Cambridge Dive Bar and Pizzeria Newtowne Grille Closes | Eater Boston

"A Porter Square landmark that closed in March 2022 after 56 years, Newtowne Grille was a longtime neighborhood staple known for affordable, crowd-pleasing New York-ish pizza with a bubbly thin crust — where you could spend about $12 on a large cheese pizza and a pitcher of beer — and for its friendly dive-bar vibes: watching sports, trivia nights, bartenders who knew regulars' names, and a welcoming atmosphere even under a rough exterior. Adjacent to the bar was a small, bustling takeout counter where callers were greeted by a gruff “Newtowne” on the phone; the Toulopoulos family (Michael Toulopoulos, whose grandfather and uncle owned the business before him) invested in pandemic-era modernization such as POS upgrades and a new chef to pivot toward takeout and delivery, but various COVID challenges and false reports of permanent closure ultimately forced the business to shut its doors. Regulars described it as the sort of bar every neighborhood should have — a place to gather, debate, go on first or last dates, and share a pitcher and a pizza with old or new friends." - Rachel Leah Blumenthal