Pizzeria Enzina

Pizzeria Enzina is a newer venture from the family behind a Waltham landmark, Domenic's, that's been around since 1979. This newer spot dishes out some unique and very tasty pizza in a neo-Brooklyn style. And by that I mean a style that's a tie-in to the Neapolitan and Brooklyn style. It's not very greasy and borderline needs to be eaten with a knife and fork. We shared a couple of pizzas: the Stagioni ($25) which features olives, prosciutto cotto, artichoke, and mushrooms and the Quattro Formaggi which had mozzarella, gorgonzola taleggio, fontina, and oregano. Both were excellent and the Stagioni immediately transported me back to Paris, where I grew up. It tasted identical to that very same pizza I grew up eating. The ingredients were of great quality, and it was all very tasty. The dough was light and chewy which was awesome. Even the pizza from the kids menu was really really good, and not an afterthought as it is often the case when it comes to food for kids. You could tell they give a damn which was great to see. The only knock would be that even before we sat down, they tried to get our drink orders in. Felt a tad rushed to be honest. Also the prices are definitely a tad higher than what is expected for pizza - so be warned. Service was attentive and friendly and they even have a gluten free menu and a vegan menu available. Their patio is also nice and I very much look forward to returning.

This place is cute, friendly waitress, tasty Caesar salad but this vegetarian pizza....no thank you. The dough was undercooked, soggy, and there was something off about the flavor and texture. It was the first time I threw away a pizza in my life. Perhaps higher cooking temp, less veggies (less seasoning on them also) and toppings, add fresh tomatoes and basil before serving might help this pizza....

I'm not sure where to start, but I'll do my best. We just left Enzina and I can't stop talking about our experience. As seasoned "foodies" who dine out 6 nights/week, we have now been meat-free for over 5 years and were initially drawn in by the vegan options. You can usually find stereotypical options anywhere, but chicken and sausage alternatives are a bit harder to come by. We were excited to see where this led... Walking in, the space is small and cozy with a rustic brick backsplash setting the scene of an authentic Italian experience. Admittedly, it may be tough to get a bigger party accommodated, but I'm sure they have a way. Having a completely separate vegan menu is an amazingly thoughtful touch. We ordered pizza, "chicken" parm, spaghetti, and "sausage" rigatoni. I need to be clear and mention that ALL our dishes were amazing. The pasta was cooked to al dente perfection and the meat-alternatives would fool the most seasoned carnivore. It was almost impossible to pick favorites (like your kids), but if I had to (and it varied per guest), I would say the pizza was absolutely incredible. The crust was perfectly crisp, charred, and chewy with a smooth well-balanced sauce, quality olive oil, and fresh basil. Add some crushed red pepper and it's one of the best pizzas in recent memory; truly destination-worthy. The "chicken" parm was a close second with (2) crispy fried plant-based cutlets oozing with cheese (we opted for standard mozzarella) which played well with the al dente rigatoni. If you weren't feeling red sauce, the spaghetti is non-traditional and dressed with garlic confit and calabrian chili flakes for an unctuous punch. San Bennedeto sparkling and a solid old world wine list kept us sipping throughout the meal. We also opted for affogatos (espresso poured over vanilla bean gelato) which was the a great crescendo to the meal. Last, but certainly not least, was our stellar service. Our waitress was pleasant, courteous, and accurate. Additionally, John (not sure if he was a manager or owner or what not) was incredibly charming, insightful, and wonderful with kids. The cherry on top to a near-perfect experience. Enzina's will be a heavy player in our rotation moving forward (even though we're 30 min away) and I'm excited to delve further into the menu!

This place is so good. Don't be fooled by the name pizzeria, yes they serve pizza but they are an authentic Italian restaurant and the pasta is legit. Every dish is handmade, even the bread is made on site. Our party had gnocchi, lasagna, tagliatelle Bolognese, and some other dish I can't remember. Every one enjoyed themselves immensely.

I'm obsessed with the gnocci. I always add Chicken and 8/10 times its perfect. Sometimes, it can come more charred than I like but the gnocci flavor really is what saves any mishaps in the kitchen. I recently tried the Romano pizza, as it was highly recommended from someone and did not disappoint one bit. We added Sausage and I can't imagine it being as good without it. I think this pizza comes with sausage anyway, but I'm not sure. I'm hoping to try their brunch asap!

It is the afternoon of Christmas Eve. We planned on ordering pizza for dinner and Enzina has my favorite pizza in Waltham. I looked at Google for the hours which said they closed at 8:00 pm. I thought that was a bit late for a Christmas Eve close, so I phoned the restaurant and spoke with a person who told me they closed at 8:00 pm. Hooray! Around 6:30 pm I phoned the restaurant to put in my order for pickup. The person (a different voice and accent from the first person) told me that they had closed at 6:00 pm. I explained what the first person I had spoken to had told me about their hours and the wonderful person said wait! And then asked me what I wanted to order. He checked the temperature of the oven and it was unfortunately too cold from being shut down at closing. I completely understood. My 5 starts are obviously for their delicious pizza, but for the willingness of the 2nd person on the phone to “make it right”. That is some serious customer service! I was speechless at the kind offer. I’ve worked in the restaurant industry, and his offer to open the kitchen and all that entails after closing was so beyond expectations. He offered to create more work and a delayed departure for himself on Christmas Eve! Whoa! THANK YOU!!!

This place is so good. Don't be fooled by the name pizzeria, yes they serve pizza but they are an authentic Italian restaurant and the pasta is legit. Every dish is handmade, even the bread is made on site. Our party had gnocchi, lasagna, tagliatelle Bolognese, and some other dish I can't remember. Every one enjoyed themselves immensely.