Mast'

The story

Crafted with passion, served with love

Boston's Only AVPN-Certified Vera Pizza Napoletana

At 45 Province Street in downtown Boston, Mast' holds a distinction that matters to anyone serious about pizza: it is the only restaurant in Massachusetts certified by the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana (AVPN). That certification is not a marketing badge — it means the kitchen follows the original Neapolitan tradition dating to 1786, and the menu even states plainly that modifications outside what is listed will not be made. The restaurant means it, and regulars respect it.

Gambero Rosso, the authoritative Italian food guide, recognised Mast' with 2 Slices in 2023 — a nod that carries real weight for an Italian-American restaurant operating far from Naples.

Executive Chef Marco Caputo

The kitchen is led by Executive Chef Marco Caputo, whose menu reads as a genuine tour of southern Italian cooking rather than a greatest-hits approximation. Antipasti lean traditional: Polpo con patate (octopus braised in Aglianico wine over potato salad), pan-seared Scamorza with marinated eggplant and Prosciutto di Parma, and house-made mozzarella in the Cestino Caprese. Pasta is made in-house, with standouts like Paccheri alla Genovese — baby back ribs slow-braised with onions and Chianti — a dish the menu correctly identifies as a classic Sunday meal in Naples, not Genoa.

The Pizza

The Vera Pizza Napoletana selection is the heart of the room. Dough, technique and toppings follow AVPN protocol: San Marzano tomato, fior di latte, and no shortcuts. The signature O Mast' pizza — ricotta cream, San Marzano tomato, prosciutto, fior di latte — is the obvious place to start. Pizza Fritta (fried pizza filled with ricotta, ham, fior di latte and San Marzano) and the Porcini, finished with gorgonzola and shaved Parmigiano Reggiano, show the range within the tradition. Lunch brings Panuozzi, panini made with pizza dough — another Neapolitan staple rarely found in Boston.

The full menu, from Scottadito di agnello with wild mushroom risotto to a straightforward Wagyu Mast Burger, is available for dine-in, takeaway, and delivery.