Santarpio's Pizza

(617) 567-9871

113 Chelsea St
East Boston, MA 02128 42.3725 -71.0356

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Neighborhoods: East Boston, Jeffries Point / Airport

SANTARPIOSPIZZA.COM

Hours:

Monday 09:00 AM - 10:00 PM

Tuesday 09:00 AM - 10:00 PM

Wednesday 09:00 AM - 10:00 PM

Thursday 09:00 AM - 10:00 PM

Friday 09:00 AM - 10:00 PM

Saturday 09:00 AM - 10:00 PM

Sunday 09:00 AM - 10:00 PM

Price:

$

Last updated 10.14.11

Category:

Restaurants

Payment Methods:

Visa, MasterCard

Restaurant Special Features:

Local Favorite, Family-Friendly Dining, Late Night Dining, Historic Setting, Lunch Spot, Family Style Dining, Group Dining, Dine At The Bar, Cheap Eats, Bar Scene

Cuisine:

Pizza, Italian

Smoking Permitted:

No

What People Are Saying About Santarpio's Pizza

Featured Review

Eric Grossman

Contributor

The Scene – Locals, some of them of Italian lineage, flock to this local institution to soak up the atmosphere. Some posters and photographs hanging on the windowless wooden walls date back to the restaurant's days as an all-male establishment, serving slices for five cents apiece. Local characters sip at a long bar, while diners take a seat in wooden booths. Smoke from the grill intermingles with amiable chatter, Frank Sinatra tunes and the aroma of authentic, homemade Italian marinara. Friendly waiters snag any opportunity for a good wisecrack. – – The Food – Pizza…

