On a mobile device? Try our mobile site, optimized for faster browsing.
Harvard (Red)
Loading...
We have love all the restaurants in this group and Cambridge 1 is no exception. Cambridge 1 is the perfect place to grab a bite for lunch or a low key dinner without breaking the bank...and it makes for a great date, spot too.
Cambridge 1's Pizza's are thin, crispy and delicious with a ton of different toppings to choose from. They also let you mix and match or create your own pizza, which comes in very handy if you want to try a few different kinds of pizza...or if you're a meatasaurus having lunch with a vegetarian.
The salads at Cambridge 1 are also something to write home about... totally tasty, healthy, and substantial enough that you could totally make a meal out of them.
All of the portions here are generous, so you typically go home with a doggie bag for lunch the next day which is clutch, especially considering the prices.
Cambridge 1 gets bonus points from me because they serve cans of Pellegrino Limonata which makes me giddy-school-girl happy.
Yum. Now I want pizza...
First of all, 5 stars for atmosphere. Slate tables, low lighting. . . depending on who you are the Garden State soundtrack playing in the background is either a plus or a minus. . .
The food was pretty good - it's not so much "pizza" as it is flatbread with toppings. You can't pick it up with your hands, and there's no meat lover's special. The salad was tasty, had the right amount of dressing, and the produce was wonderfully fresh. I felt that a salad and half a pizza was plenty of food for a light dinner for two.
I wasn't as blown away as other reviewers, but it is a classy, relatively quiet spot in Harvard, which can be a real lifesaver when you're out on a Friday night.
This place has become one of my go-to date spots now that I live in Cambridge. They serve gourmet pizza and have a nice selection of beer and wine. The restaurant has a nice ambiance and a very modern feel.
I haven't tried that many of them but my favorite so far was #2 (italian sausage, ricotta, tomato, fontina). Classic, but delicious.
A couple thoughts:
* This is not a place to go if you want to grab a quick slice.
* The pizza you get here is not what you think of when you picture pizza. Be prepared to eat with a fork and knife because you're going to have difficulty using your hands!
* This is a great place for a date.
* The drink selection is nice.
* The pizza's available are mostly unconventional but also delicious.
* I found myself wishing there was more sauce on some of the pizzas I tried.
* Don't come here unless you like thin crust pizza.
* Don't order pizza #13 (grilled steak and cherry tomatoes, gorgonzola, arugula) unless you really like arugula. The pizza is tasty but they put so much arugula on it you'll think you ordered a salad when it first arrives at your table.
* I'll have to try pizza #10 (maine lobster, corn, scallion, parmigiano, lemon butter) one of these days, never heard of anything like that on pizza.
I went here (for the second time) a couple of nights ago on a first date. One thing is for sure, I liked Cambridge 1 more than I liked my date! Cool, comfortable atmosphere- kind of dark and cozy, and friendly service. I guess they are best known for their flat bread pizzas, and for good reason- everything was fresh and delicious. The prices are also very reasonable, around $15 or so for a full pizza, which is enough for two. Apparently my date didn't think the prices were as fair as I did since we went Dutch on the bill after he pulled the old "I'm-gonna-run-to-the-bathroom" trick as soon as the check came! Anywho, I'm glad he reminded me of this place so I can go back soon...with a classier dude!
On the fifth day on my vacation to Boston my aunt and I decided to visit Harvard. We skipped out on lunch near the hotel to hopefully find something unique near the campus to get something to eat. We very fortunately decided to have pizza.
Our choice: grilled steak, arugula, cherry tomato, and Gorgonzola cheese
One of the BEST pizzas I have ever had in my life. My aunt agrees. Perfect crust, perfect size, fresh toppings. Go here, get this, you will not be disappointed.
I always wondered what it would be like to want something so badly from a far away place you've visited that you could almost justify returning for that alone. This may be it for me.
I have to say that Crazy Doughs is my favorite pizza to have on special occasions, followed by Upper Crust as my all-around have-anytime slices. Cambridge 1, however, does have a really upscale offering of special gourmet pizzas that I also appreciate; it also holds later hours than the former two and is not at all a disappointing alternative.
