Pizza Heaven

hen the line at a certain other North End pizza joint starts to stretch around the corner, head off the beaten path and onto tiny one-way Salem Street to find Ernesto’s, an unassuming hole in the wall with big things to offer. Although it looks at first glance like a takeout joint, there are a few self-service tables if you’re quick enough to snag one, and even a basic selection of bottled beers. A cheese slice starts at just a few dollars—and Ernesto’s idea of a slice is about the same size as a quarter of a pizza somewhere else—while toppings including shrimp scampi and cheeseburger will fill you up fast. Rineman