Za Arlington

We enjoy Za and have been ordering from there for years. "Za" is short for pizza and the restaurant was almost named Pete's Za, after the owner. They serve bar-style pies, a variety local to Massachusetts that has crispy edges almost like a Detroit style but thinner, though I've never seen the restaurant describe them as such. We often get the mac and cheese pizza, a kid favorite, and the plain cheese, which I think is underrated. The unique salads are also winners.

Enjoyed the speciality pizzas! I recommend the Mac and cheese it’s exactly what you think it would be. Nicely done and fresh Mac and cheese on your typical pizza. Also the beer selection is good too

The pizza was excellent, keep on mind it's pan pizza. Great service. The olive cake dessert was out of this world

That was some awesome food! The Pizza was in point. You actually feel light eating them. So was the Salads. Which were quite simple and elegant and tasteful. The service was wonderful as well! The 10 inch Pizza would be perfect for an individual and you can of course split a salad as the cherry on top. Highly recommend.

The gourmet pizza is so good! It's a pan style since there are so many toppings they need to make sure it will hold everything. They get farm fresh ingredients and are so creative with their combinations. The salads are also so delicious and you can order a cocktail, wine, or beer while your kids enjoy their plain cheese pizza.

Love coming to Za! We always come on a weeknight for impromptu dinners and always feel like it's a welcoming place. Their pizzas are pan and can be customized the way you want it. Salads are generally well seasoned and sizeable for 1-2 people, depending on your appetite. They have a few wines and beers available if that's of interest. All to finish off with affordable prices and a friendly atmosphere. Hope to come by again soon!

Good pizza and salad spot right along Mass ave in Arlington. This is more of a take out/kid friendly local pizza place kind of vibe but they do have sit down dining and table service (some outdoor seating too) along with serving beer and wine (2 beers on draft). The service was nice and the food was good with many salads and pizza options to choose from. I would also say that this is a very affordable place. Overall our group had a good time and I’d recommend here.

Called to explain there was a mistake on the order - I ordered a half/half pizza but this is not how it arrived. I explained I have a child with an eating disorder and that I can’t give them this pizza because all the toppings were across it. The first person was very polite and kind and passed me over to the manager. Unfortunately he was extremely rude- told me it was my fault for ordering it how it came (even though I specified half/half). Had he explained it in a polite way I could have understood and it would have been fine- but he had literally no customer service skills- to the point where I chose to hang up the phone. We will not ever be returning to ZA and will be advising friends and our local hospitality businesses customers against going there.

The diced beet salad and the butternut squash pizza were both simply delicious. Fresh, tasty, and light ingredients on the pizza. Loved it!

Avocado salad is one of their best offerings. Mushroom za and chicken broccoli za are my favorites.

We've been ordering their pizzas and salads for years now through DoorDash and always get well packaged, delicious food. One busy Friday night we were waiting longer than usual. When I called to check on the order, the manager Colleen was super nice and honest and admitted they somehow lost our ticket. I'm in the industry and I know mistakes happen. What matters is what is done to fix the mistake. They rushed our order along and sent me a giftcard to dine-in. I took my daughter here for lunch earlier today to use our giftcard and we had a wonderful experience! We were lucky to have the whole place to ourselves. Our server was friendly and knowledgeable and the food was good as always! While they're called Za and their pizza is awesome, it's their fresh and delicious salads that really keep me coming back.

First time is last time. Sunday 5/19/2024. Our entire party was served when the waiter real my was forgotten and told me it would be out in 10 minute. I left after it did not come out in 30 minute and everyone at my table was done eating.

I always look forward to the pizzas from Za's. So unique and flavorful. The beef bomb is definitely my favorite but also enjoy the spicy chicken and chorizo pizzas as reliable second favorites. For salads, I love the cucumber salad - it includes potato salad which adds so much flavor. Staff has always been friendly but I mostly get the pizzas to go.

The best, and most creative, pizzas in Arlington and environs. The crust is substantial with significant chew and just the right smidge of crunch. Their toppings are lovely.

Mushroom pizzas are delicious. Friendly waitstaff and great service. Always a nice experience at Za in E. Arlington.

