Tim C.
Yelp
Second time at Sicilia's. Third leg of Lord of the Pies. Sometimes you need to go back to a place to really understand what it's doing..
The space hits differently on a return visit. That ornate tin ceiling isn't just decoration. It's the real deal, probably older than half the buildings on Federal Hill. Navy blue booths line the walls, brass chandeliers hang overhead, exposed brick everywhere. It's comfortable without trying to be. The kind of place where you can hear the person across the table no matter how busy it is.
Started with the chicken parm sandwich. Thin cutlet, hand breaded, pounded down properly. The bread is excellent. Crusty, crunchy, holds together under pressure. My only gripe is the sauce situation. There's not enough of it. I'm always going to want more sauce, but this legitimately needed it. Comes with a bag of chips. No pretense about what you're getting.
Then the pizza. And this is where things get interesting. The crust at Sicilia's does something I haven't seen elsewhere. It's simultaneously flaky and crunchy. Not like pastry flaky. Not cracker crunchy. Something else entirely. Like someone figured out how to cross a deep dish crust with a traditional medium thick slice and landed on this hybrid thing that shouldn't work but does.
The cheese is good quality. Not trying to be fancy, just doing its job well. The sauce has actual character. You can taste they've put work into it, maybe roasted the tomatoes, done something beyond just opening a can. Still could use more of it, but what's there brings flavor.
Got pepperoni this time. Simple choice, but it lets you see what the pizza actually does. The pepperoni sits on top of all that cheese, good quality stuff that adds some extra spice. The real story is still that crust and how everything works together. The flaky crunchy texture, the cheese doing its stretchy thing, the sauce with enough acid to cut through the richness.
Our server was great. Genuinely friendly, attentive, helpful. The kind of service that feels like actual hospitality rather than someone working for tips. She knew what she was doing and seemed to enjoy doing it.
Sicilia's has been here since 1988. They're doing their version of pizza in a neighborhood where quality and consistency matters. It's not trying to be cutting edge or innovative. It's just solid, generous, straightforward pizza served by people who care about your satisfaction. It's a nice spot for lunch or dinner done well.
