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Massachusetts: Boston Is The Place To Be This New Year’s Eve

Author Jeff Gorra

Boston will be the place to be this New Year’s Eve. From concerts to quiet dinners, the city has almost anything you can think of going on this year.

It certainly doesn’t hurt that December 31 falls on a Sunday this year. You can kick your day off as early as you’d like. You’ve endured the blank space week in-between Christmas and turning the calendar, so let’s take a look at where you can celebrate all you accomplished the past year.

Here is your Boston New Year’s Eve overview.

Concerts

Sadly our hometown show with Aerosmith at the TD Garden was postponed due to Steven Tyler’s vocal injury. However, all is not lost. After a warmup show at the Sinclair on December 30, Berklee College of Music grads, Ripe will be performing at Roadrunner. In addition, there are numerous other intriguing shows around the city. To note –

  • Pigeons Playing Ping Pong will be at the House of Blues
  • Gimme Gimme Disco (a disco dance party inspired by ABBA) will be at Brighton Music Hall
  • Elan Trotman will be at Scullers Jazz Club

Parties

If you’re looking to go to a venue for an epic bash, Boston has you covered there too. The biggest party here is the Resolution Ball. “It’s the perfect occasion to dress up, dance, sing, drink and spend time with those closest to you as we party into celebrating another year together,” they explain. This year the event takes place at the Westin Copley Place from 7pm – 2am. There will be reserved dining options, a live DJ, and a ton of dancing.

At the Paradise Rock club there will be the Ball Drop New Year’s Celebration. Big Night Live will host Costa’s Zoo Year’s Eve.

Dining

From prix-fix plated options to special buffets, you can find basically every dinner party option you’d like in Boston. In fact, Time Out recently highlighted every special going on in the city. Certain establishments are adding champagne toasts to the offerings as well. Bar 10 is one of them stating, “Bar 10 will have live music by Lisa Bello & Friends, a midnight champagne toast.” Reservations are highly recommended and often required to reserve your table.

What Else?

Surprisingly all the Boston sports teams, Patriots, Celtics, and Bruins are on the road during this New Year’s Eve. Nonetheless, you can certainly put on your favorite sweatpants and set up on the couch for the day. The Patriots kickoff the day at 1 pm in Buffalo. Then the Celtics (in San Antonio) tipoff at 5 pm. The Bruins (in Detroit) play at 7 pm.

4 Great Places To Find Sicilian Pizza In Massachusetts

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.

What Is Sicilian Pizza?

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.

  • Pinocchio's Pizza - Cambridge

    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.

  • Galleria Umberto - Boston

    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.

     

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  • Leone's - Somerville

    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.

    Authentic New York style Sicilian pizza in pan

    Stock Photo/Getty Images

  • Pino's Pizza - Brighton

    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.

    A square Sicilian slice of pizza with basil on top. White background.

    Stock Photo/Getty Images

 

Jeff Gorra is a Boston-based writer who has been with Beasley Media Group since the beginning of 2023. He writes about restaurants and food, as well as sports and rock music. His experience also includes show hosting and in-depth creative writing in rock and reggae dub music. Jeff’s an avid surfer, New York Giants, and Pearl Jam fan, however, if you make unforgettable pizza, he is sure to find you.

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