My husband was playing a night baseball game at the field down the street and I was exhausted so I wandered in here for some coffee. I got a, "we're not that kind of establishment, ma'am. Try the gas station down the street" (um, gross. no.), so I left. I perused my smartphone for wake-up ideas in the area and noticed that a friend of mine had reviewed this restaurant and recommended the pizza. Pizza, coffee, basically the same thing, right? Well in my world it is. I called up and ordered the arugula pizza and walked over to pick it up. Aside from the awkward look from the host the transaction was smooth. I took the pizza back to the baseball field, was very impressed by the presentation of beautifully fresh ingredients, and I was pleasantly surprised by the size. I was expecting a 4 slice mini-pie, but it was actually big enough to share with a couple of the girls. And they're lucky I shared. Here's why: If you follow my reviews you know I'm a pizza snob. Hardcore pizza snob. That being said I could find nothing wrong with this pizza. The crust was crisp on the bottom and had a nice spring when I bit into it. It tasted like sitting in front of a gentle fire with a glass of incredible wine and a big chunky cable knit sweater - if that makes any sense at all. It was a warm, cozy, stress-melting experience biting into that pizza for the first time. The sauce was present but not over bearing, the fresh mozzarella was incredible, and the prosciutto was an extremely high quality, salty, melt-in-your-mouth wonderful. They top this particular pizza with fresh arugula, shaved parmigiano reggiano, and high quality olive oil. The arugula cuts through the saltiness of the parmigiano reggiano and the prosciutto, and the olive oil lends a buttery binder to the whole experience. Top to bottom this is one of the best pizzas I have ever had. It's now a tradition that if the boys play at this field we get pizzas to go from Gran Gusto. I will definitely go here for date night with the husband. p.s. the 4 stars instead of 5 is for the 'tude about the coffee. read more

So, I've been meaning to get here forever as it is a short walk from mi casa. I'll come right out and say it; the food was 5 star worthy. The pizza was insane. Thin. tasty sauce. Real buffalo mozzarella used sparingly. Amongst the best I've ever had. My companion's butternut squash risotto was to die for, and the mozzarella and speck appetizer was divine. So why not 5-star review? I felt it was pricey for what it was. We made a cardinal error in falling in love with the description of the appetizer and never asked the price. At the end of the night we spent $80 including tip for 2 people. Appetizer, pizza, risotto, 2 beer and a glass of Cabernet for $80. Again, for the pizza alone I'd go back but it seemed a bit much for a casual meal. Service was a strange mix of what seemed like very friendly locals mixed with native Italians (or that was my guess). Still, all and all, that pizza..... read more

A friend of mine (from Italy) told me that whenever he wants to eat pizza in Boston, the only place he goes to is Gran Gusto, so I decided to give it a try. On my way there I thought that the location is really weird... But this place is what you call a hidden gem! Apparently every single ingredient they use is imported from Italy (including salt and flour! The owner told me this) and the chef is clearly a genius! I was surprised to notice that most of the people in the restaurant were Italians who live all around Boston... that says something! read more

We went here for our new year's eve anniversary and was not disappointed. The ambiance was lovely. Great selection of wine and mixed drinks. Food was delicious. I ordered the sciatielli (seafood pasta) and my husband ordered the d'agnello (lamb shank). For dessert we shared creme Brule. So yummy! We definitely be back to try other dishes. read more

If you can get take out, I highly recommend it. food is great, service is not. Torn between 2 stars and 3 because the service totally just killed it for me. The restaurant is not that big and there are a few tables actually outside of the restaurant in the adjoining building (very random). Luckily our table got to sit outside in this adjacent building. Service was TERRIBLE. We had 8pm reservations and when we got there, there was no host and we stood there for a few minutes before someone acknowledged us. We then proceeded to say who the reservation was under (mind you, we see it on the computer screen) and he looks blankly at the computer screen. We had to point it out to him. We are seated and we don't have a waiter come by for 25 minutes to even greet us or ask us if we want anything to drink. We order probably 30 minutes after being seated and then our food comes out after another 40 minute wait. No one comes by our table until it's time to clear our plates. They then drop a dessert menu on our table and never returned. We would probably be sitting there if we didn't get up to ask for the check. There was a larger function going on in the back room, but that's still no excuse for poor service. By the end of the night when they dropped the dessert menu off the only parties left were the function in the back, our table, and 4 other tables. My table shared 3 pizzas and gnocchi. I would highly recommend any of the pizzas.. I couldn't decide which one I liked the most. Gnocchi was nice and light and everyone seemed to enjoy it (it's spinach gnocchi so it's green, don't let the color weird you out) I probably won't go again to have a sit down dinner, but would consider placing a take out order for a pizza again. read more

