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Italian Express Pizzeria
Categories: Restaurants Italian Restaurants Pizza Italian, Pizza [Edit]
336 Sumner St(between Cottage St & Wilbur Ct)
Boston, MA 02128
Neighbourhood: East Boston
(617) 561-0038
- Nearest Transit:
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Sumner St @ Cottage St (120)
Maverick St @ Cottage St (120)
Maverick St @ Frankfort St (120)
- Hours:
Mon-Sat 11 am - 10 pm
- Attire:
- Casual
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- No
- Parking:
- Street
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- Yes
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
28 reviews for Italian Express Pizzeria
Review Highlights
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"Pizza is great, but I love the pasta dishes." In 5 reviews -
"...looking for a nice outdoor restaurant, definitely check..." In 2 reviews -
"They recently opened patio seating and started serving beer..." In 3 reviews
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28 reviews in English
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Review from Heath M.
Updated - 2/26/2012
Upgrade time!
Normally I don't add stars -- too often I'm taking them away, but my last trip to Italian Express was phenomenal. Maybe it's the fact that they now have a cordials, beer and wine license, or maybe the food was better than usual. Or maybe the comic relief from the owner just rounds out the experience. Maybe it's like when you wake up next to that special someone and realize appreciation has turn to love.
I don't know.
What I do know is that this place makes me crave meatballs every time I walk by it on the way home, either on their own or in a calzone. And I know the ravioli is just like my grandmother's. And I know that it's convenient for those of us in the Jeffries Point area so it's a short waddle home when I've had too much to eat, which is every time I come here.
And really, it's just a neighborhood place -- unfortunately, in Eastie our neighborhood places become pre-and-post airport stops and I do not doubt for a moment this place is slowly getting discovered by those outside the neighborhood. But for now, I'll be content that it's our special little place until the eventual day when I'm waiting in line outside.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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6/3/2011
Calling Italian Express a "Pizzeria" really sells it short. Don't get me wrong, I love a good pie,… Read more »
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Review from Sheri M.
East Boston, MA
5/23/2012
Who remembers the original Italian Express on Maverick Street? Well, this place has absolutely no affiliation to the original. They just sort of "borrowed" the name.
I live half a block away and have only ordered food here maybe three times. I've tried both the "famous" pizza and the "famous" pasta. It's not bad when you're too lazy to drive to Santarpio's for a pizza, or don't want to wait in line at Rino's for a pasta dish. The food is rather overpriced for the quality, but it has the convenience factor going for it.
If I didn't live nearby, I wouldn't make a special trip out to Jeffries Point to eat here. The parking around here is pretty shitty. Especially when the owners park their limo and take up 2-3 parking spots. -
Review from Mike M.
Boston, MA
12/8/2011
Italian Express has great pizza and an equally great selection of other menu items. You really can't go wrong with anything you order there, as each dish is made with care and consideration. Everyone seems to love the meatballs, and they are good, but my favorite thing to get there is the chicken parm dinner. I've also had the fried calamari and that is just in its own category of awesomeness. I've also tried every appetizer that they have on numerous occasions, and I have personally never been disappointed. Being the only other place in Eastie that serves pizza besides santarpios, there will naturally be some hype and controversy as people who have never had real pizza will have trouble figuring out why the one they ordered at Italian Express doesn't taste like poop covered charcoal and moves around so much you'd think it was alive.
Funny Side Note: My family came up from Florida, where supposedly the pizza situation is even more dire then it is here, and were taken to Santarpios, which they found absolutely repulsive. One of them tossed and turned all night after eating there; night tremors about drowining in a cheesy puddle of pastene or something. So I took them to Italian Express and all was well again. -
Review from tony f.
North Andover, MA
3/29/2012
MEH.......that is what comes to mind when I review this place. Meh. I have had better I have had worse. I can only comment on the pizza, because that is all I ordered. 1 Lg pepperoni pizza. It was somewhat pricey, and for the flavor of the pizza not worth this price. Almost reminded me of being in college and checking under the couch cushions in order to come with the $4.99 to get a large cheese, wasn't anything special, but was good when drunk. But now I am 35, when I spend like $12 on a pie, I expect it to be good. Reading the other reviews, I may go back to try some of the pasta dishes, but not the pizza.
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Review from Kevin S.
