Teddy’s Restaurant

Every time I go to Rome, NY to visit my family, I always stop for dinner at Teddy’s Restaurant. I’m not sure exactly how long they’ve been around, but I’ve been eating there close to 15 years now, and I love it every time!

Dinners at Teddy’s Restaurant start with a basket of warm, crusty bread. The floury cream of broccoli soup is just OK. The chicken parmigiana consists of two huge boneless breasts, pounded flat, breaded and pan-fried, topped with lots of provolone cheese and smothered in plenty of flavorful marinara sauce. On the side is a hefty portion of spaghetti covered in more marinara.

What to eat at Teddy’s Restaurant

I’m a huge fan of chicken parmigiana; I’ve eaten it in many restaurants across the U.S. in my search for the best. This is still the yardstick by which I measure all other chicken parm dishes. The way Teddy’s Restaurant pounds the chicken makes it very tender and the breading gives it a particular crispness. The provolone is melted and gooey and the marinara sauce is thick with fresh chunks of tomatoes, adding a richness to this dish without making it heavy. The spaghetti is a perfect accompaniment. I usually finish this dish by tearing off a hunk of the bread and scooping up any remaining sauce on my plate.

Teddy’s is also known for the regional specialty chicken riggies. This is a dish that almost every Italian restaurant in the Rome-Utica area has on their menu. It’s become so popular that a “Riggiefest” is held in Utica each year. The “riggie” part is rigatoni pasta. It’s smothered in sweet peppers, mushrooms, onions, black olives and a light wine/tomato/cream sauce. Teddy’s offers it with or without hot cherry peppers (as do most restaurants). With the peppers, this very filling dish is on the money, unlike anything else I’ve ever had. The portion is hefty; it makes a great late-nite snack or lunch the next day.

Another dish of note is the Humongous Onion Rings. They really are humongous (and very good). I could fit one around my closed fist like a bracelet. Beer batter dipped and fried, with a sweet onion ring inside, they are the best! Also try to sample the broccoli and red pepper garlic pasta and the shaved steak and greens (escarole) sandwich.

The staff is always friendly, and the owners Brian and Carlos are really great guys who keep the locals coming back for more.