Editor's Tips

Know Before You Go:
The restaurant serves neither coffee nor dessert, so feel free to stuff yourself. Also, Santarpio's accepts cash only.
Parking:
As street signs reserving spots for residents make clear, parking is scarce in this East Boston neighborhood. Take the Blue line to the airport station instead.
ambiance
90.0% positive
  1. Incredible pizza and authentic East Boston ambiance!
  2. loved the old school atmosphere in this place.
  3. Given its rustic ambiance, I just love Santarpios food.
  4. The ambiance is quite unique not the best, but unique I would say, who cares anyway the pizza is the best in the area.
  5. If you want the best pizza in Boston, great atmosphere, no frills and no b.s. dining -- this is the place to go.
  6. The atmosphere was good, but the pizza sucks.
  7. Terrible parking but great FOOD!
  8. The pizzas were huge, which is nice, but the crust was soggy, there was too much cheese, as others mentioned the atmosphere and service are sub-par, and the glasses for soda were
  9. dirty/spotty. I like a gritty, historic atmosphere, but this place didn't cut it.
  10. There isn't much ambiance, but who needs it when the pizza is that good!
dessert
100.0% positive
  1. The proper protocal is order a sausage or lamb tips before eating your pie.
  2. The pie was outstanding.
drinks
100.0% positive
  1. It's not the most elegant of restaurants but, if you just want to sit back, relax and have some great pizza and a couple of beers, this is the place for you.
  2. This bar/restaurant serves up the best charcoal grilled lamb tips and sausages along with original old time brick oven baked thin crust pizza.
  3. am 32 years old and live in the South Shore and I travel to Santarpios through Boston once a week for the great food, inexpensive menu, and friendly treatment from Lefty and Carl at the bar.
food quality
92.70000457763672% positive
  1. They have an awesome BBQ plate and incredible pizza that will make you come back for more.
  2. Serving simpley delicious pizza.
  3. The proper protocal is order a sausage or lamb tips before eating your pie.
  4. By far and away the best pizza Ive ever had.
  5. If you like average pizza, rude and non attentive service, and a ridiculous long wait to get in the place.
  6. Everything is fresh, made to order and served H-O-T.
  7. love the fact that they offer the lamb but if you want good lamb tips go to the new bridge cafe in chelsea.
  8. Hands down Boston's best pizza.
  9. The pizza is fantastic, inexpensive and fast!
  10. It's kind of a dive but it's the best pizza I've ever had!
  11. The pizza is good but over-rated.
  12. If you really want fantastic, no-frills pizza, make the trip to Santarpio's.
  13. Incredible pizza and authentic East Boston ambiance!
  14. You want to come back for more to enjoy great pizza.
  15. There isn't much ambiance, but who needs it when the pizza is that good!
  16. This is the best American style pizza I have ever had.
  17. Santarpios has - quite possibly - the best pizza in the U.S. Sounds extreme, but if you have not had it, you are missing out.
  18. the pizza was pretty good BUT the waiter was horrible.
  19. Then order a sausage, garlic, extra cheese pizza.
  20. This bar/restaurant serves up the best charcoal grilled lamb tips and sausages along with original old time brick oven baked thin crust pizza.
  21. best bet is the hot pepper pizza.
  22. love love love the pizza and the sausages from the grill.
  23. They always order one plain and one lamb shishkabob.
  24. They also barbeque sausages in their same brick oven but I am not a sausage fan but I have tasted them and folks love them because they are delicious.
  25. the food is excellent, waiters not so much
  26. Given its rustic ambiance, I just love Santarpios food.
  27. Great pizza, no doubt.
  28. the pizza's great.
  29. The pizza was great and the service was good as well.
  30. Long tradition of great pizza.
  31. The ambiance is quite unique not the best, but unique I would say, who cares anyway the pizza is the best in the area.
  32. the pizza is good but not really my style (thin and crunchy).
  33. If you want maybe the worst service, add on a sprinkle of rude bartenders, long lines and below average pizza, please come to Santarpios.
  34. Santarpio's is absolutely the best pizza in the
  35. understand that these small local popular places have their own character & charm for being layed back & "no frills" - but rude service is unacceptable anywhere - from fast food dives to 5 star dining.
  36. sent an attorney friend who had a stopover at Logan Airport there for lunch, and he has never stopped raving about the incredible pizza he ate!
  37. Best garlic pizza ANYWHERE!
  38. Everything is fresh, delicious and affordable.
  39. Santarpios is the best pizza in boston.
  40. grew up with Santarpio's pizza and it has forever been my most favorite pizza of all time, not to mention the unbelievable barbecue.
  41. but the pizza is good.
  42. Would recommend it to anyone looking for good pizza.
  43. This is the best pizza in town.
  44. Terribly rude service; average pizza
  45. This is the best place in the U.S. A. My friends who fly into logan ask if we can go for pizza first.
  46. i've been going to santarpio's since for the past 30 years and i think it's still the best pizza around!
  47. If you want the best pizza in Boston, great atmosphere, no frills and no b.s. dining -- this is the place to go.
  48. All my out of town guests agree that this pizza is the best.
  49. The best pizza on earth.
  50. Santarpio's has the best pizza in town, by far.
  51. It's the first place, as a kid, you had really good pizza besides the European!
  52. They have the best pizza of anywhere.
  53. The pizza is fresh, dripping with zesty cheese and out of this world!
  54. Yes, it's a hole in the wall, but it serves up great pizza.
  55. am 32 years old and live in the South Shore and I travel to Santarpios through Boston once a week for the great food, inexpensive menu, and friendly treatment from Lefty and Carl at the bar.
  56. On a recent visit to Boston I asked my friend to take to a good pizza joint so he brought me to Santarpio's.
  57. The best pizza ever!
  58. The pizzas were huge, which is nice, but the crust was soggy, there was too much cheese, as others mentioned the atmosphere and service are sub-par, and the glasses for soda were
  59. loved the thin crust and the sauce.
  60. really think that Santarpio is the best pizza in Boston.
  61. Imagine eating a tick slice of soggy bread with gross tomato sauce and a tinny portion of cheese at a trashy joint and you will have experience Santarpios.
  62. have this pizza at least once a week it's that good, you get fresh veggies and meat and if you want garlic they give you a ton!
