pleasant while catering to my family.
(4)
Yvonne R.
I hadn't tried Amato's until just a few months ago. My first experience was whole wheat crust and carryout. The pizza seemed to have steamed in the box and I was not impressed. Thank goodness I gave it another shot! I love that you can get a personal size or share a medium with friends and try a few. You don't get filled up because of the ultra thin crust. Lots of cool topping combinations and great sangria as well. I recommend just getting a carafe to start. Definitely on my repeat list. Great patio as well!
(4)
Tim A.
I have been a patron of this restaurant for three years now and I keep coming back, almost weekly. Originally it was configured as a carry out place with minimal seating which in all honesty did not bother me a bit. I am super happy that they have expanded next door. The seating is less intimate, but the space is pleasant. The food quality has remained excellent, i suggest whole wheat pizzas with the pesto sauce and the pechetti sub. Beer and wine are now being served which is an extreme plus! I may be sentimental, seeing as this place has been a part of my college experience, but never the less. If your in delaware this is the place to grab diner. The owner is also a super nice and personable guy.
(5)
Roger H.
Easily my favorite pizza and sub restaurant. the food is absolutely incredible done great every time if it's not let them know and I'll fix it. sometimes it does take a little bit of time but it's definitely worth the wait. great patio great atmosphere good beer as well. enjoy
(5)
Katie E.
Love love loveeeeeee this place!!! It's so cute inside and the 5cheese pizza is delicious !!!!!! I highly recommend amatos
(4)
Justin E.
My favorite restaurant in Delaware. The city gave the owner $100,000 to expand because they saw a future for this place. He only hires local college students and keeps a clean place. Food is made with the freshest ingredients and the prices are very fair. They will deliver your food to the two local bars too! Two big thumbs up!!!
(5)
Chris V.
Pros: great pizza, great subs, free wifi Cons: none yet
(4)
Kelly D.
im from so. cal. and was visiting family in delaware and stumbled accross this place! i loved it! for $10 i got a thin crust pizza loaded with toppings and almost went neanderthal and just picked up the whole pizza and started mowing! unfortunately i had to share.....2 pizzas fed 4 people and if i ever get back to ohio i'll definately go there again!
(4)
Hunter K.
It was one of those big snow days and everything in Delaware was closed, that is how I stumbled on Amato's. I'm not usually a big pizza fan, but his veggie pizza was very tasty-fresh veggies, crispy crust. I also had a very good salad made with veggies, cheese and strawberries. Don't let the name fool you, there is limited seating available. I ate there and read the paper, maybe because of all the snow, it was nice and quiet.
(4)
Damon R.
Amato's is awesome! The food is always consistently good, the service always friendly and welcoming. I typically go on Fridays because that is the only day they serve Italian beef. It's amazing and has become my favorite but it's not on the menu so just ask the server.
(5)
Alisha J.
I love Amato's because it is close by and offers some of the best, authentic Italian pizza I've had (outside of Italy). The pizzas come in 2 sizes and are small, so plan on sharing a couple or ordering one all for yourself. There are lots of "pre-built" pizzas to choose from, or you can choose your own toppings. I really love the cipollini and the hulk pizzas. The atmosphere is family friendly, as well as romantic. There is an inside area and a bar, as well as an outside patio. The restaurant is located right in the square downtown, so great for people watching on busy weekends. It definitely can get busy, but the service is always great and quick. They also offer carry out! I have not had anything except for their pizzas and a few select appetizers (all good), I just can't bring myself to stray from those delicious pizzas!
(4)
Greg K.
Ordered carryout here for a group of 10. They were not set up for such a big order, but handled it well. Got 3 pizzas, several small salads, a meatball sub, and a meatball appetizer. All the food was great. I would clearly return, if in Delaware, OH again.
(4)
Eric H.
My wife and I dined here on a Saturday night with our two boys, aged nine and three. The tables were full inside, so we said that patio seating would be okay. The hostess led us to a table that was sitting in a small pool of water. After moving to a drier spot, we waited without our table being touched by a server for 20 minutes. During this time, three different servers passed us by. We finally flagged down the hostess who found someone from inside to wait on us. After ordering, we waited with two now restless boys for our food. And we waited. And we waited. The server finally came back and said our pizzas had just been put into the oven. We waited some more. Our server then dropped off one of our two pizzas and then said the other one was coming because they'd made a mistake on the order and put the wrong kind of olives on it. If she'd let us know earlier, we'd have gladly taken it anyway. We're not particularly picky or high maintenance. Our second pizza came after we'd finished eating the first. No apologies were made for the delay. The pizza was also soft in the middle due to being underdone, with the topping sliding off the mushy ends of each slice as we tried to eat them. I'm not hard to please, but I do expect to be treated like my business matters. We won't be back.
(1)
Brian C.
Great salads and really great pizza Great staff, also have really good pasta, try the diavolo! The have a small but good array of craft beers on tap. This is Delaware s best
(5)
Nathan P.
Wow, is this place great. Good food, good beer choices and amazing pizza! We enjoyed our pizza and pasta. The beer was a craft brew that was a bit hoppy for me, but still good.
(5)
Matt P.
This pizza joint in downtown Delaware definitely has some great wood-fired pizza. Not many beers on draft, which was a little disappointing, especially for having pizza. They did have CBC IPA so I was SAVED! They also have a very nice patio area. The only complaint I have is smelling like a campfire after leaving. We squeezed some seats at the bar since it was slammed packed on a Saturday night and that's where they wood fire all the pies. Not sure if the smoke came from that or coals they had fired off to the side as well. A sign of bad ventilation...? Took forever to get our order, which was wrong when it arrived. I think our order simply fell through the cracks with everything they were trying to get prepped and out. Was it worth it? Well, they have the Delaware pizza market cornered, but not worth a drive from Columbus. Just go to Bono. You'll get the same thing but with cleaner clothes.
(3)
Christine H.
Amato's has excellent pizza, and the rest of the food is very good as well. We love eating at local places, supporting our community, but we also are pretty picky about where we go. Amato's is our go-to Italian place if we are staying in town. Typically my husband and I order take out and choose a number of appetizers that travel well. We get the antipasto platter, the caprese salad, the sausage, peppers, and onions, and maybe a pizza {for me, since he's gluten free}. I always say I'm going to try another type of pizza, but end up getting my favorite- the 5 cheese pizza with pesto. It is just so so good. We also love their cannolis. If I could, I would give Amato's 4.5 stars instead of 5 because the take out, and sometimes sit down service, is a bit slow. But that is a small price to pay for a great local place. Just know in advance and plan accordingly.
(5)
Bill S.
The place is beautiful and there is an instantly noticeable friendly atmosphere. We started with the meatball appetizer. They tasted great and came out FAST, which is awesome. The meatballs weren't quite as warm as I'd like, but they weren't cold. Overall a great start. Gonna ding em a point on the heat factor- sorry guys :) I had #19 - Adrianne. Pesto base jalapeños, Gorgonzola, feta and mozzarella - it was glorious. The boy had #2 - San Giorgio. Pretty traditional pizza - delicious. Service was super friendly and fast. Our server was very nice, always had a smile, and stopped by often to check-in, but not too often. Ingredients were fresh and tasty. We drove an hour to give them a try and it was worth it. We're coming back
(4)
Amy H.
Pretty good, love the patio. Bruschetta was just ok but the chicken diavolo was really good. I was glad it was pretty spicy, usually the "spicy" dishes on menus aren't very spicy but this one was. The spaghetti and meatballs were good, not amazing. The caramel cheesecake was really really good, I was excited to hear they are doing in deserts now. Will be back to try the pizza.
(4)
Ally H.
Tasty, fun. Service is slower, so come when you're on a relaxed schedule. The food is really great.
(4)
Ryan D.
Stopped in to Amato's for the first time ever for lunch on our Anniversary. Everything was pretty awesome! The staff was amazing, we asked for some guidance on the menu and received a very good explanation on what ingredients the use and what styles of food they have. We stopped in just after lunch time so they weren't busy, about half the table were full. That's probably a good sign at 2:15 on a Thursday. I can't imagine how busy they get during normal meal times as good as the food is... And, the place smells amazing with the wood fire! AMAZING. We had a make your own pizza and the chicken diavolo. I was skeptical, but both came out piping hot and were equally amazing as the smells coming from the wood fire. You can tell they use fresh ingredients and everything on the pizza an pasta was full of flavor. Overall, Amato's is amazing for lunch. The staff was friendly and attentive, the food was excellent and the atmosphere is par none. If you haven't been there it's worth the trip and we will be back!
(5)
Grace M.
I feel as if I should give Amato's another try before I review, but first impressions are important so here we are. To begin, the location is lovely. The decor is open and yet warm with exposed brick to remind you you are indeed in historic downtown Delaware. And I bet the patio is attractive during the warmer months (darn winter). However, their wooden chairs are not at all comfortable. The place was busy on a Wednesday so maybe they like you to scoot along your way? I chose the eight inch margarita pizza while he opted to pick his own toppings for a twelve inch. If you like crisp, thin crust then this is the place for you. Emphasis on thin. We probably should have ordered salads, as we both left fairly hungry. From my first visit, I'd give the pizza three and a half stars as there just was nothing particularly delicious or memorable about it.
(3)
Susan R.
Amato's is a very solid eatery in downtown Delaware. It's probably more like 3.5 stars, but it gets a bump to four in the absence of half-stars. + Our servers are always very nice. + Reasonably-priced food that is pretty decently good + Great patio when it's warm + Vegetarian options woooooo The dining room is a little hectic when it's full, and we had the awkward situation of being seated at a six-top with a party of three while a large party awkwardly stood around right next to us waiting for a table (sorry!). The food isn't as good as the original business that trained them, Bono Pizza, but it's more than serviceable. The last time, I got a veggie sub that, while it could use some work (especially with the eggplant--marinated eggplant = chewy, dense texture after it absorbs the marinade.... roasted eggplant with just a little salt, that would be more my jam), was better than a lot of veggie subs. It could come with some chips or something tho, just saying. A sub by itself on a plate is a little sad. Overall, will definitely return here for more pizza.
(4)
Mindy C.
Delicious wood fired pizza, but the real star to me is the antipasto salad. Loaded with goodies like salami, cheese, banana peppers, etc. Be aware the acoustics make it extremely loud. The service was just ok- my second time there I think my waitress had too many tables or something-she was rushing a lot and slammed things down on the table. Overall, good experience, great food.
