I love all of the Melilli locations, but being the original has a different nostalgic feel to it We usually get a pizza slice with a garlic knots and a soda. For under $20, you can't beat this filling lunch/dinner We ordered a slice of pepperoni and a slice of chicken bacon ranch with a garlic knot. The slices of pizza were HUGE, like a 1/4 of the pizza. We cut them in half and got 4 slices out of them to share. Staff are friendly and the food comes out quick read more

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So happy I found this cute little cafe. I stopped in for a quick bite to eat with my other half. We both got a slice of pizza each. Which was huge! It was about 2 regular slices in one. We also shared garlic knots that were so yummy. Staff were friendly and service was fast. read more

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Ordered a breakfast sandwich with egg, cheese, sausage patty. Fresh and very tasty on a hard roll. Staff was friendly as well. read more

Melilli Cafe & Grill - Egg sandwich - Pizza Near Me - Portland, Connecticut

Once again I get sabotaged. Family seems to have no issues. Got another meatball grinder and mentioned at counter how the cheese sticks to the paper and completely stays on paper. They opened when I was paying and saw exactly what I explained.. they put in a pizza box and got home and cheese was stuck to inside of box. The other issue is how they cut the grinder roll. You CANNOT hold it properly to eat. They cut it like the subway used to do when they first opened - cut from the top. This is ridiculous. Cut roll from the side, add the cheese and sauce and then cut meatballs and place in roll. Problem solved. I cannot order from here anymore until this quality control is improved. I would encourage Josephine whom I spoke with to order some of her own products anonymously and see first hand what their customers are getting. It's too bad because the meatballs and sauce are very good. My wife order a small sausage and onion and got a small sausage and pepper. I double checked my receipt and it had sausage and onion Lastly the pricing for a small pizza and 2 items and large meatball was $45.... That is absolutely crazy!!!! I write this not for punitive reasons but to make the owners aware, AGAIN of several quality issues and challenges. I do my best to continue to support you but each time there is an issue. Food is great and reminds me of Franklin Ave where I grew up!! read more

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My husband mentioned he had some awesome subs catered for work, and a few months later, we've been to Melilli's a couple of times! Service is always prompt and friendly. We've tried multiple menu items. For gluten free options, pizzas are available, and all grinders can be made on gluten free wraps. At first, this was a turn off for me, but it was actually quite delicious. We've tried the Italian Combo and the Melilli Steak this way. They're great at allergen modifications, and there's plenty of delicious food to eat, no matter what you order. Other menu hits as mentioned by the friends we brought along the last visit include the chicken parm and the chicken fingers- high praise from a little one! We'll definitely continue to return to Melilli's. read more

Melilli Cafe & Grill - Gluten Free Italian Combo Wrap - Pizza Near Me - Portland, Connecticut

Very grateful for this place and the service provided. We had a large crew and needed breakfast quick, no problem at all, everything was hot and ready in no time. So good we went back for lunch, another large order and no problem again. Food was great, we can't thank you enough. We'll be back when in the area. read more

Okay y'all I FINALLY tried this place after a year of telling myself I'd circle back and OMG I'm so glad I did. This is probably the best calzone I've had to date since moving to this great state of pizza and it's all about the dough. The flavor and fluffiness of their crust is everything. The sauce is amazing, lots of flavor, and the cheese isn't overwhelming. I'm not a fan of the enormous amounts of ricotta in my calzones so for me the balance was perfect! And I swear even the mushrooms had flavor. And they weren't cut too thick like a lot of places do, so it was just the cherry on top. It's also as big as my thigh which is insane LOL The team was friendly and the atmosphere inside definitely feels like a small town bakery, which I love. I will absolutely be back and highly recommend y'all treat yo'selves on the way home on one of these frigid windy days! read more

Melilli Cafe & Grill - Mushroom Ricotta and Mozzarella Calzone - Pizza Near Me - Portland, Connecticut

Friendly staff and good food. I love coming here for lunch AND dinner AND breakfast! The bacon egg and cheese is my personal favorite, but all sandwiches are good! I also love the mellili sauce on the wings. Wound recommend to a friend or acquaintance. read more

Two visits in one week. I think we've found another favorite pizza/sub restaurant. We've had amazing pizza, subs and wraps. Unfortunately, our son realized that the idea of a Hawaiian pizza was better than the taste of one. It's a good thing that I'm a huge fan. We're already looking forward to our next visit. read more

First time here, had a breakfast combo plate with two eggs, bacon, hash browns and two pancakes. Big mistake because the pancakes are huge here !!!!!! They were very good, all food was and service too. Try this place read more