Mt Prospect, IL
9/30/2011 1 Check-in Here
Visiting Boston, my girlfriend and I suddenly had a craving for a meatball sandwich. A quick search on Yelp came up with this restaurant in East Boston. Their website said they delivered so we called up and asked if they would deliver to Chinatown (of course, they said no). So, we decided to hop in a cab to check this place out in person.
When we came in and started order our meatball sandwiches, a man (turned out to be the owner) overheard us and asked if we called earlier about delivery to Chinatown. He was happy to find out that we took a $20 cab ride to his restaurant to eat his meatball sandwiches. He was really friendly and chatted with us for a little. When the food came out, we were surprised. The sandwiches were HUGE. Each order had two 6 inch rolls with around 4 large meatballs in each roll. The meatballs were delicious and the marinara sauce went very well with them.
When it came time to pay, the owner gave us an enormous discount. He said it was since we had to pay so much to get to his place. It was so nice of him, but we ended up putting the difference in their tip jar as a way of saying "thanks".
When we ate here I almost felt like we were part of a family and that we were regulars there. We'll definitely be back next time we're in Boston. -
Review from Eric O.
Boston, MA
1/14/2012
Great pizza! My favorite dish is the ravioli and meatballs. The owners are super nice and they run a great business. We always feel welcome when go in. They deliver which is nice but we also love to eat in because they have a nice clean dining room and they also serve beer and wine. They have a nice back patio for when its nice out. The menu is pretty big and covers all the bases when it comes to Italian food. Definitely a great addition to Eastie.
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Review from Ryan D.
Boston, MA
2/5/2012
Everything I have had from there tastes great.. better than great! I have lived 2 blocks away and would order there 3x a week if they took credit cards. I dont even mind a minimum purchase and/or a surcharge. They don't either when it comes to a delivery charge...great food but their delivery system us whack. Don't get me started on them being closed on Sundays.
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Review from Andrea K.
Boston, MA
12/20/2010
This new joint opened maybe a year ago (sorry if i am wrong on this) and have driven by it a couple of times wondering how good they are. They advertise having the best pizza yadda yadda so who knows until you try it!
Living in Eastie for 5 years now and realizing that there is no "good" pizza besides Santarpio's around and having a new pizza place open up you gotta give it a try. As we walked in we took a table near the door and tried to figure out if there were waiters or it was an order and sit down type of place. One of the owners who was sitting with some people he knew came over and introduced himself and gave us the menus and how the process worked, just order and we shall deliver type deal. He sat at our table and gave us this story about how long they have been doing this and why we haven't come any sooner to try their food! ( we never really venture down that area since its mainly neighborhood )
My bf and i decided to give this place a try and I was craving pasta so we figured sure we will go for it. I ordered fra diavolo and my bf ordered chicken broccoli alfredo. Our food did not take that long to come out which was great and it was piping hot as well. Bf's dish looked great and so did mine, sorta. My fra diavolo looked great but i noticed that there was chunks of onion in it and that threw me off, i do know that on the menu it says "red sauce, onions and garlic" but i didn't think it was going to be chunks. The flavor was good but i avoided the chunks of onion at all cost which was annoying but did not completely ruin my dinner experience. I tried bf's alfredo and it was very tasty and light which is great since most alfredo's are heavy and leave you waiting to use the "facilities" shortly after.
This experience was ok but maybe it was because we did not order a pizza? And their pizzas are really the rave in Eastie, so we decided we will give it another chance.
Our 2nd experience was a lunch experience which involved a regular cheese pizza ( cant go wrong with a cheese pizza right!? ) We called it in and we arrived about 10 minutes later to a hot pizza waiting for us. We sat down and indulged on this pizza that we were excited to try. First impressions, it looked yummy! But honestly it was just sub par pizza, the sauce is really sweet and I personally dont like oregano on top of my pizza as I think it overwhelms a lot of things including my taste buds. But it was decent, nothing to write home to mom and dad about but it did the duty of filling my tummy.
Then I think to myself well maybe I need to order a fancy pizza? Maybe we will give it another try but i dont seem anything so fantasic about this place, just another average pizza joint in Eastie, good try though.Comment from Jonathan H. of Italian Express Pizzeria 12/21/2010
All of our meals our "cooked-to-order". If you don't like… More » -
Review from Dara C.