The smell when you walk into this pizza place is amazing; smoky wood fire mixed with garlic and fresh cooked pizza, what could be better? When sitting at the bar you can watch the staff make the pizzas in the open kitchen. The pizza itself come in two sizes great for sharing or enjoying alone. A little tip, if the restaurant is busy opt for table sharing. You can be seated much faster. When I used this option I found it nice to chit chat with others about the yummy food.
(4)
Steve T.
My favorite restaurant in Delaware. The Napoli pizza was great. Crust was thin and toasty. Toppings were tasty with anchovies and garlic. The ambience is nice and the service was good. $8 for a 8 inch personal pizza.
(4)
DL S.
I dare ya, like double dog dare ya to find better food in Delaware - here - the region! Go ahead... The food is ALWAYS great, service is wonderful and just a super crew all around. I, we, friends and fam have had anything and everything on the menu and it's ALL great. Period. These guys have got it. Perfectly cooked FLAVORFUL food! You can see why they have so many regulars - they know where to go for great food. I saw some whiners (on Yelp) who mentioned that "it took to long..." You know what, head down to Mickey's and get a fillet o fish and stop whining. If i have to wait for well prepared, flavorful food, FINE. It is a pleasure. Besides, you can enjoy more drink. Oh yeah, "too noisy..." Shut up. If you want 'a more subdued dining experience, hit MCL'. If the "place ain't jumpin' and kinda like a tomb" that may be a sign. You can see why so many Yelpers like Amatos and why everyone rates it so highly - ah, DUH! Cuz it is so good here. You will see that the owner(s) really do CARE how the food is, your experience and how happy you are when you head out with a full belly. Also, gotta share, the prices/portions are awesome and with everything here why, dear lord, would you go to a chain place? Honestly, having eaten all over the state, region and east coast, i would be hard pressed to find better. Truly a GEM!
(5)
Toby B.
In the world of homogenious mass-produced pizzas, Amatos is the shining light in the storm that reminds us of how great pizza can be. Wood fired on site and the food is made with the freshest of ingrediants and the selection of toppings covers the wide gamet of otpions. A great place to eat -- the new sit-down restaurant is very open and can get loud at times but has a nice ambiance. The new patio is a wonderful place to enjoy dinner or just drinks with friends.
(4)
Clayton M.
The best Pizza in central Ohio.
(4)
Mark H.
Pros: Good wood-fired pizzas with a fairly interesting array of toppings; decent beer selection at great prices; good & friendly service. Cons: Can be inconsistent -- as another reviewer pointed out, we've seen burned pizzas as well; can be slow -- if the place is near full, make sure you have well over an hour to spare; patio is nice, although the nearby truck traffic is loud and the fountain is always crawling with screaming kids; interior seating can be loud and, if there's a wait and you happen to be seated by the door, you can count on someone who's waiting parking their butt six inches from your head as there's no room people to stand. We've picked up their carry-out pizzas for years. They recently expanded next door and created the sit-down restaurant, which is a nice addition to downtown. I think they're still working through the learning curve a bit, but they have the main ingredient in place: good food, good service, good location. I'd suggest giving them a try on a weeknight.
(4)
Tim T.
I am a huge fan of woodfired pizza. However, I feel the prices are just a tad high. You can get an Extra Large pizza up the street for the price of their large. Otherwise, the food is good. The seating inside seems limited. I think they would do good to have one store front instead of separate ones for take-out and dining. If you take-out, the little room is cramped.
(4)
Sicilian L.
AMAZING!!! BEST pizza in town. BEST service- the kids are GREAT!!! BEST desserts too!!! The nice boy even gave us a strawberry and chocolate drizzle on our cannoli to go. LOVE this place- it was our first time and we will be coming back!!!
(5)
Mike D.
I've been here twice one year apart and both times the food and service were excellent at lunchtime. Small thin-crust pizza is a great meal with a nice selection of topping options. I will most likely continue coming here for lunch on my annual trip to the area.
(4)
Kyle B.
Great place for pizza with endless options for your pizza as you can pick 1,3, 5 toppings and create your own pizza. Choices for toppings are wide ranging and very intriguing. They also have specialty pizzas which cover the typical pizzas. This place also has a great selection of beer and a nice patio in downtown Delaware to relax and hang out with friends. This day a friend of mine met me here and we had some time to kill so we just ordered a Bell's Oberon and hung out while we waited for the rest of our party. We were there around 5-6 and got a table on the patio immediately. The service was excellent as our waitress checked on us multiple times while we were waiting. Pizza was delicious. Ingredients are fresh. Only possible complaint I have is the pizza sizes. I ordered the smaller of the sizes and it wasn't quite enough for me but I feel the larger may be too much. Other than that this place is highly recommended if you are wanting some pizza and don't want typical chain delivery style pizza.
(4)
Barb D.
The food at Amatos has been very good every time we've been there. The pizzas are a refreshing change from the traditional pizza joints. I enjoy the unique toppings and sauces. They have recently added pasta to the menu and it is excellent. We've tried 3 of the options and they've all been top notch. The only complaint that I have is the speed of the service. The staff is very friendly, but it takes way too long to get the food on the table. We've had the same experience during busy and slow times. Speed up the service and it becomes a 5 star place.
(4)
Joshua G.
One of my favorite restaurants in Delaware. It has a cozy, neighborhood feel. The wood-fired pizza is the best I have had outside of New York. The shrimp scampi appetizer is delicious. I have never had a bad meal or bad service here. There is also great outdoor seating space.
(5)
Paul M.
I had the Marghetia pizza. It was good but needed more basil. My wife had the San Gergio pizza it was great and had the best flavor.
(4)
Carolyn E.
If you like thin, gourmet pizza, then Amato's is the place for you. Made with a wheat or white crust, the pies are the size of a dinner plate at their largest and easily consumed in a single sitting even then (if you have a decent appetite anyways), but made with interesting, good quality ingredient that make them special. The one I find most interesting and which I ordered is the "Oahu" which has coconut, almonds, coconut, ham and pineapple. The cinnamon and coconut are what really make this an interesting mix and also the flavors that stand out the most. The rest of the ingredients, including the tomato sauce, are not layered on very heavy, nor is the layer of fresh mozzerella that thick. This lets these other flavors really stand out. ...and though I was a bit skeptical of tomato sauce with my coconut and cinnamon, it actually does taste very good. I wonder what it would be like with a white sauce... Oddly, these flavors don't show up on the list of ingredients for "make your own" pizza. The toppings, cheeses, and bases that are available, though, are quite intriguing. Olive oil and pesto bases, gorgonzola and gouda cheese, and items like kielbasa and habanero peppers mean that there really can be something for everyone. If you don't like pizza, Amato's also offers pasta and subs. This visit, though, was about the pizza since I had a coupon for half off one pizza. There were no problems for me in using the coupon, nor really with service. They were extremely busy, though, with pretty much every table and most of the bar filled. I had a little trouble getting my drink for this reason, I think, and things were a bit slow. I was in no rush, though, and really didn't mind. As to atmosphere... it's pleasant. I like the stone hearth and upscale touches. It's very much a family place, though, and there were a number of families present when I was there. Prices... for this style of pizza, they aren't bad. My "full size" oahu was about $10, and though I had no leftovers, I left full enough. Smaller appetites or those ordering appetizers might be alright with a half-sized order. Subs range from about $6 on up. Pasta, like the pizza, come in small sizes under $10, and large sizes that might be more than $10. I'm not sure how large these portions might be at the moment, though. Anyway, for upscale pizza with interesting ingredients, Amato's is a good bet. ...do note, though, that they are not open on Sunday.
(4)
Andrew M.
First of all, the pizza is some of the best you'll find in central Ohio. On the edge of OWU campus, it has a fun vibe that is good for all ages. We were surprised to find the place was NOT overrun with douchey hipsters & college pricks! Be prepared to order several pizzas as they are pretty small. We consider ourselves "eaters" and found we needed more. The beer selection is good too!
(4)
Peter J.
Great Pizza, Decent Service, Good Prices.... The best pizza place to try in Delaware. If you like it spicy (and I do) try the Cherry Bomb Pizza.
(5)
Megan C.
We have been going here since they first opened in their little tiny location... and they've grown tremendously to the building next door and expanded with the same quality food they offered before! We are thankful to have such a great place in Delaware that has lasted this long AND improved. It used to be my little secret, now I don't know of anyone who hasn't been here. I order the 5 cheese on wheat crust and my husband orders the adrienne on white crust. I do switch up my order for my summer lunches, I get a salad with homemade creamy tarragon dressing. First of all, where else can one even get a fresh hand tossed pizza with only the best ingredients or an entire salad with homemade dressing for this price? No where else in Delaware, that's for sure! They never skimp on ingredients and everything is always vibrant and beautifully plated. The quality cannot be beat. The contributions they offer to the community are great. Management treats all the customers like friends, they walk around to tables and talk to everyone. They stay up to date on the happenings in the community and ask customers opinions on various topics. One of the owners takes the time to allow children in the restaurant or travels to them to make pizzas or teach them and displays their crafts for the community to see. I believe they even purchase as much as they can locally to provide the freshest available items and support the local economy. The service is always great, the workers seem genuinely happy to be working here and serving the customers, which says a lot about the management in my opinion. I prefer the bar seating to watch the food get prepared on the grill or put in the wood fired stove. It provides an original and fun experience for people that are new to Delaware or visitors you're sharing a meal with. They also have a fabulous patio outside that is fenced off with tables to allow the customers outside seating to listen to the local bands that play or watch the people gather on First Fridays. Not to mention it's at the main downtown intersection, so the view of downtown doesn't get much better. Overall, it's a wonderful experience that I highly recommend as a local and for those new or visiting Delaware.
(5)
Tessa S.
Great service, great atmosphere, and great food. We were there during a music festival, but got a seat at the bar right away, which faces the wood oven. I really love sitting where you can see some of the kitchen action - like dinner and a show! We were served promptly and everyone that interacted with us was super nice. The Adrianne pizza was really good! My only suggestion would be to add pears to your pizza toppings menu. It would be a yummy addition to the caramelized onion pizza.
(5)
Michael O.
Downtown Delaware at its finest! We live eating here but they have to do something about seating - there's simply not enough table capacity. Lunch and dinner, great menus and good quality. Great place to park your car and walk around downtown, I have plenty of friends that drive 45-60min just to eat/drink here.
