Santarpio’s Pizza

I used the old Rachel Ray adage that if you see a line, get in it. On a cold Saturday night there were ladies and families down the block. I had intentions on somewhere else but I saw the line and jumped in. I pulled up to the bar and ordered the lamb and a sausage garlic pizza. It may have been one of my top 5 pizzas ever. It was amazing. The cornmeal kicks the thin crust up a notch and the sausage was perfectly seasoned. The lamb was cooked perfectly and tasted like lamb and coals — nothing more is needed to flavor this beauty. The guy running the grill is fun to watch as are some of the waiters/​waitresses. For someone wanting to hear Boston and see local Boston (onians) this place is great. At the risk of sounding idiotic — you feel like you are in a Ben Affleck movie in a good way

Pizza was just a little greasy but had lots of flavor. It was evenly cooked, great crust, good sauce.
Grilled meats were good, could have used some seasoning. Splash on some olive oil, some sea salt and ground pepper and they all would have been fantastic. Still made a great snack the next day with some of my own seasoning. The sausage was ok, the lamb and steak tips were better I thought (except for lack of seasoning…)
The décor really is straight out of 1980, which is ok. Honestly, we should never forget the Miracle on Ice… pass that story on to the next generation.
The line can get CRAZY long, so go early or get it to go…

Tips; to insure proper service! The woman bartender had no knowledge of this concept!
I’ve been taking myself to restaurants for over three decades. Never have I experienced such despicably rude level of service. The steak tips were bland, sausage was okay and the pizzas crust burnt and the center of the pie was gooey!
Our bill was $ 48.50, we left $ 50. Instead of asking us if there was a problem, they accosted my girl friend with several explicatives! Really!
I wouldn’t patronize this place again even if it was for free! I give it a half star!

Since living in Boston I’ve heard the rivalry between who has the best pizza, Santarpios or Reginas. Having tried both, my vote goes to the former and of course the honorable second place to the latter.
Try the garlic sausage pizza, delicious. That should be an indicative of how great it’ll be.
You can always order to pick up and skip the line all together. Would recommend that only in the summer. During the winter the pizza would be cold by the time you get home.

I’ve been going here for years, but the pizza can be inconsistent: some nights the pizza is better than others.
Tonight our mushroom, peppers and onion pizza was just mediocre — certainly not too impressive after the hype we’d built up to our out of town guests. The sirloin and lamb skewers were undercooked and very chewy while the sausage was over cooked and dry.
The restaurant wasn’t packed since it was only 5pm on Saturday, but the service wasn’t impressive either. Refill for drinks took about 15minutes, arriving after we’d finished our meal.
Santarpio’s in a Boston «institution» but think there are plenty of other consistent places for a pie next time I’m back in Boston.

So many people don’t get it. The waiter was mean to me. I wanted more mushrooms. I want a menu so I can figure out what toppings they have.
Listen it’s an old school pizza place. Take it for what it is. Want artichokes or sun-​dried tomatoes. Place is not for you. Two options on the «menu»: pizza and grill. Break it down, typical toppings on the pies. Again no caramelized onions. Grill options: lamb and sausage. Want steak tips or your lamp up to a certain temperature. Place is not for you.
Here’s a tip. If for some reason you get a menu, push it off to the side. Order a cheese pizza, order of lamb, eat. Now your lamb may not come before the pizza or it may. Just eat it all and don’t whine about it.
Want decent pizza without traveling to New Haven. Come here.
Any questions? Place is not for you.

So I grew up in the area and ironically never came here until 10 years after I moved to California. Go figure. Great pizza especially the sauce. wow. I also had a sausage which was just so so. Cheap beer and surprisingly… plenty of street parking.
Cash only.

This pizza joint never fails and always satisfies whether you want pizza… Or you just want to eat! Old school type of place that simply serves pizza and meat! You go there to eat pizza and enjoy that’s it. The employees are truly from Boston and friendly and witty with the jokes. Pizza is to die for it is the best around probably better than New York! Pizza is done right and done simply that’s why it is the best! Cheese pizza has incredible flavor that is different than others. They also served grilled meat with peppers and bread that melts in your mouth, grilled lamb, grilled steak tips, and Italian sausage. Perfect place for real authentic pizza!

Enjoyed the pizza here, but definitely not more than other places. We got the sausage, garlic, and cheese. Sausage/​cheese ratio was great but the crust was pretty hard. Good pizza, but I don’t think it deserves the hype it gets.

