New Bedford '90s Style Pizza Hut Buffet Project Still Alive

For a while there, it started to feel like the Pizza Hut coming to Mount Pleasant Street in New Bedford, complete with that classic ‘90s-style buffet and salad bar, was never going to be built.

It had nostalgia written all over it, but as weeks turned into months, and eventually years with no visible progress, the excitement slowly turned into one big question mark.

I found myself wondering the same thing over and over: what ever happened to that Pizza Hut buffet? Clearly, I wasn’t alone, because Fun 107 listeners kept calling in and messaging, asking for updates. Unfortunately, there just weren’t any answers to give.

Finally, an Answer from the Source

That all changed thanks to a little behind-the-scenes connection. With the help of my buddy Danny Romanowicz, property owner Michael Panagakos caught wind of the curiosity surrounding the site and reached out directly with an update.

Still on the Way—Just Taking Its Time

Yes, you read that right. Pizza Hut has been leasing the location for three years and has been paying rent the entire time.

Google Maps

While there’s still no official timeline for when the build-out will begin or when doors could open, this at least puts to rest the biggest fear: the project hasn’t been scrapped.

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

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