Fido is the more casual sibling of coastal Italian restaurant Bar Mezzana and tiki and sushi spot Shore Leave, both in the South End. With affordably priced pies, a fun and intricate craft cocktail list, and a broad-ranging shared plates menu that offers both wings and clams, The Allston restaurant appeals to the mix of students, families, and young professionals in the neighborhood. The space, casual but welcoming with a circular central bar and electric yellow booths, could just as easily host date night and after-work drinks as a pizza-fueled study session.
The bar team fat-washes a bucket of gin with a whole pizza to make their pepperoni pizza Negroni on draft. It’s serious business. For the Negroni-averse, the tomato vine martini pairs just as well with a pie.
Save room for dessert. Offerings like an olive oil cake with whipped mascarpone, balsamic drizzle, and cranberry compote are a huge upgrade from the pizza joints of my New Hampshire childhood, where you’d be lucky to get a Hoodsie cup.
FiDO is a fun pizza and small plates spot in Allston from a restaurant group behind a few other hits like Italian Bar Mezzana and cocktails from tropical Shore Leave. Go here for wings, baked clams, and other starters like ‘nduja and burrata, while pizzas range from tomato, pepperoni, or sausage to a Buffalo pie.
Dining and Cooking