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Backstage Pizza Cafe
Category: Restaurants Pizza Pizza [Edit]
968 1/2 Farmington AveWest Hartford, CT 06107
(860) 232-2228
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Has TV:
- Yes
15 reviews for Backstage Pizza Cafe
15 reviews in English
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Review from Tracie C.
1/10/2012
We had a luncheon for our pastor at Backstage Pizza. Virginia and Sean were really helpful in planning beforehand and they gave us a great price for an all-you-can-eat pizza, salad, and soda lunch.
Pros:
-Pizza was good, salad was plentiful
-Right next to the parking lot so it was easy to find (if you knew it was behind the main storefronts)
-Patio seating in good weather
-Accommodating to different tastes and requests
-Staff was very friendly
Cons:
-A little bit cramped (we had 20 people and we pretty much took over the whole dining area...except they still managed to have other patrons there (I felt kinda bad for them!)
-They also have a take-out service, so that can make eat-in service a little slower with only one waitress.
Everyone had a great time and left full. Thanks! -
Review from Kedar D.
12/25/2011
This is a small, quaint pizza joint which offers Daiya vegan cheese. I got a small pizza which I found to have a nice, flaky crust and fresh vegetables.
They sparingly used the Daiya, which I think was a smart move, given that it would over overwhelmed the delicacy of the crust.
The service was friendly and prompt. I wouldn't come here with a group larger than 4, though they probably could put some tables together. There's also outdoor seating and live music.
If they offered some vegan desserts and some mockmeat toppings (how about some phony pepperoni?) I'd give them another star.
Note that the restaurant is in the back of another building, and not on the main street, so you have to walk down an alley to get there. -
Review from steve S.
West Hartford, CT
4/10/2012
A hidden gem. The individual size pizzas are perfect for a family with different tastes or dietary needs. They serve everything from traditional pizza to lactose free and vegan pizza. The service is fast and friendly. Crispy crust and tasty toppings- all that one wants when looking for a wonderful place for pizza.
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Review from Davis W.
West Hartford, CT
9/27/2011
This is West Hartford's BEST kept secret! This charming family owned and operated pizza place is tucked away behind busy west hartford center. It has none of the pretentiousness you usually find in WHC. The food is amazing! They use all fresh ingredients and you can tell on sight before you've even had the first bite. We love going with friends and getting personal pizzas. They are very reasonably priced (dare i say Cheap?) but they are not short on quality. We LOVE Backstage Pizza! During the summer they also have outdoor seating (without all the gas fumes of the main drag) and the staff is wonderful! It's also VERY kid friendly. Not so great for us but that might be good for you! (;
Oh! I forgot to mention they now have Vegan Pizza! AND i just had the most extraordinary veggie panini. I can;t rave enough. GO! What are you waiting for?!? -
Review from Jillian C.
West Hartford, CT
9/28/2011
The family that owns Backstage is lovely, and they all work in the restaurant. It's a fun, out of the way location with a lovely, casual atmosphere and some great outdoor seating.
The pizza itself is also very good-- the crust in particular has a delicious blackened but not burned quality about it. Although I am a Harry's BC devotee, I will continue to cheat and visit Backstage every once in a while. -
Review from Josh S.
West Hartford, CT
11/11/2011
The pizza if a little different. If I could I'd give them a 2.5. Their pizza isn't great- it's OK. But I do like their soup.
If this business wants to stay in business for more than a few years- they'll have to do something that the rest of West Hartford Center doesn't offer-- STAY OPEN A HALF HOUR AFTER THE BARS CLOSE. If I'm leaving the bar and I've had a few too many drinks the first thing I'd go for is Pizza at the Backstage- not because it's delicious- but because it's pizza and it's right in the middle of everything. -
Review from Ryan M.
1/10/2012
Pizza is about the combination of cheese, sauce, and hopefully a crispy crust--or you might think. Then, you try to get pizza within 50 miles of Hartford, and you can easily lose sight of what pizza brings man (or woman). Backstage Pizza brings that vision back to you, even if for a rather large price tag ($16 for a rather small large pizza with 2 toppings). Nevertheless, the pizza is worth it, especially when you need only wait 15 minutes for pick-up. They do have table service, a good wine selection, decent service, and a casual and pleasant ambiance.
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Review from ronald s.
Vegan Pizza? Gluten Free Pizza? Yah, that got that here and it's all pretty decent. It's not a huge space but it's big enough for a little pizzeria - before deciding on Backstage Pizza we tried to go to some other restaurants and they all had over an hour wait to be seated.. The staff was friendly and the pizzas came out quick. Thin crust, fresh veggies, overall good pies - not new haven or new york style, kind of unique. Good to have another option in West Hartford.
