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Sauce up your slice
Chill out in style with pizza and wine
By TYLER BALLIET
del.ico.us
reddit!
There's no need to spend a fortune on dining out when you can get a meal filled with fresh ingredients and a simple, but high-quality vino. There are hundreds of pizza joints in the Boston area, but not every one serves wine. Here are a few places we recently enjoyed a great pairing.
Bella Luna
Bella Luna is where small-town Italy collides with friendly Jamaica Plain. The star-shaped lights, colorful tablecloths and plastic plates, brightly decorated by customers, create a playful atmosphere. The menu boasts nine specialty pizzas in three sizes and enough additional toppings to satisfy even the most particular diner. The wine list sports two dozen affordable wines, all available by the glass, 500 mL carafe or bottle, leaving the possible combinations nearly endless. Most are lesser-known wines like Grüner Veltliner and Muscadet, which keeps the prices down but quality high.
Bottle and a Pie: We highly suggest the new "pizza bianco thin crust" (medium for $13) and the Panizzi Vernaccia Di San Gimignano from Tuscany, Italy ($35/bottle). The crisp acidity of the wine perfectly cuts through the garlic-filled, cheese-loaded pie.
[405 Centre St., Jamaica Plain. 617.524.6060. bellalunajp.com]
Upper Crust
It may be a Boston staple for delivery, but it's also a great casual place to dine in. With close to 30 specialty pies and nearly 50 toppings to choose from, Upper Crust provides a plethora of options. If you can't decide which pizza to get, at least the wine order will be easy. The list is chock-full of pizza-pairing staples like a Nero d'Avola or Pinot Grigio from Italy, Côtes du Rhône from France and even a Prosecco if you're in the mood for some bubbles. All of the wines, priced between $20 and $30 per bottle, are also available by the glass, making it possible to grab a "slice of the day" and a glass of wine for only $10.
Bottle and a Pie: Go with "Pedro's Steak and Gorgonzola" (large for $19.40) and the Alamos Malbec from Mendoza, Argentina ($23/bottle). Big and juicy, Malbec was made for steak, so the delicious Gorgonzola and crisp crust are just an added bonus.
[222 Newbury St., Boston. 617.262.0090. theuppercrustpizzeria.com]
Garden at the Cellar
Halfway between Central and Harvard squares, chef Will Gilson whips up killer flatbread pizzas. The pies are crammed with fresh ingredients from local farms, and rotate flavors based on what's in season. The personal-sized pies are served on wooden boards and cut for sharing. All wines, hailing from across the globe, are available by the glass or bottle, making this a great place to bring a few friends or dine solo at the cozy bar.
Bottle and a Pie: Because they might disappear from the menu soon, go for the über-seasonal pizzas first. We snarfed a simple Margarita pizza ($11) with in-season tomatoes, alongside the Quattro Mani Montelpulciano d'Abruzzo ($36/bottle).
DRINK MORE WINE! FOR MORE INFORMATION: THESECONDGLASS.COM
[991 Mass. Ave., Cambridge. 617.230.5880. gardenatthecellar.com]
