Massachusetts: Boston Restaurant Cooks Up The Best Calzone

What exactly is a calzone? Depending upon where you are in the country, the answer will differ. However, in South Boston, you find the best calzone in Massachusetts.

Of course, there are some essential components to a standard calzone. Typically, pizza dough serves as the foundation. This then brings us back to our opening question. Is this Italian food treat a sandwich, a different form of pizza, a share-able appetizer plate, or all of the above?

Perhaps it doesn't really matter. Calzone enthusiasts will find the distinct factors that separate certain restaurants' way of making this item by its fresh flavors and what toppings and ingredients are inside.

If you recall, there was a time where calzones hit the mainstream in America. For example, Pizza Hut used to offer a menu item called the "P'zone." This pizza chain had a few variations of the P'zone available, but the real thrill was the chance to build your own.

It was their signature dough, tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese, but then you pick the topics you want to throw in. This brings us to another question: what makes a calzone so great?

The answer seems to simply be that you mix all of your favorite pizza ingredients together into a giant hot pocket. It's cooked fresh in a pizza oven and certainly qualifies as comfort food. Lastly, it's important to know the differences in how calzones are prepared depending on where you are.

In the tri-state area, you will find a calzone to look more like a halfmoon or egg-shaped delicacy. It's then loaded with ricotta cheese as the signature ingredient. From there, you add your ingredients like ham, sausage, or vegetables.

In New England, a calzone is completely different. It is not made with ricotta cheese and is prepared as a more flat-looking food. Essentially, a pizza that also has a crust baked on the top as well as the bottom. It's then cut into strips and delivered in a pizza box.

Under a green awning at the corner of 479 W Broadway in South Boston, you will find McGoo's Pizzeria. They have 18 different calzones on their menu. Where do you begin with all of these delicious options?

Let's go to the chicken parmesan calzone. A major reason why McGoo's gets this recognition is because of the sauce-to-cheese-to-topping ration. This must be nailed in order to be recognized for cooking up perfect calzones.

At McGoo's, they do just that. What puts the chicken parm calzone on another level is how fresh and flavorful the chicken is. A hint of grated parmesan cheese seems to make an appearance. It's one of those meals where it's delivered to you still hot out of the oven, but you need to control yourself from not diving in immediately.

McGoo's is closed on Mondays, but then open the rest of the week until late hours.

I'm a guy who moved from New Jersey to Boston; growing up, Sicilian pizza was pretty easily available. I incorrectly assumed that all Americans enjoyed this kind of pizza selection. However, when I moved to Boston, I realized that it's much harder to find that delicacy here. But there are also a few unique places that are cooking up Sicilian pizza in Massachusetts.

As an expert on Sicilian, I will tell you that it has to be prepared properly in order for it to be worth the calories. Here, I will detail three establishments where you can find great Sicilian pizza in Massachusetts. Sure, you may have to travel a bit, but these places are worth your time.

Before we cut into this delicious style of pie, let’s define our terms. Traditional Sicilian pizza is cut into square or rectangular-shaped slices. The crust is thicker and crunchy. Though this pizza is obviously heavier, it still can be topped with your favorite pizza add-ons. A sprinkle of oregano is a subtle but often important finishing.

Though strip pizza in Rhode Island is similar, one significant difference with Sicilian is that it is not baked on a focaccia style dough. In fact, Palermo Pizza NJ defines what distinguishes Sicilian Pizza and what makes it different from regular pizza. “The dough rises differently with this kind of crust because more oil is used in the recipe as opposed to a regular pizza crust recipe,” they said, when describing how this is made in a rectangular pan.

In Massachusetts, the three locations that are serving up great Sicilian Pizza are quite different from each other, but have this menu item in common. One of them happens to be a favorite of Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg.

Tucked into a quaint New England, Harvard Square street, Pinocchio's is where you need to go if you want Sicilian pizza of all varieties. It's also where you will see Mark Zuckerberg's photo all over the wall. This was the go-to spot for Zuck while he was attending Harvard. In fact, it's a place he still makes sure to stop into when in town. As for the pizza, there are 20 different toppings you can find atop the hot Sicilian pies. These pies come in a 9-slice or 15-slice size option. The 15-slice pie comes in two boxes and can feed up to nine people. During the school months, Pinocchio's stays open until 2 am on weekends.

At 289 Hanover Street in the North End of Boston, Umberto's can be easy to miss. However, once you recognize their old-school sign, you know you are in for a treat. They are old-school: it is a cash-only establishment where the large trays of piping hot Sicilian pies are continuously served. Typically, it's cheese only, but you will not be disappointed as no other flavor is needed. The single line usually reaches the door, but it moves quickly. It also gives you time to decide which arancini (their famous rice ball) you'd like to add to your order.

Leone's Pizza and Sub has been family-owned and operated since 1954. They are located right on Broadway and open seven days per week, from 8 a.m. - 9:30 p.m. Their Sicilian pizza is the standard menu option here. It is available by the slice, in a half tray or full tray. The whole tray also comes in two boxes (16 slice) and costs $40. Their Sicilian pies also come in a tomato basil option and a spinach and garlic. Leone's sub menu contains over 30 options. This includes a fried meatball sub.

Right in the heart of Cleveland Circle, Pino's is a fan-favorite of Boston College students. Though the crust is a perfect combination of pillow and crunch, the secret here is actually in the sauce. Pino's describes it as "delicious, garlicky tomato sauce with in-house seasoning, cooked on a pan." $20 gets you nine Sicilian slices at Pino's. If you want to add variety to your order, they also have alfredo pies, white pies, and buffalo chicken. Like Pinocchio's, Pino's stays open until the early morning hours on the weekend to help accommodate the college crowd.