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How one pizza shop feeds Boston sports fans during the playoffs
When Boston sports teams do well, businesses in the West End, like Halftime King of Pizza, do well, too.
For the decades-old Halftime King of Pizza, business is good when Boston sports teams are performing at their best.
And luckily for the Pasquale family, who has owned the classic slice shop for generations, two teams who play at their neighboring venue, TD Garden, are in the playoffs this season. One is even favored to win the championship.
“If they can make a deep run in the playoffs, it always helps,” said Matthew Pasquale, who runs the shop with his family. “You get people in here start chanting for the Bruins or the Celtics before a game. They’ve got their beer and their slice — it’s great.”
In its 40 years of being across from the arena, Halftime Pizza has become one of the spots in the West End to go before or after a Celtics or Bruins game. It’s got proximity to TD Garden, huge slices around $5, and a Boston sports theme inside, aware of its audience, with murals painted of Celtics and Bruins greats and food items named after players.
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Matthew’s grandparents, Tony and Dora Pasquale, started the business. They retired, giving the business to their kids. Now Matthew runs the shop with his brother, Justino Pasquale, and a family friend who they call “cousin,” Luigi Barrasso.
On a Wednesday hours before a Celtics playoff game against the Cleveland Cavaliers, a not-overwhelmingly busy, steady stream of customers started their afternoon at Halftime.
Most of the customers wore some form of Celtics merch. And those who spoke to Boston.com said this wasn’t their first slice at Halftime.
“It’s close, cheap, and local,” said 17-year-old Xavier Lopez, who grabbed a slice of pepperoni before the game Wednesday. “I’ve been coming here ever since I was little, coming to home games.”
Matthew said that’s the typical flow of customers coming in for a pre-game slice, which is a must-do action item for some fans. But after the game, it can get slammed, with its late-night hours of 11:30 p.m. almost every day inviting fans to celebrate a win.
Such a late night crowd can be seen in a video from Dave Portnoy, the controversial and influential social media personality who ranks pizzerias on One Bite, and who reviewed Halftime in 2017 following a Celtics-Cavaliers match-up. The West End shop got high marks from Portnoy with a 9.2 out of 10.
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The store proudly displays an image of Portnoy eating a cheese slice. Matthew said it’s one of the reasons diners come here. But there are other more sports-related factors that bring Boston fans here.
“It’s killer pizza,” said Allyson MacLeod, there with her brother Ben and cousin Ian before a Celtics game. “And anything [Jeremy] Swayman likes has my stamp of approval.”
Allyson was referring to a menu item, aptly named the Swayman and which claims to be his favorite pizza: a hot honey pepperoni with ricotta.
Matthew said Swayman has been to the shop a few times, and that his brother ran the pizza by Swayman to make sure it was something he would eat.
There are also shout-outs to the Celtics’ Jayson Tatum in the case of a chicken cutlet sandwich, or a Larry Bird sandwich, which pairs chicken, bacon, cheese, and barbecue sauce between two pieces of bread.
Diners also come in to watch old Bruins fights during hockey games, a long-standing tradition that plays on the multiple TVs at Halftime.
“People come in and they’re like ‘I want to show my kids the hockey fights.’ Give me one second, not a problem,” Matthew said. “That’s definitely one thing when people come in, they look for.”
There’s also the prices, which definitely have the expensive concession food at TD Garden beat, according to the diners at Halftime.
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“There’s not even a debate — I’d rather pay $20 for pizza than $30 for a bucket of chicken inside TD Garden,” said Joel Perez, a Celtics fan from Rhode Island who goes to Halftime before — and even after — a game.
But as is the case for a neighborhood that relies on events at venues like the TD Garden, Halftime’s slower season hits when the Celtics’ and Bruins’ seasons end.
That could be any day now. The Bruins season could be over as soon as Friday if they don’t get another win against the Florida Panthers.
The Celtics made it to the Eastern Conference finals after their Wednesday win against the Cavaliers 113-98. That means their season is extended possibly through June with Eastern Conference match-ups — which is great news for Halftime.
He shared a story about when his father managed the shop during a Red Sox World Series winning year — he believes it was 2004, but the details are blurry because Matthew was young. The Commissioner’s Trophy was brought into Halftime, and his dad got a picture with it. Matthew said he hopes he has a similar story to tell during his time at Halftime.
“Especially if we can get that parade,” Matthew said. “Boston’s been missing that for the past couple of years now.”
What to order at Halftime, according to Matthew Pasquale:
- Da’ Buff Chick, a sriracha buffalo chicken pizza ($23.95)
- Celtic Pride, a chicken-bacon ranch pizza ($24.35)
- Swayman, hot honey pepperoni pizza ($24.95)
- Mac & cheese bites with bacon aioli ($11.35)
- Chicken wings ($14.25)
- The Tatum, a crispy chicken cutlet sandwich with cheese, bacon, lettuce, tomato, and “signature” dressing ($12.95)
- Larry Bird, a crispy chicken sandwich with cheese, lettuce, tomato, bacon, and barbecue sauce ($11.95)
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