10/18/2010
This pie is in the running for best pizza in Boston. I can't lie, there is something magical going on in that oven (Voodoo? A collective of tiny Italian chef elves?)
The sauce is perfect. I'm going to say that again. PERFECT. When I dream of pizza, this is what I want ... smooth, spicy, fresh red sauce with tons of herb-y flavor. It really makes all of that late-night-house-of-pizza-government-cheese slop seem like a pock on the face of pizzadom, and it most certainly makes it all taste like cheap crap. I'm not a crust girl but even the crust here has delicious flavor, and instead of refrigerating pre-formed dough, they roll and stretch it all to order. (You'd think that was standard at a pizza joint but nay, I can count more places in Boston that fridge or freeze their dough than make it fresh.) The toppings are also quite fresh and the cheese comes in just the right amount of greaseless restraint.
The counter help is always super nice in that old-fashioned ah-two-guys-just-livin'-in-Eastie kind of way. No frills interior which is fine. It relieves you of that much more distraction to focus on your 'za. Carry-out is a great option if you live nearby.
Only downside? Cash-only. Perhaps this is a good thing though; if they took debit cards, I'd probably eat their pizza, and only their pizza, well into my nineties/well into the range of super-obesity. -
Review from Julie R.
8/21/2009
Yummy pizza!!! With all the Italian's in Eastie, its great to have another pizza option to add to the list. This place just opened a few days ago. The owners had been working hard on it for months. The inside is completely brand new front to back. It's in its cute little stand alone store.
They were really busy when we arrived but we were able to get a table in front of the window. They have about 10 tables. We ordered a half cheese/half onion pie. All the pies are 14" and start at $10 without toppings.
The pizza arrived promptly to our table. It looked great. It had the perfect amount of cheese, a tangy sauce and some crisp bubbles. First taste was how fresh it was. The crust was not very thin so it held up well. I was a fan! A sprinkle of fresh basil on top would of been the topper. The standard size was good for 2-3 people.
Besides pizza they offer pasta dishes, salads, appetizers and desserts. On the way out I got a cannoli. It was divine! Great filling with a crunchy roll.
If you like pizza and want to try Boston's newest..give it a shot.Listed in: East Boston Gems, Pizza in the City
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Review from Nicole H.
New York, NY
2/28/2011
(4.5 stars)
Wow! This place is really excellent! I had Shrimp Fra Diavolo pasta several weeks ago and I am STILL dreaming about it. It was really spicy, which I loved: most places don't give you a sauce that truly has a kick. The shrimp were also excellent. (Incidentally, I have to comment on Andrea K.'s review -- she is right, there are huge chunks of onion in the sauce. But that's part of what makes it so good!)
This past weekend we got takeout pizza and were not disappointed. The crust and sauce are both really great, and the price really can't be beat.
I can't complete this review without a brief mention of the restaurant's meatballs. THEY. ARE. SO. GOOD. The meatball itself is perfectly juicy and flavorful, and the sauce is some of the best I've ever had. If you go, you MUST try them! -
Review from ozlem g.
Boston, MA
4/29/2010
Just one word.Delicious. I have been there twice and I am planning to go there more. Pizza is good (I prefer Regina pizza) but their Caesar salad is great!
I also love the atmosphere of this pizzeria, it is cozy and cute. -
Review from Scott G.
Boston, MA
5/23/2011
Where do I begin? How about with one word... PERFECT!
I am a huge fan. If you like Italian food then you MUST go. I am sort of a food snob and this little gem is like no other out there. They have the BEST meatball I have ever eaten and the sauce it comes in is so good want to drink it from the bowl. I wouldn't start any meal there without starting out with at least one side order. The food only gets better from there... If that's even possible. Like I said I am food snob, and when my partner ordered Pasta Alfredo I was a little nervous. This is a hard dish to get right. Well- they knocked me off my feet. This is so so good. So So good. I crave it. My sausage cacciatore was also fantastic. We passed our plates back and forth until we couldn't eat another bite. Luckily the portions are so big that I got to take home sizable packages of leftovers. We then just HAD to try the cannoli. Heaven.
So... if you are ever wondering what to have for dinner- now you know!! Run don't walk to this place. -
Review from Lindsay B.
Boston, MA
7/21/2010
This place is awesome and will never serve a bad meal. My boyfriend and I eat out here more than anywhere else because no one beats the red sauce at EIP. They should bottle it up and sell it!
