The best pizza in Boston right now

Featuring authentic brick-oven Neapolitan pizzas that go beyond the basic, Quattro should be on any pizza lover's list. Topping combos include: mortadella with pistachio; exotic mushroom; and figs, arugula and goat cheese. The handmade pastas are rich and filling, while entrees like chicken parm and linguine with clams are true classics. And by the way, glasses of some amazing wines are only $13 and we hear the pours are quite generous. 

Regulars line up at this beloved North End takeout spot as early as 10:30am because savvy locals know not to risk missing out on thick, chewy, delectable and super-cheap Sicilian slices. Even people waiting for a table at nearby restaurants have been known to grab a piece of this pizza while they wait, which also contributes to Galleria Umberto frequently selling out of saucy product. It’s cash only, but at these low prices, it’s not really a problem.

This classic North End pizzeria—which could double as a movie set with its beautiful brick building, well-worn booths and framed celebrity headshots—is the oldest in town. Pizzas come out hot and fresh from the oven, and the convivial atmosphere makes you feel right at home with a pie and a pitcher. Be prepared to camp out for a bit because there’s often a wait due to its well-deserved popularity—but it’s well worth it. 

It’s well worth the trek out to Eastie to try a slice from this century-old East Boston legend. Once a bakery, it's now easily the best no-frills pizzeria in town, with old-school prices to boot. The people-watching is just as good as the pie, with plenty of colorful locals filling this place on the reg. Just remember to hit the ATM beforehand because it’s a cash-only operation, baby. 

Verace Pizza Napoletana means ‘true Neapolitan pizza’ and this certification was created in 1984 by the oldest pizza-making families in Naples. In Boston, there has been a “Verace Pizza Napoletana” hiding in plain sight for years. MAST’ opened in mid 2014 just as Downtown Boston’s renaissance was taking place. As the only certified Naples-style pizzeria in Massachusetts, MAST is worth a visit if you love pizza.

Located at the foot of Beacon Hill, Florina serves up extra large pizzaa and sandwiches. Cheese pizza by the slice is $3.75 and a very hefty “That Sandwich”, which is made with breaded chicken, prosciutto, roasted red pepper & fresh mozzarella with white balsamic vinaigrette is $12.25. Barstool Sports, “El Pres,” said in his review on Barstool “it’s a very traditional” quality pizza and we have to agree. 

 If you want legit pizza, go straight to the Source—Source Restaurant in Harvard Square, that is. This Cambridge gastropub and pizza bar takes pride in finding seasonal, local ingredients to use in its selection of wood-fired pies, pastas and small plates. Since opening last year, this spot has gained quite the loyal following for its doughy delicacies, marked by their perfectly bubbly crusts that also boast just the right amount of char and premium toppings. While this menu offers plenty of creative, non-traditional takes on the classics, people flock here mostly for its pepperoni pizza, which is crammed with ’roni cups and comes with vincotto (a swanky white wine syrup) for all of your dipping and drizzling pleasure.

Head over to Newton to find this sophisticated pizza place. This Centre Street joint forms its pies from slow-fermented dough before cooking them in a 700-degree, wood-fired oven to achieve a crispy crust that still has a good chew. Toppings reflect Italian flavor combinations stemming from every part of The Boot, including octopus and chorizo, sausage with broccoli rabe and fennel, and puttanesca with capers, anchovies and Castelvetrano olives. While the pizza is obviously the main event here, its menu also includes a bunch of Sicilian-influenced bites, like caponata, fava bean dip and marinated squid salad.

Pizza is done a little differently at this South End establishment. At Tremont Street staple Picco, the kitchen flame-roasts its pizza to produce its signature charred crust. Artfully-composed pies fit in perfectly with the stylish neighborhood. While you might be tempted to gorge yourself on pizza alone, be sure to save room for its rotating list of homemade ice creams. (Worse comes to worst, you can always do as the locals do and bring a pint home).

The Detroit-style pizza craze that’s taken the country by storm in recent years has left Boston largely untouched—but, if you happen to have a hankering for an amazing Michigan tray, Avenue Kitchen and Bar is the place to head. The Somerville joint has a whole menu dedicated to this regional specialty, a characteristically rectangular, thick-crust pizza that’s baked in a metal sheet pan for a crispy, chewy texture. Toppings here run the gamut—from your classic pepperoni to the untraditional (and still wildly Midwestern) chicken, bacon and ranch. Vegan cheese is available for folks who want to send heads spinning in this pizza’s native dairyland.