George, the waiter, provides timely and courteous service. The pepperoni and mushroom pizza and the beet salad were very good. Eating outside is enjoyable. Although parking is not great, the food is well worth it. Strongly recommend Za.

We love coming here with our kids. Their pizzas are tasty and crispy. Full of flavor. Their salads are also a must!

You wait outside a bit, for take-out on a weeknight. It was nice out though- and it seemed like a good ambiance for the outdoor diners as well. I enjoyed the potato salad with fresh crunchy cucumber and veggies on top- it was a good combo of flavors. The pizza is a different style than I'm used to- which I believe is more common in Massachusetts. It's kind of a pan pizza that's slightly thicker, and that is fully crisp and buttery outside, rather than having a crust. I liked it- the fresh ingredients are definitely noticeable!

My boyfriend and I have gotten take out from here twice since the pandemic happened. From a COVID / safety perspective, they do a great job. You wait outside and someone (with a mask) comes out and asks for your name. They grab your order and bring it out. If you paid online, you're all set! In the two separate times, we have gotten the Drumlin Farm's Arugula Salad (which was good but small for the price), the Mac N' Cheese Za (delicious, if you love caramelized onions and mac n cheese, this is your pizza), Old School Potato (I really enjoyed this one, however it is a bit bland, maybe because the potatoes aren't seasoned?), Beef Bomb (this was good, but not my favorite. It was loaded with a lot, but all you could really taste was the hot cherry peppers), and the "Wild" Mushroom Za (delicious, I wish there was more mushrooms, but this was a great pizza). This place makes great pan pizzas that are meant for 1-2 people (per pizza), and they're amazing leftover, so we always get extra! If you're looking for pizza with good quality ingredients and nice folks who are being safe, then this is your place!

The only reason for my 3 star review is due to consistently having the same server who is almost humorously rude. She sighs, rolls her eyes, and complains if you ask for anything, even just the check. Her head almost fell off when I asked for a to-go box. I have commented to others who have eaten at Za and they immediately mention how rude one server is, and that they will never eat in. However, the food is delicious which is what keeps us all going back. I highly recommend going to Za, but only for takeout. :)

Not your typical pizza and not your typical toppings. Locally farm sourced seasonal ingredients contribute to their rotating menu. So you will find atypical bases like potato puree! Ordered the beef bomb pizza which had a lot going on, but came together really well. Love their Avo and black bean salad which is piled with fresh diced tomatoes, onions and cheese - topped with sour cream and crushed tortillas (no leafy greens here). Highly recommend you save room for dessert - they have some of the best pie slices around!

Great food. Definitely recommend people try the Portobello Mushroom Vegetarian pizza. They have other vegetarian options as well. I can't speak about the ambiance as I ordered takeout.

We ordered take out last Friday because they were fully booked seating outside. We ate here few years ago when they first opened. We ordered the same food which were the potato pizza and beet salad. It's surprisingly so good that just like the first time we ate there. It means they keep up the quality of food for these years. We will be back whenever we are at the neighborhood.

Ordered GF pizza and 2 salads for take out - great!! The Cesar salad even has full Anchovies on top- which I would've asked to hold but more so as FYI to others and the avocado salad is to die for all on its own!! I highly recommend this place for salads & pizza - sorry no pictures as we were starving.

Food was good but service was extremely slow. It took 40 minutes for our pizza and salads to come out of the kitchen.

Great pizza! I live very near here, which means I can enjoy this anytime I like! This is a great choice for pizza if you're look for something new, and you should most definitely come here. The bacon is my favorite by the way.

MUST TRY! This is a gem in the neighborhood! Great pizzas for very reasonable price. Ingredients were fresh and the staff was very polite. - PORTOBELLO MUSHROOM - They must have soaked the garlics in olive oil or something before roasting...they just taste awesome! - BEEF BOMB - Love the combination of everything especially the Hot Cherry Pepper! I'll be back to try other pizzas!

Great unique pizzas! Nice local establishment and very nice waitstaff. We love the little outdoor patio option as well!