  63. It's delicious, simple -served with fresh bread they make there and hot Italian peppers - and not expensive.
  64. The waitstaff is rude, the place is filthy, and the food is nothing to write home about.
  65. Trua authentic pizza.
  66. Santarpio's is hands down the best pizza i have ever had.
  67. The people are friendly and food always melts in your mouth.
  68. It's good pizza only because the restaurant is in Boston and not New York.
  69. THis pizza is yummy, and I dream about going there.
  70. Wonderful crust, the sauce is just right just enough cheese and lots of garlic.
  71. It was very good with a very good sauce!
  72. But that is plenty, as the pizza has a delicious crust that is heavy on corn meal and a particularly zesty sauce going nicely with the greasy cheese, while the meat skewers are so tasty that some people forsake the pizza entirely to make the skewers their
  73. will admit the crust on the pizza was different and tasty (garlic), but I just can't get past how disappointed I was I had heard how amazing pizza it was.
  74. Terrific food.
  75. This pizza has good crust and a good sauce.
  76. The pizza is the best WE have ever had.
  77. Simply the best pizza there is.
  78. The lamb and italian sausage from the grill (only for dine-in) was delicious the first time but never qui.
  79. just love the pizza.
  80. This is a great place to get no frills pizza.
  81. It's not the most elegant of restaurants but, if you just want to sit back, relax and have some great pizza and a couple of beers, this is the place for you.
  82. The best pizza in the city.
  83. Highly recommend the gralic pizza and the bbq combo (sausage and lamb tips) cooked on their indoor charcoal grill.
  84. They make a great, thin crust pizza and excellent barbecue.
  85. Personally, I LOVE the lamb barbeque.
  86. The crust is the best and the pizza is not overburden with lots of cheese.
  87. without question it the best pizza in Boston, and the BBQ is just that BBQ, either lamb or sausage.
  88. Pleasant smells, assult your senses, upon entering this appealing resturant, to say nothing of the delicious tastes awaiting your pleasure.
  89. The atmosphere was good, but the pizza sucks.
menu variety
100.0% positive
  1. am 32 years old and live in the South Shore and I travel to Santarpios through Boston once a week for the great food, inexpensive menu, and friendly treatment from Lefty and Carl at the bar.
overall
100.0% positive
  1. This is the best place in the U.S. A. My friends who fly into logan ask if we can go for pizza first.
  2. If you want the best pizza in Boston, great atmosphere, no frills and no b.s. dining -- this is the place to go.
  3. It's not the most elegant of restaurants but, if you just want to sit back, relax and have some great pizza and a couple of beers, this is the place for you.
  4. They added great character to this place.
  5. This is a great place to get no frills pizza.
  6. Hands down the best place in the area to eat.
return potential
100.0% positive
  1. They have an awesome BBQ plate and incredible pizza that will make you come back for more.
  2. You want to come back for more to enjoy great pizza.
service
70.45000076293945% positive
  1. But that is plenty, as the pizza has a delicious crust that is heavy on corn meal and a particularly zesty sauce going nicely with the greasy cheese, while the meat skewers are so tasty that some people forsake the pizza entirely to make the skewers their
  2. the pizza was pretty good BUT the waiter was horrible.
  3. Service is friendly and quick.
  4. The waitstaff is rude, the place is filthy, and the food is nothing to write home about.
  5. live in Chelsea and people have been recommending Santarpios since we moved here three years ago.
  6. understand that these small local popular places have their own character & charm for being layed back & "no frills" - but rude service is unacceptable anywhere - from fast food dives to 5 star dining.
  7. Service is attentive, best to keep the staff on your side.
  8. The service is far from warm and fuzzy, although the place is full of character and local history.
  9. The pizza was great and the service was good as well.
  10. The prices are very reasonable and the service is pretty good as well.
  11. am 32 years old and live in the South Shore and I travel to Santarpios through Boston once a week for the great food, inexpensive menu, and friendly treatment from Lefty and Carl at the bar.
  12. Terrific service.
  13. If you want maybe the worst service, add on a sprinkle of rude bartenders, long lines and below average pizza, please come to Santarpios.
  14. the food is excellent, waiters not so much
  15. If you like average pizza, rude and non attentive service, and a ridiculous long wait to get in the place.
  16. Terribly rude service; average pizza
  17. The people are friendly and food always melts in your mouth.
  18. The remarkable thing about this place is the terrible service - i'm not asking for much, but a bit of politeness should be a given.
  19. know that people seem to either love or hate this place, but put me firmly in the "love" category for Santarpio's.
  20. The service is always excellent and quick.
  21. These guys can be a little rough but trust me they are GREAT people.
  22. The pizzas were huge, which is nice, but the crust was soggy, there was too much cheese, as others mentioned the atmosphere and service are sub-par, and the glasses for soda were
value
100.0% positive
  1. am 32 years old and live in the South Shore and I travel to Santarpios through Boston once a week for the great food, inexpensive menu, and friendly treatment from Lefty and Carl at the bar.
  2. The pizzas were huge, which is nice, but the crust was soggy, there was too much cheese, as others mentioned the atmosphere and service are sub-par, and the glasses for soda were
  3. Everything is fresh, delicious and affordable.
  4. It's affordable and worth the line that forms on the weekends.
  5. The prices are excellent.
  6. great value and I have never seen any trouble while there.
  7. It's delicious, simple -served with fresh bread they make there and hot Italian peppers - and not expensive.
  8. The prices are very reasonable and the service is pretty good as well.
  9. The pizza is fantastic, inexpensive and fast!
wait time
75.0% positive
  1. The service is always excellent and quick.
  2. If you like average pizza, rude and non attentive service, and a ridiculous long wait to get in the place.
  3. If you want maybe the worst service, add on a sprinkle of rude bartenders, long lines and below average pizza, please come to Santarpios.
  4. Service is friendly and quick.
1 Star Rating: Poor

