Say yes to marry-me-chicken pizza at Phillips Cider Bar

You may know the name Phillips in relation to the St. Johns cider mill, the charming counterpart to hectic Uncle John’s across the road, but I urge you to make a new connection and associate it henceforth with Phillips’ other operation: its cider bar, located in Frandor. Not only can you stock up on cider slushies and donuts, but you can also sample a vast collection of craft hard ciders while nibbling on top-quality bar snacks or enjoying a meal. 

The main event menu-wise is the pizza, and I recently picked up the marry-me-chicken pie for the fourth or fifth time. Based on a viral late-aughts social media recipe, this pizza is topped with red sauce, garlic cream sauce, a four-cheese blend, grilled chicken, sun-dried tomatoes and fresh basil.

The star, though, is the crust. Golden brown and almost pretzel-like with its light and flaky exterior, it’s unlike any pizza crust I’ve had before and is by far my favorite. I would happily devour it on its own, but that isn’t necessary thanks to the quality toppings that are sparing enough to let the crust have its moment. The garlic cream sauce blends with melted cheese to perfectly counter the sweet and tart sun-dried tomatoes and savory grilled chicken in a fashion reminiscent of the most delectable and decadent pasta dish. They even have excellent ranch dressing to dip it in.

To pair with the pizza, I recommend picking up a bottle of the black-tea-and-orange hard cider, as well as one of Phillips’ famous lavender sugar cookies. The only thing missing is a salad, which I love to have with my pizza, but if that were added to the menu, I fear I would be going to the cider bar a little too often.

I carried out on my last visit, but I recommend dining in at least once because Phillips has cultivated a truly cozy and chic dining room with a beautiful bar, pleasant lighting and friendly service. You get the impression that the owners really put a lot of thought and care into everything. Despite being tucked in a somewhat inconvenient corner on the outskirts of Frandor, Phillips Cider Bar is well worth any navigation, and the pizza is a proposal you can’t say no to.