What a treat! The most unusual pizza combinations, that sound unappealing, tender absolutely wonderful meals. So many combinations I never would've thought to put together regardless of what pizza we chose each one was divine! The reasonable prices and large serving make a wonderful meal that allow for leftovers the next day Server enjoyed his job and smiled with pride. Outside was cool and distanced- inside too hot in our opinion Better than the basic concept of everyday pizza!

I love Za - I always get the pizza with portobello mushrooms, feta, roasted red peppers, and garlic - all of my favorite things! I also love the avocado salad, and they have plenty of other great salads too. Highly recommend.

was excited to try because of the atmosphere but the pizza was disappointingly soggy the caesar salad was good but a bit overpriced in terms of serving size.

I stopped by here last night by myself for dinner. The reason that I picked Za was simply because of its name. It's what my wife and I call pizza normally and so I figured it was somewhere that I should try. Za sits right on Massachusetts Ave and has both indoor and outdoor seating. The outdoor seating is roped off from the sidewalk and there were 4 tables out there. Inside they have a good bit more seating along with a chalkboard menu that lists their specials (they also give it to you on paper.) For dinner on this evening I decided to go with the beef bomb. It consisted of ground organic grass fed Massachusetts beef, caramelized onions, sweet onions, mushroom, hot cherry pepper, scallion, Parmesan and mozzarella. The pizzas here at Za are fairly small (10") but should be enough to feed a single person. That was definitely the case with mine as it was absolutely loaded up with toppings. The beef on it was nice, tasted good and when combined with the white sauce of the pizza actually reminded me of a biscuit gravy. The caramelized onions and sweet onions provided some sweetness to the pie while the cherry peppers added that needed spice. These specific cherry peppers were actually very hot and I wished that there was one on every piece. The toppings, cheese and sauce on the pizza were great and were probably worth 5 stars on its own. However it was the crust where this pizza failed. The ends were great as they were nice and crispy and tasted like the pan pizza that they were. It was the bottom that was the issue for me as it was soggy. There's nothing like wet dough on the bottom of a pizza to whet your appetite. Oh well, at least the top tasted good and made me not pay as much attention to the soggy bottom. The bottom line for me is that I would head back here again in the future. Yes they made a big error in my book with the soggy bottom but I'd like to think that doesn't happen often or with every pizza and their toppings were great.

Za DOES NOT SERVE PIZZA. They serve gourmet flatbread. Its good, great toppings and service, but it aint pizza. Dough is heavy and not crispy. If you're in Arlington and want real pizza, and its not a Monday or Tuesday, go to Commune Kitchen. Any other time, go to Otto. If you're looking for flatbread, then go to Za.

The ground beef , onion , and bell pepper pizza is so good. The pizza is a little oily, but very tasty. Fun pizza with lots of interesting toppings. The beef salad is yummy.

"I wanted to like this place..." = kinda clichéd. So, let's go rogue on this bad boy. I wanted to dislike this place. The rotating menu of specialty pizzas includes a fig and goat cheese wonder that had Kara G panting to visit, only to have left the building well before we arrived. Same goes for all arugula, which made the Aruguloni pizza (mozzarella and pepperoni topped with and arugula salad dressed with citrus vinaigrette - straight from the chalkboard) little more than an acidic roni pie. So, inventory is an issue, even on a slow Sunday night. For what's left, nothing jumps out as overly creative or initially appealing. Then you've gotta consider the base "sauce" for most pies: a potato and sweet onion puree in lieu of the usual margherita style slicker. As if this devil bulb-infused lifeblood isn't enough, there are no more than two pizzas on the entire menu that don't include caramelized onions, raw red onions or oniony onions with a pinch of onion on top. Hate onions? Prepare a gritted smile. But then you order the Old School Potato - a Gruyere, thyme, bacon and spud 'za on a crisp and buttery crust, masterfully executed at a crazy reasonable $10 - and all preconceptions about a boring menu fly out the window. With the bold flavors, laid back environment and just-as-casual pricing, you can't dislike Za; it's culinarily impossible. Beers and wines poured, your table neighbors will likely be older Arlington residents and you might catch a little Kenny G on their Pandora channel. The namesake dish, though, is worth the trek.