Delicious: potato, fontina, parmigiano, romano, rosemary, garlic pizza
Also delicious: italian sausage, ricotta, tomato, fontina
It's like dollops of succulent mashed potatoes covering a landscape of flavorful, atypical-but-undeniably-wonderful ingredients. Very fresh. In fact, far more fresh than Upper or Crazy, which are usually sitting there waiting for you for whoever knows how long (not that this really detracts from their individual and relative deliciousness factor). But you can't go wrong with a pizza from Cambridge 1, where you can SEE that it was made to order, with extremely fresh ingredients.
You have to ask yourself: do I want to grab a slice to go or do I want to sit for awhile and enjoy a made-to-order pizza.
The menu is really wonderful. I can't reiterate enough how fresh the food tastes. The crust is not my favorite (I prefer chewy), but it's still damned good (very light!).
The service was good as well.
There are 4 main reasons why I like Cambridge 1:
1. tomato, fontina, romano, garlic, basil pizza
2. roasted onion, tomato, fontina, romano, chili oil pizza
3 potato, fontina, parmigiano, romano, rosemary, garlic pizza
4. tossed baby arugula, fontina, parmigiano pizza
I am a vegetarian so I have not tried the meat-based pizza's, although they look very good.
Pizza and beer at Cambridge 1 - that's a good lunch or dinner!!
Went with wife, nephew and girlfriend. Arrived around 7:30PM on Friday and waited 30 minutes for a table. Quiet enough waiting area in front for conversation. Seated at a nice table in the back. Ordered two pizzas - steak and Italian sausage. Both excellent. Ordered another two which were a tad undercooked, but still very good.
Organization of the wait-list was fine. Service was fine. Food well above average pizza place. We will go back to try other flavors and dishes.
Total cost for 4, including drinks but no alcohol, including tip was $100.
I went here last night and it was very good. Only complaint is that they don't take reservations and on Friday and Saturday nights the wait for a table of 3 or 4 can be long (30 minutes). However, while you wait you can enjoy a reasonably priced pitcher of Sam Octoberfest for 16 bucks. Although, they do serve beer in wacky new age pint glasses that look like oversized Tom Collin's glasses. Pizza was very tasty and relatively light. I'd stick with the simpler pizzas, like the tomato, basil, and fontina. Overall it was a delicious dinner and a nice change of pace from the typical pizza and beer joints.
If I was a wealthy professional athlete, I would definitely eat here. It's super classy, very well run, clean, and above all else, the food is stupendous.
Now, enjoy my main man, Rajon Rondo breakin some off:
http://www.youtube.com...
This place is decent - A-OK as the Yelp rating system dictates. I've been here a couple times, both they were pretty busy at 10pm on Monday nights, which certainly says something (maybe that it's in Harvard Square?)
Their drink list isn't extensive and the only thing they have besides pizza is salads, so know that when you go you're going specifically for the style of pizza they have, or the topping choices. I'd say check out the menu online before heading over.
It's a little pricey, but "gourmet" pizza usually is. I highly recommend the potato, fontina, rosemary and garlic pizza. YUM. The lobster and corn pizza sounds better than it is, although it is tasty. If it were less expensive I'd say it's totally worth it, but it's not necessarily. The lobster is minced, btw.
The pizza is softer than most thin crust, which I actually like. However, when you get the plate, whether you've ordered a half or whole, your first thought is "WOW that's HUGE!". Then, you've finished eating and you're not quite full and you realize it looks huge, but it's really not very filling. Sadness.
Anyways, try it for yourself. I'm not going to rave about it, but I would recommend at least one trip for the potato pizza, if not anything else.
What is it about Cambridge 1 that makes me so reluctant to go there? Their flat pizza is tasty -- as many other reviewers have noted, the potato is especially good -- unusual and worth a try. I almost never have room for dessert, so I'm not troubled by the meager offerings on the sweet end of the scale. Their beer and wine selections are solid. I'm almost always a fan of modern minimalist decor.
So what is it ... oh, yes, now that I'm actually considering it, here's the problem I perceive: Cambridge 1 is cast (and priced) as far more than a mere pizza point. You go there to enjoy good food and drink. The fixtures and lighting are inviting. It could be, and should be, an enjoyable meal. You will be paying for a good meal. But if you are unfortunate enough to go at a time when many other people are attempting to do the same, you may very well not enjoy it so much.
