Za makes it look so simple... they take fresh, local, and seasonal ingredients and offer a variety of rotating (and amazing) 'zas and 'lads. Easy, right? But don't be fooled... easy doesn't mean not tasty or not impressive. My sweet potato pie was perfection on a thin crust, topped with banana peppers, basil, and a whole lot of deliciousness. Andrea B's apple pie (ha ha ha) looked awesome, too. Don't believe me? Check out the photos! They are worth a million words for sure... mostly ones like yum, mmm, and "can it be March again in Boston so these can be the seasonal specials on rotation?" (The only time I'll ever actively want it to be March in Boston.) We concluded our meal with the chocolate goat cheesecake, which wasn't my cup of tea... but if you like goat cheese, you will LOVE this dessert! The taste of goat cheese is so strong I could only take a few bites, but like I said: if you like it, you'll love it! The service was friendly, the restaurant was clean (love the chalk blackboard with the specials written on it hanging along the length of the wall), and street parking is free. All in all, a very good place for a lunch or casual dinner date. read more

Za - Sweet potato 'za from 'Za. Yum. - Pizza Near Me - Arlington, Massachusetts

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"I wanted to like this place..." = kinda clichéd. So, let's go rogue on this bad boy. I wanted to dislike this place. The rotating menu of specialty pizzas includes a fig and goat cheese wonder that had Kara G panting to visit, only to have left the building well before we arrived. Same goes for all arugula, which made the Aruguloni pizza (mozzarella and pepperoni topped with and arugula salad dressed with citrus vinaigrette - straight from the chalkboard) little more than an acidic roni pie. So, inventory is an issue, even on a slow Sunday night. For what's left, nothing jumps out as overly creative or initially appealing. Then you've gotta consider the base "sauce" for most pies: a potato and sweet onion puree in lieu of the usual margherita style slicker. As if this devil bulb-infused lifeblood isn't enough, there are no more than two pizzas on the entire menu that don't include caramelized onions, raw red onions or oniony onions with a pinch of onion on top. Hate onions? Prepare a gritted smile. But then you order the Old School Potato - a Gruyere, thyme, bacon and spud 'za on a crisp and buttery crust, masterfully executed at a crazy reasonable $10 - and all preconceptions about a boring menu fly out the window. With the bold flavors, laid back environment and just-as-casual pricing, you can't dislike Za; it's culinarily impossible. Beers and wines poured, your table neighbors will likely be older Arlington residents and you might catch a little Kenny G on their Pandora channel. The namesake dish, though, is worth the trek. read more

Za - Pizza Near Me - Arlington, Massachusetts

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Yum! Avocado is amazing and their pizza is tasty! During covid they don't have seating indoors - only 3-4 outdoor tables (reservations recommended). Staff were very friendly. Plan on getting delivery and take out during the colder months. read more

I love the crust! Visited from Southern California, and i wish there was a Za near me. Better than Blaze, Pizza Rev, and Pieology. I'll be back next year! read more

Za - Pizza Near Me - Arlington, Massachusetts

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There are tons of pizza places in Arlington, so you have plenty of options to choose from. However, if you haven't been to Za yet, you're doing it wrong. Nothing else compares in the Arlington area. This is by far some of the best pizza I have ever eaten. All the ingredients are sourced locally and fresh. The pizza isn't super greasy, even when extra meat toppings are put on it (How do you do that by the way Za? That's really hard to do). Staff is super friendly, and even now with Covid, they go out of their way to make sure that everything is as contact-less as possible. They're gonna have my business for years to come, and I highly suggest you try them as well. You won't be disappointed! read more

Soggy flavorless pizza. Such a disappointment as Za was my all time fave and recommendations to all!

