Cambridge 1

There's something about Friday nights and pizza that go really well together. Growing up, pizza on Fridays was a tradition. My parents still keep that tradition alive and while I can't make it back home every week, I still crave pizza on Friday nights. That's where Cambridge 1 comes in. Like their sister restaurants (Audubon, Middlesex, Tory Row and Miracle of Science), Cambridge 1 has a simple menu. They make what they do best - which in this case is thin crust charcoal grilled pizzas with creative toppings.

I ordered a Brooklyn Lager to start, this beer is easy-drinking and I thought it would go with whatever we ordered.We sipped on our beers while we watched the Red Sox and looked over the menus. I noticed that both the restaurant and kitchen were clean and bright.

We snacked on the addicting home made spicy bread sticks while we waited for our food. For dinner we ordered two half pizzas to share.The pizzas were great - they were light and the toppings were generous - but it seemed to be more like a flatbread than a pizza. That being said, I didn't feel overly stuffed when we left.

tossed baby arugula, fontina, parmigiano

hot cherry peppers, black forest ham, manchego

I loved the laid-back and fun atmosphere of this restaurant. We arrived early but I noticed that both the bar and the tables filled up quickly (they do not take reservations) but the turnover seemed to be fast. The restaurant is conveniently located, just a few steps from the Harvard Square T stop. The pizza was fantastic, and satisfied my craving for Friday night tradition.