(5)
Tanya and Jason S.
We have to give this place a 5 out of 5! The food was great. The service was great. Amato's is a kid friendly place. The owner came out and asked us how the food was. We told him it was great. Best pizza in Delaware Ohio. A must have for any pizza lover. We will certainly be back! They have the most toppings for pizza we have ever seen.
(5)
Meghan H.
I remember when this place first opened. It was in an tiny building with no seating, just a walk up window. For how small the space was, the pizza was and still is hands down the best in town. In a town with more than a handful of chain restaurants, private owned small unique restaurants have thrived, and Amato's has moved beyond just thriving. On almost any given night around seven Amato's with it's new dining area and outside seating is packed while the other pizza places with a dining room are dead. This gives you an idea of how popular this one place has become. Now to the food itself. When they first opened they had an amazing list of specialty pizzas. Over time some have gone away as they refined their menu but the quality has never wavered. The only thing I miss from the beginning was the huge selection of toppings. With that said there is still more interesting unique toppings at Amato's than found at all the other pizza places in town combined. The salads and sandwiches are a newer addition and are equally as good as the pizza itself. There are the expected and the unexpected. The house salad is one of my favorite salads in town and is the perfect size for one. I haven't had any of the sandwiches yet, but from the smell of those ordered by my dining partners, they are amazing as well. I will still always go to Amato's for the pizza.
(4)
Melissa W.
The wait can be long but the food is good. My personal fave is the meatball sub! The hubby loves the Adrienne pizza. Best spot on a Friday night and then walk the quaint town of Delaware.
(5)
Liz Y.
Love the pizza but the tiramisu is to die for!!!!!
(4)
Lindsay B.
We met my brother, sister-in-law, and a friend here on a Friday night. We sat outside and it was very noisy. Lots of trucks driving by. Lots of children running around the fountain laughing and screaming. Don't get me wrong I love kids... I work all day with them. Sometimes though I would like to escape them:) I ordered a pizza, the fungi. It was ok. My boyfriend had a sub, which he didn't seem to love or hate. I am not eager to go again but I would if others wanted to.
(3)
Pete S.
Took almost an hour and a half to get our pizzas that we were told "only take 4 minutes to cook". The waitress made excuses about a large carry-out order, but we watched as a table near us, they came in almost 20 minutes after us, finished their pizzas and left while we were still trying to figure out where our pizzas were. There was also a live band on the patio that was so loud that you couldn't talk inside the restaurant. I would give the food 4 stars, the pizza was excellent when we finally got it, but the service and noise bring it down to a 2 rating.
(2)
Jo I.
Amatos have recently expanded their menu to include pastas. They are delicious. The pizzas have always been good but now that there's even more variety on the menu, we eat there more often. Service is always good. Friendly management. One of our favorite places in Delaware.
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch Parking : Street Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
Pizza is a famous Italian dish savored around the world. The entire credit for the popularity of Pizza in the United States goes to the chain of pizzerias all over the country. While the base and the texture of Pizza remains same across the globe, it's the toppings that differs from country to country. In the United States, you will find the top pizzerias serving pizzas with the toppings of mainly beef, bacon, chicken, ham, and sausage for the non-vegetarians. Other than these famous meat options, Pizzas with veg toppings such as mushrooms, pepperonis, garlic, tomatoes, spinach, etc. are also famous in most restaurants in the United States.
Irrespective of your locality, you will find a variety of different restaurants in your cities offering pizzas of all different types. Pizza is hot favorite among people of all ages in the United States. A large size pizza is enough to feed a family of 3 or 4 at large. Pizza is also the most preferred food whenever a group of friends is hanging out together. Pizza gained popularity in the United States after the American soldiers stationed in Italy returned from World War II.
Over the years, different pizzerias in the United States have developed their own respective regional variations. Pizza gained popularity as the iconic dish in the United States in the second half of the 20th century. Whether you prefer thin or thick crust pizza, you can find a pizza of your preference at the best pizza restaurants in your city.
Italian Cuisine
The immense popularity of Italian cuisine globally isn't unknown. You can find an Italian Pizzeria around every corner of almost every city in the United States. Not to forget that in every house, people enjoy mac and cheese as comfort food. But it would be wrong to believe that Italian food starts with pizza and ends with good pasta as this Mediterranean country has much more to offer other than these two dishes. In Italian Cuisine, there is a high use of fresh tomatoes, all kinds of herbs, great quality of cheese, all types of meat, seafood and fresh handmade pasta. Many find it hard to believe that Italians have been making noodles long back.
Italian and Greek cuisines are always mistaken to be same, but they are poles apart. The primary difference between the two cuisines is the use of cheese in most of the Italian dishes. Italians love to cultivate their own cheese and process them as per their food requirement. It is believed that some cheese is so expensive that cheese producers secure them in lockers.
If you are bored eating the same old pasta or pizza, you can try some of the authentic Italian dishes like Risotto, Polenta, Ribollita, Lasagna, Fiorentina Steak, Bottarga, Ossobuco, Carbonara, Focaccia, Arancini and Supplì. Another item which Italians love to relish every morning is a good cup of Italian Coffee. Once you taste a freshly brewed cup of Italian Coffee, you might not visit Starbucks ever again. Authentic Italian food is made with heart and soul, so go find a restaurant where you can relish Italian cuisine in your city.
Carolyn E.
If you like thin, gourmet pizza, then Amato's is the place for you. Made with a wheat or white crust, the pies are the size of a dinner plate at their largest and easily consumed in a single sitting even then (if you have a decent appetite anyways), but made with interesting, good quality ingredient that make them special. The one I find most interesting and which I ordered is the "Oahu" which has coconut, almonds, coconut, ham and pineapple. The cinnamon and coconut are what really make this an interesting mix and also the flavors that stand out the most. The rest of the ingredients, including the tomato sauce, are not layered on very heavy, nor is the layer of fresh mozzerella that thick. This lets these other flavors really stand out. ...and though I was a bit skeptical of tomato sauce with my coconut and cinnamon, it actually does taste very good. I wonder what it would be like with a white sauce... Oddly, these flavors don't show up on the list of ingredients for "make your own" pizza. The toppings, cheeses, and bases that are available, though, are quite intriguing. Olive oil and pesto bases, gorgonzola and gouda cheese, and items like kielbasa and habanero peppers mean that there really can be something for everyone. If you don't like pizza, Amato's also offers pasta and subs. This visit, though, was about the pizza since I had a coupon for half off one pizza. There were no problems for me in using the coupon, nor really with service. They were extremely busy, though, with pretty much every table and most of the bar filled. I had a little trouble getting my drink for this reason, I think, and things were a bit slow. I was in no rush, though, and really didn't mind. As to atmosphere... it's pleasant. I like the stone hearth and upscale touches. It's very much a family place, though, and there were a number of families present when I was there. Prices... for this style of pizza, they aren't bad. My "full size" oahu was about $10, and though I had no leftovers, I left full enough. Smaller appetites or those ordering appetizers might be alright with a half-sized order. Subs range from about $6 on up. Pasta, like the pizza, come in small sizes under $10, and large sizes that might be more than $10. I'm not sure how large these portions might be at the moment, though. Anyway, for upscale pizza with interesting ingredients, Amato's is a good bet. ...do note, though, that they are not open on Sunday.
(4)Andrew M.
First of all, the pizza is some of the best you'll find in central Ohio. On the edge of OWU campus, it has a fun vibe that is good for all ages. We were surprised to find the place was NOT overrun with douchey hipsters & college pricks! Be prepared to order several pizzas as they are pretty small. We consider ourselves "eaters" and found we needed more. The beer selection is good too!
(4)Tessa S.
Great service, great atmosphere, and great food. We were there during a music festival, but got a seat at the bar right away, which faces the wood oven. I really love sitting where you can see some of the kitchen action - like dinner and a show! We were served promptly and everyone that interacted with us was super nice. The Adrianne pizza was really good! My only suggestion would be to add pears to your pizza toppings menu. It would be a yummy addition to the caramelized onion pizza.
(5)Michael O.
Downtown Delaware at its finest! We live eating here but they have to do something about seating - there's simply not enough table capacity. Lunch and dinner, great menus and good quality. Great place to park your car and walk around downtown, I have plenty of friends that drive 45-60min just to eat/drink here.
(5)Tanya and Jason S.
We have to give this place a 5 out of 5! The food was great. The service was great. Amato's is a kid friendly place. The owner came out and asked us how the food was. We told him it was great. Best pizza in Delaware Ohio. A must have for any pizza lover. We will certainly be back! They have the most toppings for pizza we have ever seen.
(5)Tim T.
I am a huge fan of woodfired pizza. However, I feel the prices are just a tad high. You can get an Extra Large pizza up the street for the price of their large. Otherwise, the food is good. The seating inside seems limited. I think they would do good to have one store front instead of separate ones for take-out and dining. If you take-out, the little room is cramped.
(4)Sicilian L.
AMAZING!!! BEST pizza in town. BEST service- the kids are GREAT!!! BEST desserts too!!! The nice boy even gave us a strawberry and chocolate drizzle on our cannoli to go. LOVE this place- it was our first time and we will be coming back!!!
(5)Mike D.
I've been here twice one year apart and both times the food and service were excellent at lunchtime. Small thin-crust pizza is a great meal with a nice selection of topping options. I will most likely continue coming here for lunch on my annual trip to the area.
(4)Kyle B.
Great place for pizza with endless options for your pizza as you can pick 1,3, 5 toppings and create your own pizza. Choices for toppings are wide ranging and very intriguing. They also have specialty pizzas which cover the typical pizzas. This place also has a great selection of beer and a nice patio in downtown Delaware to relax and hang out with friends. This day a friend of mine met me here and we had some time to kill so we just ordered a Bell's Oberon and hung out while we waited for the rest of our party. We were there around 5-6 and got a table on the patio immediately. The service was excellent as our waitress checked on us multiple times while we were waiting. Pizza was delicious. Ingredients are fresh. Only possible complaint I have is the pizza sizes. I ordered the smaller of the sizes and it wasn't quite enough for me but I feel the larger may be too much. Other than that this place is highly recommended if you are wanting some pizza and don't want typical chain delivery style pizza.
(4)Peter J.
