If great Greek pizza is your thing, B&F is the only game in town. This fantastic little restaurant has been a fixture in North Waltham for over 20 years and is a favorite of the locals. The pizza at B&F is characterized by a sweet, tasty tomato sauce that is complemented perfectly by their blend of cheese. Even the crust, often tossed aside by pizza-eaters at other restaurants, is too good to pass up! (try dipping it in salsa ... perfect!) The pizza at B&F is also very consistent - from what I can tell, the taste hasn't deviated since I was a little kid (20 years ago) - and it is never over or under-cooked. Neither is it too greasy, a problem with some other Greek pizzas. And of course, they have a multitude of toppings from which to choose.

B&F also offers a wide array of sub sandwiches, pasta dinners, salads and other assorted goodies. The chicken kabobs are to die for. The portions are plentiful. Two sizes exist for sandwiches - large and small. A small is a normal, one-person job. A large might require enlisting a friend. For the longest time, they used to offer pizza in just one size, which was about a 12-inch pie. It was an unusual little quirk that just made the place even more endearing. Now B&F offers a large (about 18 inches, I would guess) and a small (slightly smaller than the original, probably 10 inches).

The prices are extremely reasonable, and the staff is very friendly. It's a no-frills, no-nonsense environment at B&F (three small tables, a wall-mounted TV in the corner, and the counter - they also do a very brisk take-out business which probably accounts for most of their sales). Also, if you're ordering take-out they'll toss in a few single-serve bags of chips along with your order for free.

For my money, there is no better pizza place in the city.

Pizza. What do you think of when you hear that word? Do you think gourmet treat or greasy, cheap, fast-food ? Unfortunately, most of us probably think the latter. There is one place, however, that takes the time to remind us, that when done correctly, pizza is one of the greatest foods ever. The place is Franca's.

Located off of Moody Street in Waltham, next to the Charles River, is the small brick oven pizzeria known as Franca's. I first went there three years ago on my brother's recommendation. It was love at first bite. The pizza was greaseless, crispy and covered in a rich tomato sauce and stringy mozzarella. It was perfection. Mysteriously, however, about a year ago, Franca's closed down. It seemed as if my dream pizza shop was out of business. How could of this happened? I blamed myself. I should have eaten there at least 3 times a week. It was all my fault. "Please don't leave me Franca! Come back," I thought to myself. Alas, it seemed as if Franca's was out of my life forever.

However, a few months ago, I heard that Franca's was open again, but this time under different ownership. "Is it really true? Is Franca's back?", and more importantly I pondered, "Would it be the same as before?" I rounded up five of my friends to investigate if the rumors were really true.

We drove up to the restaurant at eight o'clock on a Friday evening and were greeted by a large glowing red F at the top of the brick building. (Apparently, the "anca's" section of the Franca's sign had burnt out.) As I entered the room, I was greeted by the familiar brick walls, faux Italian frescos, orange benches, and the smell of pizza coming from the wood heated brick oven. So far, things seemed to be as I remember them.

The new owner, David Rosenberg, seated us at our table. He recommended that we start with the Hot Antipasto ($6.95) and claimed, "If you don't like it, I will pay for it. It is that good." He was right. The Hot Antipasto is a salad served with sautéed mushrooms, pepper, onions, pepperoni, eggplant, prosciutto and more. The fried eggplant was thinly sliced, breaded, and lightly fried. It was perfectly crispy and grease free. The entire antipasto was sucked down by our group in seconds flat.

We were here, however, for pizza, not appetizers. I crossed my fingers and ordered my old favorite, a large pizza with fried eggplant ($11.00). My friends looked disgusted at the thought of eggplant on top of pizza. I will say to you what I said to them, "Trust me. It is the best thing you will ever have." They agreed with me after their first bite. Just as I had remembered, the pizza was crispy and greaseless. The eggplant was perfectly seasoned with breadcrumbs and Italian seasoning. This is what pizza should always taste like.

We ordered three other pizzas during the evening, a large mushroom ($11.00), a medium pineapple ($8.00), and a large eggplant and roasted red pepper ($12.00). Each pizza was as perfect as the one before. It is food like this that makes me wish I had four stomachs like a cow, allowing me to eat forever.

