Massachusetts: Chip City Cookies Opens Their First Location In The State

Massachusetts just got a bit sweeter: Chip City Cookies officially opened their first location in the area.

Watertown is the lucky area that is the new home to this popular cookie chain. They are located at 104 Bond Square in Arsenal Yards, and it is open now. Seven days per week from 11 am - 10 pm, you can walk into this cheerful shop that will immediately greet you with the slogan, "Have a Gooey Day."

Let's take a peak inside for those who are not familiar with what this cookie experience entails.

This cookie store offers 41 different flavor options. They rotate on a weekly basis. "All the flavors were handcrafted and created to be as ooey and gooey as possible to satisfy your tastebuds," Chip City states. In fact, you see each of the varieties here, where the cookies are listed in alphabetical order.  Highlights and fan-favorites include, the oatmeal apple pie, sweet potato s'mores, and purple frosted wild berry strudel.

As for the classics, Chip City has you covered there too. There are two delicious chocolate chip options. They include your standard flavor and milk chocolate chip, which is a brown sugar mix, baked with milk chocolate chips. The monster chip includes orange and black M&M's, and there is also a dairy-free chocolate chip version.

This cookie chain is expanding quickly. In addition to the new Massachusetts Chip City spot, there are eight new locations that are opening soon. Two of these eight are listed to be in Boston. Chip City notes that these locations will be on Newbury Street, and in the West End on Causeway Street.

Furthermore, Massachusetts isn't the only New England state where Chip City is expanding. Darien, Connecticut, will have a location in the near future. There is currently a store in Fairfield as well. In total, there are 29 Chip City's. Many of them are in New York and New Jersey.

Chip City also offers shipping nationwide and catering options.

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.