Located in Essex County, Amesbury, Massachusetts, is approximately 38 miles northeast of Boston. As of July 2009, 12 percent of the city's more than 12,000 residents identified themselves as Italian in origin, according to the City-Data website, making it the fourth-largest ethnic group in the community. The town of Amesbury is home to a number of Italian restaurants, ranging from fine dining establishments to casual pizzerias.
Ristorante Molise is a family-owned and operated establishment in Market Square. The menu begins with seven appetizers, such as the fried calamari with hot cherry peppers and the steamed local mussels. A featured pasta dish is the homemade gnocchi, potato and cheese dumplings topped in a sauce made from browned butter, sage and Gorgonzola cheese. A specialty entree, the lobster in padella is a 1.5-lb. portion in a spicy sauce, accompanied by homemade spaghetti. The wine list includes more than 45 selections, more than half of which are Italian imports.
Ristorante Molise serves dinner Tuesdays through Sundays and closes Mondays. Reservations are not accepted. Business casual attire is appropriate.
Ristorante Molise
1 Market Square
Amesbury, MA 01913
978-388-4844
ristorantemolise.com
The Flatbread Co. is a small chain of Italian pizzerias that began in Amesbury in 1998. The restaurant features a large wood-fired clay oven near its dining room, where diners can watch their pizzas bake. The pizzas contain all-natural, organic ingredients, such as the nitrate-free pepperoni and fennel sausage that the restaurant makes in-house. The menu contains seven specialty pies, such as the Coevolution, topped with kalamata olives, fresh rosemary, red onions, roasted sweet peppers, goat and mozzarella cheeses and garlic.
The Amesbury Flatbreada Co. serves lunch and dinner daily. Reservations are not taken, but the restaurant does have a call-ahead seating policy. This allows diners to notify the restaurant before arrival and have their names added to the waiting list, which can be long, especially on weekends at dinnertime. Casual attire is appropriate.
Flatbread Co.
5 Market Square
Amesbury, MA 01913
978-834-9800
flatbreadcompany.com
Established in 1990, Sal's Pizza is a small, family-owned chain of Italian restaurants in New England that operates a location on Haverhill Road. The menu features 22 specialty pizzas, such as Sal's Special, topped with shredded mozzarella, mushrooms, peppers, onions, pepperoni and black olives. The restaurant is also known for its calzones, which weigh 1 lb. and come in varieties like meatball and chicken Parmesan. The restaurant also serves pasta dishes, including three-cheese ravioli, chicken marsala, sausage cacciatore and ziti with chicken and broccoli.
Sal's Pizza in Amesbury serves lunch and dinner daily. Reservations are not taken. Casual attire is the norm.
Sal's Pizza
84 Haverhill Road #B
Amesbury, MA 01913
978-388-5400
sals-pizza.com