BEST. AVOCADO. SALAD. EVVVVER. Also- follows strict covid guidelines and makes customers wait outside and call when ready to pick up an order. Always very pleased with my meals from and at Za

NEVER AGAIN! I have ordered pizza a few times from here and it's been decent. I ordered a salad today...arugula. $9.50. In a container that would hold a hamburger. I was so appalled by the size, I bothered to measure it. It was exactly one and one half cups of lettuce, 4 pieces of red onion and a sprinkle of cheese. What an insult. Northender kitchen from now on.

After reading other reviews and checking out the menu we decided to give Za a try. Honestly big mistake, overpriced pizza with a terrible menu. The pizza looked like hot and ready little caesars that was disguising as gourmet. We ordered two personal pizzas which were decent sizes but really the only plus was they did not skimp out on the toppings but they better not give me a small amount of bacon/pepperoni/onions when the rest of the pizza tastes like crap. We brought the left overs home and just tossed em the next day this was definitely not next day pizza anyways(red flag there). 3.7 on the pizza, crust was that Greek style cardboard crap, I have no time for that. I do not recommend ZA, if you want a good meal for a better price in the area do a little more research.

I have been going to Za for many years and I am always satisfied with my pizza experience.

Za beckons you in from the street. Like, you want her to go on, to explain...to finish her name (only one syllable? two letters? Such a tease!) and let you in through the magic curtains already. I decided to go for it when I read that they had a special Gala apple pizza with apple butter, cheddar cheese, sweet onions, sage and toasted pumpkin seeds/pepitas. The apple butter made the cross a little soggier than I was hoping for but it was a pleasant adventure. The dessert list, with a goat cheese chocolate cake, really intrigued me but I didn't go there. Not on the first date. Four stars not necessarily for the pizza but for the potential: a bit of creativity is much appreciated.

I don't live too far from this place, and I've been here a handful of times out of convenience. The place itself looks promising--a local pizza place that boasts fresh ingredients. Sounds great, right? Not exactly what I was expecting. I've had a few of their pizzas. They have a few seasonal rotating specials, which I appreciated. And the pizzas all actually sound pretty delicious--mushroom, red pepper, caramelized onion, garlic, goat cheese...mac n' cheese pizza...baked potato pizza--they sound great. They all just taste a little bland to me though. The crust is almost like a sourdough bread. Maybe I'm just used to the flatbreads and thin crust pizza that has become a little more popular, but the dough and crust is a little too thick and spongy for me. It almost seems a little under cooked. The service and space itself are fine--nothing to write home about. But the pizza just isn't what I was expected. Within a 5 block radius, there are about 6 other pizza places (and Otto is opening a new one a block away), so I think there are plenty of better options in the area for pizza.

Menu's the same for lunch as for dinner, but this spot is open for lunch daily which is more than you can say for many a restaurant. The chalkboard specials sounded absolutely amazing, so that's where we made our selections. * Kimball Farm's Tomatoes & Basil, Lourdes' Burratine, Reduced Balsamic & EVOO $8.00 Burratine? Sounds similar to burrata... could it be the same thing in a different size, like how there are different names for fresh mozzarella of different shapes or sizes? Our server described it as mozzarella on the outside and marscapone on the inside. Yes! It was creamy thick marscapone center with a familiar tender mozz exterior, plus fresh mini juicy heirloom tomatoes, basil, balsamic vinegar and extra virgin olive oil... I was happy. Great start! Okay, pizza time! * Kimball Farm's Corn, Potato Puree, Smoked Bacon, Sweet Onions, Mozz, Thyme, Scallions $11.50 * Figs, Gorgonzola, Caramelized Onions, Fresh Garlic, White Truffle Oil and Parsley $11.00 The pizzas came out hot and crispy thin crusts with plenty of toppings. The crusts were not just crispy on the edges, but even below the toppings where things usually get a bit soft. * Ginger + Verrill Farm's Blueberry Creme Brulee w/Fresh Whipped Cream $6 The creme brulee was a great portion; much deeper than other more expensive & more shallow ones I've eaten before. The bruleed top is where I sensed the ginger, while a nice pool of blueberry sauce hung out at the bottom of the dish. The creme brulee was nice and light. A touch eggier than normal, which is probably why it reminded my friend of a Chinese egg dessert (dun dan), but still tasty. We had great service here; she even checked on the level of my hot water!