Instead you might find yourself standing uncomfortably in the front of the restaurant, possibly nursing a drink if you managed to squeeze through to the bar to snag the bartender's attention. You'll be aware of the fact that you're hovering at the elbows of seated patrons who are trying to enjoy their pricey pizza in peace. You might find that the 10-15 minute wait the hostess predicted is in fact going to be more like a 20-30 minute wait for a table.
And heaven help you if you're seated in the front of the restaurant. Remember how you were uncomfortably aware of the seated patrons whose laps you were practically sitting in as you waited for a table? Well, now that you've been seated, you might find yourself wishing that the oblivious young woman wielding an over-sized, ill-advised handbag was just a little less oblivious. (Of course if she was less oblivious she wouldn't be carrying that handbag ... but that's another story entirely)
I understand that restaurants want to serve as many customers as they can. But since Cambridge 1 isn't billing itself as a fast food pizza joint, it really shouldn't embrace a squeeze-em-in policy that guarantees overcrowding and long waits. It's fancy pizza. It's good fancy pizza. But it's not worth a 30 minute wait just to be seated, and it's certainly not worth a 30-minute wait to be seated within a crush of people who are not-so-subtly willing you to eat faster so they can have your table.
I think they need to either re-arrange their front area a bit, or work out a new policy about what to do with patrons waiting for a table (e.g. give accurate wait times -- which would be easier to do if they just eliminated the dessert menu entirely. If you don't want people to linger after their main course, don't give them an excuse to stay!). If some people decide to go elsewhere for a bite after learning that it'll be at least 20-30 minutes before they can get a table, so be it. As it is, Cambridge 1 asks both the seated and waiting patrons to pay the price for its relatively small space. It promises sophistication ... but delivers hectic thoughtlessness.
So I avoid this place in the evening, especially on weekends. Not worth the hassle. If you're in the area when it doesn't happen to be crowded, by all means check it out.
I was thinking about the best way to describe my experience at Cambridge 1. All I can say is that is was the best thin crust pizza I have ever had.
I really like the atmosphere here, and the pizza was pretty good. We tried the bolognse and the sauce was excellent. Would go back for sure!
I'm a big pizza person.
i love anyyyy kind. thick, thin, you name it.
Cambridge 1 has some of the best pizza around.
great new and unusual toppings and good prices.
fun date place!
After my second visit, I've officially become a fan of this great spot in Harvard Square. The grilled pizzas are fresh as are the salads. And unlike many bustling pizza places, it is easy to relax and just enjoy your meal and company in its dim and cozy setting.
I recommend the steak, pepper, and gorgonzola pizza as well as the bresaola and arugula salad...simple, delicious flavors.
Yea it was OK.
Beer was reasonable. Pizza can be unreasonably expensive if you pick the wrong one (mine had a few scraps of cheese and a ton of lettuce chiffonade for $15).
Atmosphere is reasonable. Get a seat in the back so you can have a view of the graveyard.
Oh, weirdly enough, the bartender did not pick up my tip. I don't know if it was beneath him or what, but my $1 bill sat on the bar for like, 15 minutes while he twiddled his thumbs. It was kind of offensive.
Went here after the Yelp Elite event last night...this was an old haunt for the bf who used to live in H Sq. I had heard various things about it from him and others, and so the anticipation and expectations were built up.
Cambridge 1 did not disappoint in the least.
We only had to wait a few minutes for a table, during which we ordered beer (yesss, wachusett bberry) and munched on those awesome breadsticks (what is that little kick? It's incredible!) Once we sat down, our waitress immediately recognized my bf, and vice versa - he used to be a regular back in the day. I always give bonus points for places that remember customers...that whole Cheers dynamic (the show, not the stupid bar in Fanueil).
We each ordered halves, since he wanted pepperoni and I wanted to try a veg one. They came out in a timely fashion (not busy) and we were both in heaven before long. I got the tomatoes onions cheeses one, and the onions were carmelized...best way ever to eat onions! The crust was super thin, but had a lot of gooey flavor and was crispy too. I thought it was bigger than I needed for that night, but the bf ate every last bite of his (side note: I have never seen such large pepperoni pieces in my life). Looking around, the salads looked awesome as well and I was sad I had munched away so much at the event beforehand to enjoy one of those too.
This is also a great date place, as evidenced by the 73 dates going on around us. I know this isn't our last date here, that's for damn sure!!
XOX Cambridge 1. I heart you!
This is a really cool space. Is it creepy to say that I like sitting in the back, with a view of the graveyard?
