The Pizza & Burger Battle of Harvard Square

In simpler times - when I found myself in Harvard Square and had an urge for a slice of pizza I'd hit up Pinocchio’s. If burgers were on my mind, I went directly to Charlie’s Kitchen. But this ain't 1999 people, Harvard Square has stepped up its restaurant game across the entire food chain. But I want to focus on what’s important – pizza and burgers.

If I was only allowed into one bar/restaurant in the Square (which could happen) I would pick Charlie’s Kitchen. They serve a flat patty type burger, nothing fancy here – but you cannot beat the value. A cheeseburger with fries is $4.00! In a region where $16 hamburgers are the norm, that’s pretty friggin’ awesome. Want a more exotic offering between your buns? Try their double homemade turkey burger with stuffing ($8). But it’s not just the burgers that keep me coming back to Charlie’s – they have the best Jukebox in town (no debate) and a great outdoor beer garden with a fine selection of craft beers.

see what i did there with the fries  ^  i invented that 

Pinocchio’s Pizza and Subs have been slinging slices to the Crimson kids for over 30 years. So, yeah – they are doing something right. It also doesn’t hurt that they are practically on the Harvard campus (74 Winthrop St.). Pinocchio’s serves two types of pizza; Sicilian and Neapolitan - and their subs are the best grinders in the Square. Normally I’m a Neapolitan kinda guy, you can hear me bitching about the lack of NY style pizza in Boston on a weekly basis. But since my first visit to Pinocchio’s I’ve been enjoying their Sicilian slices, and haven’t even bothered to try the other style. I usually opt for the spinach slice and dust it generously with red pepper flakes and parm cheese.

pie on a paper plate - perfect!

Charlie’s might be legendary, but Bartley’s Gourmet Burgers is actually famous, or so I’m told.  The burgers are homemade, fat and sloppy numbers and each one is named for a famous person. The “Dropkick Murphy” burger comes with swiss cheese, grilled sauerkraut, russian dressing and fries ($11). Bartley’s makes for a great first date for teenagers in love; there’s all kinds of crazy crap on the walls to break the ice and they specialize in frappes and lime rickeys. 

That’s the old school round-up, now let’s talk newbies.  Flat Patties offers a house ground quarter pound patty for $3.95. Service is quick and friendly, the burger satisfies all cravings and the price is right. Flat Patties is the perfect quickie burger to snarf down on the walk to class or the T. For something a little snazzier, try their Forager: sautéed mushrooms, swiss cheese and horseradish sauce ($5.25). Another pizza option that sits on campus is Oggi Gourmet. Located in the Holyoke Center, their pizza has been called “traditional” and “innovative” but I don’t think it stands up to the other options in the Square. They offer three different slices a day – cheese, roni and a special. The special slice I ordered had Chinese sausage, peppers and mushrooms. It did not get me jazzed. The crust held up nicely, I was pleased with that, but the toppings seemed kind of desperate and played out... 

 meh i say...meh.

Here’s a question: how long will the current burger craze last, and can a place like Tasty Burger survive in a high rent space like the Garage? I give it a few years. This place is huge – two floors with room for a friggin’ pool table in the basement! Their standard offering is the Big Tasty, a third pound natural beef patty with cheese, lettuce, pickle, onion, tomato and Tasty sauce ($5.25). Tasty Burger also has a funky spot in an old gas station right by Fenway Park. After a few too many beers at the ole ballgame, and with my judgment clouded from a nasty loss to the Yankees, I opted for the Blue Collar Burger ($5.75). This is what I learned – one does not need to deep fry a burger and pile it with spicy mustard and pickles for it to be enjoyable. Ugh – that thing fucked me up for the rest of the night. Your best bet is to keep it simple at Tasty; the burgers are naturally flavorful and juicy and don't need a ton of toppings. Hint - order the thin cut onion rings.

Otto might just be my new pizza crush for Harvard Square. This much-loved Portland Maine import came to town with much hullabaloo, and it seems to be living up to the hype. I’m a traditionalist with an open mind, but I was still surprised by how much I enjoyed their butternut squash and ricotta cheese slice. It always seems like there’s a new kind of slice to try, and they are all pretty damn fine – so take a chance and live a little.

There are a couple other options in the Square for pizza and burgers. Cambridge 1 serves coal fired pizzas in a comfortable setting and the Russell House Tavern serves an 8 ounce grass fed burger on an English muffin with cheddar, bacon and caramelized onions.

I know this a lot to chew on. I didn’t even mention Grendel’s Den (because I’ve never had their burger) but I love that place. Anyways, the next time I’m in the Square – I’ll probably be here at Charlie's…

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