We love Italian food. Honey speaks Italian cooks Italian. I live for fresh cheese & eat tomatoes like apples. We were so excited to dine here. The aesthetic is the usual protocol. Almost tacky. Fake windows, terracotta'ish tiles and practically sponge painted peach glow'y walls. We snagged a table sans reservation at 8pm on a saturday. The bread and olive oil was really fresh (and is always a good indication of what is to come). Carpaccio was perfect as was the grilled octopus. For our entree's we decided to split a fresh pasta dish and margarita pizza (because I was afraid Tom E's wrath- had I not order a pizza). It was all very good. The pizza was perfect. The pasta was fresh- the flavors could have been more pungent but that is being picky. The only real problem was that our food and service was the opposite of punctual & doting. Lethargic Gonzalez? Our water glasses were empty. The bread basket was lonely and at times I felt like we were sentenced to solitary confinement. It was one of those "is this a joke?" as we watched every table receive their food before us, even tables that were seated after us. We would've ordered dessert but I didn't want to wait another hour for a tartufo'ish dessert.. Maybe the pizza really does take 60 minutes to cook- but my advice would be to place that in a nice font on the well versed menu. It doesn't feel good when every server in the restaurants murmurs to your table that "your food will be up in 2 seconds". After a while you realize they are lying. It's in the middle of nowhere. But the food is good. Go when it's not busy and maybe your experience will be better. read more

Best margherita pizza, Cambridge is lucky to have this wonderful trattoria style place like Gran Gusto! The calamari is great too, and the portions sizes are perfect. The personal pizza dish can be shared too. read more

Under authentic Italian ownership. Many unique and authentic dishes, though I wouldn't say they totally impressed me. They seemed to lack a bit of flavor. Desserts were overpriced for what you got. Also, it is definitely European slow food. We sat for 2 hours, though we had plenty to chat about, so it wasn't too bad. I'd go back to give it another try. read more

The truffle pizza is to die for. It's a great neighborhood Italian restaurant. Food is good and the ambiance is nice. This is a hidden gem in North Cambridge. read more

Some good, some bad. I tried a pizza, the tuna tartar, and the pepperadelle. The food itself was pretty good. Lots of flavor, good portions, not extremely expensive - which for the area and the atmosphere is saying something. Here's the downside, and it was a deep, dark, downside; the service was so bad. All of the servers were really nice, and so was the owner. But, let's be honest, you say someone is "nice" because there are no specifically positive things that you can say about them. To set the stage, it was not busy at all. First, I ended up having to order my drink twice. When I ordered it the second time I was told "the bartender said that we're all out of that." I pointed it out again on the menu (it's a mixed drink, so it's pretty unlikely they'd be out). Low and behold, they had the ingredients for my drink. Ok, great, we're back on track. We had the meal. The food was good. Then we waited, and waited, and waited. It was about 15 minutes before someone came over so that we could ask for the check. Then we waited, and waited, and waited. Another twenty minutes go by, so I end up having to track someone down and give them the check. We wait another 10 minutes and are told that they can't split the bill. The fine folks at Denny's know how to split a bill. Come on. They also included a 20% gratuity for a party of seven - seems unnecessary. read more

Best pizza in Boston so far. The pizza tasted really good as well as the ingredients that were all originals. Finally a mozzarella that tastes like it. The only drawback is that the menu is short, but better a few good things than a long list of crap, isn't it? I will definitively return. read more

Quite simply the best pizza in Boston! The owner is charming and the service is great. Good drinks too!

