Craving a slice? Stop by one of these local eateries on National Pizza Day (Feb. 9) for a variety of tasty pies.
Treat your adventurous palate with a slice of Mistral’s beef tenderloin pizza.
Nothing is lost in translation at this brick-oven staple, whose name means “old oven, kitchen of wood.” Owner and North End native Carla Agrippino-Gomes was the first to bring wood-burning brickoven pizza to the neighborhood in 1996 and continues to serve up delectable pies to this day. Defined by rustic southern Italian cuisine, Antico Forno won’t disappoint with standouts like the Il Gamberi pizza: Th ink smoked mozzarella, sauteed shrimp, cherry tomatoes and fresh arugula. 93 Salem St., 617.723.6733, anticofornoboston.com
Executive chef Jeff Pond brings over a decade of Boston culinary experience and a cherished 14-year-old sourdough starter to this Cambridge pizzeria. Not only is Area Four’s pizza dough fermented for over 30 hours, but this spot has a focus on sustainable, local ingredients. The result of this attention to detail? Former President Barack Obama once dropped by for a presidential pie: the mushroom and fontina, with mushroom sauce, pecorino and gremolata. 500 Technology Square, Cambridge, 617.758.4444, areafour.com
You may not expect to find a newsworthy pizza at a seafood restaurant, but you’d be pleasantly surprised inside Back Bay’s The Banks Fish House. Here, chef Robert Sisca looked outside the bowl with The Chowda flatbread—an inventive take on the New England classic with creme fraiche, smoked bacon, clams, potatoes and oyster crackers. Add caviar for an extra dose of decadence as you sit in the fish market-inspired eatery, accented with navy blues, copper and tiles. 406 Stuart St., 617.399.0015, thebanksboston.com
While patrons like Robert De Niro, Shaquille O’Neal and Steven Tyler turn heads, Bricco’s decadent pizza speaks for itself—but this favorite is only available on its late-night weekend menu (11:30 to close on Fridays and Saturdays). The salsicce e broccoli rapa with spicy Italian sausages, broccoli rabe and mozzarella transports customers to Italy with every bite. Pair your slice with a glass from the award-winning selection of European and California wines to further elevate the culinary experience. 241 Hanover St., 617.248.6800, bricco.com
While black truffles are still in season, try this rich pie from Capo, topped with caramelized onions, fontina, honey and, of course, black truffles.
A step inside Capo feels like entering a local eatery in Italy: Wood-paneled ceilings match the carved wooden chairs with exposed brick walls and creative spherical lighting. Watch the cooking process of your Roman-style, wood-fired pizza from through the open-concept kitchen until mouthwatering pies like the black truffle pizza with caramelized onions, honey and fontina arrive at your table. 443 W. Broadway, 617.993.8080, caposouthboston.com
From the minds of James Beard Award-winning chefs Ken Oringer and Jamie Bissonnette, Coppa brings modern Italian small plates and pizzas to the South End neighborhood. Made with the finest ingredients, each wood-fired blistered pizza is packed with flavor. Start with the house charcuterie and a glass of wine before biting into one of the restaurant’s stellar pies like the N’duja, topped with tomato, spicy Calabrian sausage, burrata and oregano. 253 Shawmut Ave., 617.391.0902, coppaboston.com
Calamari lovers—this one’s for you. At Figs By Todd English, the salty, crunchy appetizer is elevated to an entree with the crispy calamari pizza. Topped with tomato sauce, hot cherry peppers, arugula salad, crispy calamari and lemon aioli, this item is sure to become your newest craving, and we would expect nothing less from its James Beard Award-winning creator. Th e visionary’s authentic, oval-shaped take on pizza originates from his culinary beginning in Italy and is indicative of English’s authentic, precise dough-making process. Multiple locations, toddenglish.com/restaurants
Once simply Giorgio’s Pizzeria, the eatery has expanded into a full Roman cuisine experience, with traditional family-style dining reminiscent of Nonna’s in the old country. Their old-fashioned doctrine of generous portions means you’ll never leave the rustic interior unsatisfied. One of our favorites off the menu, which also notes gluten-free crust options, is the Abbondanza topped with meat sauce, prosciutto, Italian sausage, pepperoni and hot banana peppers. 112 Salem St., 617.367.6711, lafamigliagiorgios.com
Serving up French Mediterranean cuisine inspired by the south of France, South End’s Mistral is a feast for the eyes and stomach. Th e decor feels like walking in Provence: handpicked French pottery, high ceilings and arched floor-to-ceiling windows call to European sensibilities. Opened in 1997 by chef Jamie Mammano, the menu includes thin-crust pizzas from the grill like the creative steak and potatoes pie: beef tenderloin, mashed potato, caramelized onion and white truffle oil. 223 Columbus Ave., 617.867.9300, mistralbistro.com
A North End classic, Regina Pizzeria has provided locals with nearly a century of quality pizza. While the classic slice is always a must, you can’t go wrong with St. Anthony’s white pie, topped with Regina’s sausage, roasted onions and peppers, Parmesan, mozzarella, fresh basil and garlic sauce. Th e aged dough, natural sauce and whole milk mozzarella will keep you coming back for more. Multiple locations, 617.227.0765, reginapizza.com
Established in 1903 as a bakery, the Santarpio’s family restaurant has evolved over 120 years into one of the most celebrated spots on the block, having won the award for best traditional pizza in Boston three years in a row. Its New York style slice is famously delectable—for a classic taste, order the Italian cheese with pepperoni, garlic and hot peppers pie. Multiple locations, 617.567.9871, santarpiospizza.com
Scampo’s lobster pizza is nothing short of decadent.
Located in Th e Liberty Hotel, this Beacon Hill restaurant was once part of the Charles Street Jail—trust us, the food is so good it should be illegal. Our top suspects? Th e lobster pizza and mushroom, Marsala duxelles and brie de Meaux pizza. When your taste buds are dancing for another slice, send you compliments to the boundary-pushing, James Beard Award-winning chef Lydia Shire. Her Italian-inspired menu features even more wondrous bites that incorporate elements of Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisine. 215 Charles St., 617.536.2100, scampoboston.com
Source’s pepperoni pizza with caramelized red onion and vin cotto is certainly worth the short trip to Cambridge.
Cooked to perfection in a woodfired oven, Source’s Neapolitan-style pizza offers a mouthwatering, charred outside and doughy inside. Beyond tasty and locally-sourced toppings like seasonal veggies and smoked ricotta, chef Brian Kevorkian’s starter sourdough is the key to each pie—he harvests yeast from his favorite local beer. 27 Church St., Cambridge, 857.856.6800, sourcerestaurants.com
As you walk beneath the Ulla Darni painted chandeliers and stand on 100-year-old walnut flooring, you can almost breathe in the country air of Tuscany. Toscano remains true to its Tuscan heritage, replicating the vibrant cuisine by using aromatic olive oil, house-made pastas and sausages and a stone pizza oven. Grab a slice of the funghi di bosco, topped with wild mushrooms, fresh mozzarella, thyme, tomato and olive oil, while sipping on a glass from the 1,000-bottle wine room. Multiple locations, 617.723.4090, toscanoboston.com
Photography by: COURTESY OF MISTRAL; MOLLY DUBRASKY; COURTESY OF SCAMPO; COURTNEY DWYER
