by Greg Schneider ·
Friday, August 30, 2024
I am a pizza junkie. If you read my review of Diggy’s in Westford, you already know Friday’s are pizza night in my house, and I love discovering different styles and variations. As I wrote in the January Diggy’s column, we’re fortunate to have so many options in our little corner of the world for some decent pizza. Yet since we moved to Harvard almost four years ago, every so often I would have someone ask if we had tried Nashoba Club Pizza & Taproom in Ayer.
I’ve never been a big “bar style” pizza guy. In my head it’s always been due to the lack of doughy crust that I prefer, but the truth is it’s also the bar style disciples that kept me away. Given the high praise for Nashoba Club, I finally put aside my childish grudges and gave it a shot.
Nashoba Club’s location on busy Central Avenue is a bit off the beaten path in Ayer. Nestled among warehouses, small businesses, and some new townhouses, it certainly gives off the “neighborhood joint” vibe that matches the inside perfectly.
Once you step inside, you can tell they’ve put a lot of work into revamping the space while trying to keep to its historical roots. A small barroom with a handful of tables greets you as you enter the front door, but a small hallway opens into a larger dining room in the back. Exposed wooden beams, soft lighting, and pictures of Ayer’s history on every wall really capture the soul of the town. I’m also somewhat of a history junkie, so at one point during my first visit, I was that guy walking around with a beer looking at all the pictures and reading the old news articles.
The bar itself is a cool little spot to hang out. A great lineup of draft beers, lots of big TVs, and even Keno if you’re feeling lucky. Those three attributes would lead a lot of people to think “sports bar,” but that’s not the case: They also have some fun cocktails, including seasonal libations, if that’s more your scene.
On the restaurant website you’ll find the food described as “Local. Fresh. Quality. No corners cut here. Not to mention a 70+ year old pizza recipe that’s on point.” After two meals here, I wholeheartedly agree with that statement.
Everything has always tasted fresh and flavorful, and the effort to avoid being just another pizza joint shows. The menu contains the classics of wings, sandwiches, and obviously pizza, but you can also find offerings like short rib poutine and bang bang broccoli (anyone who’s had the bang bang shrimp from Bonefish Grill will get excited about this).
My last order from Nashoba Club Pizza was a rare night where I was dining solo, so I decided to grab a beer at the bar and place a takeout order of mozzarella sticks and a pizza. The mozzarella sticks hit that ratio of cheese to fried breaded goodness that I’m always looking for. A nice soft crunch on the outside with plenty of mozzarella pull and snap on the inside paired with a tangy marinara sauce was everything I hoped these little sticks would be. I will say they were just a tad on the salty side for me, but nothing a cold beverage couldn’t extinguish.
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Now for the big reveal—the pizza. For anyone who hasn’t had bar style pizza before, traditionally they are smaller pan pizzas that don’t have the traditional doughy crust. It’s more of a crispy crust that forms against the side of the pan and gives it that “wall” appearance. Nashoba Club takes that traditional foundation and adds their own spin to it. When I say spin, I mean they have all your classic pizza combos, but then they have things like the blueberry party, which has a blueberry base with thick cut bacon and a maple syrup drizzle. Feeling something on the other end of the spectrum? How about the Korean rooster, a pizza topped with fried chicken, sauteed onions, and a Korean sauce drizzle. I did not have the courage to try either of these, but I love the creativity on the menu for those who want it.
My favorite pizza that I’ve actually tried is the spinball parm, a traditional pizza base with meatballs, spinach, and parmesan cheese. The first thing you’ll notice about this pie is the size of the meatballs: they are borderline too big. Please notice I said borderline because there’s no way I’ll ever complain about meatballs being too big, especially when they are delicious. I can’t confirm whether they are homemade, but they are just too good to believe they aren’t. When you add a balanced proportion of spinach and a dusting of parmesan, this pizza touches all the bases for me. You get the sweetness and fattiness of the meatballs paired with the subtle bitter, minerally spinach and salty parmesan; it just works on every level. I will definitely be trying more of the offerings on the menu, but the spinball definitely has my heart.
Despite the high marks, I am compelled to share two detractions with the good people of Harvard. While I was sitting at the bar, I noticed two actual bar flies buzzing around. This is a common problem many establishments deal with, but as someone who once worked behind the bar, it’s something I can’t ignore. Secondly, the prices at NCP seem to be a bit off in my opinion. A 16-ounce Bissell Brothers New England IPA at the bar was $12, and the pizzas can range up to $25. Again, this is bar style so these are small pizzas compared to what you can get elsewhere, and, at those prices, it just seems steep.
If you’re looking to try some really delicious bar style pizza, grab a cold beer, revel in nostalgia, or all of the above, I would definitely recommend Nashoba Club Pizza & Taproom in Ayer.
I have come to learn that Diggy’s in Westford is closed. I don’t have the details on why or what happened, but they will be missed!
Greg Schneider is a dedicated home cook, former bartender, and a devoted patron of area restaurants. He currently blogs about local breweries at The Hotter Hotter Upper.