LINK: www.Yelp.com

REVIEW:

Big fan of this place. Awesome food. They added a martini bar area that is great for going with friends or just a casual time out. My girlfriend likes the martinis… I like them too although I try to stick to beer. We've tried a few different meals but we both really like the Pollo Milano (it's HUGE) or the Veal Papa.

Hit it up.

LINK: www.Yelp.com

REVIEW:

If it wasn't so far from my house, I could easily see myself becoming a regular at Teresa's.

We went for a birthday dinner, and between our group we ordered a pretty diverse spread off of the menu. Everybody enjoyed what they got, and the servings were so big there was more than enough to share.

Right off the bat, they blew my mind with the appetizers. The spicy calamari dish was perhaps the best calamari dish I have ever had. Every bite I took, I had to remind the others to try some because I was going to have it demolished in record time. We also got mozzarella fritto, which was presented beautifully and tasted even better.

Even though we had a rum cake waiting at home, we asked to check out the desserts. We ended up ordering one of each, and all four were very good… And cheap! In fact, the entire menu was well-priced. I wouldn't mind paying more for what we ordered. We went all-out with apps, mains, desserts, and alcohol, and still didn't hit $40 per person including tip! Oh, I almost forgot, that's also including a large pizza we got to-go, cuz we all wanted to sample that as well but we were absolutely stuffed. Anybody who says this place is expensive must be comparing it to McDonald's. If you're in the area, I highly recommend trying Teresa's.

LINK: www.PhantomGourmet.com

REVIEW:

Thin crust Neapolitan pizza, overstuffed sandwiches that eat like meal, and Italian dinners that fill the plate, stomach, and soul. They're all at Teresa's Italian Eatery, in Middleton.

This place is like the best pizza shop in town, the best sandwich shop in town, and the best Italian restaurant in town, all under one roof.

Owner Nick Yebba opened Teresa's about two years ago, after a very successful career in the rental car business. His son Nick Junior runs the kitchen, while Nick Senior has become a fixture in the dining room.

Nick Yebba, Sr. - Teresa's Italian Eatery: "I personally work seven days a week here, and I'm retired."

At Teresa's, the passion for great Italian food is easy to see. From the crispy Bruschetta, to the giant Arancini, to the thick cut Pork Chops with Vinegar Peppers, this is the real deal.

Nick Yebba, Sr. - Teresa's Italian Eatery: "Half the stuff on the street isn't Italian, it isn't. This is Italian food. It's made with love."

And there's plenty to love in Teresa's Trio. Two stuffed shells, two homemade meatballs, and juicy Chicken Parm, all smothered in sauce and melted mozzarella cheese.

Nick Yebba, Jr. - Teresa's Italian Eatery: "When you go into a restaurant, you never want to leave hungry, you never want to leave hungry, and we make sure you never do here."

Another big meal here is the Veal Papa… Buffalo mozzarella, prosciutto, and roasted red peppers atop the most tender veal you'll ever eat.

Nick Yebba, Sr. - Teresa's Italian Eatery: "I'll stand here today and say there isn't any better veal cutlets around. And if there is, I need to see them okay. They melt in your mouth, they're the best. The very best."

The one dish you absolutely must try at Teresa's, is the Pollo Milano. Golden fried Panko crusted chicken breast, topped with a tomato cream sauce so good, it will make you want to lick the plate.

The pizza at Teresa's is thin, crispy and delicious, but when Nick was designing the restaurant he thought putting a small pizza oven out back would be enough.

Nick Yebba, Sr. - Teresa's Italian Eatery: "The only mistake I did with putting the pizza oven in, I should have put a bigger one in because that's all we do is sell pizza too."

Each pizza cooks up in just five minutes, like the classic Margherita, with fresh mozzarella and basil, or Nick's favorite, the Abbruzzi.

Nick Yebba, Sr. - Teresa's Italian Eatery: "It's got mozzarella cheese, red roasted peppers, a ricotta cheese, and I have them put it with sausage. And that, I gotta tell you something, to die for."