Great Pizza, Decent Service, Good Prices.... The best pizza place to try in Delaware. If you like it spicy (and I do) try the Cherry Bomb Pizza.
(5)Barb D.
The food at Amatos has been very good every time we've been there. The pizzas are a refreshing change from the traditional pizza joints. I enjoy the unique toppings and sauces. They have recently added pasta to the menu and it is excellent. We've tried 3 of the options and they've all been top notch. The only complaint that I have is the speed of the service. The staff is very friendly, but it takes way too long to get the food on the table. We've had the same experience during busy and slow times. Speed up the service and it becomes a 5 star place.
(4)Toby B.
In the world of homogenious mass-produced pizzas, Amatos is the shining light in the storm that reminds us of how great pizza can be. Wood fired on site and the food is made with the freshest of ingrediants and the selection of toppings covers the wide gamet of otpions. A great place to eat -- the new sit-down restaurant is very open and can get loud at times but has a nice ambiance. The new patio is a wonderful place to enjoy dinner or just drinks with friends.
(4)Clayton M.
The best Pizza in central Ohio.
(4)Mark H.
Pros: Good wood-fired pizzas with a fairly interesting array of toppings; decent beer selection at great prices; good & friendly service. Cons: Can be inconsistent -- as another reviewer pointed out, we've seen burned pizzas as well; can be slow -- if the place is near full, make sure you have well over an hour to spare; patio is nice, although the nearby truck traffic is loud and the fountain is always crawling with screaming kids; interior seating can be loud and, if there's a wait and you happen to be seated by the door, you can count on someone who's waiting parking their butt six inches from your head as there's no room people to stand. We've picked up their carry-out pizzas for years. They recently expanded next door and created the sit-down restaurant, which is a nice addition to downtown. I think they're still working through the learning curve a bit, but they have the main ingredient in place: good food, good service, good location. I'd suggest giving them a try on a weeknight.
(4)Pete S.
Took almost an hour and a half to get our pizzas that we were told "only take 4 minutes to cook". The waitress made excuses about a large carry-out order, but we watched as a table near us, they came in almost 20 minutes after us, finished their pizzas and left while we were still trying to figure out where our pizzas were. There was also a live band on the patio that was so loud that you couldn't talk inside the restaurant. I would give the food 4 stars, the pizza was excellent when we finally got it, but the service and noise bring it down to a 2 rating.
(2)Greg K.
Ordered carryout here for a group of 10. They were not set up for such a big order, but handled it well. Got 3 pizzas, several small salads, a meatball sub, and a meatball appetizer. All the food was great. I would clearly return, if in Delaware, OH again.
(4)Alisha J.
I love Amato's because it is close by and offers some of the best, authentic Italian pizza I've had (outside of Italy). The pizzas come in 2 sizes and are small, so plan on sharing a couple or ordering one all for yourself. There are lots of "pre-built" pizzas to choose from, or you can choose your own toppings. I really love the cipollini and the hulk pizzas. The atmosphere is family friendly, as well as romantic. There is an inside area and a bar, as well as an outside patio. The restaurant is located right in the square downtown, so great for people watching on busy weekends. It definitely can get busy, but the service is always great and quick. They also offer carry out! I have not had anything except for their pizzas and a few select appetizers (all good), I just can't bring myself to stray from those delicious pizzas!
(4)Eric H.
My wife and I dined here on a Saturday night with our two boys, aged nine and three. The tables were full inside, so we said that patio seating would be okay. The hostess led us to a table that was sitting in a small pool of water. After moving to a drier spot, we waited without our table being touched by a server for 20 minutes. During this time, three different servers passed us by. We finally flagged down the hostess who found someone from inside to wait on us. After ordering, we waited with two now restless boys for our food. And we waited. And we waited. The server finally came back and said our pizzas had just been put into the oven. We waited some more. Our server then dropped off one of our two pizzas and then said the other one was coming because they'd made a mistake on the order and put the wrong kind of olives on it. If she'd let us know earlier, we'd have gladly taken it anyway. We're not particularly picky or high maintenance. Our second pizza came after we'd finished eating the first. No apologies were made for the delay. The pizza was also soft in the middle due to being underdone, with the topping sliding off the mushy ends of each slice as we tried to eat them. I'm not hard to please, but I do expect to be treated like my business matters. We won't be back.
(1)Matt P.
This pizza joint in downtown Delaware definitely has some great wood-fired pizza. Not many beers on draft, which was a little disappointing, especially for having pizza. They did have CBC IPA so I was SAVED! They also have a very nice patio area. The only complaint I have is smelling like a campfire after leaving. We squeezed some seats at the bar since it was slammed packed on a Saturday night and that's where they wood fire all the pies. Not sure if the smoke came from that or coals they had fired off to the side as well. A sign of bad ventilation...? Took forever to get our order, which was wrong when it arrived. I think our order simply fell through the cracks with everything they were trying to get prepped and out. Was it worth it? Well, they have the Delaware pizza market cornered, but not worth a drive from Columbus. Just go to Bono. You'll get the same thing but with cleaner clothes.
(3)Christine H.
Amato's has excellent pizza, and the rest of the food is very good as well. We love eating at local places, supporting our community, but we also are pretty picky about where we go. Amato's is our go-to Italian place if we are staying in town. Typically my husband and I order take out and choose a number of appetizers that travel well. We get the antipasto platter, the caprese salad, the sausage, peppers, and onions, and maybe a pizza {for me, since he's gluten free}. I always say I'm going to try another type of pizza, but end up getting my favorite- the 5 cheese pizza with pesto. It is just so so good. We also love their cannolis. If I could, I would give Amato's 4.5 stars instead of 5 because the take out, and sometimes sit down service, is a bit slow. But that is a small price to pay for a great local place. Just know in advance and plan accordingly.
(5)Ryan D.
Stopped in to Amato's for the first time ever for lunch on our Anniversary. Everything was pretty awesome! The staff was amazing, we asked for some guidance on the menu and received a very good explanation on what ingredients the use and what styles of food they have. We stopped in just after lunch time so they weren't busy, about half the table were full. That's probably a good sign at 2:15 on a Thursday. I can't imagine how busy they get during normal meal times as good as the food is... And, the place smells amazing with the wood fire! AMAZING. We had a make your own pizza and the chicken diavolo. I was skeptical, but both came out piping hot and were equally amazing as the smells coming from the wood fire. You can tell they use fresh ingredients and everything on the pizza an pasta was full of flavor. Overall, Amato's is amazing for lunch. The staff was friendly and attentive, the food was excellent and the atmosphere is par none. If you haven't been there it's worth the trip and we will be back!
(5)Grace M.
I feel as if I should give Amato's another try before I review, but first impressions are important so here we are. To begin, the location is lovely. The decor is open and yet warm with exposed brick to remind you you are indeed in historic downtown Delaware. And I bet the patio is attractive during the warmer months (darn winter). However, their wooden chairs are not at all comfortable. The place was busy on a Wednesday so maybe they like you to scoot along your way? I chose the eight inch margarita pizza while he opted to pick his own toppings for a twelve inch. If you like crisp, thin crust then this is the place for you. Emphasis on thin. We probably should have ordered salads, as we both left fairly hungry. From my first visit, I'd give the pizza three and a half stars as there just was nothing particularly delicious or memorable about it.
(3)Susan R.
Amato's is a very solid eatery in downtown Delaware. It's probably more like 3.5 stars, but it gets a bump to four in the absence of half-stars. + Our servers are always very nice. + Reasonably-priced food that is pretty decently good + Great patio when it's warm + Vegetarian options woooooo The dining room is a little hectic when it's full, and we had the awkward situation of being seated at a six-top with a party of three while a large party awkwardly stood around right next to us waiting for a table (sorry!). The food isn't as good as the original business that trained them, Bono Pizza, but it's more than serviceable. The last time, I got a veggie sub that, while it could use some work (especially with the eggplant--marinated eggplant = chewy, dense texture after it absorbs the marinade.... roasted eggplant with just a little salt, that would be more my jam), was better than a lot of veggie subs. It could come with some chips or something tho, just saying. A sub by itself on a plate is a little sad. Overall, will definitely return here for more pizza.
(4)Mindy C.
Delicious wood fired pizza, but the real star to me is the antipasto salad. Loaded with goodies like salami, cheese, banana peppers, etc. Be aware the acoustics make it extremely loud. The service was just ok- my second time there I think my waitress had too many tables or something-she was rushing a lot and slammed things down on the table. Overall, good experience, great food.
(3)Damon R.
Amato's is awesome! The food is always consistently good, the service always friendly and welcoming. I typically go on Fridays because that is the only day they serve Italian beef. It's amazing and has become my favorite but it's not on the menu so just ask the server.
(5)Megan C.
We have been going here since they first opened in their little tiny location... and they've grown tremendously to the building next door and expanded with the same quality food they offered before! We are thankful to have such a great place in Delaware that has lasted this long AND improved. It used to be my little secret, now I don't know of anyone who hasn't been here. I order the 5 cheese on wheat crust and my husband orders the adrienne on white crust. I do switch up my order for my summer lunches, I get a salad with homemade creamy tarragon dressing. First of all, where else can one even get a fresh hand tossed pizza with only the best ingredients or an entire salad with homemade dressing for this price? No where else in Delaware, that's for sure! They never skimp on ingredients and everything is always vibrant and beautifully plated. The quality cannot be beat. The contributions they offer to the community are great. Management treats all the customers like friends, they walk around to tables and talk to everyone. They stay up to date on the happenings in the community and ask customers opinions on various topics. One of the owners takes the time to allow children in the restaurant or travels to them to make pizzas or teach them and displays their crafts for the community to see. I believe they even purchase as much as they can locally to provide the freshest available items and support the local economy. The service is always great, the workers seem genuinely happy to be working here and serving the customers, which says a lot about the management in my opinion. I prefer the bar seating to watch the food get prepared on the grill or put in the wood fired stove. It provides an original and fun experience for people that are new to Delaware or visitors you're sharing a meal with. They also have a fabulous patio outside that is fenced off with tables to allow the customers outside seating to listen to the local bands that play or watch the people gather on First Fridays. Not to mention it's at the main downtown intersection, so the view of downtown doesn't get much better. Overall, it's a wonderful experience that I highly recommend as a local and for those new or visiting Delaware.
(5)Lauren F.