Franca's is back in my life and should become part of yours too. Next time you drive down Moody Street and see the giant red F in the sky, pull over and order a pizza. After your first bite you will remember that pizza is not supposed to be fast and greasy, but instead a gourmet treat.

I, too, thought Franco's before it was sold had great pizza. However, we went there about a month after it reopened and the pizza was terrible. The pizza maker didn't seem to have a clue about what he was doing, and the pizza suffered for his lack of training. I haven't been back since. So, my question is, have they really gotten back to their former level of quality and taste, or was the reviewer so enamoured of his fried eggplant that he wasn't paying attention to the wood-fired crust?

Early on a Friday night, mostly families are seated in the booths in the wood smoke scented interior of Franca's. The giant wood fired brick oven dominates the center of the restaurant, which is split into a front room with a door on Charles Street, and a back room facing the commuter rail stop. Once we were seated in a small booth with a view of the trains, we ordered a glass of Blackstone Merlot for 4.50, and a refillable soda for 1.50. Several selections of wine are available by the glass to 6.50, and bottles range from 14 to 24. A variety of beers were available by the glass for 2.50 - 3.50, pitchers 7.50 & 10.50. A garden salad is included with most entrees, but a range of salads are available a la carte for 3.75 to 10.95 for shrimp caesar. Medium and large pizzas are from 8.50 to 13.50. Jennifer ordered the Chicken Broccoli, sauteed in white wine & garlic, with ziti and salad, 11.95. I tried the Veal Parmigean, ziti and salad, 12.95. The salads arrived first, and were crisp mixed greens with onion & tomato, available with the house dressing, a creamy italian. A loaf of warm, tasty bread arrived as we were finishing the salads. Both entrees were well prepared, and were of sufficient proportions that we had extra to take home. Desserts, choice of 3 (4.95). The service was well-intentioned but chaotic, possibly due to a positive review in a Boston newspaper earlier in the week, and a larger than usual crowd.

This restaurant is a wonderful find! Owner David Rosenberg is welcoming and helpful. The menu runs the gamut from pizza to terrific pasta dishes (shrimp scampi and spaghetti carbonara are among our favorites) at very reasonable prices. Wine and beer are available. Relaxed atmosphere great for families, couples, large parties, just about anyone.

We used to get pizzas from Franca's all the time and loved them. Then I think they closed briefly and we tried it once after they reopened but were disappointed. It's been a few years since then and we had a longing for a brick oven pizza so we ordered up one. Sorry to say though the pizza crust was good the toppings were sparse. Hardly any sauce even! One piece was completely bare ( no sauce, nada ) except for a slice of sausage on the end. Hopefully it's just an off night but we might not bother with another try.

Franca's Pizza makes great pizza...not too thick, not too thin, not too much cheese, not too greasy, and with just the right amount of sauce. I have also ordered their garlic bread and found that to be equally tasty. In my honest opinion, this may be the best pizza I've had since I last had real NYC pizza in Brooklyn. However, on two occasions that I have ordered from them, their drivers did not have enough change. I strongly recommend either having the exact change on hand, picking up your order yourself, or just avoiding this place all together if you want to save yourself from being scammed.

This place also makes an EXCELLENT Veal Parmesan (better than Watch City Diner), however, I would recommend taking it home to eat, since there isn't much for atmosphere here. They don't have the bread triangles that are so tasty at the Watch City Diner though. We once ordered some sandwiches to go, and their ingredients are high quality, fresh, and the Italian-family run restaurant has pride and authenticity.

Tried another one of Gemelli's pizzas, and this one was even better than the last one I tried. The Bianca pizza featured a crisp, thin crust, with just the right amount of sauce and season, and paired nicely with a Sam Adams summer ale. This place has become my new favorite pizza vendor.

My name is Amanda, and me and my family all go to Moody street pizza. This place is located at the end of Moody on the Newton line, and wow!!!! Is their food to die for! Their pizza is the best Greek pizza i have ever had, no grease nor too much oil. They have the most friendly staff and the store is spotless at all times. Their steak tips and chicken kabob are the best and the prices are generous but the food is sooo good and their wraps, there is too much to list, you would have to try it and you will see. Their delivery service is quick. They have the biggest menu that I have ever seen in a pizza place. I have been going to them for about 4 years now. and I don't think that I can go to another pizza place. The owners are very nice and sweet. This is the best pizza place in Waltham. Not too many people give them reviews, maybe because some people think that they are located in Newton, but try this place; it is very good. I have never heard of any one talking bad or complaining about the food or service.