I've been going to Za since they opened! I'm a huge fan of their Mac and cheese pizza! The caramelized onions really set this pizza apart. Staff is friendly and service is average. read more

Great pizza. Any topping you can imagine they have, and they're all fresh. Definitely some farm to table toppings going on here (recently had native wild ramp). While the pizzas only come in a personal size, the ones with toppings are very filling. We never finish a pizza per person. However one never seems to be quite enough for 2 since they are so damn good! We never stray from the pizzas but the salads look awesome! Maybe one day... We did try the goat cheese chocolate cake that was raved about on yelp, none of us really liked the goat cheese flavor. Definitely our favorite gourmet ZA. Tip : Use call ahead seating to avoid waiting too long. read more

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Creative pizzas abound. What's amazing about the pizzas is that even when watery ingredients are used on top, the crust retains a perfect amount of crunch without a hint of that bitter scorched after-taste that can ruin pizzas of this ilk from less skilled bakers. This is an impressive feat. My one suggestion? Because pizzas are custom-made, it can take quite a while for a table to receive the order. Receiving some bread would take the edge off of the wait. read more

You know it's a quality restaurant when it takes a comfort food and elevates it to a higher form of cuisine. I'm your standard pizza guy. Growing up, I liked it plain. During college, I learned the "major toppings" of pepperoni and sausage, and the acceptable vegetables (mushrooms, peppers). It was only after living in California did I explore fruit (ham and pineapple anyone?) and the other variants of pizza (e.g. deep dish, sicilian, etc.). These days, I'm more concerned with delivery times (hello Snow Crash) and execution (they got my toppings right). So it's a delight to eat at a place like Za's, which takes pizza to wonderful culinary heights. Pizza from Za is less about fuel, and more about taste, and creativity. I've enjoyed their "basic" macaroni offering, but was wowed by their duck and peaches pizza. My brother says he needed to visit a place that serves duck and peaches on their pizza, and he lives in Milwaukee. Of late, I've been enjoying their Aruguloni, which has me piling salad on top of a pizza with pepperoni and mashed potatoes. The place where I grew up would not recognize me anymore. Za is pizza of a higher order, and I'm glad it's in Arlington. It's a wonderful break from "fuel" pizza (and price-wise, you won't forget that it's not your average pizza), and I recommend it highly. read more

Za - Duck with Peaches. Yummy! - Pizza Near Me - Arlington, Massachusetts

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Pizza was delicious. Even made a cheese-less pizza for a vegan kid. Didn't order a salad as way too many ingredients on each for my taste. Good music selection. They have outdoor seating in good weather. read more

Za - Entrance - Pizza Near Me - Arlington, Massachusetts

I was meeting a friend for dinner in Arlington and, upon seeing Yelp reviews, we decided to try Za. Looking at the menu ahead of time, both of us could not wait and decided that this might have to be our new meeting place, so we can try all the pizzas! I was able to get a parking spot RIGHT out front, which was great. I had done call ahead, but the place was pretty empty (it was 5:30 on a Monday) and my friend was already at a table. We ended up splitting 2 pizzas, which were 10-inches each. Perfect amount and we both had leftovers for lunch the next day! We went with a chalkboard special pizza, which had mushrooms (we got those on only 1/2, since I don't like them), potato puree, sweet onion and I think Gruyere cheese?? I don't see it on their online menu. It was similar to the Aruguloni (Potato Puree, Sweet Onion, Mozzarella and Pepperoni topped with Arugula, Red Onion, Diced Tomato, Parmesan and Citrus Vinaigrette), but not quite. It was a white pizza, which I never like as much as regular. It was tasty, but rich and not nearly as flavorful as I expected. Our other pizza was a plain pepperoni, which was awesome. It's hard to mess up a plain 'roni - and they didn't. The pieces are VERY small, but that just means you can eat more! The waiter and hostess were very friendly and it's a casual, intimate place. The next day, my friend said she's happy if we make this our go-to place and I agreed! Next time, we might have to try the Aruguloni, which the waiter said was his favorite. Hopefully next time they will have the Fig and Goat Cheese Pizza (the picture on here had us both drooling) or the Gala Apple and Cheddar pizza. YUM. read more

It's no secret how much I love Za. When I lived in Camberville, I went to the Kendall location frequently. Now I frequent the Arlington location. We take any visiting people here because it's a great sit down place with unique items (mac and cheese pizza!) for the daring folks and the normal (simple cheese pizza!) for those who prefer traditional. We always get some of there salads which are made with fresh, local ingredients. We'll sit outside when the weather allows. I've always had fantastic service here. We also frequently order za's to go. I mean, even my father in law who only likes good golf games loved this place. read more

