If you are searching for a quaint little spot with pretty good Italian food then this is the place for you. The place gets packed so arrive earlier then later. We started off with the calamari (very good) for my main course i ordered the ravioli trio. Excellent. The sauce it comes in was so good, that they could have smothered it on an old shoe and I would have devoured it. I had a chance to try the lemon mousse as well. Very good. I'll definitely be back. read more

Caruso's Bistro - The Ravioli Trio is amazing. - Italian Near Me - Middletown, Delaware

My boyfriend and I just recently moved to Middletown and have been trying the local places. Tonight I called in for a takeout order because our kitchen caught fire the night before and he's injured and I'm in the middle of cleaning. Outside looks kinda run down, inside was BEAUTIFUL, very unsuspecting, everyone was very nice. Food seemingly was pretty good, now we are both throwing up and have bad stomach aches. Had the fettuccini Alfredo and tortellini Alfredo. Probably never eating there again. read more

Best pizza in Middletown. They have a great selection of food however the pizza is the best. Special deal on Mon or Tuesday saves a couple bucks too. They also give back to the community! read more

I dined in. No table service. Food tastes awful. I had a pasta dish. Sauce is not good. Believe me..... I know Italian food and this is no where near tasty. Nice enough people, but, I will not return. If pasta sauce was bad, pizza can't be good. read more

Update: I went to this establishment on 06-10-21 with my daughter and ordered penne vodka, 3 orders of garlic knots, and a slice of pepperoni pizza to go. While we were waiting my daughter asked if we could eat in and I stated she could sit down for a few minutes, but we couldn't stay long due to another engagement. We received our order and sat down and the cook behind the counter called out something to grab my attention to ask if we knew we were going to eat in, and I proceeded to say no. He stated the next time we were going to eat in to say something because he didn't want to waste to-go containers unnecessarily. I asked him how it was a waste when I'm a paying customer and he stated people just leave containers laying around the tables. I felt very targeted as an African American female with their child at this establishment. This is an example of blatant discrimination.  I don't know what his title is or if he is an owner, but I urge him to take a customer service class expeditiously because that was horrible. I've never been treated so horrible at this establishment. I will never return and have already told my family and friends about my experience and will continue to urge people not to patronize this establishment. Take it from me and take your business elsewhere. It's a shame because I've been to this establishment several times. After consuming half of our meals, I packed up our meals in the bags and asked him how the containers he gave us a waste and he proceeded to say well you didn't waste them on this instance. Instead he should have apologized for his accusatory behavior and placing me in a category of others. Take your business elsewhere where you're appreciated. If he is not the owner I would to have a conversation with the owner because his discrimination will negatively impact the business. read more

Their standard has made its way to the toilet bowl. This place used to be the best pizza in town, but they've really gone downhill. Their stuffed meat pizza used to be something you'd crave, but the one I just brought home to my family tells a much different story. This pizza that used to be literally stuffed with meat, is now just two overcooked crusts with a tiny, minuscule bit of meat inside. There was so little meat, that you couldn't even taste it. Each bite basically tasted like cheese and overcooked crust, with no meat at all. Finally, after you finish a slice, your plate is left with a literal pool of grease! I am disgusted with Caruso's new standard of quality and they will never get my money again. By the way, I live right across the street, so your horrible quality has driven away a frequent customer. read more

As far as pizza is concerned, Caruso's cheese pizza is the most delicious in all of Delaware! If you find a pizza more delicious, please let me know! I drive to this location, sometimes more than 20 minutes out of the way to get their delicious pizza! Honestly, I never want toppings because it takes away from the deliciousness of the fabulous cheese pie! There's a lot of comments on here about Caruso's service (being bad)...I can't say I've ever had an issue with the service, and I've both eaten in and taken out numerous times. The place is super clean from what I can see. Also their italian dinners are also delicious. Middletown, DE is LUCKY to have Caruso's!!! read more

