Empire Pizza - Wallingford

Had a lovely birthday meal with my fiance tonight. Wait staff were super pleasant all round and the dining room was clean and very warm! We had the Sicilian calamari (delicious and plentiful), swordfish florentine and penne a la vodka with shrimp. Everything was cooked just right and we finished it all. Drinks were a grapefruit martini, espresso martini, and keoke coffee; they were all delicious. Needless to say we can't wait to go back!

The food and atmosphere was definately great! I highly recommend making a reservation especially on a weekend. We sat in the small room off the bar which was nice with 4 other tables in the room. We ordered drinks chocolate martini and a center street ipa. We ordered dinner, chicken marsala with angel hair pasta(the pasta was a special that night), chicken and artichoke withangel hair pasta, penne al vodka with chicken and finally 12oz new york strip steak. All meals came with salad or soup, warm garlic bread for the table. Food was excellent and well prepared. Only downside was the room we were in was close to the bar which was standing room only in there. Also they only serve pizza in the bar area not in the dinnin rooms.

The place was crowded, but there was plenty of seating outside, which is what we wanted anyway. They've got outside seating out back as well, which would probably be quieter than the tables or front. Staff was friendly and reasonably quick. Try the tuna tartare tacos. Spicy, crunchy, gooey, I'm getting hungry writing this review. Spent $50/person. I had two appetizers rather than an appetizer and a main. That was a good choice, portions are large (and I'm a 230 lb guy) and mains are $35-40/plate. The front doesn't look like much, but that doesn't matter, does it?

Love coming here for lunch. When it's nice out sidewalk dining provides plenty of people watching. Lunch specials are amazing and everything is tasty. Their plain red sauce is fantastic. Friendly.

As is typical, the pizza was delicious. The beer was beautifully chilled. Service was welcoming as well as thorough. Always an excellent place if these are the things matter. As they should.