You can't go wrong at Amato's! I'm yet to have anything that I didn't like! Pizza is awesome, the veggie sub is killer, and the salads are fresh with amazing house made dressings! I wish I had a location closer to home but this is definitely worth the drive!
(5)Bill S.
The place is beautiful and there is an instantly noticeable friendly atmosphere. We started with the meatball appetizer. They tasted great and came out FAST, which is awesome. The meatballs weren't quite as warm as I'd like, but they weren't cold. Overall a great start. Gonna ding em a point on the heat factor- sorry guys :) I had #19 - Adrianne. Pesto base jalapeños, Gorgonzola, feta and mozzarella - it was glorious. The boy had #2 - San Giorgio. Pretty traditional pizza - delicious. Service was super friendly and fast. Our server was very nice, always had a smile, and stopped by often to check-in, but not too often. Ingredients were fresh and tasty. We drove an hour to give them a try and it was worth it. We're coming back
(4)Amy H.
Pretty good, love the patio. Bruschetta was just ok but the chicken diavolo was really good. I was glad it was pretty spicy, usually the "spicy" dishes on menus aren't very spicy but this one was. The spaghetti and meatballs were good, not amazing. The caramel cheesecake was really really good, I was excited to hear they are doing in deserts now. Will be back to try the pizza.
(4)Ally H.
Tasty, fun. Service is slower, so come when you're on a relaxed schedule. The food is really great.
(4)Alan L.
The Pizza was incredibly good. Exceeded my expectations by far. However, Trevor, the bartender was the worst restaurant employee I have encountered this includes my trips to France. I stood 3 feet away from him for 10 minutes trying to get his attention. I never lost eye contact with him. He never acknowledged me. Finally a very sweet waitress figured it out and was very helpful and took our order. From the time I encountered Trevor to the time I got my food it took 75 minutes. The whole time Trevor never acknowledged me or my son. Probably because he was too busy berating the dishwasher that was busting his butt to keep up. Trevor was angry that he didn't have clean glasses to make drinks. Of course it didn't help that he broke two glasses while we were there. So overall I would highly recommend Amato, but avoid Trevor at any cost.
(3)Chad H.
For the price I expected a lot more in taste and size. I would accept the portion size if the taste was better than it was. My favorite woodfired pizza is from a nice place in grandview and UA (not mentioning name so not to advertise) and I was expecting the same here but it's not even close.
(1)Brian C.
Great salads and really great pizza Great staff, also have really good pasta, try the diavolo! The have a small but good array of craft beers on tap. This is Delaware s best
(5)Nathan P.
Wow, is this place great. Good food, good beer choices and amazing pizza! We enjoyed our pizza and pasta. The beer was a craft brew that was a bit hoppy for me, but still good.
(5)Nautichelle D.
Pretty good Margarita Pizza, good Grilled appetizer sampler, soufflé & cannoli were delish! Sending everyone I know your way!
(4)Heather N.
The smell when you walk into this pizza place is amazing; smoky wood fire mixed with garlic and fresh cooked pizza, what could be better? When sitting at the bar you can watch the staff make the pizzas in the open kitchen. The pizza itself come in two sizes great for sharing or enjoying alone. A little tip, if the restaurant is busy opt for table sharing. You can be seated much faster. When I used this option I found it nice to chit chat with others about the yummy food.
(4)Steve T.
My favorite restaurant in Delaware. The Napoli pizza was great. Crust was thin and toasty. Toppings were tasty with anchovies and garlic. The ambience is nice and the service was good. $8 for a 8 inch personal pizza.
(4)Brian D.
Upon hearing the word "woodfired", I knew a road trip was in order. Amato's sits in downtown Delaware. The restaurant side and patio seemed like it would be an ideal place to grab a pint and enjoy the woodfired pizza. Indeed, I believe they were recently voted the best pizza in Delaware. Amato's has a separate entrance for take-out orders, so I was relegated to the "back door." Amato's has some great flavor, but the 30 minute ride home did not do this very thin pizza any favors (if you're hungry, order two). While I love char spots, some bites (as you can see from my photo) were pure carbon (a one star deduction). The sauce did not distinguish itself as it's spread on very thin. The peps and shrooms were quality, but nothing to really Yelp home about. The meatball appetizer comes with four very large meatballs (a good value). While they are somewhat difficult to fork through, they have a very unique seasoning (helped by some pesto sauce thown on top of the tomato sauce). They also had a nice bite to them. My one beef: too salty. The wife loved them. I would love to go back to Amato's and try some of their specialty pies - definitely a bit north of A-OK.
(3)Steve Y.
We love Amato's. The pizza is well-crafted and the most interesting parts of the place are the homemade intangibles that accompany the pizza. For example, the roasted red pepper salad dressing is homemade and the meatballs aren't frozen and served after a microwave reheating. The servers show hometown personality and the vibe is casual. Craft beers. Wood fired pizza. Engaging personalities and good food... Our favorite place. Period.
(5)Joshua G.
One of my favorite restaurants in Delaware. It has a cozy, neighborhood feel. The wood-fired pizza is the best I have had outside of New York. The shrimp scampi appetizer is delicious. I have never had a bad meal or bad service here. There is also great outdoor seating space.
(5)Paul M.
I had the Marghetia pizza. It was good but needed more basil. My wife had the San Gergio pizza it was great and had the best flavor.
(4)Meghan H.
I remember when this place first opened. It was in an tiny building with no seating, just a walk up window. For how small the space was, the pizza was and still is hands down the best in town. In a town with more than a handful of chain restaurants, private owned small unique restaurants have thrived, and Amato's has moved beyond just thriving. On almost any given night around seven Amato's with it's new dining area and outside seating is packed while the other pizza places with a dining room are dead. This gives you an idea of how popular this one place has become. Now to the food itself. When they first opened they had an amazing list of specialty pizzas. Over time some have gone away as they refined their menu but the quality has never wavered. The only thing I miss from the beginning was the huge selection of toppings. With that said there is still more interesting unique toppings at Amato's than found at all the other pizza places in town combined. The salads and sandwiches are a newer addition and are equally as good as the pizza itself. There are the expected and the unexpected. The house salad is one of my favorite salads in town and is the perfect size for one. I haven't had any of the sandwiches yet, but from the smell of those ordered by my dining partners, they are amazing as well. I will still always go to Amato's for the pizza.
(4)Tom P.
One of the best pizza places around the columbus area. I used to live in Grandview and really enjoyed bono pizza. There style of pizzas is very similar but actually made a little bit better with much better ambience at their restaurant. I always order the Adrienne which is pepperoni, jalapeno peppers and some other great ingredient, which is an amazing pizza!! My wife has tried some of the different vegetarian pizzas and has enjoyed them all. The staff is always very helpful and they always have a few decent beers on tap.
(5)Tom D.
Wow - what a great place for a lunch and what a great Italian Sausage Sub - had 1/3 pound of Italian sausage grilled, and served on a toasted bun with marinara sauce, sauteed onions and pepper - for 6.99 - you just can't beat that. The place was clean, the staff were super friendly - even the cook came out to meet us - because he wanted to see the person who ordered the Cherry Bomb specialty pizza. That pizza has "HOT" all over it - listen up ... tomato sauce, sriracha hot sauce, fresh tomatoes fresh jalapeno peppers, fresh habanero peppers and fresh mozzarella - not for the meek for sure! Large selection of items and great tasting food all around. Certainly worth a lunch stop!
(4)John D.
Service was good as usual. Very attentive servers. The hostess probably should not have been wearing sprayed on yoga pants, but that is a rant for another day. The Italian Beef sub was great. It has taken them years to finally nail it. It was always good, but this incarnation is what it always needed to be. Crust on the pizza is still too thin. At least for any pizza with more than 1 topping. Sauce is still just ok. Sausage is very good. Outdoor seating really adds to the experience.
(4)Heidi L.
Brick Oven fired hand tossed pizza with some wine and olives. May I ask, can you get any better than that? Ambiance and decorative setting make for an amazing experience with friends. Their selection of original pizza combinations can be overwhelming if you have a hard time making decisions but that is by no means a bad thing. Selection is everything! There are so many I want to try! Located in a towering 3 story old brick building on the corner of Williams and Sandusky in historic downtown Delaware near campus. Bring the friends and or fam and prepare to have a blast.
(5)Timothy S.
The bruschetta was great. The hot Italian sausage sandwich was even better. The waitress was very friendly. I will be back.
(4)Dew T.
I loved the mushroom pizza. Delicious. Not a lot of vegetarian options so I was glad the mushroom was great. I'd stop again when in Columbus.
(4)DL S.
I dare ya, like double dog dare ya to find better food in Delaware - here - the region! Go ahead... The food is ALWAYS great, service is wonderful and just a super crew all around. I, we, friends and fam have had anything and everything on the menu and it's ALL great. Period. These guys have got it. Perfectly cooked FLAVORFUL food! You can see why they have so many regulars - they know where to go for great food. I saw some whiners (on Yelp) who mentioned that "it took to long..." You know what, head down to Mickey's and get a fillet o fish and stop whining. If i have to wait for well prepared, flavorful food, FINE. It is a pleasure. Besides, you can enjoy more drink. Oh yeah, "too noisy..." Shut up. If you want 'a more subdued dining experience, hit MCL'. If the "place ain't jumpin' and kinda like a tomb" that may be a sign. You can see why so many Yelpers like Amatos and why everyone rates it so highly - ah, DUH! Cuz it is so good here. You will see that the owner(s) really do CARE how the food is, your experience and how happy you are when you head out with a full belly. Also, gotta share, the prices/portions are awesome and with everything here why, dear lord, would you go to a chain place? Honestly, having eaten all over the state, region and east coast, i would be hard pressed to find better. Truly a GEM!
(5)Mimi H.