Even though there was space in the main dining room, we were seated in the back room. It took forever for them to take the order, forever for them to bring us our food, and I actually have no idea how long it would have taken them to bring the bill after we requested it: we gave up and paid a rough estimate in cash. The food was fine. The decor was aggressively unattractive. read more

I was hoping last night's dining experience would be fantastic based on the mostly positive reviews but I guess I came on the wrong night.... Pros: Close to my place, beautifully decorated, simple menu that does not intimidate and friendly restaurant manager. THE PIZZA WAS DELICIOUS!!!! Cons: the service was chaotic (the servers were not sure where to go and whose food was what), it took a long time to get our meal no one checked up on us,the servers looked upset/sad the whole time while we were seated in a corner that had high traffic so talk about disturbing, we made a reservation but the hostess was not sure where to put us and did not communicate with us...the most important part: the chicken dish was mediocre at best. I would come back to pick up a pizza but I wouldn't dine there again for dinner. read more

We went here for New Year's Eve (also our 7th anniversary) dinner before a show. The atmosphere was surprising. The outside seems very business park-esque, but inside, they've taken care to create a bistro setting with different rooms. There is a vibrant bar area, a ristorante section, and then a section with a wine 'cellar' that has a different feel altogether. The food was great and the wine menu extensive. We had a prix fixe selection (reasonably priced at $55/person) that included everything we could have wanted. I ate AMAZINGLY delicious calamari as a start, followed by truffled homemade pasta, and a third plate of roasted chicken. My husband ate a delicious steak and was very happy. Staff was lovely. Lots of small kids in our early seating, and they paid attention to them and helped them feel like they were important parts of the meal, not just irritants to be ignored. The bartender came to our table to personally take our order. He didn't get it quite right for the cocktail, but that's because we ordered off menu. The rest of the staff were truly lovely and accommodating. Important to note: free parking after six in the Danehey Park parking lot across the street. This is truly a neighborhood gem. Worth a try, even in the crowded Camb-erville restaurant scene. read more

This place consistently has been delicious. Gran Gusto provides a great meal experience. It provides authentic Italian food. If you're looking for food covered in American red sauce and lots of cheese with little flavor, go somewhere else. If you want to feel like you're back in Italy, come eat here! The staff is friendly, really knows the food, is very helpful, and always at the ready for guests. The managers take time to walk around and check on tables. They are all very attentive and aware of all the table needs. The food - I cannot go on enough about how good the food is! All of the pasta is home made. It is very fresh and tasty. The squid ink pasta is devine! The seafood is fresh and perfectly cooked. We particularly love the gamberi with the Italian red shrimp (we haven't tasted this since we were in Europe - it is very authentic and perfectly seasoned) and the melanzane (which has tons of flavor and just the right amount of each ingredient) to start. From there, we mix it up with pastas, entrees, and specials. We have never had a bad meal here. We also love the pizzas. We even recently had a small party and all of our guests were very happy with every item they tried. The staff was amazing and the food was perfectly cooked for the entire group. The atmosphere: it's a small place but with a good number of tables (maybe 25?). There are three areas of seating. The actual restaurant is in an office building and a bit of the hallway (we were a little thrown by this our first time). It has some painting on the wall that helps to transform it. The back room is the nicest but the place is generally pretty intimate and nice to eat in. The food is SO good that I would go here even if it was only in a hallway. It is definitely a hidden gem. read more

I thought the North End had a lock on the best, most authentic italian in the greater Boston area but then I went to Gran Gusto. As good as the best places I've been to in NYC without the steep prices. Everything we eat there (been three times with different groups) evokes a feeling of "ooohhhh...so this is what ______ is supposed to taste like." True of the homemade pasta with only olive oil and garlic for sauce, the salted cured meats, the cheese specials, the pizzas, the grilled meats, the olive oil, the tiramisu, the after dinner liquors. And the pear mustard that comes with the antipasti is one-of-a-kind and inspires comment from everyone at the table as they get a taste. read more

The food was great but don't go on a Sunday night the bartender isn't working after 4pm. The staff is awesome, the young lady's are very good at there job the make sure you taken care of and are very helpful. The food omg the food is very good, the chef is amazing at his or her job I would love for the chef to live with me and cook for me all the time. I recommend this place for a first date and a second date. Good place to bring the family too read more

