The Battle is On: Regina's or Santarpio's for the Best Pizza?

Perhaps only second to the Mike's vs. Modern pastry battle, two establishments more than any other seem to be the top contenders for the Best Pizza in Beantown: Regina's and Santarpio's.

Though I've lived in both the North End and East Boston (the homes of these two restaurants, respectively), I will admit I'm a little bias from the start. After a semester abroad in Italia, I pretty much fell in love with the North End and I find its vibe hard to top. I frequented Regina's with J regularly, and anytime a guest told me they hadn't tried it.

So I was a bit skeptical when I moved to Eastie and suddenly the boss in town was Santarpio's. However, eager to try this great contender, we ordered a couple pizzas as soon as we (3-Fiddy and I) moved in. There was a line around the corner and we had to feed all the troops who helped us move, so we sprung for take out.

Santarpio's has a side door that leads to the kitchen, which is where you pick up take out orders. I walked in and saw my pizza's come out of this oven. Apparently the cook thought they looked just as good as I did, because he picked a pepperoni off my pizza and ate it....in a really weird, sensual kind of way. He then continued making gross kissing/licking gestures toward me...before giving me the pizza like nothing ever happened. AWKWARD?!

Now with that preface, I'll say that I've had Santarpio's pizza several times since, but have never actually eating in the restaurant...(in fact, I always make 3-Fiddy go in and get the take out order because she's braver than me). But I do like their pizza.

So this battle can't be about the vibe of the place, how much I like the people or how comfortable the booths are - it's about pizza and that's it!

We ordered a couple pizzas from Santarpio's the other night - one green pepper and onion and the other sausage and garlic. All the toppings were hiding under the cheese, but dont worry, there were plenty! I'd say the best part of Santarpio's pizza is their cheese...it's thick and flavorful and they pile it on. The toppings are good, but nothing too creative - most of the pizza suggestions on their menu are standard combinations. The crust is thin and tends to get a bit soggy toward the middle, but it's delish. They don't use a lot of sauce so my take on that is a bit inconclusive. All that being said, it's definitely good pizza!

Regina's has a completely different appeal. When Im looking for an expert in unique, interesting combinations of flavors that won't disappoint...I know where to head. My favorite is probably prosciutto con spinaci. Loaded up with sauce, mozzerella and ricotta cheese, fresh spinach, prosciutto, and cherry tomatoes, this pizza is to die for. Last time we went, J and I tried the Classico - sauce, pepperoni, artichoke hearts, mushrooms, mozzarella and parmesan cheese. All fresh, all amazing. I could go on for days about their creativity and the quality of their food. One other thing to note - don't go to Regina's in Fanueil hall - the real deal is like a 10 minute walk into the North End - go for the full experience. It's worth it, and you're probably going to head that way to go to Mike's for dessert anyway!

So in the end, while Santarpio's pizza is good, my humble opinion is that it doesn't touch Regina's.

Ciao!
Litte B


PS - I also recommend trying Dough in East Boston if you're looking for some good pizza!