I love the pizza at Za. It's not exactly pizza shop pizza and that's why I like it. It's way better. The salads are great and the staff is always so pleasant. read more

Checked this place out with a couple of friends. It's located on a corner next to a street with a lot of very cute little stores - overall a very quaint setting. A friend who lives a few blocks down introduced us to the place - awesome concept with a lot of really cool pizza toppings on rotation. It seems to be frequented by Arlington residents, and has a really nice homey vibe to it. Our eyes practically popped out of our heads when we saw the Mac n Cheese 'za and the potato/mashed potato-bacon 'za. Starch on top of more starch? Yes please. The toppings were very generously piled on, and the end result was heart-stopping, starchy goodness. I felt like I may have developed gluten intolerance when I finished my pizza. Our waitress suggested we each order our own pizza, because they were pretty small pan pizzas. The actual pizzas kind of straddle the line - they're a little too big for one person to eat without feeling a little sick, but they're kind of small for two people to share. The only solution, therefore, is the former. Even if you can't finish it, you're not going to want to share. We got the Mac n Cheese 'za, which was probably the weakest of the three - the mac and cheese had been baked on top of the dough, but instead of getting a delicious cheezy flavour it instead got a little stale and dry; I felt that it wasn't very cheesy and actually a little bland. The bread crumbs were a very nice touch. We also got a potato-bacon-chive pizza, which was fantastic - the potato was very soft and the touch of bacon was mouthwatering. Portabello Mushroom, Roasted Red Pepper, Caramelized Onion 'za was also fantastic - it was topped with goat cheese that gave it a really strong punch. The salads come served in a compact cylinder. Service was great, pizzas were great - would absolutely recommend to anyone in the area. PET PEEVE: It was a dark and stormy night, and we walked into Za and it was... pitch black. Seriously, a few lights would not have hurt. I really can't stand restaurants that aren't lit - I like to see my food when I eat it. read more

Enjoyed our dinner. We had the arugula salad, which was fresh, and two pizzas. One was the beef bomb, the other was the pizza with shitake mushrooms. Both pizzas were really tasty. Maybe a bit heavy on the onions on the beef bomb, but we survived. Waiter was efficient, courteous, and above all else, experienced. They have some good craft brewed beers here, too. read more

I came here with my niece and while I expected it to be a bit more formal from the photos, I liked that it was kind of a mix of a pizza joint and nicer restaurant. The gourmet pizza selection looked amazing and I settled on the goat cheese and caramelized onion pizza which was delicious. I ate the whole damn thing by myself which is pretty gluttonous but speaks to how tasty it was. My niece ordered a southwest-style salad. We laughed at how compact the salad came out. It was nothing like I thought it would be in terms of a traditional salad but my niece enjoyed it and said it was delicious (will upload a photo soon). The beer selection was vast and although there wasn't a beer that i truly recognized on the menu, the waitress suggested a certain beer based on what I liked and it sure was delicious. Service was great and although they didn't accept AMEX which was a pain (I love getting my Delta points!), it wasn't a big deal. All in all, a great meal and great service. read more

Za - Goat cheese and Carmelized onions. Amazing. - Pizza Near Me - Arlington, Massachusetts

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I just re-visited Za. I used to be a semi-regular there, and the leftovers would rarely make it to the next morning. Well I don't know if the pizzas have become more filling or if I've become less gluttonous, but I can't devour the pizza like that any more. It's still good stuff, though. They have a nice selection of specialty pizzas -- there is always at least one 'blackboard special' pizza with some kind of fruit, and inevitably, I will order that one (cherry being a standout, pear always reliable if less interesting). It's a greek-style crust, which can always be saved by gourmet toppings. To get a plain cheese pizza here, just sort of a waste, really. They also have salads and desserts that sound wonderful, but I've never tried because I couldn't pry myself away from the pizza. I think this place is still sort of a hidden gem (just had the place to ourselves Saturday night), worth visiting. Patience and a sweater are recommended. read more