The potato pizza really is as good as everyone else says it is. I also like that you can do half-and-half on a pizza--that way you can go for a tried and true topping and also try something a little different and new.
But the service here leaves me wondering if I should just try making my own potato pizza at home. Not too attentive table service on a busy night didn't bother me too much. I was more annoyed when my boyfriend and I stopped in here one late afternoon pre-dinner and decided to get a pizza to go. We waited, and we noticed that the kitchen put out a to-go pizza box--but we didn't jump up and claim it, because we figured it could be someone else's, and if it was ours, the bartender who took our order would bring it to us. The bartender was too busy chatting with another employee and ten minutes or so passed before we were, after all, handed that same box we'd been eyeing. If the restaurant had been busy, I wouldn't have minded (or probably noticed), but we were the only customers hanging around.
The pizza is pretty good here. I wouldn't say it's the best, but it's good. It's thin crust and doesn't make you feel fat after you eat it. It's pretty light but filling but I suggest more of a variety of different types of pizza.
I love Cambridge 1. Their pizzas are delicious and the options for toppings and combinations are pretty fantastic. I've come here with many different people and everyone always raves about whatever they get. The salads are great too.
The atmosphere is kind of dark and hip, and its nice for lunch or dinner, a group, a date, catching up with a friend etc. One complaint is that during busy times they sometimes seat you at a long bench and table with another party, which can be slightly awkward. Other than that Cambridge 1 is a consistently great experience. It's a good go-to place because it isnt too expensive but its still nice and everyone loves pizza!
The potato pizza is out of this world. I know what you're thinking but trust me, it's far from gross!! Also try the lobster and corn pizza and arugula pizza.
My only gripe is that their wines are pretty bad so stick to beer.
Good place for a weekend lunch if you happen to be in Harvard Square.
Salads are pretty big, and chicken is grilled well. I love thin crust pizzas, so I prefer their style. The crust is thin enough that the toppings stand out, but I would still prefer a tastier crust with more character to it. The potato wasn't sliced as thinly as I'd hoped, but the pizzas weren't bad. Steak pizza was simple and hearty, and I kind of like fresh greens on my pizza.
Not bad for more creative thin crust pizza, but I'm not rushing back.
Although I've known of it, I've somehow missed this place in my 2+ years in Boston. After 2 visits in the last week and a half, however, I have to say it rivals Canestaro's in Fenway for my title of "favorite pizza place in Boston."
I find the service to be slightly non-attentive, but who really wants to be distracted while digging in to a delicious #4? The portions and prices seem to be "just right," and while others have mentioned how busy C1 can become, I've not found this to be the case at lunchtime, either on a weekday OR a weekend afternoon.
Decent gourmet pizza, if you can stand the crowded space. All three times I've been here I was treated to twenty-thirty minute waits, the occasional couple sitting next to me in my booth, and mad bottleneck by the door. What's worse is that they seat and eat at the bar, too, so there's no real space to drink and wait for your table.
The pizza is quite good, though. Very light crust, no grease, and lots of fresh ingredients. The portabello and onion pizza is very much like eating a steak pie, and there's another vegetarian pizza that's like getting a rainforest served on top of some dough (but in a good way). Tap selection is a little bit more upscale, but good (Dogfish Head, Brooklyn, etc.).
If you weren't seriously looking for this place, you'd walk right by it and never know it was there.
The thin, flatbread-like pizza is delicious and the toppings they offer are interesting and not all run-of-the-mill. Their salad is delicious.
Very small menu...not a lot other than pizza and salad so don't expect to go there and get a burger.
It can get overcrowded and full quickly so plan ahead.
I must say, potatoes on on pizza is a very delicious idea. Steak is a close second. I don't have much to say about the service, but the atmosphere seemed low-lit and romantic-like; the food though, was the best part.
This is typically a good experience. I come here after work occasionally or before a movie. It is usually the same exact experience each time. Maybe you could say "Generic."
Highlights: Nice bartender. Hostesses greet you at the door and are welcoming. It's warm inside,especially on a freezing winter day. People/customers are friendly. Decent menu, the pizza is good - fresh. Location is convenient to other things.
Lowlights: Will only put sports on the tv's - even if no actual sports are playing. Pricey for what you get - limited menu.
I've never heard them play music, yet there never seems to be any sound on the television.
