Boston Has An Array Of Great New Pizzerias All Over The City

Whether you are walking Boston's North End, Harvard Square in Cambridge, or Union Square in Somerville you are in the neighborhood of some great new pizza pots in the greater Boston area.

Let's be honest, Massachusetts as a whole is not known for being one of the top states for outstanding pizza. Sure, we have legendary spots like Pizzeria Regina and Santarpio's, but it's fair to say the Bay State may have more poor-quality "pizza" places than great ones.  So, there's always room for more.

We love our Papa Gino's and South Shore bar pie. That will always remain a constant and basically stands separately in categories of their own. Papa Gino's for consistent, quintessential New England nostalgia, and bar pie for that unique blend distinctive flavor and atmosphere.

So let's take a look at some of the new Pizza restaurants that have opened around Boston, that you will want to check out.

Located on Brattle Street in Harvard Square, Joe's brings some New York City style to town. This iconic name in the pizza game dates back almost 50 years. The original owner is from Naples, Italy. Their recipes focus on mastering the basic ingredients of sweet tomato sauce, homemade dough, and fresh mozzarella cheese. Their traditional pies are on the thinner side, and they also serve Sicilian. You can walk into Joe's and typically find cheese, pepperoni, or margarita pies being served fresh out of the oven.

Swing by 261 North Street and grab some O'Cheese Pizza. Boston.com called O'Cheese a place you must check out detailing how some of their specialty pies are themed after Boston sports. This includes "The Celtics (sausage, onion, and green peppers from $14.95) and The Patriots (shaved steak, onions, peppers, and mushrooms from $15.95)."

This is where you go for wood-fired pizza. The owners of Field & Vine recently opened June Bug. This is a casual, date-style establishment that specializes in a more neapolitan-style pizza. They are located at 251 Washington Street. There is certainly an artisan touch to the menu. Pizza options include the "Chimney Sweep," which is topped with spinach, spazza di camino, and pine nut agrodolce.

I'm a guy who moved from New Jersey to Boston; growing up, Sicilian pizza was pretty easily available. I incorrectly assumed that all Americans enjoyed this kind of pizza selection. However, when I moved to Boston, I realized that it's much harder to find that delicacy here. But there are also a few unique places that are cooking up Sicilian pizza in Massachusetts.

As an expert on Sicilian, I will tell you that it has to be prepared properly in order for it to be worth the calories. Here, I will detail three establishments where you can find great Sicilian pizza in Massachusetts. Sure, you may have to travel a bit, but these places are worth your time.

Before we cut into this delicious style of pie, let’s define our terms. Traditional Sicilian pizza is cut into square or rectangular-shaped slices. The crust is thicker and crunchy. Though this pizza is obviously heavier, it still can be topped with your favorite pizza add-ons. A sprinkle of oregano is a subtle but often important finishing.

Though strip pizza in Rhode Island is similar, one significant difference with Sicilian is that it is not baked on a focaccia style dough. In fact, Palermo Pizza NJ defines what distinguishes Sicilian Pizza and what makes it different from regular pizza. “The dough rises differently with this kind of crust because more oil is used in the recipe as opposed to a regular pizza crust recipe,” they said, when describing how this is made in a rectangular pan.

In Massachusetts, the three locations that are serving up great Sicilian Pizza are quite different from each other, but have this menu item in common. One of them happens to be a favorite of Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg.

Tucked into a quaint New England, Harvard Square street, Pinocchio's is where you need to go if you want Sicilian pizza of all varieties. It's also where you will see Mark Zuckerberg's photo all over the wall. This was the go-to spot for Zuck while he was attending Harvard. In fact, it's a place he still makes sure to stop into when in town. As for the pizza, there are 20 different toppings you can find atop the hot Sicilian pies. These pies come in a 9-slice or 15-slice size option. The 15-slice pie comes in two boxes and can feed up to nine people. During the school months, Pinocchio's stays open until 2 am on weekends.

At 289 Hanover Street in the North End of Boston, Umberto's can be easy to miss. However, once you recognize their old-school sign, you know you are in for a treat. They are old-school: it is a cash-only establishment where the large trays of piping hot Sicilian pies are continuously served. Typically, it's cheese only, but you will not be disappointed as no other flavor is needed. The single line usually reaches the door, but it moves quickly. It also gives you time to decide which arancini (their famous rice ball) you'd like to add to your order.

Leone's Pizza and Sub has been family-owned and operated since 1954. They are located right on Broadway and open seven days per week, from 8 a.m. - 9:30 p.m. Their Sicilian pizza is the standard menu option here. It is available by the slice, in a half tray or full tray. The whole tray also comes in two boxes (16 slice) and costs $40. Their Sicilian pies also come in a tomato basil option and a spinach and garlic. Leone's sub menu contains over 30 options. This includes a fried meatball sub.

Right in the heart of Cleveland Circle, Pino's is a fan-favorite of Boston College students. Though the crust is a perfect combination of pillow and crunch, the secret here is actually in the sauce. Pino's describes it as "delicious, garlicky tomato sauce with in-house seasoning, cooked on a pan." $20 gets you nine Sicilian slices at Pino's. If you want to add variety to your order, they also have alfredo pies, white pies, and buffalo chicken. Like Pinocchio's, Pino's stays open until the early morning hours on the weekend to help accommodate the college crowd.