Can I just say: "YUM!"? The individual pizzas here are small (10") but they FILL. YOU. UP. FAST. Don't underestimate the pizza's size and the ability of it to fill you. Try not to explode. It is pricey but well worth the DOUGH. Get it?! Pizza? Money? Dough? Never mind... I love going here. My older brother and I once got the yummiest pizza on the planet. Here's the story: It was a beautiful day in Spring 2013 and we decided to stop in at Za for some 'za for lunch. We looked at the specials for the day. (Oh, the menu constantly changes, by the way. What you may find one day, may not be there again!) Our eyes caught the attention of a particular ingredient we had never heard of before...ever -- RAMPS. It was a head-scratcher. I don't particularly remember anything else that was on that pizza that day, but the wait staff member suggested we try that one. What the hey... let's do it. My first bite... my head exploded with the awesomeness of the taste in my mouth. I think my bro had the same reaction. I'm usually a plain cheese guy but if anything ever catches your eye on the menu, give it a shot. You probably won't regret it. Oh, yes, pigs everywhere. (Not real ones!) read more

Wow, what an awesome pizza joint!!! Came here with some friends last night and we all had a great time. We ordered a bunch of things and shared it with everyone. We got there around 6:40 and it was packed. The atmosphere was very lively. Our hostess said the wait would be 25-30 minutes, but we got seated in about 15 minutes. To start off, we had their popular crisp iceberg lettuce salad with a creamy buttermilk dressing, the butternut squash salad with a maple vinaigrette and the romaine lettuce salad with white anchovies and a lemon caesar dressing. The iceberg lettuce salad and butternut squash salad were the favorites. The romaine salad was a tad bit too salty for me. Now, it's on to the pizza. Mmmmm, delicious slices of heaven. These were the kinds we ordered: * old school potato - chunks of potato, bits of bacon, gruyere cheese (needed some more salt/bacon) * bosc pear, caramelized onion, walnuts, dried cranberries (interesting and tasty) * portabello mushroom, roasted red pepper, caramelized onions, roasted garlic, goat cheese (the caramelized onions are SO good) * make your own pizza - tomato, mozzarella, sausage, diced pineapples * make your own pizza - tomato, mozzarella, jalapeños, pepperoni, mushroom My personal favorite was the portabello mushroom pizza. I loved the whole roasted garlic and the creamy goat cheese. Everyone seemed to enjoy all the pizza we ordered. We definitely had a lot of leftovers! Some of us also had room for dessert. Oh, I ALWAYS have room for dessert. Oh yes. We got the lemon tart with raspberries, bourbon pecan pie, and caramel/cashew/chocolate pie. They all come with homemade whipped cream. Boy, were they all DELICIOUS! I am such a huge fan of pecan pie and their pie is definitely up there as one of my favorites. I love Za for using farm-fresh ingredients and having unique pizzas. This place strikes me as the kind of place all the locals seem to be at on a Friday/Saturday night. This is not the last you will see of me. Until next time! read more

Za - Pizza Near Me - Arlington, Massachusetts

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Za rox. I have dwelled in Arlington for quite some but ignored Za as I assumed it would be just another 'za place. Au contraire. We went on a Sunday nite at about 8:30 postmeridian and it was empty in there and very quiet and mellow with mellow music playing and very clean and tidy with a trendy vibe and décor. Ceramic pigs peppered the place and there were Boston-based candy-pack paintings for sale which were nicely done despite being grammatically challenged as you may observe in the candy hearts in the Sweethearts painting: "Your sweet" and "Your my love" -come on, bro (see PIC). Not cool for an intellectual area like Arlington/Cambridge -please fix this. But most important was the quality of the 'za here. There were a bunch of semi-weird 'zas here like anti-tomato sauce ones with potato crème sauce and ramps (yuppie onions) n' stuff. Sorta a limited menu here though compared to Dominos with all sorts of junk available from different crusts to dipping sauces and stuff. Here was pretty basic BYO 'za choices and the prefab signature weird 'za choices. Moey and I opted for the tomato and mozz basic 'za with topping add-ons of basil and roasted red pepper. The 'zas took a bit to cook but it was wicked worth it. The krust was excellent and thin n' krispy and just delightful in texture and "flavor flav." The 'za had X-treme cheese pull too -like a two-foot-plus pull, bro (see PIC). The waitress was wicked nice and I was impressed by her Cinderella skills. She was very good with cleaning the joint and the tables and everything were immaculate AF. I'll be back and I suggest that you YELPers check it out too. Nice job, Za. "Your" the best! :) read more