I had high expectations based on past reviews. I was in town for business from CA. Atmosphere was great. But chairs are uncomfortable--very hard. I asked for a table where I'd have room to work, but the larger table was for 4 and I was a party of just 1. So my request was denied. However, the larger table was still empty when I left. And part way through the evening they opened a larger room that had lots of larger tables. The wine recommendation was good. However, in spite of the anchovies and shaved Parmesan cheese, the Caesar salad was tasteless. I added some lemon, salt, pepper and olive oil which made it ok. The bread was very disappointing. Typical Italian restaurant bread is crusty, hot and cut thick. This was the total opposite--cold and like pieces of a packaged loaf! My main course, scialatiella, pasta with mixed seafood with cherry tomatoes was also just OK. The 3 clams and 3 mussels were tiny, the shrimp had been cut in small pieces and I never found any of the calamari. read more

Amazing pizza. Some of the best pizza I have ever had. I don't know what they use for there sauce but it is unique and mouth watering.

Is a good ambiance and nice restaurant. The good is ok nothing amazing. It has the potential to be a great date place but food lacks taste. The service was good and the wine was great. read more

Such a cozy, warm spot with a great menu of offerings. Shared a pizza, salad, and app with the hubs and it was all great, including excellent service by maitre d. read more

Gran Gusto is amazing. Way better than the North End this where real italians go to eat! The pizza is just like what you find in Italy. I believe the owner is from Naples. I've never been dissappointed here, the food is outstanding! They can get packed so make a reservation. read more

I don't know why this place is so highly rated. First the service was not good at all: we had two different waiters neither of whom we saw very often. They brought us an unopened bottle of wine, which they did not bring us glasses for or open for at least five minutes after the time was given to us. We got our food over an hour after we had first sat down. I ordered the Diavola pizza which I was thoroughly disappointed with. The fresh mozzarella was good, but the dough was so soggy to the point where it resembled more of a waterlogged t-shirt than pizza dough. Other members of my party ordered normal entrees, only to be brought incredibly small portions considering the steep price. Overall, not very good. I recommend just sticking to the North End for Italian. read more

Amazing service, amazing food, amazing experience. Enjoyed the house red wine, fried calamari (the best fried calamari I've ever had), fettuccine, and pizza. They had amazing bread AND even asked if we wanted another basket!!!! Definitely coming back here. read more

This place was a great recommendation for my guy and I who are from out of state. I highly recommend sitting at the bar and getting to know Steve the bartender. He's great at what he does, and is super friendly. He was a pleasure to talk to and made our whole experience super awesome. The food is delicious and speaks for itself. read more

Took my family there for dinner a few weeks ago. Food was average. We shared eggplant parm appetizer which I would rate as poor. Too much bread crumb. Mushy. Just not good eggplant parm. Shared a margarita pizza as an appetizer just to try the pizza after reading all the raves about it. It was similar to pizza you would get in Italy but seemed undercooked to me. Cheese was hardly melted and the crust under the sauce was floppy. Quality was high. Execution not to my liking so maybe it was me. We all had pasta dishes after that that were homemade pasta but seemed undercooked also (I know it is supposed to be al dente, but not undercooked). Sauces were nothing special. Also the waiter was a gruff Italian guy who was nearly incomprehensible. We asked to order appetizers (starving kids) and get them going and order food a few minutes later and he would not do it. He would only take our full order once. Really? Will not return to this restaurant. Only went there because they were open on Sunday. At least they have free parking out back. read more

Tried this place on a whim, and was not disappointed!! The meal tasted as if it were made in Italy in an intimate setting. Definitely would recommend to anyone looking for authentic Italian food. read more

Nice ambiance. Our server was great but laid it on a little thick with the "buona sera.... etc." Specials sounded delish and seasonal. We went with the pizza as we wanted to check it out after the Globe article on pizza... and it was great. They serve you an individual pizza, Italian style... toppings were of the highest quality and flavor and crust was the perfect mix of crunchy and chewy. I'll be back for more and will bring friends to try some of the entrees. A little gem tucked into a quiet Cambridge neighborhood. read more

Came here for a lunch few days back. A small, yet elegant setting. May be romantic if during the evening/night setting. Parking in the rear but after 6pm. Menu had various things. The boy was craving a margarita pizza and that's exactly what he got. I should have went with my gut and got some sort of pasta but instead, I got the prosciutto/mozzarella/arugula sandwich. A bit sauceless/flavorless but it was mediocre. May come back to try other things on the menu. read more

