Carmelina’s Pizzeria Ristorante

Carmelina’s, the newly opened pizza joint in Smithtown, had been on my radar and raving reviews circulating on Yelp gave me high expectations. Unfortunately, our experience didn’t quite live up to the hype.

We opted for a classic cheese pizza, a large calzone, and buffalo knots to get a sense of their offerings. The pizza, unfortunately, fell short. Even after a short drive home, it wasn’t hot, which was disappointing. The taste was average at best, lacking the flavor we hoped for.

Moving on to the calzone, it had a redeeming quality in its crust—crispy and well-made. However, the cheese inside was surprisingly sweet, a flavor profile that didn’t sit well with our group. While some might enjoy this twist, it wasn’t to our liking.

The real letdown came with the buffalo knots. Expecting a unique and flavorful appetizer, we were served cold garlic knots drowned in Frank’s buffalo sauce with a drizzle of blue cheese. This combination felt lazy and uninspired, something we wouldn’t expect from a place with such high praise.

Sadly, this visit left us unimpressed and unlikely to return. The initial hype and positive reviews might have been exaggerated or biased, making us question the authenticity of the praise it received.