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Love the idea of this place with crazy pizza combos like strawberries with goat cheese and onions, but the execution leaves much to be desired. I don't really understand all of the 4 star reviews as the pizza taste is rather average. Prices are a bit high and menu options are rather limited. Nice variety of non-traditional beers on tap. read more

Za - Strawberry pizza alongside bacon and cheese pizza. - Pizza Near Me - Arlington, Massachusetts

Since I last posted a review, I have frequented Za's numerous times and wanted to up my review from 4 to 5 stars. I am obsessed with the butternut squash pizza and went back 3 times for it (unfortunately it's seasonal and not available anymore). I think the outdoor seating is cute and I like to sit there whenever possible and people watch (however many people may walk by in the East). I usually go with 3 friends and we all get our own pizza and split a bottle of wine. It ends up being a well-priced dinner for everyone. I like that the pizza specials are seasonal, which means that the menu is changing frequently. My only complaint is that Za doesn't take reservations. I put down for 7 pm on a Saturday. I wasn't informed that this wasn't a legitimate reservation at the time and still had to wait around 40 minutes for a table. This was annoying since I thought I had a reservation because the person on the phone didn't state otherwise. Anyways, I know for next time and this is a warning that on the weekends you'll probably have to wait a little bit for a table. read more

I had a delicious pepperoni pizza and cucumber salad this week. Easy contactless pick-up.

Love this place. Fresh ingredients, almost everything is scratch made there, the staff is knowledgeable and friendly, and the combinations on their "gourmet pizzas" have yet to miss the mark. They have a good wine and beer selection, as well! read more

Best gluten free pizza in greater Boston area. Excellent thin/medium crust with fresh, high quality ingredients. Great for gluten free read more

A favorite pizza joint of mine. I hadn't been here for a while, so today's visit was a welcomed reminder of just how much I love Za. I had made a date with my friend for lunch and my three cousins joined us. We met at the restaurant at 1:00 and were seated on arrival. We had an eager and attentive server and ordered drinks first. While we opted to not have alcohol, it's pertinent to note Za offers an excellent selection of local craft beer, as well as a solid wine selection. For our table of five we ordered two salads--a wedge and a lovely Greek, which was made up of diced tomatoes and cucumbers, olives, sliced radishes, parsley and creamy feta. The salads were fresh and tasty. We also ordered two pizzas, which are small 10" pies. We had a tomato and cheese (traditional) and a portobello mushroom, garlic and olive pie. The latter is a classic example of a flavorful and inventive Za pizza. That's one of this restaurant's hallmarks. They have a regular menu of salads and pizzas, and a second seasonal specials menu. While we waited for our salads and pizzas, we had a pair of appetizers: rosemary flatbread and marinated olives. Both were delicious. We capped off our meal with the lemon tart with blackberry jam and fresh, house-made whipped cream. The dessert was light and fresh, a fantastic finish to a wonderful experience. I'll definitely return to Za soon! read more

Za - Za Menu Board - Pizza Near Me - Arlington, Massachusetts

I would've given this 2 stars, but the staff and service were stellar. Pan pizza lacked sauce and flavor; crust was way crunchier than we had hoped. Mediocre in pizza quality, but great ambiance and friendly staff. read more

Just moved here from NYC/Hoboken and this is NOT pizza. Let's just get that out of the way. It's more akin to flat bread. I know MA has no idea how to do pizza, but this was a whole other level. That established, the speciality chicken "pizza" was fine. Tasty enough. We did pick up, so no comment on service, though decor was nice. The rave reviews are insane. I don't get it at all. Likely won't return, though. I feel like I could have bought similar quality from Whole Foods or Trader Joes frozen section. Sorry! read more

