Oh my goodness, we had some of the BEST sandwiches here! We hadn't been to Merlino's for a few years, but visited this past week with our RI Food Fights sandwich coupons. We were pleasantly surprised to see the restaurant had expanded and now has a bar, a very attractive seating area, and a much larger menu than the last time we were there. We were warmly greeted by a very friendly server who also was the bartender for the night, and she did a great job in both roles. We both ordered The Josephine sandwich: breaded chicken cutlet (poinded nice and thin and was well seasoned and crispy), fresh mozzarella, roasted red pepper, arugula, and balsalmic glaze. We opted for getting our sandwiches Panuozzo style, which meant that all of the ingredients were folded into freshly baked pizza dough. This was what made the sandiwch expecially incredible! I will definitely go back to eat this again, and I wish they were open at lunctime since I work nearby. Merlino's also has highly rated pizza, and their desserts are house made. SO glad we stopped in and looking forward to going back! read more

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Overall the experience was good. Our server was really nice. The red sangria was very orange juice heavy. Not worth $12/glass. We came for the RI Food Fight Burger Blowout and the burger did not disappoint. It was very unique. The pizza was very good as well and excited to have leftovers. Ambiance was cute and classic Italian pizza place vibes. read more

Merlino's Pizzeria - Special burger - Sandwiches Near Me - Cranston, Rhode Island

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My second trip in was much better! The food was still really good! This time the wait time as far faster! The waitress was great and took good care of me. I know she put in no peppers on my sandwich, but they were on there. Hoping my third trip will warrant 5 stars, but it was certainly an improvement from the first time. Food is all 10/10 though for quality. Some of the best Italian around for sure. read more

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Our second leg of Lord of the Pies started at Merlino's, one of my favorite surprises from last year. Not just for the great pizza, but for my favorite pizza man, Carmine.. This year's Merlino's is an almost entirely different experience. They completely renovated the place. What was once essentially a great carry-out spot with pizza that had no business being as good as it was is now a mid-priced, mid-fancy, comfortable restaurant. Late '90s early 2000s millennial angsty teen favorites playing over the busy takeout and indoor buzz. Dashboard Confessional, that kind of thing.  The staff is awesome. Attentive, well-trained, couldn't be more capable or provide more professional, friendly service. And Carmine's still there. That matters. We got the tomato pie, the pepperoni pizza, and the meatball appetizer. The tomato pie was an absolute revelation. It's as good as any pizza in Rhode Island. The sauce is incredibly savory and so tomato delicious. A hint of red pepper gives it a little kick. The crust is thin, airy, and crisp. It has a satisfying crunch and tastes as good as it performs. The pepperoni is also quite good. It has just a hint of Papa Gino's in the best way. I love Papa Gino's. But imagine if Papa Gino's used the absolute best and freshest ingredients and was made by a master like Carmine. That's what this is. But that tomato pie can go toe to toe with any pizza in Rhode Island or anywhere else. It's perfect in its simplicity and simply perfect. That pie feels like the kind of pizza Carmine was always meant to make: humble, honest, and quietly unforgettable. read more

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Best pizza in RI! I order the meatballs and margarita pizza once a week and they never disappoint.

The food is pretty good, I especially like their style of pizza. However, they desperately need to hire help. I waited over an HOUR for a cheese pizza and a simple entree.... And then I was sent out the door with half of my order. They didn't even know about the other half... all while the restaurant is mostly empty! THEN when I finally got the rest of my food, it was incorrect. read more

RI Food Fights Lord of the Pies 2024 Review: SO GREASY! This was a call ahead and eat on the road kinda deal. The pizza was so greasy my husband had a hard time driving and eating at the same time. The paper under the pizza had grease droplets all over it. The peperoni curled up just like I like it but it wasn't as crispy as they should be. Bottom line: less grease, cook a little longer. (True score: 3.5) read more