05/28/11

worst pizza in Boston

by Metz at Citysearch

Awful. The worst restorant experience I can remeber. The all-male abusive waiters will shove you around the place like cattle to fit new clients, all of whom, like me, must have read the fake reviews that SANTARPIO CORP must have posted on the Web; yes, SANTARPIOPIZZA dot com is a chain, not the cozy neighborhood piza place they try to portray on the adds. When you get there, you will eat burnt pizza and pay through your nose or else. If you don't tip the abusive waiters above the 15% rate they will confront you on your way out, implicitly threatening you, making you fell terribly unconfortable. Don't ever go there !!!

5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

02/02/10

A Classic Old-Boston Pizza Joint

by hiddenboston , Citysearch Contributor at Citysearch

When a waiter mutters, "Whaddya want" and writes the order on a greasy piece of paper or a napkin(!), you can pretty much be assured that you won't be having a fine dining night. And perhaps that's what makes Santarpio's so special. It is so completely unpretentious in an old-Boston sort of way that it is at once memorable and, yes, even lovable, kind of like a crusty uncle who's always telling you to stop doing whatever it is you're doing.

Don't come to Santarpio's expecting a varied menu. To paraphrase the comedian Buddy Hackett, the menu consists of two choices: take it or leave it. About all you'll find on the menu here is pizza and skewers of lamb and sausage. But that is plenty, as the pizza has a delicious crust that is heavy on corn meal and a particularly zesty sauce going nicely with the greasy cheese, while the meat skewers are so tasty that some people forsake the pizza entirely to make the skewers their meal.

Some folks are turned off by the Elks Lodge atmosphere of Santarpio's and the sarcasm and rudeness of the waiters, but to me, this is all part of the charm of the place. Indeed, there are fewer and fewer of these old-school joints in the Boston area each year, which is an absolute shame. I know that people seem to either love or hate this place, but put me firmly in the "love" category for Santarpio's.

  • Pros: excellent pizza, old-school atmosphere
  • Cons: long lines, atmosphere that may turn some people off
1 Star Rating: Poor

11/14/09

Overrated

by araboi at Citysearch

The atmosphere was good, but the pizza sucks. Over-rated. The pizza came out so soggy that it just flopped over and fell apart. We also waited 1 hour just to get in, and 1 hour just to get our pizza. I'd rather have Papa Johns.

5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

11/05/09

santarpio's is the balls

by gambino at Citysearch

i honestly don't even understand how anyone, can honestly write a bad review on the place. im a top flight italian chef and i can say that you can not beat this pizza. loved the old school atmosphere in this place. die hard boxing fan and loved all the boxing posters and memorbilla. cant be beat, cant wait to go back.

  • Pros: their pizza is as good as it gets, love it
  • Cons: nothing
5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

05/02/09

Great Food

by EBo1216 at Citysearch

This is a great place to get no frills pizza. The waiters and bartenders for fun to talk to and have been there for years!

  • Pros: Pizza
  • Cons: nothing

The Details on Santarpio's Pizza

Place Categories:

  • best average pizza
  • quick service
  • best pizza place
  • great santarpios food
  • rude service
  • loved thin crust
  • delicious sausage
  • fresh everything
  • worst place
  • great people
  • loved old school atmosphere
  • outstanding pie
  • excellent prices
  • rude long lines
  • incredible authentic east boston
  • affordable line
  • delicious taste
  • good pizza joint
  • awesome bbq plate
  • best bet
  • best pizza ive
  • loved boxing posters
  • fresh veggies
  • loved sauce
  • never recommend santarpios

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