Evidently someone forgot to tell Za and the rest of you how to make a pizza. This was easily the worst tasting pizza I've had in Boston. 50 dollars for 2 small-ish pizzas, a shared salad and wine?! I'd rather buy 3 slices at Hi-Fi, drink a bottle of Charles Shaw and use the remaining dosh to pay Sammy the homeless guy to dance for me. Ok, ok. Maybe that's harsh. The wine wasn't a problem and the service wasn't shocking (but wasn't good either). But deary me, what dreadful pizza. For 10 dollars, you get a 10 inch personal pizza that is the world's stodgiest hard bread base smothered in low quality cheese. If you're dumb enough you'll have fallen for their trick of 'wacky toppings' which will disguise how bad this pizza is. Either way, within 5 minutes of serving you're wondering why bother any more as it's all gone cold and taken on the sort of tough-rubbery texture only associated with sex toys. Looking round I didn't see a single customer that had managed to soldier on and finish their pizza. Everyone was going home with a doggie bag and lots of doggies were gonna be puking later. Ideas for improvement: 1. Expand the menu - 6 salads, 6 pizzas and 3 desserts is not much choice. 2. Improve the decor - amateur paintings and fishing photos of your friends isn't what I pay 50 bucks to see. 3. Learn how to cook a pizza 4. Use good quality ingredients 5. Don't be fucking silly. Watermelon in a salad? Maple Syrup on a pizza? I'm not a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle, dude. read more

My fella just moved to Arlington and after a bike through his new neighborhood, we stopped at Za for a late dinner. I expected a place that was tremendously obnoxious and pretentious, which is what I equate to that list of never-used two-letter Scrabble words that only assholes know and use as if "of course, 'Za' is a common slang term for pizza". No it isn't, folks. And if you knew someone who said "let's order some za for dinner" you'd probably punch him right in his popped collar. That being said Za is only a little bit pretentious. They have a tiny menu, but it's packed with flavor. Confoundingly, their specials are more expensive than the normal menu. Aren't specials the entrees they want to sell lots of because they have ingredients on hand that they need to use? Whatever. These specials are all locally sourced, farm raised, free range, etc, so they're more expensive. Luckily, the regular menu has lots of delightful things to choose from. We shared the beet salad (sans red onion) which was Gone in 60 Seconds starring Nic Cage. I Love Beets. I love everything about them. I even love The Beets, that band from Bluffington. Our waiter suggested we each get a personal pizza because they're small. They are certainly smaller than a regular pizza but one of Za's pies would be fine to share with someone else when you've already scarfed down a plate of beets. The grilled chicken "za" (Grilled Chicken, Broccoli, Caramelized Onion, Fresh Garlic, Diced Tomato, EVOO and Four Cheeses) was so great. It tasted really fresh, you could decipher all the ingredients in your mouth. It was really yummy and I loved it next day for lunch. On the other hand, the Mac n' Cheese "za" (Elbow Macaroni, Caramelized Onion, Cream Sauce, Four Cheeses and Toasted Bread Crumbs) was very bland to me, though the fella liked it a lot. It lacked something to punch through all that cream and mellow cheese. Something like... BACON! Or I dunno, salt. Pizzas range from $8-$12.50, though when you start making your own combos it can get expensive fast ($1.50-$2 per topping). Our starter salad was $7.50 for a very healthy portion (def for two). The decor is relaxed. Modern without feeling clinical. The waiter was nice without being pushy. And the bathroom was clean. All great points. I will definitely return! read more

Lazy AND pretentious. I've been called both, so I should know. But NEVER in regards to pizza. Also, I lived nearby for a few years. Audra, taking a historical perspective, has the salads pegged: molded and premade, dated in concept, and not-so-fresh in point of fact. Jake, who is doing more of a class analysis, captures the essential nastiness of the pizza itself: gummy and gimmicky and chronically undercooked. It looks cute from the sidewalk, and the open windows are nice. It's certainly not the worst pizza in Arlington, but it may be the most expensive bad pizza I've ever had. read more