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We discovered Merlino's through Rhode Island Food Fights. The restaurant is located in an unassuming corner of a small plaza, but despite its humble exterior there were a fair number of diners on a weekday. The vibe of the restaurant is cozy, with dim warm lighting, and plenty of indoor plants. Our host was welcoming and attentive to our needs. We ordered the tomato pie and potato pizza - the tomato pie was pretty good but somewhat nondescript. It was the dish that was included in our RI Food Fights menu, and if it had been the only dish we had sampled from Merlino's, the experience would have overall been underwhelming. The highlight of our dinner was the potato pizza which was spectacularly soft, fluffy, soothing. This was my particular favorite among all pizzas tried so far this month across RI and I can recommend this to many of my peers who may agree. read more

From the moment we walked in to this tiny plaza storefront, we knew this guy was something special. The owner stood behind his counter on a busy Saturday evening, chatting with a group of regulars who had finished up at one of the couple tiny tables & clutched their leftover BYOB wine & food. In this warm, friendly atmosphere, we quickly interjected ourselves the discussion ( back-in-the-day Federal Hill spots ). We could soon tell that Carmine had a true passion for high quality food. And, we found that be be reflected in all we tried from here. We ordered a couple pies & a Caesar to go & settled into stools by the window to wait & chatting with everyone who came through. We were having such fun, we found ourselves wishing we could stay. But, alas, the husbands were waiting, so we had to go. But first, the owner insisted we needed to try a slice right there, hot from the oven, while it was fresh. Yes!!! He was right! Pizza is always at its best fresh from the oven. And, this was good stuff! No surprise by now, but the quality of the ingredients used here is exceptional. The crust has the unmistakable soft crunch/chew that you only get with good, imported "00" flour. And, the flavor of the freshly milled grain comes through wonderfully. Flavors you just don't get with mass processed flours. The tomatoes, simple and high quality, shine. Naturally, the cheeses, too, are another step above the ordinary. Excellent! Back home, we found that the salad followed suit. Not your typical processed dressing, croutons & rubbery cheese. Rather all of the components were freshly house made and flavorful. Such a nice change after having many mediocre, processed salads lately. We can't wait to come back to try more! While this tiny spot seems suited best to take out, we are excited to return, with a couple bottles of wine, to work our way through the extensive menu of pastas, sandwiches, entrees... We are sure that we'll find that fabulous quality & passion for food in each dish. And, then there's his fun, warm conversations to enjoy as well! read more

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Yikes. I read through some reviews and few people said it was super greasy but decided to try for ourselves. We got a pizza and a chicken Parm sandwich. The chicken Parm sandwich was good. But the pizza, holy grease. It literally was so greasy it soaked through the pizza saturated the box. You can't even taste pizza all you can taste is grease. It's like eating grease soaked dough. I actually had a stomach ache after one piece. read more

Merlino's Pizzeria - Pepperoni and mushrooms - Sandwiches Near Me - Cranston, Rhode Island

Had dinner at Merlino's tonight. We haven't been since they expanded, and boy was it a treat!! The restaurant is beautiful and spacious. Everything was amazing!!!! Kialie, our server was so incredibly sweet and personable. The food- just amazing. We had a pepperoni pizza and a Josephine grinder-Chicken cutlet, fresh mozzarella, arugula, and balsamic dressing on a Buonos bakery roll. Everything was absolutely delicious. We can't wait to go back!!! Go visit, and support local businesses!! -- with Merlino's Pizzeria. read more

Merlino's Pizzeria - Pepperoni pizza - Sandwiches Near Me - Cranston, Rhode Island

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Updated to review chicken parm sandwich. Quick pickup for lunch. Nice sized portion of freshly made food. I could only eat half the sandwich it was so full of chicken. Tasty sauce and friendly service. Solid Italian food here. The pizza is one of the best in RI. read more

Merlino's Pizzeria - Small half cheese, half pepperoni pizza don't mind the buy they took out - Sandwiches Near Me - Cranston, Rhode Island

