By Rob Gilman and Chris Seigen
Staff Writers

Westford is home to many great pizza places, so we decided to review them and rate them. We visited Westford House of Pizza, Pizzaria Presti, Silver Palate, and Willow’s.

Westford House of Pizza

Westford House of Pizza is a local pizza shop that many believe to be the best in the area. Located off of Main Street in a plaza situated between Tedeschi Food Store and Creative Nails of Westford, it is very convenient and easy to access. There is ample parking, and the parking area is well lit. I personally thought that WHOP would be the winner of this competition, but after our experience, which was below average, I now have a different opinion of it.

Walking into the modest shop, an aroma of sauce and cheese overwhelms your senses. The clean floors and granite counter tops give Westford House a 4.5 out of 5 for atmosphere. You feel comfortable eating there, with plenty of seating for its size. The staff is very welcoming, friendly, and knowledgeable about the menu. The prices are average, with our total of a large steak and cheese sub, small cheese pizza, small fry, and two sodas coming to around twenty dollars and change.

Our wait was relatively short; we waited about 8 to 10 minutes for the sub and fries, and about 12 to 15 minutes for the pizza. Once the food was ready, we dug in. Immediately, the steak and cheese appeared dry just by looking at it, and its taste was just as unappetizing. The amount of cheese was unacceptable, and the dry meat was overcooked and had a rubbery texture.

Overall, our experience at Westford House of Pizza was poor. Even though all of the other factors such as atmosphere, speed, and presentation were average to excellent, the taste of the food ruined it. The fries were the only decent part; the steak was dry, and the pizza lacked in cheese and was overpowered by sauce. Westford House earned its rating, 17.5 out of 25, due to its mediocrity.

Pizzeria Presti

Pizzeria Presti is conveniently located at 2 East Prescott Street near Route 225 in Graniteville. The parking is very minimal and the parking lot is difficult to maneuver since it is on the side of the road. The shop itself is a very modest building, with average seating for a shop of its size. Even though the atmosphere is rugged, considering the heat was not running, it was nicer than the Willows. We wondered if they had paid their heating build because it was so cold.

After waiting about fifteen minutes, our hot pizza, subs, and fries were ready. The friendly staff was there to readily assist the flow of customers. The pizza was very cheesy and had a decent amount of sauce on it, and was the second best pizza. The dough was fresh and had a nice consistency. The steak and cheese sub was wrapped in fresh bread, and was piping hot. We would have preferred more cheese, but it tasted fresh. The fries were crunchy and filled with potato, however they had a hint of sogginess.

The presentation of the food was right in line with the other shops. The pizza came on a metal plate on a tray, the steak and cheese sub came on a plate, and the fries came in a nice box. It had the feel of an average pizza shop; the food was not served on golden platters, but it was decent for what it was. Overall, I had the feeling that for what we paid, we received a good deal.

Pizzeria Presti was third in line for the overall experience. It received 21 stars out of 25, making it a safe place to hang out on a Friday night. Although both The Silver Palate and The Willow’s beat it out, I would eat there anytime.

Silver Palate

Silver Palate is a local Pizza place in the Nabnasset area of Westford. It’s known as both a speedy delivery place and a hangout spot after school. But how does it stack up to the other major pizza places in Westford?

Silver Palate is well situated and the building is physically larger than the other three competitors. It has very lots of seats and a nice atmosphere. The food was prepared very quickly, and watching the news while waiting was nice.

The pizza at Silver Palate is very different from the other three stores. It is Greek style, and difficult to compare to the others. The steak and cheese was well prepared; it was nice and juicy with plenty of cheese, the best I’ve had out of all of the restaurants. The fries were crisp and delicious but lacked salt.

The only problem with Silver Palate was the pizza. It somewhat dry and lacking. Overall, Silver Palate was a great competitor and definitely finished second in the race against WHOP, Pizzaria Presti, and Willow’s.

Willow’s

Going into the competition, Willows appeared to be the definite underdog. This is due to the fact that it is in an unfortunate location, in a very small trailer sized building. The interior failed to impress. Mismatching tables and very old seats were scattered a bit unevenly through the small store. The lighting in the store was dim, and the parking lot was barely lit. The parking lot itself was very small.

Walking into a pizza place, one immediately looks at the price. The value of Willow’s was great compared to the other restaurants. All together, small fries, a small cheese pizza, and a large steak and cheese sub were only about 18 dollars. This greatly contrasts with the $24 meal at Pizzaria Presti, and the $20 at the WHOP.

Service at Willow’s was incredible compared to the WHOP and Presti’s. At Willow’s, the food was brought to us with a large amount of condiments and cheese. The other two restaurants just had a pick up system that was nowhere near as personal.

Willow’s made up for its poor appearance by bringing exceptional taste and great prices. And so, Willow’s received first place with a rating of 23 out of 25. It’s the ideal pizza place.