The New York Deli Pizzeria does a bustling business on the corner of Lexington and School Streets. The 8 tables inside are often sparsely populated, but there is a constant stream of customers picking up orders, and the delivery service hurrying items out the door. We walked in on a Thursday evening to choose from the large menu posted behind the counter. They have cold sandwiches from 5.00 to 6.25, specialty salads from 5.25 to 8.25, hot sandwhiches (including steak), 5.00 to 6.75, burritos for 5.75, specialty wraps and sandwhiches for 5.50 to 6.50, small and large pizzas from 6.00 to 15.25, and char-broiled dinners and pasta specialties from 7.50 to 9.00. Side orders and a large selection of drinks are available from a refrigerator along the side. We ordered a Grilled Chicken Kabob in a wrap, a small Roasted Peppers and Pepperoni Pizza, and a couple of drinks, for 16.40. The kabob, featuring marinated chicken pieces, included feta cheese, lettuce, tomato and greek dressing, and was immediately delivered over the counter. The pizza was delivered to our table in about 10 minutes. As usual, the ingredients were fresh and tasty. The pizza was a bit greasy, but I blame that on the pepperoni. Other types of the medium-thick crusted pizza that I've had in the past were better in that respect. I recommend this place for their large variety of offerings and dependable service.

What I like about Unos is that you can count on quality pizza and reasonable service any time. They feature frequent specials so that you can get a good meal at a decent price. We had the 2 house salads and medium size deep-dish pizza special which came to only $12. The salads, though not huge, are reasonably sized and can be ordered with the house dressing, an Italian style vinegrette delivered in a Grolsh beer bottle. We chose the Unos Classic pizza, with the unique Chicago-style sausage that is the trademark of this chain. This is usually no wait to get seats, except during very peak hours such as Friday or Saturday night. Once seated, the wait staff is attentive and the food is delivered promptly. In addition to the deep-dish pizza, we recommend the new thin crust pizza, and the Caesar salad is always good. The bar has a selection of mixed drinks, wine, and most of the popular and a few custom beers on tap.

This small shop, open 7 days a week, offers appetizers, salads, pizzas and calzones, and a variety of hot grilled sandwiches and rollups. We ordered a Bacon Cheeseburger, a small order of onion rings, a Margherita calzone, and a drink, for a total of $14.79. The restaurant includes 2 rooms with 6 tables in each. The back room has a TV, and the front one opens to the counter for ordering. The decor was austere, and the facility is clearly geared toward take-out. The onion rings were fine, but the burger was disappointing. It was over-cooked, the bacon did not taste fresh, was overloaded with too much mustard, and was in a stale bun. Clearly this is not the specialty of the house. The calzone, on the other hand, was amply filled with mozzarella, sliced tomato, basil and parmesan, in a nicely baked crust and served with a mild tomato sauce. The hot grilled sandwiches that I saw on other tables (such as the eggplant sandwich) looked very good, between thick slices of bread. We'll try other menu choices next time, but steer clear of the burger.

We first visited Sabatino's in mid-November. The first thing we noticed is that the dining area had been reduced in size, and the large pizza oven was visible behind the counter and cash register. The casual service was walk-up order and pick-up, and it appears that they are anticipating a large take-out business. With the specials of the night, we each had 2 large slices of pizza and a 24-ounce soda, all for only $7.25. Our 4 slices included Traditional, Garden (vegetarian), and Pepperoni. All were traditional Italian-style thin-crust pizzas that reminded us of the excellent pizza from the small shops in Florence. The staff were very friendly, and the tables and chairs retained from the previous restaurant were comfortable. Our next experience with Sabatino's was take-out delivery, recommended since parking can be hard to find in the area. The meal arrived hot in a surprisingly small amount of time. A large Al Pacino pizza, $12.99, was topped with prosciutto, roasted peppers, fresh tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese. This was also delicious, but difficult to eat due to the large pieces of prosciutto on top. Waltham has a number of restaurants that make a good authentic Italian pizza, but we think Sabatino's makes the best.