We came here as a large group because we were staying locally before our early morning flight. I called ahead given that we had a large group and they said come over, we will get you seated as soon as you arrive. Well, we arrived about 10 – 15 minutes later and they told us that they had given away our table. WTF? We had three small kids with us. They then told us it would take about 20 – 30 minutes to get us seated. Well, it ended up taking about 50 minutes to get seated.
When we were seated, we didn’t get any menus. We sat for about 10 minutes before our very annoyed waiter came over and when we asked for menus he sighed very loudly. A few minutes later he came back with menus and we ordered drinks. Those took another 10 mins to get those and given we had been waiting so long, we ordered right away. Again, seeming to annoy the waiter.
When we finally got the food, it was OK, nothing special. Having been to many other pizza places in Boston, I recommend Regina’s or Ernesto’s if you are looking for good pizza. If you have a large group, this is definitely not the place for you. Needless to say, food and service is huge in my book — so we definitely won’t be coming back!

Ah the famous Santarpio’s. I finally tried a pie there and I was mildly disappointed. The pizza was crispy! The pizza was very salty, maybe that is to sell drinks. I had the pepperoni pizza. Something wasn’t working for me in the salt area. Maybe the cheese is salty, or tomato sauce, or just all the ingredients in general. The staff was very friendly and the kebabs look good. Will I try them again, probably if I am in the neighborhood and have the time. Will I make it an effort to do so, only for the lamb or steak kebab.

Close to the airport, in an East Boston neighborhood, Santarpio’s Pizza definitely has the feel of well established local joint — thick accents and all. The reason Santarpio’s has been in business since 1903 is that they are widely considered to make some of the best pizza in Boston. In fact, they are a multiple time winner of Boston Magazine’s Best of Boston award for traditional pizza, and they have been inducted into the Boston Hall of Fame. Santarpio’s Pizza is popular enough that they have a second location in Peabody, Massachusetts. This location offers parking that the Easton Boston location does not, but I doubt it has the same authentic feel and can’t promise the accents will be as thick there.
The inside of Santarpio’s in East Boston has a fair amount of seating and pictures of celebrities dining there decorate the walls. Their menu simply consists of pizza and a few barbeque options, plus beer and wine. They offer carryout for pizza only and do not deliver. If you are staying by the airport, it may be an easier walk than drive, especially since they don’t have parking. Be sure to hit up an ATM if necessary before visiting Santarpio’s in East Boston though, because they only accept cold hard cash.
Santarpio’s pizzas are 14 inches, and our group ordered a couple; one sausage and pepperoni and one meat lovers (which is essentially is just sausage and pepperoni plus ground beef). The nicely seasoned sauce may have been my favorite part, and they are generous with its layering above the cheese. The perfectly browned cheese was also very good, and the meats were flavorful, especially the somewhat spicy homemade sausage. My only complaint would be that the crust was a little too charred and crunchy along the edges for my liking. I think this may have just been because our pizzas were left in for too long though, and not necessarily the way Santarpio’s always cooks their pizzas. All said, I would be happy to return to Santarpio’s Pizza during another visit to Boston, and I would likely just ask that the crust doesn’t get too well done.

BETTER THAN REGINA’S! I would definitely call this the pizza of Boston. They have a small variety for toppings and types of pies, but it’s still the bomb.
Just a warning: the service sucks and it’s cash only– but suck it up because it’s worth it.

If you’ve ever seen the 1973 film The Friends of Eddie Coyle with Robert Mitchum, going to Santarpio’s is like going back in time and walking into the film. If you haven’t seen it, watch it. And then go eat here.
5 stars for atmosphere and the people; 4 stars for the food.
I ate here June 2015 and thought I had posted a review at that time.
A friend from Quincy told me to stop here after I landed at Logan and thats a good tip as its not that close to most of the other sights of Boston.
Pizza is very good. Drinks are strong.

Been coming here for years as it is very convenient when flying in and out of Logan. The pizza is the best around (sorry Pizzeria Regina) but my favorite is the «Combo», Lamb Kebob and Sausage with the most awesome crusty bread and hot cherry peppers!!!
Every person I turn on to this place has loved it. I work for an Italian company and take all my colleagues here who say it’s the closest thing to real Italian pizza.
And who doesn’t love «Lefty»???

