If anything brings back happy childhood memories it’s gorging on comfort food at a place you’ve been to a million times but can never get sick of. As great as fried chicken and meatloaf may be, they don’t hold a candle to the unchanging ways of Santarpio’s in East Boston.
For years my (giant) family would go there on Friday nights, or any excuse we could find, to revel in the pizza and grill combinations. The Santarpio’s in my mind is clouded with cigarette smoke, buzzing with conversations shouted across the room between patrons and waiters alike because everyone knows everyone, and Frank Sinatra dominating the jukebox. Fortunately, only one of those things has changed.
You have to start with an order of lamb ($5.00), homemade sausage ($4.00) or a combination platter ($9.00). Served with hot cherry peppers and impossibly crusty Italian bread there is a science to how you should dive in. Cut the cherry pepper so that the juice explodes onto your plate. After having tried a succulent piece of the lamb alone, dip your other pieces in the hot cherry pepper juice then pile that and a piece of the cherry pepper on top of the bread and bite. Spicy, sweet, meaty, doughy:amazing. They also have steak tips ($7.50) that work perfectly with the juice-pepper-bread plan.
Now, it is imperative that you keep your plate with the remnants of your grill order. Yes, seriously. When you get your pizza put that on a separate plate so when you get through the ooey gooey cheese and toppings to the crust you can dip it in the unholy combination or charcoal infused cherry pepper vinegar.
When it comes to pizza, that’s a very personal thing. Of course their plain Italian Cheese ($9.50) is perfect for everyone. There is one size sliced in a genius willy-nilly way so that there are a few huge ones, a few tiny ones and a couple in between. This past visit I ordered a half pepperoni and mushroom-half sausage and pepperoni. Absolutely scrumptious and devoured in minutes. There is a full bar with house wine for $3.50 and mixed drinks for $4 which.
The cultural paradox of businessmen and day laborers sharing a space at the bar to enjoy every gifted morsel Santarpio’s has to offer shouldn’t be glanced over. Open since 1903 and having won seven Best of Boston awards, including 2010, by Boston magazine the secret has been out for awhile. The combination of confidence found in longevity and pizza to die for makes the wait staff (which is pretty much the same as 20 years ago) part of the experience almost as much as the food. Open daily until midnight, and cash only establishment, it’s time to hop on the bandwagon and soak up what your life has been missing! Try going late night or for lunch to avoid the famous line.
111 Chelsea Street
East Boston, MA 02128
617 - 567-9871 or 617 - 567-9871
www.santarpiospizza.com
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