D'Amelio's Italian Eatery

"November 2023 - D'Amelio's Italian Eatery catered the food for a Jack and Jill party we attended at the Hawk Ridge Winery in Watertown on the 11th a Saturday evening. Hearing this entering the event space on the second floor, we were pleasantly surprised. D'Amelio's food is so delicious in or outside of the restaurant in Waterbury. For this occasion, warm trays of baked chicken legs, their famous meatballs, eggplant parmigiana and gemelli with broccoli. They also put out a tossed salad, bread and coffee. # Fun evening this June weekend in a private room for a NIABA/CIABA event. Before joining the party we chatted with Joey D'Amelio who was outside happily opening fresh oysters and clams for the raw bar. We then stopped at the bar for a couple of cocktails before heading downstairs for dinner. The packed tables of lively diners were served platters of antipasto, penne with shaved parmesan, a medley of fried seafood, sausage with broccoli rabe, and a mixed greens salad. Cannolis with either chocolate or traditional shells were for dessert along with cappuccino and biscotti. # Everything we had during our lunch yesterday was tremendous. Choosing D'Amelio's in the Town Plot section of Waterbury on our way back from some business in a neighboring town, we chose correctly. Exquisite flavors throughout the whole dining experience. A favorite spot of my partner's since the eighties, when it was a small Italian grocery store and deli where he would get hot and cold grinders, to twenty years or so presently when it became a popular restaurant. Starting with their cucumber martini with Hendricks gin, I have to say it's the best cucumber martini I've ever had - sheer perfection in taste, balance and chill. (Patrons can order this with a Crop cucumber vodka, too.) Their cocktail menu is impressive. The cabernet sauvignon was smooth and paired well with our orders. The Mozzarella Di Casa, scrumptious with a good crunch on the breading and a creamy lemon butter wine sauce, is an appealing change from the En Carozza version of this appetizer, which is always served with a red sauce. Cut in four delectable triangles, the presentation is visually tempting before even taking a bite. The soup of the day was their take on chicken gumbo, so since it's February and cold, we shared a cup. A sizable portion packed with chicken, chorizo sausage and vegetables, a bowl of this would be a hearty flavorful meal in itself. The house bread is also spot-on with two kinds - one with a sesame seeds topping and the other plain. Lobster ravioli with pink champagne sauce had the ideal density and the flavor is unbelievable. My partner said one of his old friends always orders it when he's joined him over the years. I can see why, and was happy to have two left over for the next day. Veal Saltimbocca at D'Amelio's is not served the traditional alla Roma way, in that they choose to add a good amount of Portobello mushrooms to their version, but my partner loved it and had no complaints to speak of with this interpretation. Their dish also comes with mozzarella as some do. The sautéed spinach vegetable side he chose was also well cooked, and he was pleased to have leftovers, as well. Two cappuccinos with an Amaretto side and a Bailey's side put a fine finish to this wonderful culinary outing. Lunch specials from salads to paninis are also available for diners. There is a private event room downstairs for large parties, a separate bar and two floors of booths. Buon appetito!"

"This has been my go to for great Italian dishes for probably the last 20 years! Their chicken parmigiana is, IMO, the best in CT! It is always perfectly crispy on the outside and never dry in the middle and their marinara sauce also makes the dish. This time I opted for the grouper special, it came with potatoes and asparagus. The fish was perfectly flaky and very tasty. There are literally no wrong choices when it comes to D’amelios! The menu has so many great choices, then they have a specials menu too. They are also offering the cheese wheel on Wednesday nights during the fall and winter."

"I diamond in the rough. The former house doesn't look like much from the outside but when you walk in the atmosphere changes to warm. The food is amazing and portions are more than enough for a second meal. The Parmigiano pasta experience (yes experience) is only topped by the yummy food that comes from it. Though only available Wednesday. Will be back!"

"There were 9 people in our party. The calamari family style appetizer was good. Moving onto salads and entrées— dinner salads are nothing to write home about very skimpy. I ordered the Caesar salad at a $4 up charge which was drenched in dressing. Of the nine entrées ordered five were good, 4 were fair. The veal and eggplant Parm, the veal was over cooked, and some of the bread blackened. I had the salmon it was over cooked dry enough that it stuck to my teeth. When I asked the waitress to bring it back to the kitchen, someone brought the plate back to me and said it was cooked perfectly, that it was blackened, meaning that’s why it’s dry? He never introduced himself and seemed a bit angry. I took the plate back to avoid further attention. The lobster ravioli was OK but more like a soup with lobster ravioli than with with a complimenting sauce. Lastly, the Alfredo sauce lacked flavor and was very sticky. Overall just disappointed with both food and interaction with management."

"My boss wanted to treat my management team and I to a farewell dinner before I changed locations. One of the managers suggested D’Amelio‘s. I heard a lot of great things about them from people that live in Waterbury. The parking lot was a little difficult to navigate. It doesn’t have a great design. There was much easier street parking available. The inside is very clean with some nice decor. There is a bar area if you’re looking to unwind after a long day. The entire staff was very friendly and helpful. I was blown away by the food that I ordered. There were so many great choices. With my boss paying, price was of no concern. We started off with a few appetizers. The fried calamari was breaded and fried to perfection. The cherry peppers are also a nice touch. Are usually like a few to add a little spice. The giant meatball with cheese in the meatball was fantastic. The sauce brought out the flavor of the meat and cheese. For my dinner I got the Pollo Roseanne. I enjoy getting food that is not a normal menu item that can be found in every restaurant. This is one of those dishes. It was chicken stuffed with pickled crabmeat and cheese. It had mushrooms on top and a cream sauce. I had pure joy with my firs bite. I can’t remember the last time I had such a variety of delicious flavors in one dish. I would order it every time I come here. Five stars! A great experience."