Stoked Pizza Co. (Cambridge) — Restaurant in Cambridge

“Early one morning, the sun was shining I was laying in bed Wondering if she’d changed it all If her hair was still red”

This line is the first thing that comes to mind when I think of Stoked Pizza, and over the course of this 8 part review, I will explicate this clearly.

PART I: The History of Boston Central to the Revolutionary War, Boston witnessed key events like the Boston Massacre and the Boston Tea Party, which spurred colonial resistance. Boston's journey from a crucible of revolution to a modern metropolis mirrors resilience and innovation, providing a backdrop for establishments like Stoked Pizza.

PART II: Overview of Stoked Pizza In the heart of Cambridge, Stoked is more than just a restaurant; it’s an experience. With their mission to deliver wood-fired pizza in Boston, it progressed from a food truck to a brick-and-mortar locale. Stoked delivers a menu that pushes the boundaries of pizza, to areas that some may even call deliciously heretical, complemented by a cozy, welcoming atmosphere.

PART III: The Atmosphere Stoked delivers an atmosphere that challenges the clouds of Heaven themselves. With cozy decorations, beautiful music from a bygone era, and the feeling of warm hospitality, Stoked blurs the lines between restaurant and home. One enters a state of pure ecstasy as they sit in a booth, neon lights shining, sipping a delectably-chilled craft beer.

PART IV: Intermezzo In The Portrait of Dorian Gray, Lord Henry embodies the disgruntled superclass of British society. With nothing to do but drink, dine, and die, the life of monarchy is pitably enviable. Surely, a day of honest work outweighs the monotonous excitement of having a country at one’s fingertips. Royals attend dinner parties to schedule upcoming dinner parties. What is lacking in the life of a noble? A sincere dining establishment, a place where members of every social class come together to break bread and make conversation.

PART V: The Food In a literal sense, one cannot go wrong with what they order from Stoked. Every bite of every slice of every pie transports you to flavour zones beyond time and space itself. For the adventurous out there, order the Cheeseburger Pizza, which, as one could estimate, tastes exactly like a cheeseburger. For those that crave a delicious traditional slice, order the meatball ricotta or the New York white. The whipped ricotta topping borders on holy.

PART VI: The Service But it's alright, it’s alright For we lived so well so long These were the lyrics playing over the speaker when I asked our waiter what the song was—he found out and relayed the info back to us. Thank you waiter, and thank you Paul Simon.

PART VII: Conclusion In the end, Stoked Pizza Co. is a symbol of innovation, unity, and the enduring spirit of Boston. Like the opening of “Tangled Up in Blue,” Stoked evokes a sense of nostalgia and wonder, inviting us to reflect on our own experiences. What will Stoked Pizza look like when I return? Will it remain as the vivid beacon of hope I have in my memory? Will its hair still be red?

PART VIII: Acknowledgments I would like to extend my deepest gratitude to the entire team at Stoked Pizza Co. for their passion and dedication to creating an unforgettable dining experience. I would also like to thank Bob Dylan, who, through his inspiring lyricism, catalysed this review. Lastly, I acknowledge the city of Boston for its vibrant culinary scene and history, which continues to inspire and foster innovation in establishments like Stoked Pizza Co. This review is a tribute...

(Note: I write these reviews in part for my own nationwide business clients, for travel and activity inspiration. Follow me for more! I’m a financial planner - CFP®️practitioner - with a focus on retirement wealth strategies, primarily serving business women and LGBTQ individuals. #VirtualPlanningCraftedWithCare®️)

My family and I had a late lunch here on a Saturday after visiting the Harvard Natural History museum (which was awesome btw). The place was very quiet so we figured we at least would have great service. That’s the one thing that was disappointing. Our first server was good about explaining options related to my gluten allergy. We got our waters filled and orders taken. Then she disappeared until the apps were served. Didn’t come back to check on the orders or if we needed anything, like refills.

The apps were great though. We had the magic mushrooms, and I gotta say, never tried anything like that and it did not disappoint. It was really good in both flavor and texture. Also had the wings. Perfect! (And GF!)

The pizzas were decent. I won’t say my favorite. The GF crust was actually very good. Crispy and the bread consistency we’d expect. But I found the toppings to be a little on the bland side. (It was BBQ chicken) That aside, all our pizzas appeared to have fresh ingredients and they were a good size.

But once again, our server disappeared! Never asked if our food was as we ordered or if we needed anything else. I got left with nothing to drink. A new server took over the table as we were finishing up and this person was on point with her service. She was really nice and attentive. Unfortunately all we had left was dessert for our kid. (Nothing GF for desserts fyi). But I did have a nice dessert martini.

Overall I found this establishment clean, spacious, great light, gender neutral bathrooms, and excellent food! The prices are steep, so I would have liked better service. Especially since I got prompted to leave a big tip at the end on the credit card machine.

This place appears to be family friendly, LGBTQ friendly and appropriate for anyone with extra...

SPACE: It is a beautiful space outside with heat lamps and you enter and there is a station to grab pick up orders and then order take-away. There is a long large bar with padded seating. I sat there while I waited for my takeaway, which felt a little weird because I wasn't drinking. The majority of patrons this evening chose to sit outside even with it beginning to rain because there is a bit of overhang keeping them covered.

Ordering was quick with a quick tap. Staff was zipping by me to get orders outside and to folks in the restaurant. My order came out in under 15 minutes, which I was shocked by. They are fast.

FOOD: Carolina BBQ Wings (gf) $14.00: Surprising nice, though not heavily sauced. Not dried out, still juicy. Verdict: RECOMMEND.

Greek Salad (gf) $14.00: Good crunchy fresh, but a bit too much feta added, I didn't eat a bunch of it. White Balsamic ON SIDE I didn't use at all. I felt like it didn't need it. Verdict: RECOMMEND

Pizza Cheese (12 inch) $17.00 Gluten Free Crust $3.00 Cremini Mushrooms $3.00 Green Peppers $2.00 Pepperoni $3.00: I never had the pepperoni crumbled instead of large rounds. This was pretty cool because I got pepperoni in each bite. It was good, but not the amazing rave reviews I see. Verdict: GOOD.

STAFF: My issue was the trash talk of staff. I even had a staff member make a snide comment about me to her co-workers and think I didn't hear her and when I called her on it she tried to gaslight she never said anything. I also thought this was weird because I literally made sure to be out of the way. The bar was practically empty with plenty of other seating, so I wasn't taking any seating away from any other customers, so it was just weird. I know they were having a busy night, but still not cool.

VERDICT: OKAY. They are a pizza place, but the pizza was the thing I liked the least out of everything else. It is also pricey for not...