Impressions of Posto & Pizza: Now At Assembly Row

A delicious Roasted Garlic Pizza that could also protect you from an army of vampires! I recently enjoyed such a pizza at an old restaurant in a new location, and I look forward to dining there again very soon.  

Chef Joe Cassinelli is the owner of the Alpine Restaurant Group, which currently includes Posto (an Italian restaurant, located in Somerville), the Painted Burro (Mexican cuisine, with locations in Waltham, Somerville, Harvard Square and Brookline), and the Burro Bar (Mexican cuisine, in Boston). Posto first opened in 2009 in Davis Square, Somerville, and recently they relocated to Assembly Row in Somerville. 

I first dined at Posto fifteen years ago, in August 2010, although I was already familiar with the Italian cuisine of Chef Cassinelli, who had previously been the Chef de Cuisine at L’Andana, an Italian restaurant in Burlington, which had been one of my favorite restaurants (but which is now closed). I was impressed with Posto's cuisine, from its Neapolitan pizza to its killer pasta, and it earned a spot in my 2010 List of Favorite Restaurants. Over the subsequent years, I continued to dine at Posto and it continued to earn a spot on my year-end Favorite Restaurant lists. 

With the advent of COVID, and restaurants being forced to close for a time, I didn't dine at Posto for several years. When Posto recently relocated to Assembly Row, I stopped by for lunch, hoping that the quality of the food hadn't changed. I found that the pizza and appetizers were just as good as ever, and I'm excited to return, to enjoy more of their menu options.  

The restaurant is good-sized, with a lengthy bar, and what appears to be a private dining room. There's also patio dining available. The Menu includes Antipasti (such as Carpaccio, Bruschetta, Meatballs, and Calamari), Insalate (from Caesar to Caprese), Pasta (such as Bolognese, Carbonara, and Short Rib), Carne e Pesce (such as Ribeye Steak, Tuscan Seafood Stew, and Swordfish), and Pizza (both Red and White). There are 8 variations of both the Red and White Pizzas, which are Neapolitan style pizza that follow the rules and guidelines of the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana. 

Juan Gabriel Pérez, the Executive Chef at Posto, possesses over 15 years of experience in making Neapolitan pizzas. It was recently announced that Pérez had placed 54th in the Best Pizza Awards, whose website states: "It’s the only accreditation platform that stays true to culinary standards, free from commercial agendas. Our mission? To break down barriers in the pizza world and spotlight authentic craftsmanship, bold innovation, and diverse voices that are shaping the future of this iconic dish." This is the third year that Pérez has competed in this competition, and he received his highest ranking ever. 

Talking about Pérez, the Best Pizza Awards website stated, "As Executive Chef at Posto Boston he’s praised for his creative flair, seasonal ingredients, and dough innovation. With over a million followers worldwide, Juan blends tradition and modernity, earning a global reputation for craftsmanship and passion that honours pizza’s authentic roots."

For lunch, my dining companion and I started with an appetizer of Arancini, made from crispy arborio rice, lemon, and oregano, accompanied by a spicy sweet & sour tomato sauce. We received five arancini, with a nice, crispy coating and a flavorful and tender interior, with hints of lemon. The arancini were enhanced by the tasty tomato sauce, which was mildly spicy and well balanced. The sauce is also great for dipping bread. 

Another appetizer was the Burrata, which includes prosciutto di parma, watermelon, truffle honey, aleppo pepper, sea salt flakes, and microgreens. The addition of the sweet watermelon chunks was such a great choice, helping to balance the salty prosciutto and the creamy burrata. All of the ingredients worked well together, a nice blend of textures and flavors. A perfect summer dish and a great way to start your lunch or dinner. 

We then selected one of the White Pizzas, the Roasted Garlic, made with bacon, mozzarella, roasted garlic, parmesan, oregano, and aleppo pepper. Wow!! I've never seen more garlic on a pizza, large and plump cloves of roasted garlic. I love garlic so this was quite impressive. The thin-crusted pizza had a nice char, and the crust was also both crisp and chewy. The crunchy bacon was a nice addition too. I previously enjoyed many pizzas at Posto, and it was clear that the quality hadn't diminished an iota. 

I'm very pleased I checked out the new location of Posto and strongly encourage all of my readers to dine there as well. There's plenty on the menu to cater to diverse appetites, and the pizza is some of the best in the area. You can check out their new Happy Hour, which is held in their bar & lounge, Monday-Friday, from 2pm-5pm. All Appetizers are Half-Priced, which gives you a great opportunity to experience some of their menu at a great discount. And I'll be reporting back on my future visits to Posto too.