The Best Pizza Restaurants and Take-Out Storefronts in Greater Boston

The "Bay State"  features some of the most authentic, tasty pizza joints in New England

Prince Pizzeria, Saugus, MA (photo by Eric H.)

by Eric H.

Objectivity might as well be thrown out the window when it comes to discussing who makes the best pizza. Unlike most of us, taste buds have no brain and no form of reasoning.

Most people will agree, however, on the old adage "When pizza is great, it's great, and when it's bad, it's still pretty good" -- unless anyone can remember the vendor in the 1980s at Salisbury Beach, MA, slapping two pieces of bread on American cheese, baking it, and calling it pizza.

Below, we have compiled a list of our favorite pizza restaurants and take-out storefronts in Massachusetts, with a few mentions of great places in other NewEngland states. By no means is it factual, just opinion driven by our taste buds. The following establishments, however, do have great reputations in the Boston area (and beyond), as the unofficial consensus is that they have maintained their high standards:

Italian style pizza

Pizzapalooza, Newton, MA -- Unforgettable take-out, gourmet style Italian pizza, with an accent on truly fresh, healthy ingredients. The roasted roma tomatoes are worth the price of admission alone. One slice is enough to fill the appetite, whether it be sausage, eggplant, spinach or any of the superb combinations. 244 Needham St., Newton, MA Tel. (617) 332-4401

Leo's Pizzeria, Walpole, MA -- I love pizza places like Leo's that are well-staffed with about 5,000 employees working the counter and kitchen within a 10 sq. ft. area.  It's great to see your pizza being made from scratch as the cast of thousands try to avoid bumping into each other. The thin-crust Italian-style pizzas as well as the calzones taste as good as any in the area, made that much better by loading the toppings.  Leo's has a small eat-in dining room, but take-out is the most popular mode here, with lines sometimes going out the door. 1363 Main St., Route 1A, Walpole, MA. Tel. (508) 660-0141

Santarpio's, East Boston, MA -- Right-out of-the-oven, crisp, soupy pizzas with a beyond-outstanding tasting tomato sauce that no one else could ever duplicate.  Established as a bakery in 1903 and as a pizzeria in 1933, Santarpio's is a beloved, no-frills local legend that has maintained it shigh standards for making perhaps the best pizza in Massachusetts or New England, for that matter. 113 Chelsea St, East Boston, MA. Tel. (617) 567-9871

Cafe Abbondanza, Norwood, MA -- They make the pizza fresh here, handtossing these gems with style and pride. While many pizzeria says they use the freshest ingredients, Cafe Abbondanza is one of the few that actually delivers on its promise. Additionally, Abbondanza does not skimp on toppings!  The take-out room seems hotter than the oven. 655 Washington St, Norwood, MA. Tel. (781) 255-1914

Pizzeria Regina , Boston, MA -- Legendary since its inception in 1926 and still great, the Italian-style brickoven recipes haven't succumbed to suburban expansion. 11 1/2 Thacher Street (North End) Boston, MA. Tel. (617) 227-0765

Town Spa Pizza, Stoughton, MA -- Families, Keno, old men with pot bellies and high school varsity team jackets, and terrific thin Italian style pizza with a slightly oily but addictive taste in this large restaurant. 1119 Washington St, Stoughton, MA.  Tel. 781-344-2030

Prince Pizzeria and Bar , Saugus, MA --- The Prince Restaurant stills stands tall, with the exception of the "Leaning Tower of Pizza," a humongous structure on top of the restaurant emulating Italy's Leaning Tower of Pisa. Prince has a festive, family-friendly atmosphere, family owned since 1961, and with some of the most consistently good pizza in the region. We recommend the tangy margharita pizza, which isn't on the menu. Route 1 Southbound, Saugus, MA. Tel. 781-233-9950

Guido's Italian-American Restaurant, Walpole, MA -- Situated in a nondescript strip mall, Guido's serves truly amazingly fresh Sicilian-style pizza. The atmosphere is informal with comfotable booths, pleasant service and management, a tempting revolving dessert display, and a great reputation amongst the "locals." Rt. 1A, Walpole, MA. Tel. (508) 660-1533

The Chateau , Waltham, MA -- This huge, crowded restaurant with several rooms colored differently remembers its more humble beginnings during the Depression era by continuing to turn out well made Italian-style pizza. The eggplant is excellent. 195 School St., Waltham, MA. Tel. (781) 894-3339.

Bertucci's Sure it's a chain, but the brick oven, sweet chewy flavor with fresh toppings results in one of the best pizzas around.