I’ve heard about their pizza for years. Today a friend brought in a few pizzas to work.
Wow!
Great crust. A terrific sauce and just the right amount of cheese and toppings. Definitely one of the best puzzas I have had. I will have to make a trip and find the place.

If you’re looking for a locals joint, you found it! When you walk in the door, the server asks you if you need a menu.
We were actually just looking for a fairly quick bite before heading to the airport, and this certainly fit the bill. The booths are dim, the menu simple, and the pizza pretty darn good. We got the one with pepperoni and hot peppers and man those peppers were pretty hot.
If you want some pizza in wast Boston, this seems like the place to go.

By far, one of the better pizza places I’ve been to, better than Lynwood which everyone raved about. The pizza crust was thin and loaded with cheese. for the price, the size wasn’t big but it was decent. The meat was spread pretty thin. The steak tips were very tasty. The service wasn’t bad. The draw back on this place is that it’s CASH ONLY, like most other places. the other drawback is that when you order multiple pizzas, they literally stack them up and bring it to you so the bottom of one of the plates sits directly on top of your other pizza. It did freak me out a little, not knowing where the previous metal plates been, ie, on the table of a previous customer’s table.
If i am around the neighborhood and in the mood for pizza, i’d definitely come back here again.

Cash only!
The pizza is your go to greasy, made from scratch, so much better than commercialized places. The service is Boston in every way but sometimes the servers are more chatty than you may like. It’s mixed with regulars that grew up in Eastie and tourists hitting up a popular pizza spot. The everything pizza with no anchovies is my favorite, my boyfriend and I get one each, no shame.

This is a famous pizza place that you need to try if you’re ever in east boston. For people knocking the atmosphere or service– that is part of the charm of a local landmark. There’s something special about a place that hasn’t changed in years.
My favorite combo is the onion and pepper pizza. It’s crispy and flavorful and I always eat more than I probably should but never really feel bad about it.
One thing I will say is the crust is too hard to eat (at least for my liking). I’ve gotten takeout several times but it’s never as good as when we order in.
FYI if you want takeout — you pick up at the side door, not the main entrance. I know it feels awkward but just walk in and wait in the kitchen.
Cash only

Wow the pizza was so so delicious. And usually I hate the crust but THIS crust was SO GOOD.
Shrimp scampi white pizza with a little bit of sauce. Definitely recommended.

It’s hard not to see why all the hype is about.
I had no problem getting in because I went for lunch during a downpour, however, even then the place filled up pretty quickly.
Affectionately brusque service, slide to the left unless you want to sit at the bar to the right.
A gentleman asks how many and if you’re lucky you can choose your seat otherwise follow directions carefully.
Cash only, ATM on site.
Menu is simple: pizza ($ 9.50-$ 20) or BBQ ($ 8.50) lamb, tips or sausage.
Garden salad ($ 4.50).
A pizza with beef and onions arrives hick with sweet, homemade sauce. A combination of mozzarella and Parmesan lightly coats this red, chunky concoction. The ground beef is cooked well done while the onions are halfway between sautéed and raw — an excellent choice as both soft, crunchy, sweet and sour flavors and texture prevails.
The crust is crisp and billowy around the edges while the center of the pizza holds up the toppings well.
This is a special place.

Went back again and shared a cheese pizza and another with sausage, onions, and mushrooms. The cheese definitely won. That’s some damn good sauce on it. It was a little too watery my first visit but this time was much better.
I really appreciate the crust to slice ratio, if that makes any sense. They fill that slice up with as much cheese and pizza as possible and I love it. But there’s still enough crush to tear off and eat.
The peppers are hot as shit and I love it. And no the bread does not help cool you down. All three of us were sweating.
$ 2.50 house wine? YES. Red actually good.

I love it here. I love the bar room atmosphere. I love the staff.
The food is amazing.
I’d like to write more, but then will get the hipsters and the vacationers to the place and it will be even busier. So there’s that

I’m a white pizza fan. Red or white this is the ultimate go to.
They have an extensive wine list: red or white.
But you come here for pizza or the grill.
I order a veggie white well done.
And honestly I never ask for it, they just say, «Danny, the regular?»
Amen.
I get set up with a caraf of red and plate and flatware.
No better place. And the lamb — to die for.
A couple of years back I had a fall and shattered my left arm and they brought a pizza to my room at Mass General.
Enough said.