First look: Exciting new pizza place opens in Ormond Beach
A popular Daytona Beach Shores eatery has opened its third location in Ormond Beach.
The latest restaurant from Millie’s Restaurant and Catering, 600 Degrees Pizza, announced its soft opening on social media over the weekend. Described as an “Italian pizza kitchen,” the new eatery is the first of its kind for Millie’s owners Chris and Amy Chibbaro.
The Chibbaros opened the first Millie’s restaurant, best known for its locally sourced seafood and fresh ingredients, in Daytona Beach Shores back in 2018. Their second location, Millie’s North, much like the first, is known for its wide array of seafood specials, with even more options, ranging from roasted garlic clams and peel-and-eat shrimp, to boils and fish tacos.
Millie's Restaurant owners try something new
However, 600 Degrees is unlike anything that they’ve done before, bringing new flavors, new charm and new pizzas to Ormond Beach. Located in the Rivergate Village shopping center, the restaurant has replaced what was formerly Pagano’s Pizzeria, and began welcoming guests Saturday.
The Italian eatery, decked out in classic décor and faux-brick wall detailing, exuded a simple but elegant ambiance. Hushed music filtered through the restaurant while the tantalizing smell of garlic knots, warm cheese and pepperoni saturated the air.
I started out with what my waiter described as “already a fan favorite” among the opening day’s customers – the bruscetta and garlic knots. The knots were extra buttered, just how I like them, and loaded with the perfect herb-to-parmesan ratio (I hate when places skimp on the cheese). The bruschetta was exceptionally fresh and flavorful, with a softer center and perfectly toasted crunch around the edges.
600 Degrees serves much more than pizza
Although described as a pizza kitchen, don’t be fooled ? the menu extends far beyond just pizza, with a variety of starters, including mussels, wings and calamari, an extensive pasta menu, and a range of fresh salads and sandwiches. However, it’s no surprise that the pizza menu was in fact the star of the show, as I turned to see at least one of the many 18-inch varieties on nearly every table in the packed pizza joint. For those who aren’t that ambitious, the eatery also serves 12-inch regular and keto crust pizzas, as well as pizza by the slice daily until 4 p.m.
There seemed to be something for everyone at 600 Degrees, serving an array of options from the seafood pesto pizza, with pesto, shrimp, mussels and clams, and the "I'm Hot, Sticky Sweet" with gorgonzola, fennel, prosciutto and Mike's hot and honey, to "The Carnivoro" pizza, made with meatballs, sausage, pepperoni, bacon and ham, and the pizza Florentine, topped with sundried tomatoes, fried egg, cured bacon and spinach.
Looking to venture into new territory, away from my usual margarita or buffalo chicken, that is, I ordered the “Fig-ure it Out.” Topped with fig jam, prosciutto, arugula and balsamic glaze, this white pizza was everything and nothing that I expected, all at the same time. I wasn’t sure what to do with the combination of balsamic and jam, but, somehow, the sweet and savory mixture danced circles around the traditional flavors I’m accustomed to.
Beyond its array of pizza offerings, 600 Degrees also serves an extensive wine menu, alongside both draft and bottled beers and $6 aperol spritzers ? had to mention it.
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Located at 116 S. Nova Road in Ormond Beach, 600 Degrees Pizza is open daily from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. For information, call 386-265-4045 or visit 600degreespizza.com.
Helena Perray is the restaurant and dining writer for The Daytona Beach News-Journal. A New Jersey native and passionate storyteller, she can be contacted at [email protected]. Follow her on Instagram and Facebook. Support local journalism by subscribing
This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: 600 Degrees Pizza in Ormond Beach is now open Nova Road