Italian Restaurant? The entire staff were Mexicans. From the cashier, server to the food cook. Unbelievable. The entire time my daughter and I sat to eat in, the staff were speaking loud from one side of the place to the other side. No consideration for the customer. Not authentic at all. The pizza was sub-standard. I am from latin america. I wanted Italian food with the Italian feel atmosphere. Not this place. Lousy taste. Save yourself embarrassment if you out on a date or a simple dinning with the family. read more

Unbelievable they take the orders of people they know. No hospitality complete tools Save u yourself the agony! I had to hit 1 star there was no zero read more

My Wilmingtonian friend and I (a Doverian) meet here for dinner several times a year, as it's a great midway point. We LOVE this place! We haven't tried the pizzas; we get the dinners. The penne alla vodka is my favorite. Penne pasta, a creamy blush vodka sauce, rich bits of proscuitto, cheesy goodness in there somewhere - this is the dish I always get. And, I often take home a vegetarian version to my husband; he loves it, too. My friend has tried a larger variety of dishes, including the baked ziti and chicken parmesan. We always get the calamari, which is a generous portion and fresh. Neither of us has ever ordered a meal we didn't love. I haven't ordered a dessert in awhile, but I remember enjoying the tiramisu. They have a few specialty cocktails; my favorite is the lemoncello martini. The bread that comes with the dinners is smaller pieces of crusty Italian bread. The atmosphere is casual Italian dining, but the small dining area is cozy enough to make it a great place to bring a date. In fact, until recently, I had no complaints about Caruso's. During our last visit (9/2015), however, things were a little different. The food was still amazing, but the staff were less than stellar. Our waiter was new and made a few key mistakes: forgot to bring the salads that come with our dinners (to be fair, I didn't realize his mistake until I got home that night); thought the penne alla vodka was already vegetarian, so didn't understand why I was ordering it special; served my friend's cocktail long after mine and didn't include the tiny lemon peel garnish; tried to put the dirty bottom of one dish on top of the food that my friend wanted boxed to take home. None of these were dealbreaker errors, but they did start to accumulate. And, another staff person (she seemed to be in charge of cleaning up tables) really made us feel rushed. We arrived at 7:30; Caruso's is open until 10, so we definitely weren't there too late at night. First, she offered to wrap up the rest of our appetizer as if we were ready to go home; we hadn't even been served dinner yet. And, she basically hovered over us most of the night. We felt rushed. The dining room wasn't busy, so they didn't need the table, and we left by 9:30, so we weren't staying unreasonably late. We really didn't appreciate the rush. That said, we both agreed that the food is too good not to go back. If the staff is better at my next visit, I'll amend this review, because I really do love the place and we don't usually have issues with the staff. read more

First of all if your looking for a fancy Italian restaurant atmosphere, this really isn't it. But here we go, last night my fiancé and me stopped in on our way home from up north. The waitress was nice and attentive. Now here comes the good part. BEST F***kinng thing I've had in my life. Tortellini Alfredo with shrimp! People. I'm not gunna lie. It's so good I had my left overs for breakfast this morning. (Don't judge) The reason I didn't give it a 5 is because there were a bunch of fruit flys buzzing around our table and that kinda turned me off. But the food was slamming We also had the bruschetta which was good but I would have preferred it warm. Check it out. Especially if you don't feel like waiting at the near by Applebee's read more

Being from NJ, the Italian scene in Delaware is pretty awful. I am happy to say that Caruso's reminds me of home. My go to is a grilled chicken wrap with roasted red peppers and fresh motz with balsamic. They do not have this on the menu HOWEVER they made it for me no problem and the chef upped the ante by suggesting fresh basil. Yes the basil and motz were FRESH. The chef even diced up the basil to make it even throughout! They also catered to my wish of having plain steamed broccoli. Always feel welcome when I come in like I am walking into my friends house. The chef made sure everyone was happy with their dish. Italian food is VERY personal especially pizza so it is difficult to please but having fresh ingredients always makes anything delicious. I have also had the pizza here, best I have had in Delaware. I do suggest there white. The calzone is pretty good too. read more

They have really good steak Stromboli!!! I order them all the time and are always a huge hit.

