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Cafe Rialto
Categories: Restaurants Italian Restaurants Pizza Italian, Pizza [Edit]
4197 Washington St(between Basile St & Murray Hill Rd)
Roslindale, MA 02131
Neighbourhoods: Roslindale Village, Roslindale
(617) 323-1505
- Nearest Transit:
-
South St @ Taft Hill Terr (14, 192, 30, 34, 35, 36, 37, 40/50, 51)
Washington St @ Cummins Hwy (14, 192, 30, 34, 34E, 35, 36, 37, 40, 50, 51)
Cummins Hwy @ Washington St (14, 30)
- Hours:
Tue-Thu 4 pm - 9 pm
Fri 3 pm - 10 pm
Sat 12:30 pm - 10 pm
- Parking:
- Street
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
A wonderfully crafted 3-course menu for only $39! A wide & delicious selection of appetizers, entrees, and desserts from the regular menu.
33 reviews for Cafe Rialto
Review Highlights
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"I recommend the buffalo chicken." In 3 reviews -
"I had the chicken, basil, red peppers and fresh mozzarella..." In 3 reviews -
"...have some really great beers on tap, including a few local..." In 3 reviews
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33 reviews in English
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Review from Sarah G.
Cambridge, MA
1/8/2012
I went to a private party here when the regular restaurant was closed.
I was just so amazed by the quality of the food and the friendliness of the owners. The owners were extremely attentive, friendly and helpful. And, their broccoli Alfredo is amazzzingggg.
Five stars. Hands down. -
Review from Mike O.
3/14/2012 3 Check-ins Here
Why is EVERYTHING in Roslindale Village closed on Sundays and Mondays? I don't get it. Okay, maybe not everything, but a lot of things. Especially given the fact that a many people designate these days as their "lazy days" and want nothing more than for someone else to provide their food for them. During football season CR is missing a huge opportunity to capitalize on a seasonal revenue stream by being closed for Sunday and Monday night football. This, the fact the they don't deliver, and have no website leaves me scratching my head, so much so that if I don't stop my scalp is going to bleed.
But I digress... The food? It's excellent! All of it, from the calzones, to the pizza, pasta, and apps - it's really top notch. Don't even call your order in, guys. Tell the gf/wife they don't even have a phone number, and go down there, put in your order, and have a beer while you wait.
At times you may wait for what seems like an unacceptable amount of time for your food to be prepared - an eternity even, but I assure you, that's not what's really happening, that's just your belly with clairvoyant anticipation of things to come; mouth watering, scrumptious guilt-ridden comfort food. Wait for it... open, chew, swallow, digest. See? If your gut doesn't say "Me Gusta!" then it may be grounds for divorce. -
Review from Casey L.
Boston, MA
2/27/2012
Best Pizza!!!! I'm glad their so close to mi casa.
Big downfall is I consistently want to order pizza on a Sunday or Monday and their not open, I would probably have their pizza alot more if Rialto was open sundays or modays.... :(
Have had the calimari and some of their salads and their pretty good nothing too fancy. Hands down love the Pizza! Pretty thin and cooked perfectly, crisp and chewy crust.
Yum! -
Review from Katie H.
Boston, MA
2/1/2012
I went here for a Groupon Buy, 1 ap, 1 salad, 2 small pasta entrees. The wait for a table was super long due to the groupon deals everyone came into redeem just like myself. The wait staff was very friendly and helpful.
However, the food was really underwhelming. The antipasto meats tasted slightly off, and the artichokes tasted like they've been soaking in water for a long time (flavorless). The black bean salad tasted like beans and corn came straight from a can, like another commenter said. When the pasta came out, it had been three hours and we were full enough and out of time. We got it straight to go. My shredded steak pasta was watery with meaty juice and both dishes were flavorless. And all of this was worth "40.00" value. I wouldn't come back since I can't dine for THAT long and I'd never pay that price for what I received. The staff worked hard though.
All in All,
1. friendly staff
2.long wait times
3. underwhelming food -
Review from Matt W.
9/6/2011
We got food to go. It took kind of a while, but it was very tasty. They also have decent beer on tap by Roslindale standards.