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Review from Steve T.
West Hartford, CT
7/17/2011 1 Check-in Here
On a cool summer night, you have secluded outdoor seating, and some live music, which is pretty nice. You can relax with a few beers and chow on some pizza. The menu offered a few microbrews, but nothing special. I can't really speak for the wine selection. The night I went there there was a jazz duo playing. I thought the atmosphere was really very nice.
However, we're talking about pizza here and in West Hartford there's a lot of competition for the best pizza. We had split a large BBT (Bacon, Basil, Tomato). It was pretty good, but I think pizza really comes down to the crust. This crust was just a little too thin. It just couldn't compete with either of the two Harry's. It also missed that delicious herbal flavor that Harry's somehow imparts to their crusts.
I also had a caesar salad, not very good. The lettuce was cut into tiny ribbons and topped with some of that store bought shredded parmesan and croutons. They could have done better on the salad.
All in all, a better atmosphere than Harry's (at least when it's nice out and it's Saturday night), but definitely inferior food. -
Review from elizabeth c.
West Hartford, CT
10/18/2011
This place is the bee's knees. Super vegan friendly, including Daiya cheese - score! The crust is mad thin, just how it should be. Sauce is tasty and fresh. Toppings are also fresh, and delicious. I do prefer a higher sauce to crust ratio on my pies, but that may just be me and is remedied by special request. The spot would catapult to 5 stars in my book if the gluten free crust were vegan. It would also be super if they offered whole wheat crust. And p.s. the small is really small so if you're with someone else and you're hungry, order up a size.
Listed in: Favorite Eats/Drinks in CT
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Review from David M.
12/28/2010
Any restaurant that has 1/2 in its address automatically has to be unique, cool and hidden somewhere. Backstage does not disappoint.
You will find this gem behind the Elbow Room on Farmington Ave. Its a tiny little pizza shop that only serves pizza, soda, soup and beer. The pizza is made fresh with great ingredients. The menu consists of Pizza and long list toppings you can choose from. (I really wish they had combo deals, since Basil or fresh tomatoes costs as much as Chicken or Sausage)
The shop itself is very small, with a few booths. The decor is incredibly tasteful, not at all what comes to mind when you think "pizza place". Warm, dark colors, fairly open, with soft lighting.
Not your everyday pizza place.
I went with a group on ($8 for $16), so the price worked out to be fair. Otherwise, a pizza with a few toppings can add up pretty quickly, and even their large is a modest meal for two people (I was easily able to eat half the pizza). Since it is expensive for pizza, this won't be a frequent stop, but it is such a great vibe, and the pizza was good, so I will be back.
Some Final Thoughts: Inexpensive dining out for Blue Black Square (compare prices to surrounding restaurants) At $4 for a good beer on tap, and free refills of soda, this could be a fun place to get a drink and hang out over craft pizzas. -
Review from M Z.
Hartford, CT
Great low key atmosphere for weha center. Huge outside seating area with music and umbrellas. Smaller inside area to sit but everything is clean and brand new. Bathroom is large and clean. Pizza is very tasty, salads are Very large. They offer a few microbrews on addition to regular beer menu and decent wine list. Staff is flaky but tries hard. Would def go back. Great place to go to just relax in the center and not have to deal with the meat market crowd. vegan pizza too
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Review from Matthew H.
Farmington, CT
10/27/2011
Backstage Pizza is a hidden gem of the center. Their name comes from the fact that they are located in the back of restaurant row. Their chef consistently produces excellent pizza with fresh ingredients. They have a constantly rotating selection of beers and wines, and the service is top notch. They are also the only restaurant in the Center as of this writing that is certified by Guiness to pour the perfect pint! In the summertime they have a large outdoor patio and host musical acts and a trivia night. This place has an excellent vibe, as you will find patrons hanging out long after they have finished eating. Highly recommended!
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Review from David S.
West Hartford, CT
4/5/2011
go to Lunas or Harry's if you want pizza. bland, very thin crust, large pie was the size of a small or medium elsewhere. personally, i don't see how this restaurant (like those before it at the same location) will make it, as it is hidden away and there is much better pies, just across the street.
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Review from Paul A.
Middletown, CT
9/1/2011 3 Check-ins Here
I just had the best tuna munster panini ever. White meat tuna not that nasty brown tuna you get other places. The best panini's in town.