My last visit, I had to prompt the bartender to do a few things. 1. Ask if I would like another glass of wine 2. Take a food order, which he never did so I ate all the breadsticks (free) instead 3. Ask for the bill 4. Pay the bill.
Although the bar seems small, I do think service would be better with 2 bartenders.
Other than that - it's a solid, predictable, casual, sports-oriented place with nice people.
Cambridge, 1 (Harvard Square--Cambridge, MA): 4/5 stars
I ordered a half-pizza (tomato, fontina, romano, garlic, basil) to-go (~$8 with tip) on Wednesday from Cambridge, 1. I have to say that I was impressed with the waitress, quick turnaround time, and quality of the food here. I had not been to Cambridge, 1 in a long time, but I might make this place one of my regular dining spots this year.
The thin crust pizza produced here is tasty (fresh herbs, tomatoes, and meats) and pretty light. I have also had the pepperoni/sopressata, tomato, fontina, romano pizza (recommended) and iceberg lettuce wedge salad (only okay--again, I am not a big fan of salads). I ordered the Toscanini's ice cream once (but the tiramisu flavor is too bitter for me--tastes too much like coffee/espresso--I prefer sweeter desserts).
Overall, this place gets two thumbs-up from me. I might even take my NY family/friends here. The only other Boston pizza joints I would consider taking New Yorkers to are The Upper Crust (Back Bay) and Pizzeria Regina's (North End). The slices might be more expensive than they are in NY, but considering the paucity of good options here and the relative cheapness of pizza compared to other dinner options, I am willing to fork out a little extra dough (no pun intended).
Pros: convenient location, near Harvard campus/T stop, fresh ingredients, half- and full-sized pies available, excellent customer service
Cons: dislike the only dessert option (tiramisu-flavored ice cream)
Read more: My Experiences in '09 on PNN - http://jms.pnn.com/110...
Adrienne T. said it better in her review than i could.
great decor and good beers on tap, but i was very disappointed in the food here. some thin bland crust with a few specks of chèvre and a bunch of raw sorrel thrown on top is not what most people would refer to as "pizza," it's not enough of a meal, and it's certainly not worth $15.
it would also help if the hostess would actually seat people when they come through the door, rather than sitting at the bar doodling in a sketch book while customers stand by waiting to be noticed.
thumbs down.
eh.... we were there on a very crowded weekend afternoon. got seated next to some really annoying people... won't go into it.
pizza was ok. it got cold really quick for some reason...
service was slow.
happy we tried it. checking it off our list. been there. done that.
100 reviews for Cambridge 1!!
I am honored to be the centennial reviewer for Cambridge1. This pizza joint has been right in my hood all along and I passed it only a million times on my ventures around the square. I'd only wish I stopped in sooner. The bare bones yet chic decor was not reminiscent of any pie place I'd ever seen. And what's this? They only serve pizza, salad and once choice of ice cream? Very suspicious.
That is, until I inspected the menu closely. Deletable variety, all sorts of cheese (I think in my former life, I may have been a mouse!) and the opportunity to mix and match with half pies! Brilliant!
We sought the advice of our waiter on just how much to order and recommended 4 half pies for three people. We went with the Italian sausage, the lobster, the chicken and the potato. This plethora of pizza was the perfect amount for us, allowing for supreme satiation and maximum variety. For a person who constantly can be found saying, "I want one of everything," Cambridge 1 is as close to making that happen as any place I've been.
My second favorite spot for pizza in Cambridge (behind Emma's), Cambridge 1 gets bonus points for being a short walking distance from my house. I don't think any of the pizzas I've tried there failed to satisfy, but my favorites are the potato, fontina, parmigiano, romano, rosemary, and garlic pizza, the portobello and caramelized onion pizza, and the good old fashioned pepperoni, complete with giant thin crispy rounds of pepperoni. Thank god they let you do half and half pies.
I love the atmosphere, from the high booths, to the sleek bar, to the view of the graveyard out back. A perfect spot to hit up for some warm comfort food, especially in the colder seasons.
It's good. Upper Crust is better in my opinion.
(*this means key point)
*The ambiance is nice, it received an award from the BSA. For all you non-archi-nerds, that's Boston Society of Architects.
The food is good. Just good. If I was still in NH, it would be great but down here the bar is high.
