Sitting in Santarpio’s Pizza’s dining room last year, longtime owner of the neighborhood pizza dynasty Frank Santarpio sat back and smiled when asked about his expansion to Logan International Airport’s Terminal C.
“We built Santarpio’s in 1903 and once we started serving pizza it was so good they had to build an airport around us to fly people in to get our pizza,” he joked.
On Tuesday, the Santarpio family officially opened the famed pizza restaruant’s third location at Logan. Santarpio’s other locations include Peabody and the original pizzeria in Eastie.
Santarpio’s joins other local favorite’s like Kelly’s Roast Beef in Revere and Sullivan’s Castle Island in Southie as part of MarketPlace Logan. MarketPlace Logan is an affiliate of Boston-based New England Development and the developer and manager of the Boston Logan Concessions Program.
The addition of Santarpio’s and other local restaurants will allow travelers to experience the culture from surrounding neighborhoods like Eastie, Southie and Revere.
Santatrpio said he was really excited about the third location that will give people flying and changing planes between terminals a chance to enjoy a little slice of the neighborhood as they travel.
At the very least it will allow the flying public to see what all the fuss is over a Santarpio’s pizza–especially if they can’t get out of the airport and into Eastie during a vacation or business trip.
Santatrpio said his famous pizza place already gets people from all over the globe and having a place in the airport will let more people sample Santatpio’s pizza.
Last year The Daily Meal, an online food magazine, told America what Eastie residents have known for decades—Santarpio’s Pizza has one of the best pizzas in the U.S.
In the Daily Meal’s annual ‘101 Best Pizzas in America’ list named Santarpio’s #29 on their best pizza in the country list.
The Daily Meal named Santarpio’s Mozzarella, Sausage, and Garlic pie a must have.
“The local favorite has already seen its fair share of fame after winning the Best Traditional Pizza in New England award from Boston magazine seven times in the last 20 years, including last year,” read the article. “Santarpio’s, which opened in 1903, sticks to their traditional roots when it comes to their infamous slightly-chewy, and satisfyingly wet slices. Their menu consists of a variety of options, but also includes a list of customers’ favorite combinations, like a pie that pairs sausage with garlic, ground beef, and onions, and even “The Works”: mushrooms, onions, peppers, garlic, sausage, pepperoni, extra cheese, and anchovies. If you’re a first-timer, order Santarpio’s most popular pie: mozzarella, sausage, and garlic.”
For decades Santarpio’s, or ‘Tarps if you’re an Eastie resident, has gained the reputation of being an unpolished oasis that has refused to age with the time.
A status that Santarpio says gives the popular pizzeria character and charm.
“When you first come here you’re either going to love it or you’re never coming back,” Santarpio has said time and again. However, on Friday and Saturday nights the line to get into Santarpio’s stretches around the block so Santarpio has always been unapologetic about the ambiance and simple menu.
The bill of fare has been unchanged and since it was turned into a pizza place officially in 1966 there have only been a few deviations from the main staples of pizza, grilled lamb or sausage and beer.
And Santarpio says that’s what a hungry traveler should expect at the Logan location.
“It’s a recipe that’s worked for this long so why mess with it,” he said.