I've always had friendly service here. But I don't eat here as often as I used to. The tomato pie is excellent and it's usually what I have. The salad is good. The pizzas are semi-baked and go into the oven for a finished heating. It can get crazy some evenings if they have a lot of pizza orders as the pizza is quite popular. read more

We were driving through and decided to stop by and check the place out as we were hungry, but didn't feel like eating at a chain like Apple Bee's. It definitely turned out to be a great choice! We only had a 10 minute wait, which we thought was good considering it was a Friday night. The server was friendly, quick to take our order, and very attentive. I ordered the Cavatelli Alla Caruso pasta speciality, and it was absolutely delicious! The servings are are large, and considering you are also served bread and a salad with it (both of which were good), I ended up taking left overs. We didn't order any pizza, but based on the amount of people coming to pick some up and the great comments, I assume it probably tastes great! The only issue I find is that the dining area is kind of small, and as a result, tables are pretty close together. However, this seems to be managed well by staff and we didn't have any problems with it. Besides, the great food makes up for the tight space! It was a very great experience, and we will definitely be back next time we're near the area. read more

I placed an online order for delivery for my family's dinner. Mind you, the only option Caruso's offers for online ordering or for delivery is to go through Slice via the website "www.carusosbistromenu.com". Slice delivered the food very fast, approximately 35 minutes after I submitted the order. I was impressed with how fast Slice delivered the food. After I received the delivery I noticed I was missing an item. Additionally some of my food was cold. I don't mean cold like the delivery took way too long so the the food that was once hot got cold over time. I mean cold like it was never hot in the first place. The cheese on my daughter's slice of pizza looked plasticky, like they took it straight from the counter and threw it in a box without ever bothering to heat it up. The garlic knots I ordered were chilled like they came out of the refrigerator, again like they didn't bother to heat them up. My chicken parmesan, my wife's veal parmesan, my son's burger, and our fires (you know, the food items that they don't typically already have pre-made and have to make fresh to order) were all hot/warm upon delivery. I called Caruso's to complain about the missing and cold items and they firmly passed the blame to Slice. The man I spoke to said I went through a third party, I paid a third party and a third party delivered my food, that they handed the food over to Slice, complete and hot and it was out of their hands after that and if there was a problem that I have to take it up with Slice. He would not even consider the idea that maybe Caruso's could have made a mistake, that maybe they forgot an item or neglected to heat something up, as if those sort of things don't happen occasionally at every restaurant. I don't fault an establishment for those kinds of mistakes that inevitably happen from time to time. I do fault them for addressing those mistakes poorly and not taking responsibility. I told the man that I didn't choose to go through Slice but rather that Slice was the service Caruso's had chosen to partner with for delivery, and that Slice was the only option Caruso's provides if a customer wants their food delivered. He once again asserted that it was not their problem and that I had to take it up with Slice. His choice of words implied that I was partly to blame, as though I somehow broke the rules by ordering through Slice, a service that they direct their customers to. Here is why I am inclined to fault Caruso's and not Slice. First of all, if it was Slice's fault that there was cold food, then all of the food would have been cold, but as it turned out, only the food that by nature is kept refrigerated and/or at room temperature in the restaurant is what arrived cold. And as I mentioned earlier, Slice's delivery was extremely fast. It took about exactly the time I would estimate to prepare the food at the restaurant and drive straight to my house. I don't think I could've done it faster myself. That all tells me that it was Caruso's that dropped the ball by never heating up those items in the first place. Secondly, even if it was Slice's fault, a decent establishment that value's its customers and its reputation will take responsibility and at least try to make things right, certainly not pass the blame to others, and especially not to the customer. Here's how the conversation ended. I told the man that I was shocked to hear him being so quick to pass the blame and not do anything to fix the matter and it sounded like what he was telling me is that the next time I want Some Italian food delivered that he doesn't want me to give Caruso's my business. He said "That's what you have to do." I said "OK, next time I will make sure to take my business to one of your competitors instead." I must say that this conversation left me appalled. It seems as though they have intentionally positioned Slice where they are in their current business strategy as a scapegoat to wash their hands of any accountability for poor service. A business that would make a policy of passing the buck, that would rather burn a bridge with a customer than fix their own mistakes, and that places such little value on its own reputation, is a penny wise pound foolish business that is not much longer for this world, especially in this economic climate. Thus I say, Caruso's doesn't want your business so don't give it to them. read more