Pizza, salad, and beer, in my humble opinion, is a winning combination. So why the 3 stars? Well, there's nothing wrong with Za per se, but it's just really not too special either. And for a place that only makes two things (pizza and salad), I guess I just expected both to be phenomenal. The pizzas only come in one size-- 10"-- which I think is a bummer. It's about enough for one normal to bigger eater (I finished my whole pizza) or I suppose could be shared by a pair of dieting waifs. But hell man, why isn't there a bigger size? I know I'll sound like a big fat cow saying it, but honestly I could have eaten a bit more. And I really don't see why offering a second, larger size would be a big deal for the restaurant... It would certainly have been nice to be able to order a larger pie to share with my lady friends, or at least have some leftovers for a nice cold pizza breakfast. Also, though the pizza toppings are exciting and many of the combinations are unique (mac n cheese pizza?!?! yummmmm!!!), the pizza itself is nothing special. It's a pretty boring crust, kind of thin and crunchy, and reminiscent of what I make at home when I roll out a dough ball from Trader Joe's and make myself a pizza at home. Fine, but not memorable. We split an arugula salad, which was very good (it had fresh pesto in it, which was delicious), but a bit overpriced at $7.50 for its small size. The waitress told us their desserts are really good, but we decided to save our money and calories and skip it... however I must say, I am very intrigued by the Chocolate GOAT Cheesecake.. !!!! I will say that despite thinking the food was just so-so, I had a nice experience here due to the phenomenal service (our waitress was wonderful, and the other servers are great about seating quickly, greeting, etc.), a delicious Ipswich Pale Ale, and knowing that all of the ingredients in my food were local and noticeably fresh. I probably wouldn't go back here on my own, but I'd certainly be willing to go along with others if it came up. Unfortunately there are just too many other great pizza places in the area for me to bother heading out to Arlington for more Za. :-/ read more

Really good pizza. Soft crust, good ingredients. Friendly staff. We got take-out so I cannot comment on table service. The restaurant looked very nice. read more

If you can make it past the nauseating preciousness of ZA's name (1), steel yourself, and maybe pray - this is what pizza tastes like in hell. If you are a sinner, ZA may be your wake up call to repent. If you don't care about your soul, or your taste buds, or your stomach, or your wallet, then by all means, sit down, order your undersized, generally undercooked, wackily topped sorry excuse for a pizza (the sorriest I've ever seen) and have at it. You are fooling no one but yourself if you cop to actually enjoying this crud, but alas, the joke's on you. I'd rather eat Ellio's (2) - three days old and reheated twice in the microwave, soggy and drippy and spongey - than ever inflict one of their abominations on my body again ZA is the sort of place that insufferable wannabe urban gourmands flock to and overpraise (or just praise, period) (3) because they really get off on the appearance of indulging in "comfort food", without having to endure the stigma of having to mingle among the unwashed masses. You can't make chicken salad out of chicken shit, friends, no matter how much you protest. ZA - you fail at life. _______________________________________________ 1."ZA"? Really? I wish I could pinpoint the exact wrongness of the name. It's more a general feeling, than anything I can articulate (1a). ZA strikes me as insufferably pretentious and twee, yet at the same time the only people I have here call pizza "za" are Ya Doods and their ilk. "Bro, let's get us some 'za. Make mine with extra rone!" (1a: except maybe the owners somehow realize that what they are trying to pass as pizza here doesn't quite jibe with the common definition, thus they hacked off the first three letters as either a) a way to distinguish their product or b) as an apologia) 2. Or Mama Celeste's. Or Tony's. Or the Red Baron. Or anything else out of my grocer's freezer. 3. See also: All Star Sandwich Bar; Gargoyle's read more

Do you like carbs? Silly question. Of course you do. So get yourself over to Za and try their mac n' cheese pizza, a.k.a. carb overload. It won't knock your socks off, but you can't take elbow macaroni, caramelized onions, cream sauce, multiple kinds of cheese, and toasted bread crumbs, and throw them on a pizza without it coming together as a really tasty treat. There's the carb fix you so desperately needed (caution though - your skinny jeans won't thank you). If you're not too full (you won't be, that pizza is pretty small), try the chocolate goat cheesecake. Yum. It's clearly the most popular dessert choice. The only problem is that sometimes they run out of it. Service is super friendly, and in my two experiences here, super fast as well. Add the fact that they're just a short walk down the street from where I live, and it's pretty much guaranteed that I will be back for more carb-filled pizza goodness. read more