I have to give them 2 stars due to inconsistency. We live in Westerville so Amatos is not convenient to us at all. When they first expanded from just the take out window to a full scale restaurant, we were blown away by what a great place it was. We found excuses to make the drive over there after work several times a month in the beginning. However as their popularity has grown, their production ability and attention to detail has not kept up. One visit this year in May and we sat waiting for our pizzas for 65 minutes(timed it!) while our server avoided making eye contact. We finally had to ask another server for refills and an ETA for our food. When we finally received our pizza, the middle dough was under cooked. We stopped there last night on the drive back from Toledo. The restaurant was less than half full and only 3 customers sitting at the bar. We sat directly across from the server station across from the bar. Before I sat down I had to brush large chunks of food off my chair. Our server was quick to take our order then we waited for 40 minutes for two pizzas. My husband finished his beer and then tried in vain for ten minutes to catch our servers eye to ask for a second beer. The empty bottle was pushed over to the edge of the table as soon as he finished it yet no employees noticed. He finally had to pick up the bottle and wave it. We saw several employees reading their phones. The last year or so, we've never seen anyone who seems to be a manager which is in sharp contrast to when the restaurant first opened. His/ her presence would likely correct the deficiencies. We ordered bacon added to one of our pizzas and we couldn't find any. Didn't bother to see if we were charged. Our pizzas were delicious as always but we've decided that we won't be making any special effort to go there again but if we find ourselves hungry near Delaware we may go back.
(2)Kevin A.
Everything is freshly prepared with care. Wood-fired pizza with great flavor. Inviting atmosphere and attentive staff. Best pizza around!
(5)Senie S.
Has the best pizza and salads around. If you aren't in the mood for pizza there is also always other foods that are delicious. You can never go wrong with mozzarella sticks and the appetizers there are delicious! Very tasty for a small town like delaware
(4)Ash S.
Love this place!! Great food and awesome beer selection!! You will not be disappointed.
(5)Bryant M.
What do you do when you want to have a birthday party at Bono? You go all the way to Delaware for the next best thing. I've heard that the folks at Bono trained Amato's how to cook delicious, wood-fired pizza, and after looking at their nearly-identical menus, I'd believe that story. Although Amato's doesn't have the same charm as Bono, and although the experience just isn't as fun, this place really does a great job. Amato's is situated in the cute-as-a-button downtown area in Delaware, and their space is really lovely - while still being comfortable. They take reservations, the service is great, and the wood-fired pizzas are delicious! So, the next time you have a group to feed and you're craving Bono, think about heading to Amato's!
(4)Brian S.
I liked the pizza but was not totally enamored by it. Maybe it's because we have better thin crust pizza in Philly and I am a Pizza snob? Amato's version has really, really, thin crackery crust but I personally would like a thicker edge around the pie and a little more char to it (see my photo for Zavino in Philadelphia. yelp.com/biz_photos/zavi… ) The mushroom toppings on one of our pies at Amato's were excellent but the sauce and cheese were just so-so. As I said before I have been babied by San Marzano tomato sauce and buffalo mozzarella. Very friendly owner though!
(3)Roab P.
Best wood-fired pies? I just might be! Always great craft beers on tap too! (like oscar blues) I live 45 min away and still come here. Its pricey but your paying for the quality.
(5)Demetreus R.
The best Pizza as a whole is made in New Jersey. That being said I travel the country for work, and when I have a taste for pizza I am usually disappointed. That's cannot be said about this hidden gem of a restaurant. It's obvious how good it is by the lunch crowd which seems to be perennial. The crust is thin and passes the fold test (real pizza aficionados know what I am speaking of) and the ingredients are sound. If I had to (and I do this reluctantly) find fault in this place I guess it would be that it's to small for its customer draw. I would be angry if I had to wait for a seat, which hasn't happened but could as during lunch there are a lot of happy chatting people here. I love this place.
(5)Amanda C.
If you come during prime restaurant time you might need to wait for a table. And the pizza is to be enjoyed fresh right there, not the best left overs. But delicious, fresh food! Fun atmosphere, a little hectic at times. The appetizers are great, the subs[especially the veggie] are the bomb, and of course you can't go wrong with delicious custom pizza! Favorite place to eat and people watch on First Friday events!
(5)Tasha L.
Great subs, appetizers and pizza. The best pizZa is the Adrianne. Sometimes I like to add sausage to it. A little kick and very delish! Shrimp toast and the meatballs are some of my other favorites. but the best thing there is the veggie sub! big, seasoned portabellas and just all around great flavor! its a must have for vegans! or anyone who likes their veggies. May have a hard time getting a seat at the bar and/or may be a wait.
(4)Ben T.
Nice spot on the corner for the restaurant. Very clean place an decent ambiance. The owner is very nice and interacts with customers. Pretty tasty pesto bread appetizer. The margarita pizza was good, and after we added some salt, was excellent. Not quite harvest in Columbus but the best besides it in central Ohio. The Oahu (Hawaiian) was ok without the almonds. The pineapple seemed to be crushed pineapple out of a can but was still decent. They had a good beer selection too - bottle and draft. We'll be going back!
(5)S C.
We ordered online and it didn't go through, so we ended up waiting over an hour for our large pizza and small salad. We ordered a small spinach salad, which comes with strawberries and pecans. Upon finally returning home, our salad had no strawberries and tomatoes, which I do not eat. The pizza had a great flavor. We got the 5 cheese, which has pesto sauce instead of tomato. The crust was so thin, it could barely be held. The pesto was great and the cheese combination was also good. The butchering of our order was enough to destroy the reputation of Amatos for this family.
(2)Pam B.
I am going to be nice and give this place a 3 since they are just starting out with the dine-in option, but man oh man do they have a lot to improve on... First, let me point out that the guys working here were very friendly and the establishment itself is very nice and clean. I really liked the atmosphere, the different table styles they have inside, and the overall feel of the place. Here is where they need to improve: their service. While they were very friendly, they were also extremely inattentive to our needs. Each time we ordered drinks, we would have to re-ask for them and it would take a good 10 minutes before we would get them. We waited over 40 minutes before we got served our food and there were only 4 of us. The restaurant was very dead (dine in and carry out) so there is no reason why it should have taken so long to not only get served our drinks but also to get our meals. The final straw for me was that my pizza crust was pretty much completely burnt. This saddened me since I had gotten take-out from here before and it was pretty darn good. I am hopeful that this place can pick it up to start meeting the needs of its dine-in customers but if it doesn't, the subsequent reviews will definitely be less than stellar.
(3)Tema K.
I have been going to Amato's for five years now. I ate there when they were in the previous location, which is now the take-out/ pick-up spot. The food is just fantastic. Their quality has never changed, even when they expanded and added new items to the menu. The owner, the managers and the waiting staff have always been top notch. I am pleased that they have stayed in business and will say if you are looking for woodfired pizza with a gourmet touch, good salads, pasta, subs, desserts and beverages along with fantastic customer service, this is the place to go
(5)Matthew F.
The atmosphere here is really nice, the wood fire stove, its clean, a nice little patio off to the side. I had high hopes but...unlike the stove, the food wasn't so hot. I had a slice of the Fungi pizza which was pretty good but my sandwich, the Pechetti, was not very flavorful. It sounded very tasty on the menu but it left me wanting more spice! It was pretty bland. I don't claim to be a Cannoli connoisseur but the one I had that night tasted like it was one you could buy in the freezer section at the grocery store. The best part, other than the screaming children running around and playing in the fountain all night, was that it was a beautiful night to sit out on there patio. Its not too big, but it has about 10 umbrella'd tables. And what goes great with patios? BEER! The selection there is quite good for a smaller place.
(3)Chad S.
The pizza was very good and priced well. 9.99 for a 5 topping pizza is not too bad. The crust is very good but a little too thin IMO. I will definitely be back but in my next visit I now know that 1 x 12" pizza per person is appropriate considering the thickness. I was shocked to see $1.59 for fountain drinks. It seems most places have jacked fountain drinks up to $2+. This was a pleasant surprise so I actually ordered lemonade instead of water. The waitress was very attendant to refills and pleasant while catering to my family.
(4)Yvonne R.
I hadn't tried Amato's until just a few months ago. My first experience was whole wheat crust and carryout. The pizza seemed to have steamed in the box and I was not impressed. Thank goodness I gave it another shot! I love that you can get a personal size or share a medium with friends and try a few. You don't get filled up because of the ultra thin crust. Lots of cool topping combinations and great sangria as well. I recommend just getting a carafe to start. Definitely on my repeat list. Great patio as well!
(4)Tim A.
I have been a patron of this restaurant for three years now and I keep coming back, almost weekly. Originally it was configured as a carry out place with minimal seating which in all honesty did not bother me a bit. I am super happy that they have expanded next door. The seating is less intimate, but the space is pleasant. The food quality has remained excellent, i suggest whole wheat pizzas with the pesto sauce and the pechetti sub. Beer and wine are now being served which is an extreme plus! I may be sentimental, seeing as this place has been a part of my college experience, but never the less. If your in delaware this is the place to grab diner. The owner is also a super nice and personable guy.
(5)Roger H.
Easily my favorite pizza and sub restaurant. the food is absolutely incredible done great every time if it's not let them know and I'll fix it. sometimes it does take a little bit of time but it's definitely worth the wait. great patio great atmosphere good beer as well. enjoy
(5)Katie E.
Love love loveeeeeee this place!!! It's so cute inside and the 5cheese pizza is delicious !!!!!! I highly recommend amatos
(4)Justin E.
My favorite restaurant in Delaware. The city gave the owner $100,000 to expand because they saw a future for this place. He only hires local college students and keeps a clean place. Food is made with the freshest ingredients and the prices are very fair. They will deliver your food to the two local bars too! Two big thumbs up!!!
(5)Chris V.
Pros: great pizza, great subs, free wifi Cons: none yet
(4)Kelly D.
im from so. cal. and was visiting family in delaware and stumbled accross this place! i loved it! for $10 i got a thin crust pizza loaded with toppings and almost went neanderthal and just picked up the whole pizza and started mowing! unfortunately i had to share.....2 pizzas fed 4 people and if i ever get back to ohio i'll definately go there again!
(4)Hunter K.
It was one of those big snow days and everything in Delaware was closed, that is how I stumbled on Amato's. I'm not usually a big pizza fan, but his veggie pizza was very tasty-fresh veggies, crispy crust. I also had a very good salad made with veggies, cheese and strawberries. Don't let the name fool you, there is limited seating available. I ate there and read the paper, maybe because of all the snow, it was nice and quiet.
(4)Damon R.
Amato's is awesome! The food is always consistently good, the service always friendly and welcoming. I typically go on Fridays because that is the only day they serve Italian beef. It's amazing and has become my favorite but it's not on the menu so just ask the server.
(5)Alisha J.