Soggy flavorless pizza. Such a disappointment as Za was my all time fave and recommendations to all!

Yum! Avocado is amazing and their pizza is tasty! During covid they don't have seating indoors - only 3-4 outdoor tables (reservations recommended). Staff were very friendly. Plan on getting delivery and take out during the colder months.

I love the crust! Visited from Southern California, and i wish there was a Za near me. Better than Blaze, Pizza Rev, and Pieology. I'll be back next year!

There are tons of pizza places in Arlington, so you have plenty of options to choose from. However, if you haven't been to Za yet, you're doing it wrong. Nothing else compares in the Arlington area. This is by far some of the best pizza I have ever eaten. All the ingredients are sourced locally and fresh. The pizza isn't super greasy, even when extra meat toppings are put on it (How do you do that by the way Za? That's really hard to do). Staff is super friendly, and even now with Covid, they go out of their way to make sure that everything is as contact-less as possible. They're gonna have my business for years to come, and I highly suggest you try them as well. You won't be disappointed!

I've been going to Za since they opened! I'm a huge fan of their Mac and cheese pizza! The caramelized onions really set this pizza apart. Staff is friendly and service is average.

Creative pizzas abound. What's amazing about the pizzas is that even when watery ingredients are used on top, the crust retains a perfect amount of crunch without a hint of that bitter scorched after-taste that can ruin pizzas of this ilk from less skilled bakers. This is an impressive feat. My one suggestion? Because pizzas are custom-made, it can take quite a while for a table to receive the order. Receiving some bread would take the edge off of the wait.

Pizza was delicious. Even made a cheese-less pizza for a vegan kid. Didn't order a salad as way too many ingredients on each for my taste. Good music selection. They have outdoor seating in good weather.

It's no secret how much I love Za. When I lived in Camberville, I went to the Kendall location frequently. Now I frequent the Arlington location. We take any visiting people here because it's a great sit down place with unique items (mac and cheese pizza!) for the daring folks and the normal (simple cheese pizza!) for those who prefer traditional. We always get some of there salads which are made with fresh, local ingredients. We'll sit outside when the weather allows. I've always had fantastic service here. We also frequently order za's to go. I mean, even my father in law who only likes good golf games loved this place.

I love the pizza at Za. It's not exactly pizza shop pizza and that's why I like it. It's way better. The salads are great and the staff is always so pleasant.

I came here with my niece and while I expected it to be a bit more formal from the photos, I liked that it was kind of a mix of a pizza joint and nicer restaurant. The gourmet pizza selection looked amazing and I settled on the goat cheese and caramelized onion pizza which was delicious. I ate the whole damn thing by myself which is pretty gluttonous but speaks to how tasty it was. My niece ordered a southwest-style salad. We laughed at how compact the salad came out. It was nothing like I thought it would be in terms of a traditional salad but my niece enjoyed it and said it was delicious (will upload a photo soon). The beer selection was vast and although there wasn't a beer that i truly recognized on the menu, the waitress suggested a certain beer based on what I liked and it sure was delicious. Service was great and although they didn't accept AMEX which was a pain (I love getting my Delta points!), it wasn't a big deal. All in all, a great meal and great service.

Enjoyed our dinner. We had the arugula salad, which was fresh, and two pizzas. One was the beef bomb, the other was the pizza with shitake mushrooms. Both pizzas were really tasty. Maybe a bit heavy on the onions on the beef bomb, but we survived. Waiter was efficient, courteous, and above all else, experienced. They have some good craft brewed beers here, too.