To clear the air, Caruso's Bistro only gets an "OK" rating due to its size alone. The seating can get a bit cramped as far as back to back space. Slide your chair back just enough, and you'll definitely rear end the person at the table behind you. I wouldn't recommend this place for group lunches or dinners. Again, spacing is the only reason I can not boost Caruso's Bistro into the four star ratings. This is a great place if you're out on a date, and simply want to take a break to enjoy a nice Italian meal. Yes, I do like their menu. Caruso's is most popular for their pizza. Some claim it's the best in Delaware. I wouldn't know for the fact that I'm a huge fan of their seafood side of the menu. You can't go wrong with any of the great seafood, and pasta dishes served at Caruso's Bistro! -Dj read more

One of the better pizza places in Delaware, but still not at all comparable to pizza places in any other state. The pizza tends to taste bland. It's on the thin side, so there's not much sauce. The only way it's half decent is if you mask it with multiple toppings. On this occasion I avoided the sub par pizza and tried the cheese steak and some fries. The cheese steak had far too much meat which looked like it was meant to be a pizza topping. The cheese was only on the bottom, melted to the bread, and the cheese-less meat in the middle of the sand which was left cold. The fries were soggy and mushy when I bit into them. They likely came from a freezer and were not left in the fryer for long enough. I've given this place so many chances, because I want Middletown to had a good pizza place so badly, but unfortunately I doubt I'll return. read more

This place use to be fantastic until Vinnie left. Dined in two separate occasions and both times were around 90 degrees inside with no air. I don't understand how a business owner can treat their workers like that let alone customers. The decor and food has gone down hill. You can tell the owner does not care about her business. We won't be going back to this place. read more

I would never go back. There pizza was dry and old. They make a mass amount of pizza and leave it sitting out all day and night. Even the manager said she would never buy a slice that has been sitting out there all day. The customer service sucked. The manager and other workers started yelling and acting crazy when i complained and sent the pizza back. They still were trying to make us pay for the dry, old pizza. read more

I think they changed owners. This used to be the best shrimp and broccoli Alfredo in the area. Now it's way too expensive and doesn't taste nearly as good as maybe two years ago. I don't go often and probably not anymore at the current prices. read more

After being at a funeral in Bear DE, there was 16 people that were headed to Caruso's to have a repast. These arrangements were made a few days before the funeral and it was asked to give a final head count before we all arrived. One of the mourners called and said there would be 16 of us approx 30 minutes before we arrived. When we arrived we were totally devastated by the temperature of the small room they were going to put us in. It was 80 degrees and the woman proceeds to say that they have NO air conditioning!! Obviously this was unacceptable and we waited for all to arrive before looking for another place. The woman actually was nasty when the mourners told her we weren't going to sit in 80 degree room for a repast. She had the nerve to come outside and tell the one who was in charge of the repast that they were ready to seat us! Bad enough that we had to bury our loved one today but it made it worse that this establishment didn't have the decency to tell us ahead of time that there was no AC! Glad we found a Mexican place very close and they took great care of us! Don't go to this place in the height of summer unless you like to eat in a steam bath!! read more