This place has everything, and it's all high quality. The pizza might be the best in central Connecticut, and they always have a ton of of massive slices loaded with toppings. In addition to their NY-style thin-crust pizza, they have Sicilian-style thick-crust slices that are better than the ones you'll find at most Italian bakeries in the area. The pastries are baked on site and are also better than what you'll get at most bakeries. Breakfast is awesome, too. Their omelettes are just like the pizza: huge and full of whatever meats and veggies you ask for. Ingredients are always fresh. The grilled home fries are a Melilli signature. I've ordered catering a few times, and the owner is friendly and easy to work with. The vodka pasta and chicken cutlets taste homemade and are great for a holiday or birthday. Even though Melilli is more of a takeout or casual dine-in spot, this is the quality of Italian food you'd be lucky to find at a high-end restaurant. read more

I'm a regular costumer here and let me tell you, this place is amazing! Food is always warm and savory and the staff is amazing! Great place to stop by for a quick snack or a nice well put together meal. read more

I have used Seby and his crew for catered events for several years. They've catered breakfast starting at 6:30AM and returned to do lunch at 11:30, finally returning at 4:00 for clean up. Always prompt and professional. They food is always GREAT! I always ask for a separate order of meatballs to take home. His home-made rolls and bread are delicious. Our attendees (usually around 150) comment on the good food and it's freshness, always asking who the caterer is. Strongly recommend Seby and Melilli's! read more

I don't know what the negative reviews are about. My husband and I have been going to Melilli's since they were in Cromwell. We have never had a bad meal or heard an untoward word from anyone. After living in two cities with very strong pizza opinions, NYC and Chicago, I can honestly say, Melilli's pizza is my favorite pizza on the east coast outside of New York. Pepe's is great, but it's a different experience. Tonight we had an antipasto salad with a large pizza in the dining room. It was way too much food, but we planned to have leftovers for the Patriots game at home. Service was very welcoming and accommodating. When people called in, I could hear them immediately tell the callers there was a 40 minute or an hour wait for pizza. They make everything to order, even the salads. They make their own crust and it's a crispy on the bottom, very well developed crust. I have found that reviews for pizza places are very polarizing. EVERYONE thinks their favorite kind of pizza is the perfect pizza. If it's not your bag, move on to another place. There's a million of them out there. But if you want to sit back and have a nice meal cooked by a family who are bringing their Italian traditions to your plate, then come here. read more

Melilli Cafe & Grill - Pizza Near Me - Portland, Connecticut

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This place is just so good!!!! I started going to Melilli way back when they were originally in Cromwell, Seb and his daughter Nikki run an awesome spot! Everything here is so dang good! You will not be disappointed if you come here. read more

Clean,small family owned business. Food taste very fresh and flavorful. Employees are very friendly. They also have bakery and daily Italian bread which is really good. read more

Pizza is delicious! I've gotten a few breakfast items as well before and they were pretty good too. The service is always really good and it's a cute cozy little place. Recommend giving it a try! read more

Great food. Friendly service. Did I mention the food is great? We had an omelette and the steak grinder. Both were fantastic. Very reasonably priced. We will be back! read more

We order two of the Scacciata's (not out first time) and we called to complain that our sausage and potato one didnt even have enough sausage to go with it for the price. We called and the owners answer was "i know exactly how much sausage i put in it" well, you just lost a family who orders from you and dines in more then once a month. read more

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Stopped in for breakfast. Food wasn't bad but the waitress dropped our food off and never came back to check in or offer to get more to drink for us. My husband ordered a pancake added to his meal and never got it, even though when he ordered she acknowledge the request. We've had the pizza to go before and it was okay. No Pepe's but for a local place it was alright. Not sure I'd be back for breakfast again or to sit down for a meal again. read more

Really disappointed with our breakfast. Ordered breakfast platter with poached eggs and french toast with corned beef hash. My poached eggs were absolutely cooked all the way through as were my daughter's for her eggs benedict. There was no utensils, no syrup or ketchup provided and there was almost no hash. Covid 19 is no excuse for the slide in the food quality I've seen here. read more

This place was very disappointing... my son and I went for breakfast and spent 45$ just on breakfast because of the way the waiters put in the order and it wasn't put in the way I said. If she put in the order the way I said it shouldn't have been more than 25/30 at the most. The service wasn't good and the food certainly wasn't worth 45$.... For that price we could've went somewhere for sushi or hibachi. I don't recommend this place for breakfast at all. read more

Great sandwiches! 16" long which are easy to split with your buddybakery items are fab toodon't forget the pizzas!

I'm pretty surprised this place is only 2 and a half stars on Yelp. This is not your run of the mill mom and pop pizza place. They make old school sicilian pizza and scachatta. If you dont know what scachatta is or never had it please try it. You have to call 24 hours on advance but it's worth it. Tonight, I ordered a hamburger Sicilian sheet pizza. I know this type of thick crust pizza is not for everyone but I love it. It brings back memories of giuseppe's pizza on church st in Middletown. I highly recommend giving Melilli Cafe & Grill a chance. I also heard they have very good breakfast sandwiches. One day I will have to stop by and try one. read more