I love Amato's because it is close by and offers some of the best, authentic Italian pizza I've had (outside of Italy). The pizzas come in 2 sizes and are small, so plan on sharing a couple or ordering one all for yourself. There are lots of "pre-built" pizzas to choose from, or you can choose your own toppings. I really love the cipollini and the hulk pizzas. The atmosphere is family friendly, as well as romantic. There is an inside area and a bar, as well as an outside patio. The restaurant is located right in the square downtown, so great for people watching on busy weekends. It definitely can get busy, but the service is always great and quick. They also offer carry out! I have not had anything except for their pizzas and a few select appetizers (all good), I just can't bring myself to stray from those delicious pizzas!
(4)Greg K.
Ordered carryout here for a group of 10. They were not set up for such a big order, but handled it well. Got 3 pizzas, several small salads, a meatball sub, and a meatball appetizer. All the food was great. I would clearly return, if in Delaware, OH again.
(4)Eric H.
My wife and I dined here on a Saturday night with our two boys, aged nine and three. The tables were full inside, so we said that patio seating would be okay. The hostess led us to a table that was sitting in a small pool of water. After moving to a drier spot, we waited without our table being touched by a server for 20 minutes. During this time, three different servers passed us by. We finally flagged down the hostess who found someone from inside to wait on us. After ordering, we waited with two now restless boys for our food. And we waited. And we waited. The server finally came back and said our pizzas had just been put into the oven. We waited some more. Our server then dropped off one of our two pizzas and then said the other one was coming because they'd made a mistake on the order and put the wrong kind of olives on it. If she'd let us know earlier, we'd have gladly taken it anyway. We're not particularly picky or high maintenance. Our second pizza came after we'd finished eating the first. No apologies were made for the delay. The pizza was also soft in the middle due to being underdone, with the topping sliding off the mushy ends of each slice as we tried to eat them. I'm not hard to please, but I do expect to be treated like my business matters. We won't be back.
(1)Brian C.
Great salads and really great pizza Great staff, also have really good pasta, try the diavolo! The have a small but good array of craft beers on tap. This is Delaware s best
(5)Nathan P.
Wow, is this place great. Good food, good beer choices and amazing pizza! We enjoyed our pizza and pasta. The beer was a craft brew that was a bit hoppy for me, but still good.
(5)Matt P.
This pizza joint in downtown Delaware definitely has some great wood-fired pizza. Not many beers on draft, which was a little disappointing, especially for having pizza. They did have CBC IPA so I was SAVED! They also have a very nice patio area. The only complaint I have is smelling like a campfire after leaving. We squeezed some seats at the bar since it was slammed packed on a Saturday night and that's where they wood fire all the pies. Not sure if the smoke came from that or coals they had fired off to the side as well. A sign of bad ventilation...? Took forever to get our order, which was wrong when it arrived. I think our order simply fell through the cracks with everything they were trying to get prepped and out. Was it worth it? Well, they have the Delaware pizza market cornered, but not worth a drive from Columbus. Just go to Bono. You'll get the same thing but with cleaner clothes.
(3)Christine H.
Amato's has excellent pizza, and the rest of the food is very good as well. We love eating at local places, supporting our community, but we also are pretty picky about where we go. Amato's is our go-to Italian place if we are staying in town. Typically my husband and I order take out and choose a number of appetizers that travel well. We get the antipasto platter, the caprese salad, the sausage, peppers, and onions, and maybe a pizza {for me, since he's gluten free}. I always say I'm going to try another type of pizza, but end up getting my favorite- the 5 cheese pizza with pesto. It is just so so good. We also love their cannolis. If I could, I would give Amato's 4.5 stars instead of 5 because the take out, and sometimes sit down service, is a bit slow. But that is a small price to pay for a great local place. Just know in advance and plan accordingly.
(5)Bill S.
The place is beautiful and there is an instantly noticeable friendly atmosphere. We started with the meatball appetizer. They tasted great and came out FAST, which is awesome. The meatballs weren't quite as warm as I'd like, but they weren't cold. Overall a great start. Gonna ding em a point on the heat factor- sorry guys :) I had #19 - Adrianne. Pesto base jalapeños, Gorgonzola, feta and mozzarella - it was glorious. The boy had #2 - San Giorgio. Pretty traditional pizza - delicious. Service was super friendly and fast. Our server was very nice, always had a smile, and stopped by often to check-in, but not too often. Ingredients were fresh and tasty. We drove an hour to give them a try and it was worth it. We're coming back
(4)Amy H.
Pretty good, love the patio. Bruschetta was just ok but the chicken diavolo was really good. I was glad it was pretty spicy, usually the "spicy" dishes on menus aren't very spicy but this one was. The spaghetti and meatballs were good, not amazing. The caramel cheesecake was really really good, I was excited to hear they are doing in deserts now. Will be back to try the pizza.
(4)Ally H.
Tasty, fun. Service is slower, so come when you're on a relaxed schedule. The food is really great.
(4)Ryan D.
Stopped in to Amato's for the first time ever for lunch on our Anniversary. Everything was pretty awesome! The staff was amazing, we asked for some guidance on the menu and received a very good explanation on what ingredients the use and what styles of food they have. We stopped in just after lunch time so they weren't busy, about half the table were full. That's probably a good sign at 2:15 on a Thursday. I can't imagine how busy they get during normal meal times as good as the food is... And, the place smells amazing with the wood fire! AMAZING. We had a make your own pizza and the chicken diavolo. I was skeptical, but both came out piping hot and were equally amazing as the smells coming from the wood fire. You can tell they use fresh ingredients and everything on the pizza an pasta was full of flavor. Overall, Amato's is amazing for lunch. The staff was friendly and attentive, the food was excellent and the atmosphere is par none. If you haven't been there it's worth the trip and we will be back!
(5)Grace M.
I feel as if I should give Amato's another try before I review, but first impressions are important so here we are. To begin, the location is lovely. The decor is open and yet warm with exposed brick to remind you you are indeed in historic downtown Delaware. And I bet the patio is attractive during the warmer months (darn winter). However, their wooden chairs are not at all comfortable. The place was busy on a Wednesday so maybe they like you to scoot along your way? I chose the eight inch margarita pizza while he opted to pick his own toppings for a twelve inch. If you like crisp, thin crust then this is the place for you. Emphasis on thin. We probably should have ordered salads, as we both left fairly hungry. From my first visit, I'd give the pizza three and a half stars as there just was nothing particularly delicious or memorable about it.
(3)Susan R.
Amato's is a very solid eatery in downtown Delaware. It's probably more like 3.5 stars, but it gets a bump to four in the absence of half-stars. + Our servers are always very nice. + Reasonably-priced food that is pretty decently good + Great patio when it's warm + Vegetarian options woooooo The dining room is a little hectic when it's full, and we had the awkward situation of being seated at a six-top with a party of three while a large party awkwardly stood around right next to us waiting for a table (sorry!). The food isn't as good as the original business that trained them, Bono Pizza, but it's more than serviceable. The last time, I got a veggie sub that, while it could use some work (especially with the eggplant--marinated eggplant = chewy, dense texture after it absorbs the marinade.... roasted eggplant with just a little salt, that would be more my jam), was better than a lot of veggie subs. It could come with some chips or something tho, just saying. A sub by itself on a plate is a little sad. Overall, will definitely return here for more pizza.
(4)Mindy C.
Delicious wood fired pizza, but the real star to me is the antipasto salad. Loaded with goodies like salami, cheese, banana peppers, etc. Be aware the acoustics make it extremely loud. The service was just ok- my second time there I think my waitress had too many tables or something-she was rushing a lot and slammed things down on the table. Overall, good experience, great food.
(3)Nautichelle D.
Pretty good Margarita Pizza, good Grilled appetizer sampler, soufflé & cannoli were delish! Sending everyone I know your way!
(4)Heather N.
The smell when you walk into this pizza place is amazing; smoky wood fire mixed with garlic and fresh cooked pizza, what could be better? When sitting at the bar you can watch the staff make the pizzas in the open kitchen. The pizza itself come in two sizes great for sharing or enjoying alone. A little tip, if the restaurant is busy opt for table sharing. You can be seated much faster. When I used this option I found it nice to chit chat with others about the yummy food.
(4)Steve T.
My favorite restaurant in Delaware. The Napoli pizza was great. Crust was thin and toasty. Toppings were tasty with anchovies and garlic. The ambience is nice and the service was good. $8 for a 8 inch personal pizza.
(4)DL S.
I dare ya, like double dog dare ya to find better food in Delaware - here - the region! Go ahead... The food is ALWAYS great, service is wonderful and just a super crew all around. I, we, friends and fam have had anything and everything on the menu and it's ALL great. Period. These guys have got it. Perfectly cooked FLAVORFUL food! You can see why they have so many regulars - they know where to go for great food. I saw some whiners (on Yelp) who mentioned that "it took to long..." You know what, head down to Mickey's and get a fillet o fish and stop whining. If i have to wait for well prepared, flavorful food, FINE. It is a pleasure. Besides, you can enjoy more drink. Oh yeah, "too noisy..." Shut up. If you want 'a more subdued dining experience, hit MCL'. If the "place ain't jumpin' and kinda like a tomb" that may be a sign. You can see why so many Yelpers like Amatos and why everyone rates it so highly - ah, DUH! Cuz it is so good here. You will see that the owner(s) really do CARE how the food is, your experience and how happy you are when you head out with a full belly. Also, gotta share, the prices/portions are awesome and with everything here why, dear lord, would you go to a chain place? Honestly, having eaten all over the state, region and east coast, i would be hard pressed to find better. Truly a GEM!
(5)Toby B.
In the world of homogenious mass-produced pizzas, Amatos is the shining light in the storm that reminds us of how great pizza can be. Wood fired on site and the food is made with the freshest of ingrediants and the selection of toppings covers the wide gamet of otpions. A great place to eat -- the new sit-down restaurant is very open and can get loud at times but has a nice ambiance. The new patio is a wonderful place to enjoy dinner or just drinks with friends.
(4)Clayton M.
The best Pizza in central Ohio.
(4)Mark H.
Pros: Good wood-fired pizzas with a fairly interesting array of toppings; decent beer selection at great prices; good & friendly service. Cons: Can be inconsistent -- as another reviewer pointed out, we've seen burned pizzas as well; can be slow -- if the place is near full, make sure you have well over an hour to spare; patio is nice, although the nearby truck traffic is loud and the fountain is always crawling with screaming kids; interior seating can be loud and, if there's a wait and you happen to be seated by the door, you can count on someone who's waiting parking their butt six inches from your head as there's no room people to stand. We've picked up their carry-out pizzas for years. They recently expanded next door and created the sit-down restaurant, which is a nice addition to downtown. I think they're still working through the learning curve a bit, but they have the main ingredient in place: good food, good service, good location. I'd suggest giving them a try on a weeknight.