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I used my lord of the pies coupon for my first time trying merlinos! Small casual pizza spot that makes hand made pies with high quality ingredients. Not only serving delicious pizza but also has a wide variety of apps, pastas, sandwiches, and salads! I got a small pep with hot honey, basil, ricotta, and hot honey. You can tell they use high quality ingredients and a lot of care into making their pizzas. The inside was very small with a few sit down tables and very clean if you'd like to sit down and eat inside. To top it off, the service was excellent. The man who greated me was very friendly and happy to hear I was a first time customer and now will be a regular! read more

Merlino's Pizzeria - Sandwiches Near Me - Cranston, Rhode Island

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A nice middle-aged heavy set man (owner?) was quick to greet me and was friendly and talkative. Pizza was ok. Not bad by any means, but wasn't as good as I was expecting from the other reviews. Sauce is really good, but the cheese and crust were very ordinary. To me, it tasted too doughy. Again, its not bad, by not great. This is one of those times where I really wish yelp did half stars, because they really deserve a 3.5 rather 3. Based upon service alone, you should give this place a shot, and I may eventually give them another shot based upon the service alone, but won't be rushing to do so. read more

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I really don't like to write bad reviews but this pizza was so bad it actually made me angry. We thought we'd try a new pizza spot and ordered via DoorDash. We ordered a large pepperoni and an order of wings. Our initial delivery time was about 50 minutes which we fully expected for a Friday. We got notifications that our order was ahead of schedule and then suddenly that changed to "your driver is still waiting for your order"...for almost 30 minutes. Ok no problem, it's Friday, they're busy. We live less than 15 minutes from there so we were shocked when the pizza arrived barely luke warm and undercooked. It was also missing half the cheese....and not like it slid off during delivery...just not there. We heated up the pizza but honestly it was just bad. Very little flavor. I can't remember the last time I wouldn't eat pizza but I think I took 3 bites of the crust and tossed the rest. The wings were edible but nothing great. They were advertised as "over roasted with lemon, rosemary, garlic and caramelized onions". They were definitely fried, came with whole wedges of lemons in the takeout container which was weird and unnecessary, and were just meh. And I think it came with like 4 slices of onion. Unfortunately won't be a next time for us here. read more

Went for ri food fights. Got the Josephine and Caesar chicken. Both sandwiches were top notch. The chicken cutlets were cooked and seasoned perfectly. Will definitely go back for other things on the menu that looked interesting. read more

Couldn't wait to check out the new bar and dining room at Merlino's Pizzeria. I was also a little worried that their pizza wouldn't be the same. But if it's even possible, I think their pies are even better than I remember! I love that they now serve a small pizza which is great for dining in. We opted for their tomato pie, simple sauce, no cheese. The crust shines here with bubbles of char poking through the layer of tangy perfectly seasoned red sauce. We also got prosciutto fig which was a masterpiece before and still is. They use actual sliced figs on this pizza and its little details like this that make Merlinos a spot we can't wait to return to. Don't skip dessert here either. It's obvious they take the same care with their desserts as with all their recipes. The tiramisu ice cream cake was like an adult version of the best Carvel cake you ever had. The bar is on the smaller side but it works. Our bartender was great and they serve some unique Italian wines by the glass. The new space is comfortable enough to watch the game in but it's also got an intimate date night feel. Really a true hidden gem in a strip mall on Dyer Ave in Cranston. read more

Great new expanded space with amazing food and friendly staff! I had the pizza with fig, prosciutto, and arugula which was so good. Also couldn't resist having mama's meatballs. Looking forward to going back. read more

I was here from out of state on vacation and had the pleasure of experiencing the best pizza ever. I had their fig prosciutto arugula and so great! Also had Nonni's meatballs which were fantastic. Their wines are all Italian and so pure and delicious. Can't say enough about the staff, so warm and inviting! Look forward to coming back read more

