"Hi, welcome to Bertucci's. My name is Johnny, and I'll be your server today." When I heard that, I knew I had wandered into a different kind of pizza chain. The state of the art Wood Stone brick oven I was staring at across from our table was another giveaway. It's fueled by gas, though there are other Bertucci's locations with wood-burning ovens. The first Bertucci's opened in 1981 in Somerville, Massachusetts. At one point, Bertucci's had even received certification from the VPN. These days its membership has been suspended because as VPN America founder Peppe Miele explained, "They went around me to Italy for their certification. We can't allow that."
Undeterred by their American VPN suspension, Bertucci's has persevered, and after a few missteps caused by too rapid expansion, has positioned itself as a low-priced, more authentic alternative to Olive Garden.
I of course had no interest in anything on the very large menu other than pizza. We ordered a large Margherita with sausage on half. My man Johnny brought over some warm rolls and a plate of olive oil with fresh rosemary, oregano, and red pepper flakes floating in it. The rolls tasted like Tuscan brown-and-serve rolls, but they were warm and actually quite satisfying once dipped in the flavored olive oil. Our complimentary salad tasted like it was dressed with a bad, bottled "Eye-talian" dressing.
The pizza arrived at the table five minutes later. I grabbed a piece of the plain half and took a bite. The yeasty crust was pretty darn good. It had a decent lip and was nicely charred. I ripped off an edge of the crust and put it in my mouth. It wasn't world-class pizza crust, but it was certainly way better than any chain pizza I had tasted. The dots of white cheese on the pizza were obviously fresh mozzarella, a pleasant surprise. The sauce was a deep red. It looked more like a cooked pasta sauce and, although it tasted OK, there was way too much of it on the pizza. The oddly seasoned sausage came atop the pizza in large pelletlike chunks that had no discernible pork or fennel flavor. The next time I go to a Bertucci's, I would order a plain Margherita, easy on the sauce.
The pizza at Bertucci's is good enough to give me hope for the future of chain pizza. It's not the pizza of my dreams, but it's certainly way better than Domino's, Little Caesar's, Pizza Hut, or Papa John's. In fact, it's one small step for pizza-kind.
there was one of these in harvard square when i was at the law school. it was by far the best food in the square - except for perhaps, harvest, a now probably defunct upscale american joint. unfortunately, when i went to one in washington, they had taken my favorite off the menu - bechamel, sauteed onions and prosciutto. it was a god-send for this red-sauce loathing italian girl.
Interesting. There is a Bertucci's in Jersey City at Newport and I have always passed it by, preferring to steer clear of chains. But since there aren't many other choices, I may just give it a try.
Having lived in Boston for about 5 years, I learned to dread and then actively avoid Bertucci's Pizza as much as I do the others (Dominos et al.) because it was ordered out at every company event or party or any other situation you can think of where pizza gets ordered.
I ended up living literally across the street from Regina's for the last couple years I was there. That was a little corner of pizza heaven on earth.
I never order pizza there. Usually just the antipasto and a drink. I know I tried the pizza a decade ago and thought the same thing. But I am a pizza snob.
The pizza at Bertucci's is definitely decently edible, which is more than you can say for a lot of Boston pizza. But, still, even in Boston, there is much better to be had. Agreed with Seyo that Regina is almost as good as you can get, even in New York. I like it better than Patsy's and Grimaldi's, but not better than Totonno's.
Oh Regina..I went to school near Boston and I still have such fond memories of the original Pizzeria Regina in the North End. That is truly great pizza. I am sure that Bertucci's must pale in comparison.
The quality of Bertucci's has gone down over the years. You would need to go back in time to about 1990 to get a pizza from Bertucci's. Even the locations that use a wood fired bread oven are losing quality. The next time you go, look below the oven where they should be storing the wood, but rather they are using some prefab wood log product.
For the best pizza in Boston, you'll need to leave Boston and head up to Bianchi's in Revere Beach. Santarpio's is good but very inconsistent, and way too much cheese.
The Upper Crust gets lots of press, but I don't their expansion is hurting the quality of the pies.