Can I just say: "YUM!"? The individual pizzas here are small (10") but they FILL. YOU. UP. FAST. Don't underestimate the pizza's size and the ability of it to fill you. Try not to explode. It is pricey but well worth the DOUGH. Get it?! Pizza? Money? Dough? Never mind... I love going here. My older brother and I once got the yummiest pizza on the planet. Here's the story: It was a beautiful day in Spring 2013 and we decided to stop in at Za for some 'za for lunch. We looked at the specials for the day. (Oh, the menu constantly changes, by the way. What you may find one day, may not be there again!) Our eyes caught the attention of a particular ingredient we had never heard of before...ever -- RAMPS. It was a head-scratcher. I don't particularly remember anything else that was on that pizza that day, but the wait staff member suggested we try that one. What the hey... let's do it. My first bite... my head exploded with the awesomeness of the taste in my mouth. I think my bro had the same reaction. I'm usually a plain cheese guy but if anything ever catches your eye on the menu, give it a shot. You probably won't regret it. Oh, yes, pigs everywhere. (Not real ones!)

Za makes it look so simple... they take fresh, local, and seasonal ingredients and offer a variety of rotating (and amazing) 'zas and 'lads. Easy, right? But don't be fooled... easy doesn't mean not tasty or not impressive. My sweet potato pie was perfection on a thin crust, topped with banana peppers, basil, and a whole lot of deliciousness. Andrea B's apple pie (ha ha ha) looked awesome, too. Don't believe me? Check out the photos! They are worth a million words for sure... mostly ones like yum, mmm, and "can it be March again in Boston so these can be the seasonal specials on rotation?" (The only time I'll ever actively want it to be March in Boston.) We concluded our meal with the chocolate goat cheesecake, which wasn't my cup of tea... but if you like goat cheese, you will LOVE this dessert! The taste of goat cheese is so strong I could only take a few bites, but like I said: if you like it, you'll love it! The service was friendly, the restaurant was clean (love the chalk blackboard with the specials written on it hanging along the length of the wall), and street parking is free. All in all, a very good place for a lunch or casual dinner date.

Za rox. I have dwelled in Arlington for quite some but ignored Za as I assumed it would be just another 'za place. Au contraire. We went on a Sunday nite at about 8:30 postmeridian and it was empty in there and very quiet and mellow with mellow music playing and very clean and tidy with a trendy vibe and décor. Ceramic pigs peppered the place and there were Boston-based candy-pack paintings for sale which were nicely done despite being grammatically challenged as you may observe in the candy hearts in the Sweethearts painting: "Your sweet" and "Your my love" -come on, bro (see PIC). Not cool for an intellectual area like Arlington/Cambridge -please fix this. But most important was the quality of the 'za here. There were a bunch of semi-weird 'zas here like anti-tomato sauce ones with potato crème sauce and ramps (yuppie onions) n' stuff. Sorta a limited menu here though compared to Dominos with all sorts of junk available from different crusts to dipping sauces and stuff. Here was pretty basic BYO 'za choices and the prefab signature weird 'za choices. Moey and I opted for the tomato and mozz basic 'za with topping add-ons of basil and roasted red pepper. The 'zas took a bit to cook but it was wicked worth it. The krust was excellent and thin n' krispy and just delightful in texture and "flavor flav." The 'za had X-treme cheese pull too -like a two-foot-plus pull, bro (see PIC). The waitress was wicked nice and I was impressed by her Cinderella skills. She was very good with cleaning the joint and the tables and everything were immaculate AF. I'll be back and I suggest that you YELPers check it out too. Nice job, Za. "Your" the best! :)

Since I last posted a review, I have frequented Za's numerous times and wanted to up my review from 4 to 5 stars. I am obsessed with the butternut squash pizza and went back 3 times for it (unfortunately it's seasonal and not available anymore). I think the outdoor seating is cute and I like to sit there whenever possible and people watch (however many people may walk by in the East). I usually go with 3 friends and we all get our own pizza and split a bottle of wine. It ends up being a well-priced dinner for everyone. I like that the pizza specials are seasonal, which means that the menu is changing frequently. My only complaint is that Za doesn't take reservations. I put down for 7 pm on a Saturday. I wasn't informed that this wasn't a legitimate reservation at the time and still had to wait around 40 minutes for a table. This was annoying since I thought I had a reservation because the person on the phone didn't state otherwise. Anyways, I know for next time and this is a warning that on the weekends you'll probably have to wait a little bit for a table.