10 Best Pizzerias in Boston

CN Traveler has published an article of the 10 best pizzas in Boston.

1. Prairie Fire – 242 Harvard St, Brookline – Prairie Fire is an effortless place for a hearty meal. The petite menu favors wood-fired dishes, from delectable, oven-roasted Island Creek Oysters to their beloved chicken-and-pork meatballs, served in a cast-iron skillet. Impeccably sourced ingredients from local farms are used for dynamic combinations—even when it comes to pizza. The pies are the real showstoppers, though the squid ink campanelle with lobster arrabiata, green onion, and crispy garlic will make you remember this restaurant for years to come.
2. Galleria Umberto – 289 Hanover St, Boston – The humble Sicilian slices that marry just-sweet-enough sauce with a fine ratio of blistered mozzarella cheese to hefty crust. The menu has only nine items, the place is cash-only, and the food is served until the daily supply runs out. No wonder pizza devotees form a daily queue at this local haunt, where you can expect to eat with a healthy cross-section of Boston’s North End.
3. Pastoral – 345 Congress St, Boston – In a world where artisan pizza is becoming the norm, Pastoral brings something fresh to the table with their ingredient-forward approach. Neapolitan pizzas, handcrafted with classic but creative combinations, puff up to perfection in a red-tiled oven hauled over from Naples. The back-of-the-house staff makes everything from scratch, even the hand-pulled mozzarella, and burrata—and you can tell. Pastoral is perfect for catching up with your gluten-free friend, sharing pies with a group of pals, or dining with toddlers.
4. Regina Pizzeria – 11 1/2 Thacher St, Boston – Everyone in Massachusetts has heard of Regina’s, and their original pizzeria serves the broken-in charm that extends to its local empire of counter-service locations. Crispy dough, spiced sauce, and salty cheese make a satisfying symphony at Regina’s, where thin-crust pizzas roll out of the kitchen like clockwork. Dig into a classic Giambotta pizza or spring for “the works,” piling on pepperoni, Regina sausage, salami, mushrooms, peppers, onions, fresh basil, and mozzarella cheese.
5. Armando’s Pizza & Subs – 163 Huron Ave (Concord Ave), Cambridge – A Cheers-worthy vibe fills this family-operated pizza place, and it’s hard not to feel buoyed by the jovial local community that gathers in this bare-bones establishment. The namesake founder passed his recipes and techniques down to his daughter Rina Bonavita and grandson Mike, both of whom honor his legacy with every pie. Thin-crust, New York-style pizza topped with a perfect layer of creamy, secret-recipe cheese (Mike won’t say where he gets it), sliced sausage, and onions hit the spot every time.
6. Santarpio’s Pizza – 111 Chelsea St, Boston – You can’t get more authentic than Santarpio’s. Just off the highway and surrounded by triple-deckers, this bare-bones establishment in East Boston is clearly a neighborhood spot. The cooks layer crispy-meets-bubbling pies with toppings before cheese, inverting the pizza norm. The result: Everything is baked into melted mozzarella, making you question everything you knew about pizza. Almost-charred steak tips, lamb skewers, and homemade sausages, all served with a few Italian peppers and bread, round out the pizza-centric menu.
7. Area Four – 500 Technology Square, Cambridge – Area Four’s dough is aged for over 30 hours and hails from a 15-year-old sourdough starter. The tangy result gives an unexpected twist to an old-world staple, as do menu standouts like the Hawaiian: A4 mozzarella, tomato, ham, cilantro, scallions, and roasted pineapple salsa create a kickass medley for your taste buds.
8. Picco – 513 Tremont St, Boston – When asked the quintessential question, “Where do you want for dinner?” Picco is an easy, life-affirming answer. The restaurant’s proximity to Back Bay makes it a pitstop for Boston’s city dwellers, sometimes with kids in tow. Moderate prices make these weekly visits an attainable luxury, and you’ll see people enjoying their meal while catching up with a good friend. Expect soul-satisfying pizzas with classic combinations and one or two surprises.
9. Coppa – 253 Shawmut Ave (at Milford St), Boston – Poised on one of the South End’s most enchanting corners, its black facade offers a rock-and-roll approach to Italian small plates. The concept is grounded in house-cured meats, which is only fitting for a restaurant named after a salume, lathered in paprika, from Emilia Romagna. Plan in advance and bring a few people, so that sampling plates of perfect antipasto doesn’t sacrifice your appetite for sizzling pizzas and stand-out pastas.
10. Waypoint – 1030 Massachusetts Ave (at Putnam Ave), Cambridge – Its dynamic pizzas are slightly unexpected, but should be taken as seriously as everything else that happens here. While the three seafood-inspired pies on the dinner menu elevate an abundance of New England’s best catches, brunch is even more fun. From the everything bagel pizza topped with smoked whitefish, fresh dill, and capers to the streusel pie layered with cream cheese, cinnamon sugar, and the fruit of the day, Scelfo smashes expectations beautifully, and to the delight of diners.

With this variety of top pizzas, you can’t go wrong. Enjoy!

978-921-4334

Source: CN Traveler Author: Elizabeth Wellington