I recommend the buffalo chicken. -
Review from Mike M.
West Roxbury, MA
9/28/2011
Came here a few weeks ago with a Groupon. Service was slow, but friendly. To be fair, they warned us when we got there that the kitchen was a little backed up due to all of the Groupons, so I won't knock them for that.
We started with the black bean salad, which was great. I had the chicken, basil, red peppers and fresh mozzarella pizza and my fiancee had the chicken parm. Both were very good.
Atmosphere was a little off.
All in all, I would definitely go back. -
Review from Amy B.
Boston, MA
7/8/2011
I got a http://restaurant.com gift certificate to Cafe Rialto and I am so glad I did or else I may have overlooked this gem in Roslindale! I usually don't have high expectations for restaurants I find through http://restaurant.com (just being honest here...) but Rialto surpassed our expectations and we will definitely be back!
My boyfriend lives in West Roxbury so I got the certificate thinking it'd be nice to go out to eat near him for once instead of in my neighborhood (Fenway.) We got the caprese salad as an appetizer which was good. For our entrees, my boyfriend got the chicken parm and cleaned his entire plate which included three chicken breasts and a huge pile of ziti. Knowing him, this meant he really liked it. I got the Spinach, Artichoke and Goat Cheese pizza and it was absolutely delicious. I would say that it's my second favorite pizza in Boston, only to be surpassed by the Pomodoro Formaggio at Regina in the North End. For dessert, we ordered the pineapple pizza, which was a plain pizza crust drizzled with melted chocolate and topped with sugar and pineapples. Man, was that delicious!! Needless to say, we were both stuffed by the time we left.
Definitely give Rialto a try if you're in the area - it's steps from the Roslindale Village commuter rail stop and lots of buses stop nearby as well. -
Review from Tiffany M.
Seattle, WA
3/23/2011
We really liked Cafe Rialto, but sadly WE WILL NEVER BE GOING BACK
Unfortunately, despite the sunny disposition of most staff members, the affordable, delicious eats, and the entertaining Thursday night trivia....we were just accosted one too many times by the owner's mother.
I'm not really sure what her problem is, but she was consistently rude and unpleasant.
Examples: I arrived late to join my party, and she brought over a pasta dish for my boyfriend. It looked fabulous, and I asked her if I could have that as well. She retorted "You can tell YOUR waitress."
I was dumbstruck.
On another occasion, she made the five of us (who were already seated with coats off) move to a tiny pub table in the corner because the table we'd selected was apparently reserved. It wasnt marked at all. And the party who "reserved" it NEVER showed up. Bad form indeed.
In conclusion - I wouldn't tell anyone not to go there. It's certainly a lovely place, and there are many good reasons to enjoy your night at Cafe Rialto. But for me and my 6-7 friends....we won't be returning. -
Review from holly m.
1/16/2012 3 Check-ins Here
PFG, pretty freaking great. This place has it all. Family run, neighborhood friendly, casual, great food, and a great vibe. I've been here a few times and always have a great experience. My husband loves the steak and cheese calzone and you gotta try the homemade chicken fingers. Yum! Seriously a great little spot in Rozzie village. Yay!
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Review from Rick S.
Boston, MA
1/27/2012
Just had dinner here last night using the app/salad/2 entree groupon. We sat at the bar and chatted with the very busy but still friendly cooks and servers and the owner.
The calamari was among the best I've ever had--huge chunks of rings and tentacles fried perfectly with a nice acidic marinara and banana peppers for a bit of a kick. I did have to add some salt, which is my only minor complaint.
We then split a great Greek style salad with feta, the greens were perfect and fresh and the dressing was zingy and applied sparingly.
We were pretty much full by the time our pasta entrees came, but I ate the bread that came with the spicy garlic white wine sauced shrimp pasta. The sauce was super garlicy, but in a good way. My wife said her eggplant pasta was excellent also.
The reason this place gets five stars is the ridiculously cheep beer prices--I had a mayflower IPA for 4 bucks, and Sam Adams pints were only 3.75! Rarely have I seen premium beer priced this cheaply. High end Italian this is not, but if you want value, a friendly atmosphere, and crazy cheap beer, you can't beat this place. -
Review from Gary C.