Nick is so sure you're going to love Teresa's as much as he does, he makes this promise to every customer.

Nick Yebba, Sr. - Teresa's Italian Eatery: "If for any reason, you're not happy, or you don't like what you see, or you don't like what you ate, you come and see me. I'm Nick, I'm the owner, and I'll take care of it."

Now that's an offer you can't refuse, from Teresa's, a Phantom Gourmet Hidden Jewel.

LINK: www.CitySearch.com

REVIEW:

Have been to this restaurant a few times. Each time the service has been outstanding. Waitresses and staff very friendly. Cannot say enough about the atmosphere. Food is very good and prices reasonable. If you live on the North Shore, this is a must try! You will not be dissapointed and neither will your date.

* Pros: ambiance and service

* Cons: a little hidden, never knew it was there until it was recommended

LINK: www.Yelp.com

REVIEW:
When I first saw Teresa's planning to open in my town, my first thought was, "Great, yet another 'Italian' restaurant. Why couldn't it be Tibetan food or some other more unique cuisine?" Then again, when we first moved to Middleton in 2001, Food Network wasn't even offered in our cable TV line-up, so maybe I was asking for a bit too much. So I voted my displeasure with the only way I could, with my wallet via a mini-boycott, and I avoided the place for a few months after it opened. Then a bit of intellectual curiosity sprinkled with a bit of empathy for independent entrepreneur that at least didn't go a franchised route let me to take my first step inside.

I didn't quite know what to make of it. There were a couple of cashiers up front taking orders as you'd see at a local sub shop or pizza joint, yet the place was cavernous with a large seating area dotted with tables and booths. I actually asked one of the cashiers, "How does this work?" She then replied, "You place and pay for your order here and then we'll bring it out to you when it's ready." OK, sounded easy enough. Slowly, I began to thaw as I sensed that this place *was* a bit different than the typical suburban Italian restaurant. And it really is different, in a good way. Read on.

The quality of the food is not what one would expect from a place where you place your order at a cashier. I mean, that's setting the bar pretty low, and that's not how I meant it to come out. If this were a full-fledged restaurant, it would be completely legit. The dishes are very well prepared. They have a bit of a 'twist' when appropriate (for example, the Roasted Tuscan veggies have a bit of a kick) yet they don't go crazy with dishes that should prepared in a classic style, like the Grilled Lamb Tips for instance. Order them medium rare and you'll get tasty medium rare lamp tips, naked in all their glory, and not slathered in sauce to cover-up suspect cuts of meat.

We've been there several times to dine-in as a family and we've taken out already over a dozen times (mostly pizza, which is delicious thin crust Neopolitan style). I haven't found a hot/cold sandwich or a grilled entree that I haven't liked so far. My favorite sandwich is the Prosciutto, Roasted Pepper, Sharp Provolone & Marinated Tomatoes on a Sub Roll. I never thought I'd be able to get a sandwich like this outside downtown Boston when I used to work in the Financial District. Yum. Even the basic sandwiches, like the Meatball Sub with Cheese, have been completely satisfying.

So far the only item we'd given a thumbs down to is the Baby Clams, Garlic, Olive Oil, Basil & Oregano pizza. Sounds intriguing on the menu, but in practice was way too 'fishy' tasting. Methinks the clams probably came out of a can, which completely surprised us given how much we've loved everything else there.

The other pizzas, though, have been great. Our family favorite is, ah-hem, the Cheese pizza. I know, I know, how utterly pedestrian, but sometimes it's these simple ones that are harder to do right. It's also good to know that if the basic cheese pizza is good, then you know that the foundation for the other pizzas will be solid. Our favorite specialty pizzas are the Pesto Grilled Chicken & Portobello pizza and the Ricotta, Roasted Red Peppers & Prosciutto pizza.

Updated July 2008: Guess what? It's a sit-down restaurant with servers now. Same great food... Terrific!