Italian food was recently listed as the most popular cuisine in the world by the Daily Meal. In America, Italian food is the second most popular food choice. In its honor, Tasting Table recently named the 20 best Italian restaurants in the country. Giacomo’s in Boston was highlighted fifth on the list as Massachusetts’ best Italian restaurant.
Giacomo’s Boston
Nuzzled into the historic Hanover Street collection of restaurants, you will find Giacomo’s Ristorante. This North End favorite opened in 1985 and is renowned for its authentic dishes. In fact, it’s hard to find a Boston restaurant list without Giacomo’s name on it. USA Today‘s 10BEST also listed Giacomo’s.
Their menu is filled with many New England classics filled with flavor. A clam chowder appetizer or Lobster Roll are among the most popular items. From there they mix fresh seafood with pasta options. You can choose mussels or calamari with linguini or you can have both.
A separate section of the menu is dedicated to the sauces alone. There’s a pesto, fra diavolo, scampi, or a red sauce that is lobster based. Then there’s giacomo specialty sauce – lobster based red sauce with a touch of Béchamel cream. Or, a fracomo, which is a combination of our giacomo and fra diavolo sauces.
Linguini, Fettuccini and Ziti
Each pasta option is paired with a meat or fresh seafood mixed in. In addition, each category of pasta often has a dish made with each of the aforementioned sauces. There are daily specials like the 1/2 lobster, clams and mussels over linguine, that give you more choices.
Their dining room has a Sunday evening dinner table feel, and they only accept cash. Their website immediately links to Tasting Table’s honor, and then you will read what they are truly all about, “Giacomo’s Ristorante is an Italian restaurant delivering excellent variations on the country’s traditional dishes. This is a family owned and operated establishment, which only further cements its status as one of the fixtures of the North End neighborhood.”
So, if you are looking for a great dinner spot not too far from the TD Garden for your pre-game Bruins or Celtics playoff meal, head over to Giacomo’s – Massachusetts best Italian restaurant that was named one of the 20 greatest in America.
Giacomo’s Boston at 355 Hanover Street is open seven days a week.
This Boston Restaurant Sells 300 Pizzas Per Celtics/Bruins Playoff Game
North Station is about to get busy! Both the Celtics and Bruins have made the playoffs, with the Celtics hosting the Atlanta Hawks starting Saturday. And, if you’ve been to games before, you probably know that right across the street from the TD Garden is a Boston restaurant that sells about 300 pizzas per playoff game!
Halftime Pizza
It’s become a TD Garden gameday staple. A stop at Halftime Pizza is often synonymous with attending a Celtics or Bruins game. This establishment is a family business that has been in place for 45 years. Matthew Pasquale is now a third-generation owner in partnership with his brother. He tells me, “We typically sell 200-250 pizzas per Celtics or Bruins home game. It’s expected to jump to at least 300 for a playoff game.”
This spring, both teams have high seeds and high expectations for a big post-season push. The Bruins had a historic season, and the Celtics are the #2 seed in the East. The expectation is there will be an enthusiastic level of pre-game and post-game gatherings. With hardly any tailgating opportunities around a city stadium, local business in the area can thrive on the heels of the pro teams’ success.
Why Halftime?
Halftime Pizza has embraced its place in Boston’s arena event space. Their interior restaurant walls are painted like murals, displaying impressive renditions of Boston athletes and frequent TD Garden events, like WWE Wrestling. There are ten flat-screen TVs on the walls, and a dining section in the back to sit comfortably. You order at the counter, grab your food and drink and move on. Overall, it’s a quick experience with quality food.
Another selling point is the wide variety of beers available at the counter. There’s a selection of canned brews and hard seltzers. But the real value is in the 32oz draft beer. Numerous beer options on tap are available in 20 or 32oz pours. The 32 oz’er is similar to the price of a beer half its size inside the stadium.
Furthermore, Halftime serves quality pizza. You can see the stacked ovens right behind the counter. In addition, the fresh ingredients are prepared to the left of this open kitchen. Pasquale clearly understands how efficiency is of the utmost importance in the Halftime Pizza experience.
Customers don’t tend to stay inside very long. The traffic balances between ticket holders coming in for a pre-game meal or post-game snack.
Slinging 2,400 Slices
Most people order their Halftime pizza in slices on game days. Sticking to the quick and efficient theme. They do not deliver, but are available via GrubHub. However, the walk-in experience is where you will find the in-game spirit.
So, the Celtics are preparing to take the TD Garden court, the Bruins are preparing to take the ice, and Boston restaurant Halftime Pizza is preparing to sell 300 pizzas per game. It’s an all encompassing post-season effort in Boston’s West End. A challenge that all three hope lasts well into June.
