Pat’s Pizza in Ellsworth, Maine

Pat's Pizza is the kind of place locals head to when they want a break from lobster shacks. The red sauce flows freely here, whether you're after a thin-crust pie loaded with sausage and pepperoni, a stuffed calzone, or a plate of spaghetti with meatballs. It's a big, unassuming building with a full parking lot most nights, and the kitchen moves fast.

• Thin-crust pizza with crispy, oiled bottom.
• Calzones hit the mark, especially chicken and broccoli.
• Fast service when things run smoothly.
• A real break from the seafood-heavy Ellsworth dining scene.

Start with the Caesar salad if you're not diving straight into pizza. The thin-crust pies with sausage and pepperoni get consistent praise. The calzones, particularly the chicken and broccoli version, are worth ordering. A meatball calzone rounds things out nicely. The antipasto salad is solid for sharing.

Spacious and straightforward, with a casual, bustling vibe. It gets loud when packed, which is often.

The kitchen leans into the classics: thin-crust pizzas that come out with a crunchy, oiled bottom, calzones stuffed with cheese and your choice of fillings, and reliable pasta plates. Service tends to be quick and friendly, though consistency varies depending on who's behind the counter.

Guests praise the speed and friendliness of the service, the quality of the thin-crust pizza, and the calzones. One recent visitor called it exactly what was needed after a day at the beach. That said, consistency can be spotty. A few diners have had poor experiences with order accuracy and forgotten items.