The owners are really good guys (Jim and Jonathon) who respect their customers. When my boyfriend was laid off, Jim handed him a $20 gift certificate - such an amazingly kind gesture. And when I was celebrating my new job, Jonathon sent over a complimentary tiramisu (yum!) to congratulate me! Real stand-up people.
Between the two of us, we've sampled a good portion of the menu and it's all been great. Awesome apps, great salads, awesome chicken dishes, seafood, pasta and pizza (ooohh, the pizza!). Portions always make for leftovers, so don't be alarmed by the prices which can seem higher than most "take-out" places. They're not your average takeout place.
They recently opened patio seating and started serving beer and wine. If you're looking for a nice outdoor restaurant, definitely check this out! The italian music and the food make you forget your in East Boston! -
Review from Renee J.
East Boston, MA
8/30/2010
I can't wait to eat here, in person! The restaurant looks so clean and inviting, and the patio seating is a huge draw for me. Not to mention the beer and wine that they serve now.
The pizza that I ordered for delivery was really tasty, though it took a lot longer to get it than the fella on the phone told me that it would. Judging by the Help Wanted sign out front, I suspect they're a little short staffed, at the moment, so I'll cut them some slack on the delivery.
I'm excited to stop by and try the pasta dishes in the dining room. The reviews are all fantastic! -
Review from Mike M.
Omaha, NE
7/18/2010
I was looking for for more than what the other place offered. The owner sat down and talked for a bit. Nice guy. He offered two of his meatballs. Excellent. Something different about them. Slightly smokey maybe? Pizza was great. Awesome crust. Nice change.
Cash only but there is an ATM there. -
Review from Ulli R.
Boston, MA
4/5/2010
I absolutely adore this restaurant. It's a true Neighborhood place, the service is always friendly, fun and efficient.
Pizza is great, but I love the pasta dishes. The portions are always rather large (great to take to work the next day), but the pasta is fresh and delicious.
Great spot! -
Review from Warren D.
Winchester, MA
10/17/2009
As their description states, these guys really do have that home-cooked feel that makes each and every customer feel like family. It isn't often you can find a place where the owners are making the pizza and seating the guests. But rather than seeming to do so cause they couldn't afford a 'Host/Hostess', you know they're doing it cause they love it!
The food itself is all great. I've been three times and haven't had a bad meal yet. I had a Saute Pasta dish (Chicken Limone), an Italian Sausage Calzone (As big as my head!) & an Italian Sausage Hot Sub. The portions are enormous ... my calzone lasted me dinner that night and lunch & dinner the next day! :) And the prices are all completely reasonable. Great appetizers (I recommend the eggplant rolls).
All in all, well worth a night out with the family or friends. Cheerful staff, great atmosphere, delicious food, huge servings, reasonable price ... Need I say more? :) -
Review from Andrew M.
Revere, MA
2/14/2010
Was a big fan when they were primarily take out in Orient Heights, and I'm glad to see they have new digs with more tables in Jeffries Point. No complaints as I thought the portions were generous and plus the meatballs might have been the best I ever had!
Sat down right away and had good service. Will definately go back. -
Review from Sarah L.
Worcester, MA
12/27/2010
Great pizza!! Flavorful toppings and a not-too-soft yet not-too-hard crust!
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Review from Warren P. B.
Portsmouth, NH
11/5/2010
Italian Express Pizzeria is AWESOME! They earn every one of FIVE STARS!
Wise men and women drive past that East Boston pizzeria/tourist trap on Chelsea Street and head to Italian Express. Unlike that tourist trap, the ingredients in Italian Express pizzas are high quality, tasty, and the pizza is evenly cooked (and not greasy). The ambiance is warm, neighborly and CLEAN; sandwiches, pasta, and salads are excellent. Unlike the Chelsea Street institution one does not feel like they are in a dungeon, there's no tacky 1970's paneling at Italian Express, they have lights so you can see the other people in your party and your food (I'm convinced the other place is minimally lit so you don't see the shortcomings in your food), the staff are polite, and you don't have to wait on a line outdoors for hyped-up food.
Italian Express DELIVERS, and delivers to the airport, Hilton, and Embassy Suites at the airport.
The owners work hard to rightfully earn your business.