*Lets just go margerita pizza verses margarita pizza. Upper Crust had the perfect amount of sauce and not enough cheese, but C1 has too much sauce and a ok amount of cheese.
*They have a good selection of wine, which is key for my accomplice when it come to a restaurant. If my food bill is equal to his wine bill, then its normal.
Then, I got the salad. There was a bug the size of a dime. I mean diameter, not radius. Brown with legs. Still a little soft. *Rigor mortis had not set in yet. It was fresh, wet, and at the bottom of my salad.
The waiter came and grabbed my salad. He looked disgusted and urgent, yet did not listen to the fact that I didn't want a replacement.
But surprise, here comes another salad. I don't want it. But here it is. Do I want to take it home? Nah, not really. Am I sure? Yup.
Some guy at the bar gets it. He didn't look like the salad type, but he may have been more of a free food type that outweighed it.
I cook. Bugs live in lettuce. Lettuce is a plant. That's ok.
I just don't want it swimming around in a salad dressing river waiting to become a crouton in the next bite.
**Conclusion:
-Too much salad dressing on the salad. It was already mixed in and truthfully, not that great. Ask for it on the side.
-Too much sauce on the margarita pizza.
-The bug was giving me the evil eye, and I am pretty sure it was on a suicide mission. Close call.
-The waiter was too fast for his own good. Stop. Listen.
GPOINT: (new feature) The knife scraped against the plate and made him cring like he would die. Now I know how to torture him if he is keeping information from me. Excellent.
This is a typical Harvard square restaurant--all form, no content. Like the erstwhile z square, seems like the owners put more effort in the decor than in the food. The 'pizzas' are not really thin crust, but grilled flatbreads topped with dollops of cheese, canned tomato sauce and whatever else you might order. Nice idea, but this comes out tasting like homemade pizza I made on pita bread as a kid (again, a good idea in theory but not in practice). The popularity of this place says more about the tourist crowd that comes to Harvard square for a night out than the quality of the food. I can't imagine anyone from who actually lives in cambridge to pass up, say, Pinochio's for the phoniness of cambridge 1
I LOVE this place!!! And every time I come here, the wait is at least 45 minutes, but so be it! The interior decor is very hip, edgy, clean, and modern, but definitely not pretentious! There's usually two screens of some sort of sport playing at the bar with something hip playing over the speakers. The ambiance is so chill that regardless of what's going on around you, you're surrounded by good food, good people, and fantastic staff! The bartender there on weekends is super friendly, so I never mind sitting by the bar.
If you come here expecting anything else but good pizza, then you'll be disappointed. Yes, they do have salads, but they are mainly known for pizzas - thin crust and inventive toppings. I've tried pretty much every pizza there, and you really can't go wrong with any choice.
Their beer/wine selection is limited, but choices are not too bad -- that's really the only downside of this place. But that's alright, the pizza overshadows that fact.
Also, if you come here for dinner, skip the dessert! There's only one option on the menu (Toscanini's Tiramisu Ice Cream) - not worth it. Instead, walk two blocks from there and go to Burdick's!
Even though my hairdresser comes equipped with liberty spikes and an angsty teen drivers license picture where he shaved off his eyebrows because it looked "creepy".. he has the uncanny ability to sex up my hair and recommend some pretty sweet restaurants in the area. After a spot-on recommendation of Ten Tables, on my most recent visit he told me about Cambridge 1 pizza place.
He had trouble describing, and I had trouble picturing, what the restaurant would entail as its not grab n'go...but not explicitly sit down restaurant....and not cheap slices...but whole pies...and not overly greasy, but gourmet style. I told him I had devoured Ernestos the day before and was told that this pizza was different and you could still crave it the next day since it was unlike the rest
...Ok well if you say so?
We pushed our way past Greenpeace canvasers at lunch(IM HUNGRY AND I HATE THE ENVIRONMENT) and settled into a raised wooden booth in this close-to-the movie theater Harvard eatery.
Yup. Not like I imagined. A large moderne bar top ran along the side leading to an exposed kitchen in the back. For a place with such high ceilings and apparent space, it seemed like there were fewer than expected tables/booths. Although there wasn't a ten-car pile up line at this lunchtime hour, so its difficult to gauge if seating would ever become an issue.