I used to be an original Regina North End die-hard whenever I was in Boston, but have given the Boston pizza pennant to Santarpio's in East Boston. try their "bbq" too.
Bertucci's has become a chain, devoid of its original calling and, as mentioned in the article, expanded way too fast for its own good. By now, the Flatbread Pizza Co. has taken what Bertucci's used to be known for and beaten them at their own game.
I never order pizza at Bertucci's, but they do make effective use of their brick ovens for other dishes, too. Their baked tortellini w/ chicken is friggin' superb.
All in all, a more-than-worthy alternative to the dreaded Olive Garden.
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Undeterred by their American VPN suspension, Bertucci's has persevered, and after a few missteps caused by too rapid expansion, has positioned itself as a low-priced, more authentic alternative to Olive Garden. 
11 Comments:
there was one of these in harvard square when i was at the law school. it was by far the best food in the square - except for perhaps, harvest, a now probably defunct upscale american joint. unfortunately, when i went to one in washington, they had taken my favorite off the menu - bechamel, sauteed onions and prosciutto. it was a god-send for this red-sauce loathing italian girl.
Dish at 9:19PM on 07/26/07
Interesting. There is a Bertucci's in Jersey City at Newport and I have always passed it by, preferring to steer clear of chains. But since there aren't many other choices, I may just give it a try.
izzy's mama at 9:56PM on 07/26/07
Having lived in Boston for about 5 years, I learned to dread and then actively avoid Bertucci's Pizza as much as I do the others (Dominos et al.) because it was ordered out at every company event or party or any other situation you can think of where pizza gets ordered.
I ended up living literally across the street from Regina's for the last couple years I was there. That was a little corner of pizza heaven on earth.
seyo at 12:53AM on 07/27/07
I never order pizza there. Usually just the antipasto and a drink. I know I tried the pizza a decade ago and thought the same thing. But I am a pizza snob.
JerzeeTomato at 5:55AM on 07/27/07
The pizza at Bertucci's is definitely decently edible, which is more than you can say for a lot of Boston pizza. But, still, even in Boston, there is much better to be had. Agreed with Seyo that Regina is almost as good as you can get, even in New York. I like it better than Patsy's and Grimaldi's, but not better than Totonno's.
tamerlanenj at 10:41AM on 07/27/07
Oh Regina..I went to school near Boston and I still have such fond memories of the original Pizzeria Regina in the North End. That is truly great pizza. I am sure that Bertucci's must pale in comparison.
izzy's mama at 11:01AM on 07/27/07
The quality of Bertucci's has gone down over the years. You would need to go back in time to about 1990 to get a pizza from Bertucci's. Even the locations that use a wood fired bread oven are losing quality. The next time you go, look below the oven where they should be storing the wood, but rather they are using some prefab wood log product.
For the best pizza in Boston, you'll need to leave Boston and head up to Bianchi's in Revere Beach. Santarpio's is good but very inconsistent, and way too much cheese.
The Upper Crust gets lots of press, but I don't their expansion is hurting the quality of the pies.
Newbury Pizza is no more and is sorely missed.
ebpizza at 11:32AM on 07/27/07
I used to be an original Regina North End die-hard whenever I was in Boston, but have given the Boston pizza pennant to Santarpio's in East Boston. try their "bbq" too.
guttergour at 8:51PM on 08/27/07
Agreed. Pizza in Boston has always been either Regina or Santarpio's in East Boston.
Nothing more and nothing less. The search for a good Boston pizza ends at these two.
peppertree5706 at 12:33AM on 11/24/07
That's what I've heard, peppertree. Haven't had a chance to eat at any of these places but am looking forward to it next time I'm in Boston.
Adam Kuban at 9:41PM on 11/26/07
Bertucci's has become a chain, devoid of its original calling and, as mentioned in the article, expanded way too fast for its own good. By now, the Flatbread Pizza Co. has taken what Bertucci's used to be known for and beaten them at their own game.
I never order pizza at Bertucci's, but they do make effective use of their brick ovens for other dishes, too. Their baked tortellini w/ chicken is friggin' superb.
All in all, a more-than-worthy alternative to the dreaded Olive Garden.
Mattyhorn at 2:10PM on 01/28/08