For upscale pizza with a touch of old and new, Posto in Davis Square delivers. Here, wood-fired pizzas are lovingly made in line with the Neapolitan tradition. However, this place is hardly a stickler for keeping it strictly old school and it doesn't hestitate to take some creative liberties when cranking out pies. Its selection of white and red pizzas spans everything from a tried and true Margherita, to a modern summer corn number. For a real culinary mind-bender, go with the risotto pizza.

This Fort Point restaurant sports an urban-farmhouse aesthetic, which provides a fitting backdrop for its array of wood-fired pizzas topped with all manner of fresh veggies and house-made ingredients (e.g. duck sausage, mozzarella, smoked pancetta). Celiac's and people who can't deal with wheat can rest easy here; all of Pastoral's pies can be made using arguably the best gluten-free crust in the entire city. Expect an after-work rush on busy Fridays, and a calmer atmosphere on weekends.

The North End is home to many pizza places, and we all have our favorites, but Ducali Pizza is especially worth a visit because they have a full cocktail list. So not only can you enjoy lots of delicious and creative pizzas, but you can also enjoy a spritz or two as well. Only downside is they don’t sell slices, you have to buy a full pizza, but there are small personal sized pizzas starting at $10 each and large pizzas starting at $18 for cheese. 

From dynamic culinary duo Ken Oringer and Jamie Bissonnette, this tiny South End spot consistently draws crowds with its stylish Italian fare. Its popular pizzas are wood-fired and topped with luxurious ingredients that are pretty hard to come by, like bone marrow, truffles and n’duja (a spicy, spreadable sausage that hails from Calabria). The bustling atmosphere only adds to the pizza-eating experience, so split one of the kitchen's crusty creations with friends inside the buzzing little nook of a dining room or on the sidewalk patio set up for prime people-watching.

All Star Pizza Bar lives up to its name, offering a roster of champion-worthy pizzas. Greek brothers Kosta and Johnny Diamantopoules practically grew up in a pizzeria and now, they're willing to take risks with crazy creative combos at their casual Inman Square corner spot. Its menu of pioneering pies include the Atomic Meatloaf Meltdown and the Buffalo Duck Confit, in addition to a lengthy list of vegetarian and vegan crusts. Don't expect the expected here.

Just north of the city in Chelsea, you can find this top spot for wicked good wood-fired pizza. This restaurant proudly serves up robust, hand-crafted pies with a Neapolitan-style crust and array of toppings ranging from Italian mainstays (like the Margherita) to modern hot takes (the Uovo with roasted onions, potatoes, bacon, mozzarella and poached eggs). This place takes pizza so seriously that it even offers one for dessert and it's slathered in Nutella.

Meat-free pizza fans love Stoked for its veggie-heavy and even vegan pies (using vegan cheese and meat alternatives), but even carnivorous pie consumers love it, too. Wood-fired and topped with premium ingredients like vegetables sourced from local farms, the doughy delicacies coming out of this Brookline kitchen are top-quality. Creative, non-tomato pizzas, like a white pie topped with hot honey and bacon, are also popular.

Cross the bridge to Charlestown and you’ll find this hip spot known for its wood-fired pizzas and craft beer. Using local ingredients, this place takes a hard break from tradition, dressing its gourmet pies with some seriously unconventional toppings that would make native Neapolitans shudder (i.e. its Freebird with smoked chicken, pickled collard greens, mozzarella, alabama white sauce and pork cracklins)—but hey, more for us. Crust-lovers will be especially impressed by Brewer’s Fork’s dough, which comes out of the oven with a perfect rise and ample air-bubbles for optimal mouthfeel.

Grab a super-sized slice (actually, it’s a quarter of a pizza) at this iconic counter-service spot located in the heart of the North End. Fill up on a classic combinations like the Caprese or Bianco, or go bold with more unique toppings, like the Chicken Ranch, Caribbean Shrimp or Cheeseburger. A couple salads, plus beer and wine make any slice a meal at this Salem Street mainstay.

Situated inside Union Square’s Bow Market, Hotbox dishes out specialties from each coastal end of the Bay State: North Shore roast beef and South Shore pizza. We’re obviously here to talk about the eatery’s latter, crustier offering, which is better known to locals as bar pizza. This staple is a quickly cooked, crispy crusted delight with incredible, caramelized edges (the result of its cheese and sauce having a nice little meet and greet with some ultra-high heat). Grab these 10-inch pies—from classic cheese to unconventional pickle—and accompanying dipping sauces, and don’t be horrified when you manage to house one of these thin-crusted masterpieces all by yourself.