West Roxbury, MA
9/14/2011
We arrived on a Wednesday night at about 6:15 and the place was dead. By the time that we left around 7:45 almost every table was full. The ambiance is lacking, but if you want a casual place with good food, a nice selection of beers and TVs always in view, you'll completely enjoy your meal. My wife compared this to the Dogwood Cafe in Forest Hills....similar in clientele and the style of food, although the Dogwood is much more comfortable.
We had the Greek salad and caprese salad for apps. Both were very good. The caprese came spread out on the plate for easy sharing.
We had a small cheese & pepperoni pizza and a large chicken, red pepper (and something) pizza. Both were very good; thin crispy crust, but not burnt the way a thin crust often gets. The large is plenty of food for 2 and maybe 3 people.
The service was friendly but leisurely. There was just one waitress covering the whole place, which wasn't a an issue until the end when it started getting busy. The prices are good. The only thing that was overpriced was a soda for $2.75 with no free refills.
We also used a http://restaurant.com certificate which is a nice way to bring the bill down.
Definitely a do-over! A nice addition to the neighborhood. -
Review from Adam C.
6/15/2010
Yes!+
I'm really happy about this place being open! On the spectrum of Townie-to-Yuppie that most of Roslindale lies upon, this is nicely in the middle. It's cool, man! They have beers on tap, and I've ended up drinking the Blue Hills IPA there during my first two visits. But, yeah, they have pitchers! It's like $9 for Bud Light pitchers and a few bucks more for their other stuff, like Goose Island, I think? But also, you get a free order of wings (4 jumbo wings) with your first pitcher! And I don't even fucking like wings! But it's still coo!
Also, they have a CD jukebox with lots of classic rock and soul on it. There are also a couple pages of random 'hits' mixes with whatever-the-fuck on them. But in general, the modern-shit-pop ratio is relatively low. They also, have 3 flat screens, to boot! coo!
E-way! I had pizza both times I went and it was great! Their sauce is very boss and has a generous amount of fresh oregano in it, which I love almost as much as I do a good jukebox. My wife and mother-in-law both dug their shrimp salad.
But one great thing about Cafe Rialto is that it is a prime people-watching location. It's a great spot to watch all of the Keno-fueled bullshit going on across the street in between Dragon Chef, Tedeschi's, and Robyn's along with all of the other characters of Rozzie Square.
Woo!Listed in: My Neighborhood
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Review from Mary P.
Roslindale, MA
8/25/2010
I tried Cafe Rialto for the first time last Thursday, and it was FABULOUS! They have stump trivia on Thursday nights, which was super fun.
We shared buffalo chicken tenders, fries, pepperoni pizza and cheese pizza. Everything was truly delicious. I can't wait to go back and try more! The beer menu was extensive and they had some great beers that you can't normally find. The atmosphere is great, and the waitstaff is even better! -
Review from marianne h.
Dedham, MA
1/14/2012
Food was ok. I was charged $65 for a large pizza a salad and two small pasta dishes. I had a $25 http://restaurants.com certificate. I didn't get a discount. They inflated the cost of the dinner. It was not worth it at all. I'll never go back.
Comment from Elicia N. of Cafe Rialto 1/17/2012
I never respond publicly to any comment but when someone… More » -
Review from Joan L.
Roslindale, MA
Updated - 1/30/2012
Yet another delicious meal, calamari was light yet crispy. Used a groupon coupon again, no problems! LOVE the goat cheese ,artichoke pizza!
2 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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10/1/2011
Yet another great meal at Cafe Rialto, we had a Groupon Coupon , no problems !! Try the calamari… Read more »
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Review from Jon G.
Roslindale, MA
11/24/2010
Finally a restaurant in this location thats got it right!
This place has the best pizza in Roslindale, hands down!
Friendly people, very good service & atmosphere. -
Review from Nate C.
Roslindale, MA
9/22/2010
I've been coming to Cafe Rialto for a few weeks now on Thursdays for Stump! Trivia and i've had a great time each week.
