Boston’s Hidden Restaurants pays a visit to Italian Express Pizzeria in East Boston, which opened in the 90′s but feels “like it wouldn’t have been out of place in the 1930s or 1940s.” Despite its humble appearance and somewhat difficult to find location, “the pies here are among the best in all of Greater Boston.”

Boston’s Hidden Restaurants ventures to Jeffries Point in East Boston to check out Italian Express Pizzeria, which is “one of the most well-hidden spots in the Boston area for top-quality pizza.”  The kitchen turns out pizzas that are “among the best in all of Greater Boston” and “a particularly good Caesar salad.” While it doesn’t play favorites, the review comfortably mentions Italian Express in the same breath as Santarpio’s!  [Boston's Hidden Restaurants]

336 Sumner Street, East Boston, MA 02128
(617) 561-0038 Find location!

East Boston has gone through some major changes over the past few decades, going from a predominately Italian area to one that has a large concentration of folks from Central and South America. And the dining scene certainly reflects this, with all kinds of Latin American eateries being found from the Winthrop, Revere, and Chelsea borders all the way to the waterfront facing the Boston skyline. A handful of Italian dining spots can still be found in Eastie, however, including a few that have been around for decades along with others that are more recent additions to the dining scene here. One spot that is in the latter category is a little-known place that may be relatively new (at least compared to Jeveli’s and Santarp’s), but “feels” old, looking like it wouldn’t have been out of place in the 1930s or 1940s. But Italian Express Pizzeria is indeed a relative newcomer, originally opening in the early 1990s–and reopening in its present Sumner Street location in 2009–and it also happens to be one of the most well-hidden spots in the Boston area for top-quality pizza.

Italian Express Pizzeria resides in the quiet Jeffries Point neighborhood of East Boston, which, although primarily residential, features several decent restaurants, including Mehak, Pupuseria Mama Blanca, and, soon, a new restaurant from the KO Catering and Pies folks in South Boston. This is not a neighborhood that is easily found, as the streets here generally don’t go anywhere and it is nearly completely cut off from the rest of Eastie by Route 1A, Route 90, Logan Airport, and Boston Harbor. And Italian Express itself might not look like a true restaurant, residing in a small standalone structure that looks (from the outside, anyway) a little like a sub shop. This is deceiving, however, as the inside of this dining spot is actually quite cozy and attractive, with dim lighting, pictures of well-known figures on the warm-colored walls (including Robert DeNiro and Tony Bennett), and a handful of tables that are spread out enough to allow for relatively quiet conversation. An ordering counter sits front and center in the tiny space, but there is sitdown service here, and very friendly service at that, adding to the low-key vibe of the restaurant.

Although Italian Express is basically an Italian restaurant with everything from fried calamari and pasta e fagioli to salami subs and chicken cacciatore served here, there is a reason why “pizzeria” is included in the name of the place; the pies here are among the best in all of Greater Boston, with the folks behind the restaurant having traveled to Italy–including the island of Sicily–to learn about how pizza is made in the old country. And it shows, with Italian Express featuring delicious thin-crust pizzas that are made in a simple manner, yet have a wonderfully complex mix of tastes coming from fresh ingredients and a perfect balance of sweet-tasting sauce, rich mozzarella cheese, and herbs and spices. It should be noted that these are not individual pies; one pizza is plenty for two people, and even then, some slices may have to be taken home, so it might not be such a good idea to order one pizza per person (as some do at the aforementioned Santarpio’s) unless you plan to take a lot of it with you when you leave. Beer and wine are served at Italian Express, and the place also makes a particularly good Caesar salad with includes wonderfully zesty homemade croutons and is a perfect complement to beer/wine and pizza here. Prices are generally reasonable, with the pizzas starting at around $10 and topping out at a little below $20, which isn’t bad considering how large these pies are.

If you look hard enough, you can still find some Italian restaurants in East Boston, though finding Italian Express Pizzeria is admittedly more difficult than finding some of the others (a GPS is definitely a good tool to have when looking for this spot). But its out-of-the-way location is part of the allure of Italian Express, as well as its friendly overall feel and its outstanding pizza. As to whether the pies here are as good as those of Santarpio’s, well, that is indeed a judgment call, but either way, pizza lovers should surely consider seeking this spot out.

http://www.hiddenboston.com/ItalianExpress.html

NEW YORK, NY, October 21, 2011 — Italian Express Pizzeria has been selected for the 2011 Boston Award in the Pizza Restaurants category by the U.S. Commerce Association (USCA).

The USCA “Best of Local Business” Award Program recognizes outstanding local businesses throughout the country. Each year, the USCA identifies companies that they believe have achieved exceptional marketing success in their local community and business category. These are local companies that enhance the positive image of small business through service to their customers and community.

Phantom Gourmet recently featured Italian Express Pizzeria on their 4/23/11 program as a “PHAN-TASTIC MEAL DEAL”!   Watch the video and see some of the Best Italian Food and Best Pizza in all of Boston…  Enjoy and see you soon!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watchv=aFhTM01EajI&feature=player_embedded

http://www.italianexpresspizzeria.com/menu-pizza-italian-boston/

http://www.italianexpresspizzeria.com/menu-pizza-italian-boston/

 http://www.italianexpresspizzeria.com/boston-italian-events-catering/

From Authentic Italian style Pizza to our Famous fresh made-to-order Pasta Dinners… 

Our Seafood is VERY fresh and we hand pick all of it right off of the fishing boats to get the “fresh catch” of the day!  

For dessert…choose from Red Velvet Cake, Homemade Cannolli, New York Style Cheesecake, Tiramisu, and Fried Dough!

Our Wine Selection features wines from Spain, Italy, South America, and California!  Also, we feature more than 13 Premium Beers…from domestic to import!

Make sure you try different things on the menu to keep discovering “new favorites”!

Also, make sure you join us on facebook & twitter for special deals and discounts!

See you soon,

Italian Express Pizzeria