We've found that the quality of Sabatinos pizzas has suffered since the move from the Prospect Street location to Main Street. The long time site of Mama Josie's is more pleasant and seats many more than the old site, but the pizza is just not quite as good. We've had unevenly cooked pizzas on several occasions. There are now several new places in town that make very good pizzas, so I hope this shop can get back to producing the quality pizzas they are known for.

It's tough to find the perfect words to describe Tara's Restaurant, but I'll try. Mediocre. Average. Typical. Normal. Ordinary. Middle-of-the-road. Nothing special. Not bad. Not exactly life-altering. Completely, totally whelming. Food. You go there, and you get food. It's not particularly bad food, nor is it particularly good food. It fills you up while leaving you vaguely unsatisfied. The service is neither slow nor fast, gregarious nor unfriendly. The employees speak English, but not to excess. The restaurant is not spotless, nor is it filthy. You could eat there without fear of having your meal interrupted by the Board of Health, but you wouldn't stick around just for the ambiance. Nor, for that matter, would you drive there specifically for the food. Tara's is the type of place that you would stop at if you were working in the area or suffering from an attack of the munchies while walking down Moody Street. You shouldn't go out of your way to get there, but you shouldn't go out of your way to avoid it, either. It is the foam peanuts of dining establishments, the movie-drink ice, the plain potato chips. It's filler. It exists. It's a pizza place. It's there. That's about it.

I was on the internet today to see if Tara Pizza in Waltham had a website. They don't, so instead I found yours. I was shocked by the review given here. This is absolutely the best Italian New York Style Pizza I have had in Waltham or the sorrounding areas. I am originially from Brooklyn so that is saying a lot. The other reviewer on this site must be a big fan of Greek style pizza which I despise and have been tormented by since I moved to the Boston area. Tara is an interesting place.. they have a greek name and serve Italian and Spanish food.. Anyway.. Two thumbs way up for Tara NEOPOLITAN STYLE(wow never thought I would say that again outside of NY) PIZZA!!

Your review of Tara does the place a disservice. The pizza may be "mediocre" to your reviewer (my kids have had it and thought it was great!). Under the surface (actually just under the counter) lies the real secret of this place - absolutely the best empanadas in the metro area - beef, chicken and cheese. You don't know what an empanada is? Time to learn! They have caught on in California for some years, but these are the real thing - a fried (not baked) Chilean pastry turnover, filled with - my favorite - minced beef, onion, raisins and black olives, and boiled egg. My brother's favorite (and my son's) are the cheese empanadas, my wife likes the chicken. Where else in Waltham can you get something for everyone, at just $1.75 each. Yes, $1.75 each, and with one of their salads it's a meal, for about $3.50. Can you beat that? We order them by the dozen ($1.50 each by the dozen). Got to go - I have to order 4 dozen for a party tomorrow night.

The Upper Crust, billed as "Not Your Average Pizza", opened in the summer of 2007 in half of what used to be the Panopticon Gallery on Moody Street. Their pizza is excellent, but the dine-in experience is not their forte. They offer a full range of thin crust Neapolitan style pizzas, with a basic cheese pizza ($11.75 for a small 14"), meat and vegetarian pizzas for 13.75 to 16.10, and Seafood Specialties from 14.75 to 19.75 for the small Lobster Fra Diavlo. We ordered a small prosciutto and roasted red peppers pie (1.25 per topping), a small garden salad (3.58), an endlessly refillable soda and a Harpoon summer ale. The decor is modernistic with high and low tables and bar in the middle of the narrow room. The trademark reflective disks suspended from the ceiling helped to bring in light from the storefront. The beer and an unremarkable salad were soon delivered waiter who was doing double duty as cashier. When the take-out traffic picked up, our waiter was occupied. The pizza proved to be delicious, with a crust crisp enough to stand up to the sauce and toppings. It doesn't look like they take credit cards yet. As pizza places go, the prices are upper crust, but your cash buys you one of the best pizzas in town.

Nice, casual place opposite the Waltham Police Station (Makes you feel safe always). This place has the best chicken wings!! I've had chicken wings from around the world: Asia, Europe, Australia, America and this place is the champion! Other subs and pizza taste good as well, but if anyone ever goes there, order a large pack of chicken wings, you'll never want to eat wings from other places.