The menu is not terribly expansive, but contains a decent variety of foods for all types of eaters, especially for a pub atmosphere. The Buffalo tenders and pizza are repeat purchases for me seemingly every week and they are really quite good. The pizza is fresh and made with a variety of herbs and other delicious ingredients and their topping selection is excellent. They also have a good variety of beer on tap and bottled, so you should always be able to find something to drink at a decent price (pitchers of the micro-brews range from $13-$16 I think, with Bud etc. being cheaper).
I was underwhelmed by the Steak & Cheese sandwhich (not on a sub roll? really?) and I tried the mozzerella sticks and was unimpressed with those as well. Also once you start adding toppings to the pizza it can start getting realtively pricey.
The food is pretty good on the whole, they have a good selection of drinks and a friendly waitstaff and owner, so it is defintely worth checking out. Just be aware you'll likely spend a bit more for dinner here than you would at another pizza joint or pub/cafe. It's up to you if that expense is worth the food/experience here or not; I tend to think so. -
Review from Shawn W.
Boston, MA
9/19/2011
Since I live VERY near this place, I have become quite a regular; and it's no wonder. Shipyard Pumpkinhead on tap, DELICIOUS pizzas, calzone (try the tomato, basil & garlic) and even the garden salad is freshly-prepared. I had it with grilled chicken and I couldn't finish it. They have home-made chicken tenders (not your typical out-of-the-freezer-bag-ones) and they as well are very tasty! If you're lookin for an uptight, over-priced, fine-dining restaurant, then this isn't for you. If you are, however, in search of a great family owned/operated business that's great for groups, kids and filling an empty stomach, then you've hit the jackpot. The sarcasm and warm conversations are free to boot. :) Highly recommended.
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Review from Travis M.
Boston, MA
6/6/2011
Finally a pizza to beat Upper Crust -- at half the price! Definitely the best pizza in the area, and I say that as a New Haven pizza snob. Reasonable pitchers, friendly staff.
Can't speak for their pasta offerings or sandwiches, but the pizza is wonderful. -
Review from sierra l.
Boston, MA
7/7/2010
AWESOME.
Went and had a great time. They had the beer I have been looking for within city limits for the past two years and I was totally happy I found it. Pretty good price for bottled beer. The pizza was good a bit on the expensive side but was really good because it was fresh herbs used and it wasn't frozen dough which is rare. I loved the atmosphere its a nice drop in kinda place. -
Review from Paul C.
Marshfield, MA
1/20/2012
I was so surprised to find that Cafe Rialto is a hidden gem sitting right under my nose. This friendly little cafe just on the edge of Roslindale Square is the type of joint that everyone wants in the neighborhood, but so few neighborhoods have. We sat at the bar which is a combination bar (the beers on tap are there- quite a few) and kitchen (we could watch and talk to the cook). Everything leaving the kitchen is prepared to order and everything looked fresh and wonderful. The eggplant appetizer is generous and delicious. The eggplant was cooked perfectly (neither mushy nor hard): crispy slices wrapped around a cheese filling covered with a perfect marinara. The pasta dishes were cooked al dente with wonderful sauces. The choices of wine by the glass left nothing to be desired. Every single person working at Cafe RIalto was warm and friendly adding quite a bit of warmth to the atmosphere.
Cafe Rialto could do with some design changes to make it a bit more cozy: perhaps new tables and chairs, some half curtains on the windows and new paint colors would warm it up a bit. For now I'd suggest turning the lights down a bit (it's bright in there). But honestly, the good cheer of the staff and the excellent food are enough to draw me back. -
Review from Lauren D.
Jamaica Plain, MA
5/26/2010
Cafe Rialto is a great new place in Roslindale Square! I have to admit it hasn't been opened long and I've been several times!
They have a welcoming wait staff and delicious food! I've had the several different kinds of pizzas: the white pizza with spinach, garlic, artichoke hearts and goat cheese and the red pizza with chicken, mozzarella, roasted red peppers and basil. I've also done a few pick your own toppings. All were scrumptious! I've heard wonderful things about the Turkey & Goat Cheese Sandwich and the Greek Salad. I can't wait to try those next time I'm there or feel like ordering in! Very important to know that they have some really great beers on tap, including a few local beers. They also have wine as well!
The price is right and the atmosphere is laid back! This is a great place to grab a beer with friends or just some really good pizza!