We recently visited Merlino's and my experience was a mix of highs and lows. Let's start with the positives: the proprietor was incredibly friendly, making me feel right at home. The thin-crust pizza was a delight in terms of texture, and I appreciated the use of imported ingredients, which added a distinct and authentic flavor to the pizza. It's clear that quality is a priority here. However, a couple of things took away from the experience. One of the tables was dirty and hadn't been cleared, which detracted from the overall ambiance. Additionally, while the crust had a great crunch, it was noticeably salty, which overpowered the otherwise delicious toppings. If these small issues are addressed, Merlino's has the potential to be a fantastic spot for pizza lovers. For now, it's worth a visit if you're in the area but with some room for improvement which is not meant to be a criticism but an objective observation instead. read more

That old adage ' never judge a book by its cover' could not be any more true in regards to this place in Cranston. Stopped in here late last week after work one night to check out their pizza because they are also participating in the Lord of the pies event, I am so glad I did, thus far, I have to say Cranston is really killing it with their pizza offerings. This pizza not only looked ridiculously good, but tasted the same. The crust was crispy and warm and soft on the inside, and even though it looked like a heavier pizza it was completely light and fluffy, definitely one of the best pizzas I've had in recent memory and even though it is smack dab in the middle of Cranston and by my estimation, a total pain in the butt to get to, I am absolutely gonna have to come back here and get another whole pie. read more

Merlino's Pizzeria - Sandwiches Near Me - Cranston, Rhode Island

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Cheese Pepperoni Pizza was a 9.5!! Chicken Milanese was so delicious! What a great place! read more

Merlino's Pizzeria - Chicken Milanese - Sandwiches Near Me - Cranston, Rhode Island

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Just ordered from this place for the first time. I was very excited to try them out as they have a smaller than average menu and that is usually a good sign...It was NOT in this case! #1 Didn't receive the peperoni pizza we ordered...#2 To even call what I got "Cacio de pepe" is blasphemous! Who ever made this monstrosity of a dish should take this thing ( pile of over cooked spaghetti with parmasan shaker cheese ) up to federal hill and get the opinion of a REAL chef. Embarrassing! I hate to be so negative but, this is SO bad! Cantanzaro's is right down the street..(they aren't on any food delivery apps) I know why...they don't NEED to be. The owners of this Merlinos's place should stop by to see how Italian food is made. 0/10 read more

Merlino's Pizzeria - Cacio de pepe my *** - Sandwiches Near Me - Cranston, Rhode Island

The Pizza is incredible (try the Procuitto and fig!) but what's even more impressive is that they have a full menu of food that you'd swore came from an expensive restaurant. Love all of their pasta dishes, the Josephine sandwich is amazing and spicy greens salad. Everything is fresh and clearly made with love. Staff is always friendly, owners are often present and very nice as well. Meals are consistent. A weekly go-to of mine. Also great for catering! Used them twice and was very pleased. read more

Merlino's Pizzeria - 1/2 margarita pizza 1/2 plain cheese - Sandwiches Near Me - Cranston, Rhode Island

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I think I saw merlinos just won Lord of the pies and it's well deserved. It's my new favorite go to for Italian thin crust style. It's crispy but light and everything is so fresh. You can tell the dough and sauce are homemade and thoughtful. You can't go wrong here. read more

We were loooking forward to this pizza place as their door dash photos make the food look really good! We ordered the double roasted garlic bread which looks nothing like the photo and has no roasted garlic in it, just garlic powder. To me, the garlic bread was very bland and not really flavorful besides soft cheesy bread. The pizza we ordered pepperoni with extra cheese which was pretty good but didn't seem like extra cheese as requested. I also ordered the meatballs which had a nice soft texture which was good with the sauce and cheese. The place was okay definitely more of a to go setting as there are only like two tables but it is cute inside and smells good. My order was about ten minutes later from what it stated so I would order earlier than later as they seem to get busy. Staff was good and place was clean! read more

