Galleria Umberto
289 Hanover Street, Boston
Description
The North End of Boston may not seem like a place that has many little-known neighborhood dining spots, but it does have a few, including an old-school Sicilian pizza place right in the heart of everything on busy Hanover Street. Hidden among the bustling trattorias, trendy ristorantes, and old-fashioned cafes and bakeries of the neighborhood, Galleria Umberto represents what the North End of old was like. Housed in what can only be described as a cross between a cafeteria and a dining hall, Galleria Umberto is a lunch-only, bare-bones, humble little storefront that serves some of the best pizza in the Boston area.
Reviews
Cash Only! Delicious pizza by the slice. Definitely in the top 3 places in the area. Service was fast. The staff seemed on edge, but I’m not shocked because tour groups come in waves. It’s always crowded for good reasons. So expect a long line if you don’t show up early. Overall if your looking for delicious pizza and don’t mind waiting Lin line this is the place to be.
Galleria Umberto is a Pizza shop in the North End serving Sicilian style pizza at decent prices and portions, well known for their food.
The line wasn't too long, but the pizza came out quickly and the service was excellent.
We got slices of cheese pizza to try. The pizza was a bit hot but not too oily, and the size was decent for the price. The pizza tasted really good, what you'd expect and want for pizza. Definitely a place to go again and eat at.
It's what everyone else says. This place is awesome. If you have the patience, please wait for your Sicilian style slices to cool, because they come out piping hot and will burn the roof of your mouth. Well-priced. These owners take pride in the process and product. Next time I'm in the North End, will get a slice and maybe some arrancini depending on how I feel. Maybe better for takeout on a park bench 'cause that will give the slices some time to cool.
Super simple and amazing place. There aren’t a ton of items on the menu, but they excel in those few items. The pizza is amazing. The arancini are better than those we had in Sicily. Don’t let the occasional long line discourage you—it moves quickly. I wrap this is an amazing value. Don’t forget to bring cash before you go anywhere in Little Italy—just makes life easier as a lot of places are cash only.
Okay, unpopular opinion here....I think this place is hyped so much solely because of the value for what I would classify as just "good" food. The pizza was good; my husband thought it was amazing. The crust was some of the best I've ever had, but I felt it needed more cheese to balance it out. The panzarotti were just not my jam; mashed potatoes stuffed with cheese, breaded, and deep friend sounds knock-your-socks-off delicious, right? But it was my least favorite thing I ate there. It was lacking flavor/seasoning in my opinion. The Arancini was very well made and had good flavor and I had an almost bagel type thing with meat sauce stuffed in it and a slice of cheese melted on top; this was my favorite item (and I can't recall what it was now)! It was soft and hot and flavorful.
All that being said, you simply cannot beat their prices for a quick lunch spot --- for what they charge, their food is a great value. two of us ate more than our fill, trying almost everything on the menu with a coke for each of us, for $20. It's insanely busy so be prepared to take your food to go due to lack of seating for how many customers (and food tours) they get.