New Bedford’s Off The Boulevard Serves Standout Nostalgic Pizza

I had the honor of trying the brand-new Off The Boulevard Grille & Pizzeria (formerly Pub6T5) in New Bedford, and instead of teasing you every dish that hit the table, I want to put the spotlight on one item in particular: the classic cheese pizza.

Simple, right? Don’t let that fool you. There are layers to this story.

The moment my teeth sank into that crispy, buttery undercarriage and perfectly fluffy crust, a conversation sparked between owner Howie Mallowes, Amanda Baptiste, and myself. I looked at them and said, “This taste familiar, almost like that Rainoni's Pizza place in the Dartmouth Mall.”

A Small Slice of Nostalgia

Sure enough, my taste buds were right on the money. Ashley Boulevard’s newest gem tapped into true New York–style pizza with a little guidance from Corey Stelmark, the legend behind Rainoni’s himself.

Gazelle/ Townsquare Media

Each bite felt like a warm, familiar, and absolutely delicious throwback.

The Rest of the Menu Left No Survivors

While the cheese pizza stole my heart, everything else on the table put up a strong fight. Let’s just say there wasn’t a crumb left behind. Every dish that came out of that kitchen hit the mark.

A High-Heat Oven Built for Greatness

Even the oven deserves its moment of fame, a state-of-the-art beauty that heats its stone surface upward to 600-800 degrees. That intense heat gives the pizza its rustic finish, blistered edges, and perfect bite. It’s the kind of oven that tells you the pizza is about to be serious.

Thanksgiving Pizza on the SouthCoast and Beyond

Looking for your entire Thanksgiving dinner to be hand held? These Massachusetts and Rhode Island pizza shops can help you out with that. See how many Thanksgiving favorites you can fit in one slice.

Gallery Credit: Nancy Hall

All Aboard the South Shore Bar Pizza Train

One of the benefits of the new South Coast Rail commuter train connection New Bedford to Boston is that there are 11 good South Shore Bar Pizza stops en route.

Gallery Credit: Tim Weisberg

The Best of South Shore Bar Pizza

There's pizza, and then there's South Shore Bar Pizza. Birthed in Brockton (and to this writer, perfected in Randolph – Lynwood Café is the true G.O.A.T.), it must meet certain qualifications to be considered "SSBP," which include: it's a 10-inch pie; it has a thin, cracker-like crust with minimal "flop;" the cheese is a blend that features more cheddar than mozzarella; and bonus points if you take it home between two carboard-type plates wrapped in flat brown paper bag. They also usually come with "laced" or "burnt" edges (terminology depends on where you are ordering), which is when the sauce and cheese are extended all the way to the edge of the pan, creating a crispy, flavorful coating to the crust. We reached out to the hugely popular South Shore Bar Pizza Social Club Facebook group to ask the experts to share the best of the best (in no particular order).

Gallery Credit: Tim Weisberg

Source: New Bedford’s Off The Boulevard Serves Pizza That Hits Pure Nostalgia