On The Cheap

On the Cheap: Pizza Days

A tasty slice for Allston night owls

By ETHAN LONG | March 21, 2012

If you're a late-night carouser beset with a craving for pizza in Allston — the land of rock, rats, and cheap slices galore — Brighton Avenue's got you covered. In fact, one one of the best options, Pizza Days, doesn't open until the day is pretty much winding down. The Allston location of this chain serves its slices and pies from 4 pm until 2 am, with delivery going to 3 am, so it's a good option for late, late night grub.

On any given night, and even more so on weekends, Pizza Days is packed with students. Large windows (opened when it's warmer) allow you to eat while peering out at the happenings on Brighton Avenue. Décor is sparse, with no television and just a single Red Sox photograph on the walls. There's a large wooden table that looks like it was brought in from an Ivy League dining hall, complete with a long bench that seats many people. Other tables and chairs range from European-inspired designs to straight-up wood. But that's not why you're there, right? How's the pizza?

There used to be an awesome 99-cent-slice deal here, but the cheapest you're going to get now is a $2.23 slice, which barely compares to the similar, larger options at Bravo's or Inbound. Pizza Days tastes better, though — with 100 percent natural ingredients, as advertised, the cheese and hint of sauce prove to be a great combination, especially on the thin, crunchy dough and crust. A regular large cheese pizza will cost you $11.99, but again, it's much smaller than some larges you'll see nearby.

Beverage options are pretty standard, with a fridge right next to the cashier station. You can get your regular Coca-Cola Corporation options with the choice of 20-ounce or liter-size bottles, for $2 and $3, respectively.

When deciding to eat at Pizza Days with a group, definitely suggest getting an order or two of the fresh, doughy"cinna balls" ($4.99), sprinkled with cinnamon. Wait until the extremely sweet frosting cools down, however, as it will slide right off those balls, taking the cinnamon with it.

Pizza Days might not be the cheapest, or biggest, pizza in Allston. But, if you're seeking quality over quantity, or just a quick fix to your predawn munchie madness, it's a safe place to start.

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