Prices are very reasonable. -
Review from Jay C.
Boston, MA
8/23/2009
I've tried this place three times this week! I'm very picky about meatballs and only eat them in two restaurants, make that three now. The meatball sub was excellent, as was the chicken parm sub, their sub rolls are the freshest I've tasted in a long time. I tried the chicken parm over ziti - the chicken was great, a nice quality fried chicken breast but the ziti was soggy and the sauce was a bit bland. A friend ordered the chicken, broccoli, and ziti and said it was excellent, except for the soggy ziti. They just opened so maybe they are still working their kinks out.
The food tastes fresh, the owners are very nice guys, and the prices are mostly reasonable. Overall, I'll be back again, and again. I'm excited to have a pretty good place to walk to in Jeffries Point. I think I'll try the pizza this week too which looked awesome. Also, take out portions appear to be about half of what the eat in portions are. Definitely stay and eat.
Pros: great subs, nice owners, very CLEAN atmosphere, open kitchen, quick turnaround, fresh food.
Cons: soggy pasta dishes, some of the prices seemed a bit out of whack (pasta dishes were expensive). -
Review from Phil P.
Somerville, MA
10/3/2009
We had been meaning to check this place out for some time since it opened up in the neighborhood pretty close to where we live. The owner is always out on the street hustling for his business and he told us one day as we were walking by that we needed to try his pizza....so we did. We called ahead and placed our order to eat in, and by the time we arrived there was a piping hot pizza waiting. The owner brought it out and set it on an empty large tomato can that served as a stand. All and All a good pie. For convenience sake, I'd say I would probably go back, but its a hard market over here in East Boston as there are so many other great pizza joints in the area. Also, be warned that it is cash only, although there is an ATM on the premises if you get stuck without.
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Review from Janice T.
Somerville, MA
10/3/2009
The guys that work there are super nice and they make up a pretty decent pizza pie. We ordered one with onions, tomatoes, and sausage and it was good stuff. The sausage was a bit different from what I'm used to (sliced Italian sausage vs. sausage balls) but very tasty nonetheless. They also offer a few subs on the menu (eggplant parm, chicken parm, meatball) as well as a variety of standard pizza place appetizers (cheese sticks and chicken fingers) and pasta dishes.
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Review from eric c.
Dallas, TX
8/26/2010
fantastic casual Italian dining. Love the pizza, the sandwiches are great and the Pasta Fagioli is a must have on a cold Boston day. Staff is very friendly and aims to please.
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Review from Chethna S.
Miami-Dade, FL
10/18/2010
This is no ordinary pizza joint. The pizzas are great but their pastas are even more fabulous. The portions are really really huge so be prepared for a lot of leftovers. The only thing better than their food is their service; the owners Jim and Jonathan are friendly and helpful. Would definitely recommend if you are in Eastie or if you crave Italian.
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Review from Austin H.
Boston, MA
8/19/2009
This place used to be the old Dozzi's and they bought it about 7 months ago, they have been renovating it since. They just opened yesterday and my GF and I have been awaiting this moment as we drive by it every day. Wow what a difference! Dozzi's was such a dive and they did such a great job with the renovation, they must have had to renovate everything from top to bottom. We walked in and it was about 85% full with a couple tables open, you walk up to the counter and order and pay at the same time (cash only) weather you are taking out or eating in. We ordered a pizza, half cheese and half onion, they have many other things but being a pizza joint we wanted to try their pizza as there are not that many great pizza joints in eastie besides Santarpios and to be honest, for me, Santarpios isn't as great as the hype. Their pizza was FANTASTIC! Great sauce and crust and the cheese was so fresh! It was their second day open and it seemed like they were ironing out some kinks but that being said we got our order in about 15 minutes. I personally like my pie well done so if you are like me make sure you request it. My GF got a cannoli and said it was great, they make them right there to order so again, really fresh! You gotta check out Italian Express Pizzeria! We will definitely be back!!
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Review from sarah l.
Lowell, MA
8/21/2010 1 Check-in Here
Only been here once for pizza. Seems like your average pizza/sub shop selections. One thing I will note, we got a garden salad for like $4.95, and it came out on a platter--enough to feed 4 people as a side salad! Our pizza was good. Not amazing, but solid enough in quality I will return. Nice outdoor patio seating and really friendly staff/owners was a plus.