The menu is a quick one pager with bevvies on the back, which is a cure for the common indecisor. I may have just made up a word. With advice in hand from Edward Scissorhands, we ordered one pizza with split toppings..specifically grilled chicken, roasted red pepper, mozzarella, and romano ***vs.*** potato, fontina, parmigiano, romano, rosemary, and garlic. My glands are currently overproducing saliva which is a clear indication of a delicious meal, or a serious disease.
Cambridge 1 Pavlov poster child.
We also split an iceberg wedge salad with homemade roasted shallot dressing and I ordered a glass of lemonde...what a refreshing combo that made me feel like I was living a Jason Mraz song. Why can't every day feel like sunshine, cat tails, and tractor parades in a sleepy midwest town?
Back to the pizza. Thin crust with perfect toppings done right. Both options were 5 star fare, but the grilled chicken inched past the potato as just having that extra sumpin. With such savory/gluttonous toppings you would think I was Katamari Damacing out the door, picking up the hostess on my way out and a flier about contaminated dolphin water, but I was pleasantly full. The kind of happy that comes with a reasonably priced meal, good company, clouds that look like shrimp tempura, and the ability to walk around the square afterwards without projectile vomiting in an alley way ;)
(Aside- I have clicked between 4 or 5 stars about 3x now, so I would like to assign this place "4.7"..I only give true 5s to luncheon places who give me awk HJs.)
For less than $20, my friend and I were both able to get a decent, thin-crust half pizza each to our own liking. I had a sausage with feta and green onion pizza that was decent. I was not expecting light-crust pizza, so it was somewhat of a surprise, but it was fine.
The whole experience was decent, nothing to write home about, but not disappointing either. The ambience is nice, lively but not overbearing. The service was a bit too indifferent for my liking, however, I get the sense that this is a fairly casual place despite the attempt at a sit-down restaurant. I do think this place would annoy me if I had to wait or if it was crowded and noisy, but coming here the weekend after christmas made it okay. The right-off Harvard Square location is highly convenient.
Nothing says happiness like a lobster-sweet corn-and-scallion pizza.
Every time I can't bring myself to pay Dining In $5 to deliver a $10 meal, I give silent thanks that this is the closest restaurant to my apartment. Hot, freshly made grilled pizzas and creative salads hit the spot. When lines are long (no reservations), order a drink at the bar (Peroni? Dogfish head IPA?) and snack on delicious house-made spicy cheese sticks, but save room to try a few different pizzas.
Personal favorites are the lobster (tastes like summer), the bolognese with fontina and romano cheeses (pasta sauce in a hand-held package) or the potato, fontina, parmigiano, romano, rosemary and garlic (how can you not want every single one of those ingredients?). I have a regular dinner date here with a vegetarian friend and we might split the potato, order the grilled chicken with roasted red pepper, mozzarella, romano - without chicken, and throw in the arugula and asiago salad.
Downside is you'll usually have to wait on a weekend or on plenty of weeknights (except for blizzard conditions, in which case call ahead and just take out). Put your name on the list and poke your head in a nearby shop (Harvard COOP, LF, Mint Julep, American Apparel, Cross) while you wait. And when you're done with your meal, if you're not up for Tosci's tiramisu ice cream, which is the sole (delicious) dessert option, just step next door to Lizzy's for other lactose-tolerant atlernatives.
Yum. I love thin crust pizza. If you don't, you probably won't like cambridge 1.
We come here fairly often for a couple of reasons - their toppings are fresh, interesting and delicious, their salads are great, and they have a small but decent selection of wines to choose from. The atmosphere is relaxed, but the place is invariably crowded, unless you go super early.
They've got the simple menu with fresh ingredients thing down. Someone has been watching that Gordon Ramsay show...
2 Large Cheese Pizzas for…
Neighborhood: Allston/Brighton
Good Pizza at a Good Price
Medford, MA
Neighborhood: Fenway
Category: Pizza
Neighborhood: Harvard Square
Category: Pizza
Neighborhood: Harvard Square
Category: Pizza
Neighborhood: Kendall Square/MIT
Category: Pizza
Neighborhood: Harvard Square
Category: Pizza
I recently started slaving away in harvard square,…
some of my favorite laid back places where i can…
My local dry cleaner, watering hole, deli, cafe,…
The Boston area has many restaurant gems. Read…
Want to know where I will most likely be? Want to…
Our entire relationship...broken down by…
Ok, no one really calls it Beantown, but here's a…
Some of my favorite dining destinations in the…
