When I heard Antonio’s pizza brought it’s talents and taste to Worcester, MA, my fellow UMass go-ers and I were all types of excited. My friend Brittney, also a fellow Antonio’s lover, took a quick 15 minute drive into the city to investigate.
Photo by Scott J. Croteau
The first detail we noticed is that Antonio’s Worcester is roughly five times the size of the Amherst one, if not more. Not only do they have a take-away slice side, but also a full restaurant with seating, and a bar. The updated, modern decor is a stark contrast to the classic Amherst one. While the Worcester one is sleek, and cool, it makes for a chill environment to eat some pizza and drink a beer.
Photo by Kate Cardoza
On the pizza by the slice side, the line system is definitely a lot more organized than the Amherst one, with no confusion on where to stand and a clear register spot at the end. With this being said, it made me miss the hectic line of Amherst where you know who the regulars are by the way they navigate the line. Regardless, they seemingly had the same pizza selection as Amherst. The staff was super friendly and quite talkative which made it feel like the neighborhood favorite that it is.
The owner’s had spotted my UMass hat and personally asked my friend and I how they were doing compared to Amherst, which was pretty cool. My only other complaint on that side is that that they didn’t have root beer in the soda fountain like the Amherst one. They do have it in bottles though, I can survive.
Pizza by the slice side- 9.8/10
Photo by Kate Cardoza
The restaurant side of this Antonio’s really struck my interest, especially compared to the 1 table, and cramped standing room only of Amherst (I stand by that it adds to the charm though). Flat screen t.v.s covered most walls with the sports games of the evening on, and a bustling bar made the sit down side quite intriguing and lively. Their menu on the sit down side ranges from wings to pasta dishes. Which is all well and good, but honestly we all know we just go there for the delicious pizza. The bar selection is as vast as their pizza selection, where you are sure to find the perfect beer/IPA to drink with your favorite slice of pizza. The added bar and sit down aspect was definitely a stand-out for me, especially being in the Worcester Area.
Photo by Kate Cardoza
They also have outdoor seating for pizza by the slice or the restaurant which is great for these warm summer nights and definitely an added bonus.
Restaurant side- 10/10
Did I mention they have a take-out drive through? All you have to do is call ahead, and go pick it up at the window. I think this was a great idea since I have yet to see any Antonio’s not bustling with customers and this window eliminates more people inside.
Photo by Kate Cardoza
I find that the new Antonio’s Worcester is hard to compare to the Amherst one because the experience itself is totally different. To my pleasant surprise, the Worcester one was able to keep the same great taste and neighborhood around-the-corner- atmosphere to gather with friends that exemplifies Antonio’s Amherst, and the Antonio’s pizza experience entirely. I definitely recommend checking it out if you are in the Worcester area.