The pizza here is one of the best. Not only they have a very amazing tomato sauce but it is clear that the ingredients they use are high quality. The hot salami and the mushrooms they use for the capricciosa pizza are special. Their wines are really good (grand tuscano) and desserts are ok. read more

Having now had several pasta dishes and entrees, I wanted to confirm that this place is delicious across the entire menu and not just the pizzas. The first pasta on the menu (the one with the sciue sciue sauce) comes piping hot inside a giant wheel of cheese. Not kidding. All the pastas taste fresh -- definitely not your store-bought box. Everyone we bring here is so impressed. The specials are also always on point. Sometimes service can be a little slow, but I guess one assumes this risk when looking for the authentic Italian experience ;) read more

The service is great and the owner himself waited on us. The food is to die for and Oh My God get the fried calamari! Before tip it was $81 for a bottle of wine, an appetizer, cannoli dessert, and coffee. Maybe a little steep but so worth it! read more

I've never been to the restaurant as my boss sometimes picks it up and brings it back to the office, but it's THE BEST pizza i've had in the boston area. I can't even explain what makes it so delicious....but it gets 5 stars from me. I've had the Margherita and the Prociutto Arugula one, they both rock......oh god now I want pizza! read more

Fabulously kind to the vegan! I went here with a party and everyone ordered apps, but there were none on the menu I could eat. Typical Italians, they couldn't bare to watch someone not eating so they made a tomato plate for me. The fettuccine porcini was delicious and vegan. Excellent service and people! Portions are smallish, which is perfect for little people like me, but bigger people might need some apps before the main course. read more

We were able to get a table on a Friday night without a reservation. The place slowly filled and there were a lot of Italians in the house. The wait staff is on point. Upon entering we were greeted with a "Buonasera!" The ambiance is ok. We ordered diavola pizza, fried calamari, pasta bolognese, and the dessert special (fruit cup with gelato). Everything was delicious. Pizza was my favorite. I would return. read more

We stopped here for lunch on a Wednesday. Apologies for not remembering the names, but everything was really good. We tried the calamari (grilled with mushrooms), a veal dish, a sandwich with mozzarella and sausage and a pasta dish. All three of us loved the entrees we ordered. We will definitely come back again when in be " read more

i would give their pizza 5 stars. i also felt the service was prompt, pleasant, and clearly making an effort. wine and salad were also up there... the entrees are what bump it down a notch. they do have some mighty fine pizza tho.. makes it worth eating in an office park! read more

the place looks like the Olive Garden, with a cheesy, fake Tuscany mural. But the food is sublime perfection. If you can't fly to Italy for dinner, GG is the next best thing. read more

I feel I need to update this review. Went back a second time, and ordered completely different items on the menu, and didn't like anything. It seemed as if the manager reads Yelp, because the things we complained about in an earlier review had been addressed - except to the absolute opposite in awfulness. For example, last time the waitress took my partner's plate away while he was still eating, and yet refused to refill our water glasses - even when she was standing next to our table holding the water pitcher. This time around, she was uncomfortably obsequious. She literally watched us like a hawk, as we lifted each forkful of food to our mouths. Each time either of us took a sip of water, she rushed over and would fill the glass just a smidgeon. It felt as if she were a passive-aggressive trying to make a point to her manager - "you want me to be more attentive, I'll give you attentive!" She must have filled our water glasses at least a half dozen times in 15 minutes. And the second I lifted a fork to my mouth, emptying the plate, she rushed over, said "excuse me, are you done with this" (while my mouth was still full) and took the fork out of my hand before I could put it back on the table. It was SO uncomfortable, we couldn't wait to get out of there. Could. Not. Wait. And, No. Won't. Be. Back. If the food were as good as last time, it would have been okay. But it seems like it was just that one specific pizza we previously ordered that was incredible. The others seemed ordinary. Something about the perfect mix of ingredients put that one pizza in wonderful balance, but the others missed the mark. Anyway, I hear Posto in Davis Square serves similar pizza now, so I guess I will try that next. Because I really have no interest in returning here. Still, food is good enough for three and a half stars. But no stars for the service. read more