Definitely not what it used to be. Sadly the pizza has gone down hill in the last couple of years. I'm done for now, in a few years I'll try again. Hopefully they'll listen to what people are saying... read more

Have been going here for years,and the quality keeps going down and the prices keep going up, it's a shame but probably will be my last time. My Stromboli had grease upon grease with no taste. Called and told them, but seemed they already got your money and scratch off. KEEP YOUR MONEY and go get real Italian made by Italian. read more

Really cute little restaurant in dove run mall, the pizza was really good and our waitress was so nice but it took a while to get our pizza. When we finally did get our pizza it was delicious, will definitely go again. read more

Any bad review might be coming from a competitor because I thought the food and service was great. I have nothing bad to say about this place. The food was delicious and I was surprised that a menu and seriously delicious meal could be in a place located in a strip mall. They should have their own chain, I would of left Olive Garden/Lambertis/Macaroni Grill a long time for this place! Seriously it tasted that good! If you are ever in Middletown, you should stop here, I know I will from now on. read more

Customer service is horrible. If you ever have a problem, don't expect to get it resolved.

Nice local Italian joint. Space is a bit limited (service can slow down when it's busy) but the food is pretty darn good. The broccoli rabe sub is an awesome go-to. read more

It's ok. You will be disappointed if you're looking for the perfect pizza. Overall, if you are looking for Italian in Middletown Delaware, you have almost no option other than this place. They have a lock on pizza down here. It's way too pricey for pizza alone, and I have had so much better. However, it is good. I suggest the grandmothers pizza. They make a banging tomato pie also. If you like garlic, you'll love it. Strangely enough, they have the best wings I have ever had in this area. Suggest go at an off time between 4-6pm because the dining room gets very packed and it is tiny. Beer and wine served. It's a take out place too, so you'll see people coming and going while you're having your special occasion. Overall, it's good. Also, close to route 1 so if you are trying to avoid another wawa sub this is a sure thing. read more

Ordered a take out salad, was to have chicken and anchovies. No chicken and anchovies served very unappetizingly on the side in a plastic container also no dressing. I called back and after being on hold for over five minutes I hung up. Won't be back. read more

Got a call from Caruso's soon after this review. They apologized profusely for the mishaps and gave us a replacement order. This time the food couldn't have been better! We have been there since then and have experienced great food and the customer service we have been used to. I am so glad that they listened, and made us feel good about going there again. read more

Best pizza in Middletown. But terrible service if you eat in. Also if ordering on a weekend be prepared to wait. They'll quote 20 minutes but it often takes 45 minutes or longer. But good quality stuff. read more

Have been several times. Mostly take our, but we dined in once. The pizza is not the greatest, but the Stromboli and pastas are. We have also had good luck with subs. Go for the pasta with vodka sauce. The service in the restaurant was great, but it is little inside so you may have to wait a while on the weekends. read more

Best NYC pizza in MOT area; hands down!

Best pizza or pasta in Middletown by far. My # 1 go to place. You may have wait but if us well worth it. I wished they delivered and I wish the owner didn't call me "Boss" all the time lol ,,, but that's ok. Never had a bad meal. I'm a loyal customer . Like to see them find a place bigger too. They would pack the place. Said enough. You got the idea. Great place. read more

The broccoli ricotta pizza is very good. Service was good . Have to visit again to try the other options . Dessert options are plenty too. Wished the ambience was better for the price. read more

Best Pizza, Best Service, Best People in the MOT Area. Love it here!!!!!

Best pizza in Delaware hands down! Vinnie and his staff is amazing.I love the grilled chicken cesear salad.

Good casual place. The pizza is probably the best in Delaware. The hot subs are very good and the chicken cesar salad is good as well. The Italian dinner entrees I've had were just ok. read more

Great food and service, glad we stopped here on our road trip. Will eat here again if we ever come through this area in the future..