(4)Tim T.
I am a huge fan of woodfired pizza. However, I feel the prices are just a tad high. You can get an Extra Large pizza up the street for the price of their large. Otherwise, the food is good. The seating inside seems limited. I think they would do good to have one store front instead of separate ones for take-out and dining. If you take-out, the little room is cramped.
(4)Sicilian L.
AMAZING!!! BEST pizza in town. BEST service- the kids are GREAT!!! BEST desserts too!!! The nice boy even gave us a strawberry and chocolate drizzle on our cannoli to go. LOVE this place- it was our first time and we will be coming back!!!
(5)Mike D.
I've been here twice one year apart and both times the food and service were excellent at lunchtime. Small thin-crust pizza is a great meal with a nice selection of topping options. I will most likely continue coming here for lunch on my annual trip to the area.
(4)Kyle B.
Great place for pizza with endless options for your pizza as you can pick 1,3, 5 toppings and create your own pizza. Choices for toppings are wide ranging and very intriguing. They also have specialty pizzas which cover the typical pizzas. This place also has a great selection of beer and a nice patio in downtown Delaware to relax and hang out with friends. This day a friend of mine met me here and we had some time to kill so we just ordered a Bell's Oberon and hung out while we waited for the rest of our party. We were there around 5-6 and got a table on the patio immediately. The service was excellent as our waitress checked on us multiple times while we were waiting. Pizza was delicious. Ingredients are fresh. Only possible complaint I have is the pizza sizes. I ordered the smaller of the sizes and it wasn't quite enough for me but I feel the larger may be too much. Other than that this place is highly recommended if you are wanting some pizza and don't want typical chain delivery style pizza.
(4)Barb D.
The food at Amatos has been very good every time we've been there. The pizzas are a refreshing change from the traditional pizza joints. I enjoy the unique toppings and sauces. They have recently added pasta to the menu and it is excellent. We've tried 3 of the options and they've all been top notch. The only complaint that I have is the speed of the service. The staff is very friendly, but it takes way too long to get the food on the table. We've had the same experience during busy and slow times. Speed up the service and it becomes a 5 star place.
(4)Joshua G.
One of my favorite restaurants in Delaware. It has a cozy, neighborhood feel. The wood-fired pizza is the best I have had outside of New York. The shrimp scampi appetizer is delicious. I have never had a bad meal or bad service here. There is also great outdoor seating space.
(5)Paul M.
I had the Marghetia pizza. It was good but needed more basil. My wife had the San Gergio pizza it was great and had the best flavor.
(4)Carolyn E.
If you like thin, gourmet pizza, then Amato's is the place for you. Made with a wheat or white crust, the pies are the size of a dinner plate at their largest and easily consumed in a single sitting even then (if you have a decent appetite anyways), but made with interesting, good quality ingredient that make them special. The one I find most interesting and which I ordered is the "Oahu" which has coconut, almonds, coconut, ham and pineapple. The cinnamon and coconut are what really make this an interesting mix and also the flavors that stand out the most. The rest of the ingredients, including the tomato sauce, are not layered on very heavy, nor is the layer of fresh mozzerella that thick. This lets these other flavors really stand out. ...and though I was a bit skeptical of tomato sauce with my coconut and cinnamon, it actually does taste very good. I wonder what it would be like with a white sauce... Oddly, these flavors don't show up on the list of ingredients for "make your own" pizza. The toppings, cheeses, and bases that are available, though, are quite intriguing. Olive oil and pesto bases, gorgonzola and gouda cheese, and items like kielbasa and habanero peppers mean that there really can be something for everyone. If you don't like pizza, Amato's also offers pasta and subs. This visit, though, was about the pizza since I had a coupon for half off one pizza. There were no problems for me in using the coupon, nor really with service. They were extremely busy, though, with pretty much every table and most of the bar filled. I had a little trouble getting my drink for this reason, I think, and things were a bit slow. I was in no rush, though, and really didn't mind. As to atmosphere... it's pleasant. I like the stone hearth and upscale touches. It's very much a family place, though, and there were a number of families present when I was there. Prices... for this style of pizza, they aren't bad. My "full size" oahu was about $10, and though I had no leftovers, I left full enough. Smaller appetites or those ordering appetizers might be alright with a half-sized order. Subs range from about $6 on up. Pasta, like the pizza, come in small sizes under $10, and large sizes that might be more than $10. I'm not sure how large these portions might be at the moment, though. Anyway, for upscale pizza with interesting ingredients, Amato's is a good bet. ...do note, though, that they are not open on Sunday.
(4)Andrew M.
First of all, the pizza is some of the best you'll find in central Ohio. On the edge of OWU campus, it has a fun vibe that is good for all ages. We were surprised to find the place was NOT overrun with douchey hipsters & college pricks! Be prepared to order several pizzas as they are pretty small. We consider ourselves "eaters" and found we needed more. The beer selection is good too!
(4)Peter J.
Great Pizza, Decent Service, Good Prices.... The best pizza place to try in Delaware. If you like it spicy (and I do) try the Cherry Bomb Pizza.
(5)Megan C.
We have been going here since they first opened in their little tiny location... and they've grown tremendously to the building next door and expanded with the same quality food they offered before! We are thankful to have such a great place in Delaware that has lasted this long AND improved. It used to be my little secret, now I don't know of anyone who hasn't been here. I order the 5 cheese on wheat crust and my husband orders the adrienne on white crust. I do switch up my order for my summer lunches, I get a salad with homemade creamy tarragon dressing. First of all, where else can one even get a fresh hand tossed pizza with only the best ingredients or an entire salad with homemade dressing for this price? No where else in Delaware, that's for sure! They never skimp on ingredients and everything is always vibrant and beautifully plated. The quality cannot be beat. The contributions they offer to the community are great. Management treats all the customers like friends, they walk around to tables and talk to everyone. They stay up to date on the happenings in the community and ask customers opinions on various topics. One of the owners takes the time to allow children in the restaurant or travels to them to make pizzas or teach them and displays their crafts for the community to see. I believe they even purchase as much as they can locally to provide the freshest available items and support the local economy. The service is always great, the workers seem genuinely happy to be working here and serving the customers, which says a lot about the management in my opinion. I prefer the bar seating to watch the food get prepared on the grill or put in the wood fired stove. It provides an original and fun experience for people that are new to Delaware or visitors you're sharing a meal with. They also have a fabulous patio outside that is fenced off with tables to allow the customers outside seating to listen to the local bands that play or watch the people gather on First Fridays. Not to mention it's at the main downtown intersection, so the view of downtown doesn't get much better. Overall, it's a wonderful experience that I highly recommend as a local and for those new or visiting Delaware.
(5)Tessa S.
Great service, great atmosphere, and great food. We were there during a music festival, but got a seat at the bar right away, which faces the wood oven. I really love sitting where you can see some of the kitchen action - like dinner and a show! We were served promptly and everyone that interacted with us was super nice. The Adrianne pizza was really good! My only suggestion would be to add pears to your pizza toppings menu. It would be a yummy addition to the caramelized onion pizza.
(5)Michael O.
Downtown Delaware at its finest! We live eating here but they have to do something about seating - there's simply not enough table capacity. Lunch and dinner, great menus and good quality. Great place to park your car and walk around downtown, I have plenty of friends that drive 45-60min just to eat/drink here.
(5)Tanya and Jason S.
We have to give this place a 5 out of 5! The food was great. The service was great. Amato's is a kid friendly place. The owner came out and asked us how the food was. We told him it was great. Best pizza in Delaware Ohio. A must have for any pizza lover. We will certainly be back! They have the most toppings for pizza we have ever seen.
(5)Meghan H.
I remember when this place first opened. It was in an tiny building with no seating, just a walk up window. For how small the space was, the pizza was and still is hands down the best in town. In a town with more than a handful of chain restaurants, private owned small unique restaurants have thrived, and Amato's has moved beyond just thriving. On almost any given night around seven Amato's with it's new dining area and outside seating is packed while the other pizza places with a dining room are dead. This gives you an idea of how popular this one place has become. Now to the food itself. When they first opened they had an amazing list of specialty pizzas. Over time some have gone away as they refined their menu but the quality has never wavered. The only thing I miss from the beginning was the huge selection of toppings. With that said there is still more interesting unique toppings at Amato's than found at all the other pizza places in town combined. The salads and sandwiches are a newer addition and are equally as good as the pizza itself. There are the expected and the unexpected. The house salad is one of my favorite salads in town and is the perfect size for one. I haven't had any of the sandwiches yet, but from the smell of those ordered by my dining partners, they are amazing as well. I will still always go to Amato's for the pizza.
(4)Melissa W.
The wait can be long but the food is good. My personal fave is the meatball sub! The hubby loves the Adrienne pizza. Best spot on a Friday night and then walk the quaint town of Delaware.
(5)Liz Y.
Love the pizza but the tiramisu is to die for!!!!!
(4)Lindsay B.
We met my brother, sister-in-law, and a friend here on a Friday night. We sat outside and it was very noisy. Lots of trucks driving by. Lots of children running around the fountain laughing and screaming. Don't get me wrong I love kids... I work all day with them. Sometimes though I would like to escape them:) I ordered a pizza, the fungi. It was ok. My boyfriend had a sub, which he didn't seem to love or hate. I am not eager to go again but I would if others wanted to.
(3)Pete S.
Took almost an hour and a half to get our pizzas that we were told "only take 4 minutes to cook". The waitress made excuses about a large carry-out order, but we watched as a table near us, they came in almost 20 minutes after us, finished their pizzas and left while we were still trying to figure out where our pizzas were. There was also a live band on the patio that was so loud that you couldn't talk inside the restaurant. I would give the food 4 stars, the pizza was excellent when we finally got it, but the service and noise bring it down to a 2 rating.
(2)Jo I.
Amatos have recently expanded their menu to include pastas. They are delicious. The pizzas have always been good but now that there's even more variety on the menu, we eat there more often. Service is always good. Friendly management. One of our favorite places in Delaware.
(5)