Bianchi's, Revere Beach, MA -- Thin, crispy, Italian-style pizza with a little grease, a wonderful tomato sauce, and lots of toppings. Located at Revere Beach, the walk-up window is open year-round, which means you can eat Bianchi's pizza by the beach in zero degree weather in February.  Better, yet, enjoy a slice outdoors in the summer or call ahead and take home this delicious pizza, one of the best in the Boston suburbs! 322 Revere Beach Blvd. Revere, MA. Tel. (781) 284-9472

Santucci's New York Style Pizza, Norwood, MA --  With a name that sounds like a mix of Bertucci's and the local legendary Santarpio's pizza in East Boston, Santucci's is neither. Santucci's makes excellent New York-style Italian pizza.  They do all the right things: stretch the homemade dough by hand, use vine-ripened tomatoes and real mozzarella cheese, and cook the pizzas and calzones in a 650 degree hearth oven at the proper amount of time. The toppings taste fresh, although they do not offer anchovies -- probably a good thing for 99 percent of the world.  Santucci's has a pleasant yet bustling feel with high ceilings, plenty of seating and a long order desk in front of several employees in the open kitchen working the pizza-making process. 1210 Boston-Providence Highway, Route 1, Norwood, MA. Tel. (781) 769-9197

Greek style pizza

New London Style Pizza, Concord, MA -- New London's Greek style pizza is addictive. It's greasy without being too greasy and has a most compatible marriage of flavorful cheese,tomato, ample toppings and thick crust. It's a fact that people eat New London pizza really fast because they don't want to spend a second not tasting the memorable pizza. The best combination is hamburg and green pepper. New London has a small, clean dining room overlooking the attractive Concord Depot train station. On a side note, we once saw historian Doris Kearns Goodwin take out some pizza from New London. Maybe New London's legendary pizzas will make its way into one of her history books. 71 Thoreau Street, Concord, MA 01742, Tel. (978) 369-7053. 

Christo's, Brockton, MA -- Like the eternal Gilligan's Island question, "Ginger or MaryAnn?" the Christo's version is "Greek baked lamb or pizza?" Never an easy answer, we would opt for the Greek-style pizza -- not too greasy, loaded with toppings, and almost having a pastry like taste. Christo's is a large family-style restaurant that also has a very busy bar; either place is the perfect setting for the perfect Greek-style pizza. 782 Crescent St, Brockton, Mass. Tel. (508)588-4200

Jimmy's Pizzeria, Walpole, MA -- Great Greek-style pizza, including some amazing gourmet versions, highlight this spotless, friendly, appealing small restaurant in pleasant East Walpole. There's always a smile, quick service and steady business. The circular dining room with nice overhead lights and big windows offer a nice alternative to the typical house of pizza setting. 4 East St., Walpole. Tel. (508) 660-6700. 60 W. Main St., Ayer, Mass. Tel. (978) 772-5200

Parthenon Pizza, Ayer, MA -- Sometimes, you have to go with the grease. Amazingly tasty large slices of pizza make this small storefront one of the pizza highlights of north central Massachusetts. Service can range from nice to brusque, but the pizza, particularly the ample pepperoni, is consistently addictive and greasy.

Letters to the pizza editor

Pizza in Weymouth, MA -- My wife and I have used Bill Phillips "For Life Diet".  Cutting to the chase it allows us to eat what ever we want one day out of the week.  More often then not we find ourselves flipping a coin to determine our pizza choice.  It's either Main Street Pizza, 781-340-0731, or Denly's Garden, 781-335-9882. Neither has ever disappointed us and both are in Weymouth, MA.

Poopsie’s in Pembroke, MA, has the absolute best, most mouthwatering bar-style pizza around!  The casual atmosphere is family-friendly, and the place gets packed on the weekends and most weeknights.  The crust is crisp and crunchy, and the cheese is always hot and gooey.  The sauce is like no other – not too spicy, not too sweet, but a perfect flavorful blend.  Everyone on the South Shore knows about and raves about this pizza joint!  There really is no comparison.
Kerri and Jack

The best pizza in MA is Sabatini Ristorante & Pizzeria in Westboro MA­ this pizza stands up to any New York style pizza out there.  Dining room is also enjoyable. Brian and Maryrose S.

Try Damian's Pub in Hanson, MA.  Great pizza at a great price. A. Allen B.

My favorite Italian thin crust pizza is at Marc Anthony's in Onset, MA. Just a little hole in the wall but is always busy, especially in the summer months. Give it a try. Artie

If you want to cover all of Massachusetts and not just metro-Boston, consider driving west of 128 to Amherst. Antonio's Pizza is excellent. And, in Northampton, Pinnochio's is the favorite among college students. Paradiso offers unique up-scale pizza.
Karen S.

More reader favorites...

Editor's note: Please tell us about your favorite pizza place and we'll consider it for publication on Visiting New England.com

Related article: A review on Papa Gino's, a long-time favorite New England pizza chain

Our love for the Prince Pizzeria in Saugus, MA