I will definitely be back here again and again! -
Review from Tiger B.
Roslindale, MA
7/31/2010
I love Cafe Rialto!!
This place offers Pizza, Pasta, Sandwiches and that sort of food.
They have lots of vegetarian dishes, their portions are great and the Pizza is huge!!!
I really love their Calzones though. I usually get the Tomato, Basil&Garlic Calzone with Mozzarella Cheese....it is sooooooooooo good!!
As for Pasta, I really like the Eggplant topped with Homemade Marinara and Mozzarella dish...delicious!!!
Their prices are very reasonable and the restaurant has a nice atmosphere to it!
Try it out!!!! :) -
Review from Jeanne B.
Boston, MA
9/22/2011
While I like Cafe Rialto and have been there several times, today is the first time we went in there with a groupon...........................all I can say is Never Again will I purchase a groupon / or any other kind of coupon for them. ............
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Review from Jack C.
Boston, MA
5/28/2011
We've dined in at Cafe Rialto twice now. Unfortunately, we will not return.
The first evening we went, we ordered pizzas, which were good. Not outstanding, but good. The thing that was really disconcerting was the women working there. I'm not sure who the owner is, but the women who were waiting tables were engaged in a shouting match right there in the small dining room. It was quite awkward, but imagining it to be an aberration, we returned about a month later to sample some of the other menu offerings. Awful on all counts. The chicken broccoli alfredo was mounded atop a pool of grease that dripped off of each fork full and the salads and sandwiches were bland and highly unsatisfying. We decided that the lack of focus this menu encompasses simply reflects the lack of focus of the proprietor(s). Is it italian food? Is it "healthy" salads & sandwiches? Is it a pizza shop (since that was the only item we found edible/desirable). And WORST OF ALL - the wait staff was still fighting. We hadn't paid for a floor show. Yikes. -
Review from Jude G.
Roslindale, MA
6/29/2010
Perhaps an off night or wrong choices. Nothing special. Worth a second try-maybe.
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Review from Krista M.
Braintree, MA
10/18/2011
A small place, but everyone is very friendly. The food and drinks are cheap, but very good. I have gotten the sweet potato fries and the pizza, and both are delicious.
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Review from Delia D.
Roslindale, MA
4/30/2010
Just opened and this is a great gem to add to Roslindale's already amazing food scene. Affordable prices, huge portions, staff that goes above and beyond, and nightly specials that are a steal. The pizza is great, the salads are fresh and there are tons of vegetarian options. The calzone was the biggest thing I've ever seen for 9 dollars and the buffalo chicken was one of the best calzones I've ever had. Buffalo tenders also amazing. They are holding it down for a brand new place in the neighborhood- Check it out!!!!
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Review from Chris B.
Boston, MA
7/22/2010
This place is pretty exceptional. Pizza was Great! the menu is a bit different if your into trying something new and different from the regular. Their drinks are usual favorites with a selection of local breweries in Massachusetts. The place is nicely put together. all in all a place you must check out.
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Review from s s.
Jamaica Plain, MA
5/7/2010
I do get so excited when I see a new business opening in Roslindale Square, especially when that new business is set to offer pizza and beer, as I heard early on that Cafe Rialto was set to do.
The interior space is nice and seems appropriate for a gastropub. Beers on tap, a flatscreen tv, mix of high and low tables. We were greeted with a smile and the waitstaff seems very friendly and welcoming. Juiceboxes, crayons, and a paper placemat were offered to the kid (they have two booster seats and one highchair).
The menu is small and features pizza, pasta, sandwiches, and salads. Price points are ~$8 for a salad and ~$15 for a large pizza. The food arrived quickly and was tasty but not of the highest quality or even the nicest and classiest presentation. For example, the goat cheese salad had cold roasted red peppers that tasted canned, while I kept thinking how much nicer it would have been if they were house-charred. The kids pasta & marinara at $4 would have impressed me more if it came with a piece of fruit or even garlic bread. Our pizza was tasty with a nice thin crust, but for plates, we were given scratched black melamine. My "house red" was a rather stingy pour of (oddly warm) Malbec for a surprisingly high $7.