+ The Chalkboard Specials are always deliciously zany. Or is it zanily delicious? Delanily zalicious. + Humble selection of local craft beers. + The prices are fair for the quality of the food. + Low key, yet slightly upscale. + Plenty of parking on Mass Ave. + SOCCER. MOMS. EVERYWHERE. - On weekends the wait can be a while and there is not much seating to accommodate everyone in line. - No liquor, but who needs it when you are eating pizza? I take that back. I need bourbon, always. - SOCCER. MOMS. EVERYWHERE. read more

Greek style with a modern twist. I'm not big on [anyone's] modern combinations so I stick with the basics, but Za's use of high quality and tasty ingredients keep this pizza near the top of my list. All pies are personal size and on the occasion I don't finish in-house, I've always found a re-heated slice to be nearly as good (~2 min on nonstick pan, 1 tbsp of water with a cover for 1 min). read more

I came out here on an adventure with Cara and Jesse on a little Arlington adventure, and we got a little crazy with the specials menu. The decor of the place was very cozy, and the service was very attentive. It does take a while for the pizzas to come out, and the salads were appetizer sized particularly for that reason. We all ordered salads-I went with a potato salad, which I was surprised to find that the base component was actually mashed potatoes, with cucumbers, feta, great fresh herbs and tomatoes. It was definitely out of the ordinary and a fun take on a Greek salad! Cara got taco-style salad, which was heavy on the cheese. Jesse got a chop salad which looked delicious. For pizzas, we were a little less wowed. Jesse got the sausage pizza, and Cara and I split the smoked salmon pizza. Yeah, we got lox on a pizza. I would suggest it, though it was terrible. It was a good helping of caramelized onions on the base, with creme fresh, capers, dill, and the smoked salmon. It worked because it was a thin crust, but it wasn't really magical. We all enjoyed are experience here, but it's not for those who are trying to eat really that healthy-hello, mashed potato salad? It was all tasty but certainly not for the faint of heart. I'm not sure if I'd come in again, but it was definitely an interesting take on a pizza joint. read more

UNDERWHELMING PIZZA A restaurant that calls itself Za, as in Piz-Za, ought to offer the best in its namesake. If only that were true, even to a small degree. Unfortunately, Za's pizza falls flat in several areas, as follows below: A. PIZZA CRUST - 2.5 STARS This crust is neither thin and crispy, not thick and doughy. It lies somewhere in the middle, and is reminiscent of the sub-standard, butter-laden, under-whelming crust offered by Domino's Pizza and similar inferior competitors that originate in places like the Midwest where no one knows good pizza from bad. B. PIZZA TOMATO SAUCE - 2.5 STARS It's simply too sweet, and lacking any complexity whatsoever. Honestly, it's more reminiscent of sauce from a can. C. CARMELIZED ONION TOPPING #1 - 4 STARS The onions are carmelized slowly and correctly, not sauteed too quickly and incorrectly like other inferior providers. D. NIMAN RANCH SAUSAGE TOPPING #2 - 2 STARS Although Niman Ranch has a good name, their sausage is greatly inferior to almost every other brand of sausage you can obtain easily in this area. Tasteless and somewhat unsavory, I would avoid this topping by all means. E. QUALITY - 4 STARS Za makes an effort to supply and use fresh ingredients. F. PRICE - 2 STARS Without tax or tip, I paid a whopping $12 for a very small, inferior 10" pizza with 2 toppings. For $2 less (only $10), I can buy a terrific 14" pizza with 2 toppings at many other locations. G. VALUE - 2 STARS When you do the Math, you'll find that Za's pizzas are 135% (Yikes, more than twice the price) more expensive than the $10 pizza in F above. Wow, what a bad deal. H. SERVICE - 3.5 STARS The waitress was attentive, but without much personality. I. AMBIANCE - 3.5 STARS The place is clean, but not much to look at inside or out. J. LOCATION - 4 STARS It's easy to find FREE parking in this uncrowded part of Arlington. K. FINAL ANALYSIS Just about every other pizza shop in the area surpasses Za by a wide margin. You guessed it... I won't be returning. read more