Emma's

Cambridge's favorite pizza gets a new home

by Julia Hanna

on the cheap

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For six long years in the pizza netherworld of St. Louis, I fondly recalled abuse suffered at the hands of Emma, an unpredictable force of nature who grudgingly dealt out delicious thin-crust pizzas made by her silent husband.

When I returned to Cambridge this winter and dialed the old Huron Avenue location, a chirpy voice informed me that Emma's was relocating to a larger space near Kendall Square, with seating for 40 and a license for beer and wine. It began to dawn on me that Emma herself was long gone. Not long after I left for the Show-Me State, Emma had retired and sold her place to Wendy Saver and David Rockwood, two devotees who have been racking up accolades since 1995 for pizza combos that include everything from scallions, garlic, and gorgonzola to baby spinach, roasted sweet potatoes, caramelized onions, and goat cheese.

In the old days, I meekly scuttled in and out of a narrow, fluorescent-lit space with a few stools. Now, buttercup-yellow walls and a cheerful staff make the new Emma's a pleasant spot to linger, whether you opt for table service or the counter (with candles!) along the big front window. A rotating selection of three or four daily choices is priced at $1.50 or $2 per slice, and the average two-topping pie runs about $15.

The crust is crispy but far from cracker-bland; sauce options include traditional oregano tomato, garlic-infused olive oil, and a piquant rosemary tomato. The cherry-tomato slice with basil, garlic, and mozzarella is light yet flavorful, a good pre-movie snack. The heartier sausage with caramelized onions creates a nice juxtaposition of spice and sweetness; and if you stick with a straight-and-narrow choice like pepperoni you'll be pleased to discover a solid layer of nearly greaseless 'roni nestled beneath a blanket of high-quality mozzarella.

Emma's, located at 40 Hampshire Street (Kendall Square), in Cambridge, is open Tuesday through Friday from 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Saturday from 4 to 10 p.m. Closed Sunday and Monday. Call (617) 864-8534.

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