Melilli's offers a pizzeria, bakery, and catering service in downtown Portland, across the street from Portland police station and Youth Services bureau. I must say, they're doing it well. They offer both pizza to order and by the slice. It's a New York-style thin-crust pizza, and ordered by the slice you have to fold it. It's very flavorful, and the crust is a standout. The other night, when we came by, they had two pizzas with broccoli as part of the topping available by the slice - one of which included bacon and fresh ricotta. Very nice. Customers order at the counter, and there is seating as well as take-out. It's not fancy, but they can accommodate a pretty good number at lunch and dinner. And they've got really good baked goods. The four stars is for that pizza crust. It's outstanding. read more

Cute, authentic Italian cafe! Love the location right on Main Street in Portland. I came mid-week with my mom just to pick up some cannolis to take to a friend's house. Service was a little slow, but we ended up getting out in time. Next time I'm in the area I'd love to try lunch here. read more

Consistently top notch food and service. One of my favorite all around places to eat breakfast and lunch. Keep up the great work!

Do not go!!!! Terrible pizza, took 1hour and 5 mins to get. Lost appetite while the garbage was being replaced next to us. Stopped tonight with my pregnant wife as she wanted pizza and ice cream. Figured it would be nice to try, seeing as there is an ice cream place next to it. There were two boths taken and one availabe that had crumbs and a used cup on it. Waited to see if they would wipe it down....nope. Cup was taken away and we were asked if we were ready to order. Waited 20 mins and the waitress came back said it was a little slow. After 40 mins i started to fall asleep. My wife was beside herself. Then i heard them call our order. Figured it was ready, but nope they were just preparing it, as they had definitely forgotten about us. For a $24 pizza it better be good. An hour is up and we are still waiting. Finally it comes. It was crap! No good pizza!! I could have went to some chain like Dominos paid $7 and had a better pizza in 10 mins. I am a very patient person but the service there is the worst and they couldn't even knock a dollar off the ticket. Paid full price, put it in a box, and brought it home, as my wife refused to eat it after losing her appetite. Never will we step foot in there again, and i suggest you don't either. read more

The breakfast I had took twice as long to cook and yet still tasted somewhat cold. The food overall was just okay.

They make the best egg, bacon and cheese breakfast sandwich all day long. I love them. It's always a treat to have one.

The lady at the register (Caucasian, dark short wavy hair) has a attitude early afternoon. Luckily, I'm a regular and know it's not all staff like this here. I love the owner, he's a good guy! read more

Very good place Jade is awesome Love thier cheese grilled sandwich Pepper egg on roll Thank u read more

They have food. I don't know why we ever go here, but we go back for some unknown reason. The food is edible, but never outstanding, and service is always painfully slow. 3 simple breakfast items took 45 minutes, it's not they were overly busy. The people behind the counter aren't particularly friendly either, you feel almost purposely ignored until the "right person" comes up to take care of you. read more

They have continuously forgotten items from our orders. There salad are nothing but lettuce. Making them completely over priced. Extremely disappointing! read more

My husband and I used to frequent Melilli's Restaurant in Cromwell when they were there and We loved it! We have eaten at their Cafe and Grill a few times since they opened and I have to say we have been disappointed each time. This visit we ordered a chicken parmigiana grinder to share and added roasted peppers- the sauce was way to sweet for our liking, and not nearly enough chicken for the amount of bread. When we paid our bill we were shocked that the cost for one grinder was $17.00. I do feel $2.00 extra for roasted peppers was a lot of $$ considering the peppers were sparingly tossed on our grinder...I think I may of had 3 small pieces of peppers on my half. The desserts looked delicious and everyone working there was generally pleasant. We do not feel that we will return for food again, for dessert only. We do miss the restaurant! read more

If I could give zero stars I would. I am hosting a party today and had called the day prior to place an order. When I called they told me to call back today 2 hours prior to the event for the 3 pizzas. When I called to order the 3 pizzas I was told they could not handle the order today until later in the day. This isn't the first bad experience I have had here, always chaotic and nothing ever goes smoothly. I will now support a restaurant outside of town. read more

Food is mediocre at best. Service not as good. Staff is generally indifferent or even snarky if you ask to may questions.

The food is a bit pricey, like $4.95 for an egg sandwich, and $4 for a small personal cheesecake. However, the egg sandwich was as big as my head so you get what you pay for. It was delicious. One thing, though--there was only one morning employee and after she handled money she then turned around and cooked our food. That was a bit gross, and I'm sure isn't how things are supposed to happen. read more

Over charged me. Then when I called them on it they basically shamed me into paying more than the advertised price. Saying if you need the 2 dollars I'll give it to you. Even though it was clearly written on there special board. Very disappointed! read more

Yum!!!! I wasn't so sure driving up to this place, but it had got some good reviews, so we decided to just try it. I'm glad we did! Husband got a HUGE Philly Cheesesteak that he enjoyed and I got the club BLT. Now BLT's are pretty straight forward, but something about this just made it excellent! Not sure if it was the perfectly toasted bread or the right amount of all the fresh ingredients, but it all came together in delicious perfection. We don't live around here but next time we're in the area, we'll be back! read more