Our check for two adults and one kid came to $50 with tip for one kids pasta, one salad, one pizza, one beer, and one warm Malbec. Those prices are on par with a night out at the Dogwood or Sophia's Grotto, but Cafe Rialto does not deliver similar quality food.
In short, if I am going to spend $50 on a meal for my family, it's not going to be at a place that's one step up from a house of pizza. Cafe Rialto could be a better value for takeout pizza or a sandwich and a beer at the bar. I do want to support new and interesting businesses in the square, but I also expect high quality and thoughtfulness for my dining dollar. Give me a cozy place in the square to grab a beer with excellent, fresh, and creative food in the James Gate caliber, and I'll be a repeat customer. -
Review from Sean W.
Cohasset, MA
6/28/2011
I've been here a number of times. They have wonderful Italian-style pizza. It's one of the best around. The service is great, as are the prices. It can get busy, so go early.
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Review from Kasey B.
Jamaica Plain, MA
8/28/2011
I barely know where to begin with this place. I bought a coupon from KGB deals- $10 for $25 worth of food and was excited to try this place out because it has gluten-free pastas and my boyfriend has Celiac. We hadn't gotten around to using it so instead I took a girlfriend with me last Saturday night figuring we could grab a quick pizza and salad before we were to meet up with some friends for drinks. We walked into the place and were greeted by... no one. There were a number of employees who just stared at us and didn't even say hello, so we sat ourselves down. After a few minutes a waitress came to take our order- two sodas, a large salad to split and a large pizza to split. After about 10 minutes the waitress came over and apologized that no one had brought our drinks. We then waited another couple minutes before someone else brought them to us. Keep in mind that there were 3, maybe 4 tables of customers so I don't know why she couldn't have just done it herself rather than waiting for someone else to. But no big deal, people forget things. It was about another 10 minutes before our salad was brought out even though there were no hot ingredients on it. We finished eating it and by this time I figured our pizza would be ready since it had been at least 25 minutes since we'd ordered, but we kept waiting and waiting. At about the 40 minute mark we decided we'd take the pizza to go and eat it at home since we were in a hurry. We asked our waitress if she could have our pizza boxed up and we gave her the coupon. I then watched as she gave the coupon to her manager and could tell by their body language and length of the conversation that there was going to be a problem. The waitress came back to our table with the coupon and said "I'm sorry my manager says you can't use this coupon because it is for dine-in only." Yes, she actually said this AS WE WERE DINING IN!!! I was in complete disbelief that the manager would try and cheat her customers out of using a legitimate coupon by using such a lame excuse. I told the waitress that we had not expected a 45 minute wait for a pizza (keep in mind the restaurant was near-empty the entire time) and that if we had to we would eat a piece and then box it up, especially since there was no way we were ever going to finish it on our own anyway. The waitress went back into the kitchen and this time they went around a corner where we couldn't see them. After about 5 minutes she came back and reluctantly told us we could use the coupon and that our pizza would be out in a minute. I really had never seen anything like this. Why on earth would a business try to promote itself and bring in new customers by offering a deal, and then try to cheat its customers out of using that deal? This is just terrible customer service- anyone who treats their customers like this doesn't deserve to be in business. Oh and by the way, the pizza was fine. Absolutely nothing special. The one we got was supposed to have chicken on it and I think there was maybe one chunk of chicken per slice. I also had a http://restaurant.com coupon for this place (I thought I'd be going here a lot because of the gluten-free pasta), but I sure as heck will not be back and give them another opportunity to try to embarrass me for using a coupon. One last note- the place smells really funny and has NO ambiance. Total fail.
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Review from broken r.
Roslindale, MA
5/16/2010
finally got a chance to visit last night - even though we did take out, the place was busy and had a nice vibe.
as for the pizza - we got a white pizza with tomatoes, and it was actually very good. definitely several levels up from the other pizza joints near the square.
This is definitely going to be our take-out pizza place from now on (since it's right around the corner) - and we'll be back to grab a pint sometime soon.
one negative about the interior - the lighting seems a bit harsh (could do without a few of those lights), and it seems like they could fit in a couple more tables to fill out the space. other than that, a very welcome addition to roslindale!
