This one’s for all my fellow pizza lovers, AND anyone who says they don’t really like pizza, because really, who do you think you’re fooling? Pizza is melty and cheesy and warm AND the ultimate thing to order after a night out with your friends (#guilty).
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Arguably the best thing about pizza is that you can top it with literally whatever you want. The options are endless. Sweet, savory, meaty, veggie… You name it. Check out these spots in Boston that take toppings to a whole new level.
Figs
Located in historic (and super cute) Beacon Hill, Figs has some mouthwatering pizza choices. The fig and prosciutto pizza comes topped with prosciutto, fig and balsamic jam, gorgonzola cheese, AND has a crispy rosemary crust. Another great choice is their crispy calamari pizza. Classic appetizer and pizza wrapped all into one? Can’t go wrong. Bonus: You can do a half-and-half pizza, which takes all the agony out of having to choose just one.
Area Four
Area Four, located in Cambridge, is well known for creative and yummy pizza. When you’re feeling like trying something that strays from the norm, try the clam and bacon pizza, the white anchovy pizza, or sausage and banana pepper pizza. Fun facts: Area Four has been featured on Food Network’s “Best. Ever.” and was named one of Boston’s 50 Best Restaurants in 2014.
Scampo
Scampo is a swanky restaurant/mozzarella bar located in Boston’s uber cool Liberty Hotel, which is a renovated jail! On Scampo’s menu, you’ll find pizza masterpieces like their famous lobster pizza, a white pizza with truffle cheese and sherried chanterelles, and even a lamb pizza. Scampo’s slightly more on the expensive side, but these pizzas make it totally worth the splurge.
New York Pizza
Anyone living in Boston that’s originally from New York will have to decide if this pizza truly lives up to NY standards. With two locations in the city (one in the South End and one in Theatre District), you’ll never be too far away from an awesome late-night bite. New York Pizza features gigantic slices with toppings that range from cheeseburger & fries, to chicken parm, to honey barbecue chicken & fries. So, pretty much any other food you’d want late at night can be found as a topping ON pizza at this place. Score.
Penguin Pizza
If you’re not far from Fenway, make sure you stop by Penguin Pizza for unique pizza (and a huge selection of beer). Penguin Pizza has some pretty crazy options, like their smoked salmon pizza and their duck confit pizza. If you’re feeling a pizza with a ton of toppings, go for “The Ultimate Penguin,” which includes bacon, ham, meatballs, confit duck, sweet sausage, roasted potato, hot cherry peppers, sauerkraut, AND caramelized onions. Definitely a pizza choice you won’t soon forget.
The Salty Pig
The Salty Pig is the place to be for anyone who loves meat, especially pork. For lunch, try their mortadella pizza, which is topped with mortadella, broccoli rabe, taleggio cheese, mozzarella and pistachio pesto. At dinner, try their pizza Toscana, which is topped with fennel sausage, escarole, mozzarella and Calabrian chili. And for all my poke-the-yolk fans, you can top off any pizza at The Salty Pig with a farm fresh egg.
All Star Pizza Bar
If you’re feeling really creative, head over to All Star Pizza Bar in Cambridge. Although they have a very inventive Chef’s Specials list for you to choose from, you can also be the master of your own pizza destiny and create your own crazy, unique pizza. The list of options is long. It includes classic topping choices as well as some unusual ones like meatloaf, pickled fresno chiles, kale, mango, black mission figs, and roasted grapes.
And for all the vegans out there, All Star Pizza Bar also offers a number of vegan pizzas, with toppings like special non-dairy cheese, citrus-balsamic baked tofu, and almond milk béchamel.