Live right next door and finally made it here after reading some pretty good reviews and seeing barstools review. Ordered the AJ Dieci which was delicious. I do love my toppings a little more evenly distributed, but understand with certain ingredients that can be tough. Crust was thin but held up with a wonderful chew which I absolutely love! Will definitely be back! read more

Found this place with #rifoodfights #bestpizza. Pizza was delicious, owner was great to chat with. Definitely going back to try other items on the menu. read more

After seeing their pizza special listed on the goProvidence Pizza Week website, we decided to try their pizza. The pizza was good as it was nicely seasoned and was rather unique in texture and flavors with the different toppings on the pizza. So that is the only reason we give them three stars. However, when we had to pay $36 for the pizza with two sodas, we were miffed. We also took home a dessert pizza, and that was not so good. Oi vey, talk about losing business fast. read more

Merlino's Pizzeria - Short Rib Pizza - Sandwiches Near Me - Cranston, Rhode Island

Merlino's Pizza does not disappoint! The Bear season 3 starts soon so in anticipation I've been trying to find the best Italian beef sandwich around. Search is over! I worked in Chicago for a time and let me tell you, Merlino's Italian Beef is as good as if not better than anything I tasted in the Windy City! Perfectly seasoned and their giardiniera adds nice flavor and crunch to a sandwich that can be soggy due to the jus. Their pizza is always great too but don't sleep on their pastas as they're as good as anything you'd get in a fancy Italian restaurant! I just wish they had more indoor seating or a bar. Overall... Great! read more

Layers of mouth watering flavors in each bite of pizza, great salads and pastas imported from Italy. Something for everyone!! Cozy dining area with a nice vibe, but if you don't have time to eat there get it delivered read more

Friendly bunch of guys, more of a to go place but if not there a couple of tables. I've ordered pizza a few times and always perfect and delicious! read more

Went back again and just as good as previous time, best chicken cutlet I've ever had (twice now), this time in the chicken milanese dinner.

10/10 everything is SO GOOD. The pizza is incredible, salads are super fresh, pasta is perfectly cooked and sauced. They use the best kind of pepperoni that curls up on the edge. Worth a try and worth every penny! read more

Merlino's Pizzeria - Dolce picante pizza with pepperoni - Sandwiches Near Me - Cranston, Rhode Island

Excellent new spot where pvd pizza used to be. This owner is a real pizza maker who cares about his craft. Ordered a large pepperoni and mushroom and a chicken parm sub. The chicken was so tender, jucy, and well cooked. The bread super soft. I wish it had a bit more sauce and cheese but he uses fresh mozz on it. The pizza was nice and thin, cooked with a nice undercarriage with light char throughout. Loved how he did the mushrooms as nubs and not slices. Pepperoni was on point. Just a great addition to the Cranston pizza scene. He is going to do very well in that location bringing real Italian comfort food to our area. Can't wait to try the pastas next time. read more

1st time trying this place tonight. Got two large pizzas and mozzarella sticks. Cheese pizza perfectly cooked. Asked light cheese and well done was perfect. Pepperoni pizza also well done sauce was great. Mozzarella sticks. Amazing. Great place we will be back. Thanks. read more

We had a pizza picked up and it was very delicious. Prices are quite reasonable. There are other very good options on the meni

It has a lot of potential but missed the mark for me personally. I got a cheese pizza and all I tasted was salty cheese, it was good cheese though. I couldn't taste the sauce at all which was disappointing. The crust was just how I like it, thin but not floppy. It was cooked really well. Next time I'll try the margarita and see if that's more my thing. It's a good option just in my opinion wasn't spectacular. read more

Just picked up two Pizzas, has to be the best pizza in RI. I can't wait to go back. I had the cheese pizza and the fig pizza.

Love this pizza! From someone that moved to RI from NY this is one of the best pizza places I've had in RI.