When I was out of high school, growing up in the Kings County area of California, there was one restaurant that I would frequent with friends, it was the Boston House of Pizza which had two locations, in Hanford and Lemoore, California.
Prior to that, for pizza, we were spoiled by my grandfather who worked at a restaurant was one of the longtime cook for The Granary in Lemoore during the ’70s through the early ’90s, but when he retired and not long after, the restaurant would change its image/owners/name, etc., and our access to pizza was limited.
Fortunately a new place emerged for the family to eat pizza and steak sandwiches and it was Boston House of Pizza.
It was a place that family went to often, my buddy Angelo often helped owner Roy Fialho with his computer-related things at his home and seeing employees at the Lemoore restaurant, such as Tony, a cool guy with a thick accent that we would often imitate his “20 minutes” and others who were part of the BHoP family. And of course, there was the company founder, Manuel Fialho, who I would often see and talk to at the Hanford location.
I believe the story of how the restaurant got the name was that Manuel worked at a restaurant in Boston and the recipes he learned, he brought it to California and with his son, they would grow to make Boston Pizza a successful restaurant in the Central Valley.
While I haven’t eaten at a Boston Pizza in a very long time, I do remember fascinating moments. During my post-college years, I would often have a few celebrities come to visit and stay, and at the time, there weren’t many restaurants to eat in Lemoore or Hanford. Of course, there were diners and Mexican restaurants but outside of that, choices were quite limited and often you would have to travel to Fresno or Visalia.
But I’ve taken my celebrity friends, I’ve had business meetings at the location and each time, I often ordered their Boston Special pizza, their Steak Sandwich Specials and their Chicken Cobb salad. Heck, I even remember my college years where I would go there to eat their garlic bread.
But I do have fond memories of the place and with the World Surfing League Championships coming to Lemoore at the Kelly Slater Surf Ranch, I figured for out of town travelers looking for something to eat, especially if they are parked at the West Hills College area, Boston House of Pizza in Lemoore is a place I recommend visiting.
I mentioned a friend of mine that helped owner, Roy Fialho with his computers, my friend Angelo would travel from San Francisco to Lemoore, just for the restaurant’s steak sandwiches.
I can remember him calling me up and telling me, “Guess where I’m at? I’m at Boston Pizza”.
I was working and living in the Silicon Valley at the time and I would laugh and ask him, “You have some of the world’s best restaurants in San Francisco, yet you still travel to Lemoore just to purchase their steak sandwiches?”.
He answered, “I’ve tried many steak sandwiches and in California, they are the best!”.
In fact, the restaurant has gained a reputation of being “world famous” but I think that those who lived in Lemoore or Kings County, especially military who grew up eating at Boston House of Pizza and moved away and miss the taste of their food, have given the restaurant it’s recommendations to others who were traveling to the area.
While it’s been a long while, I decided that for the celebration of my friend Angelo’s passing, we remember and celebrate Angelo on July 15th (titled #CelebrateAngeloDay) and for the fourth year of his passing, I decided to also visit Boston House of Pizza but also gave me a chance to get nostalgic and reminisce of growing up and eating at the restaurant.
Visiting the place, the interior has changed a lot but I couldn’t help but smile when I saw the old “Street Fighter II” arcade machine and possibly other arcade machines that were still there when I was a teenager.
But looking at the back, one of the guys I remembered quite well was still working hard in the back…Tony. While Roy wasn’t at the location at the time, it was great to see a long time staff member still at the restaurant!
Looking at the menu, it’s great to see the Boston Specials were still being offered as with the Steak Special sandwiches and their salads. And also, newer items which I never had before but I’m sure they are delicious.
So, we ordered a few things from the menu that we grew up with. The Boston Special pizza, the Steak Special sandwich and the Chicken Kabob salad.
First, let’s discuss the Boston Special pizza:
Is it the sauce? Is it the ingredients? What makes the Boston Special Pizza so delicious? Of course, this is subjective. I’m sure there are people who think the best pizza they ate is at California Pizza Kitchen, Me n’ Eds Pizza Hut or Pielogy. But I have tried pizza from all over the world and I absolutely love the Boston Special Pizza. For me it’s the vegetables and the kind of sausage that is the highlight.
While this is a small size pizza, I felt this was much better as the smaller dough makes the ingredients come out more. Order the family-size, which we have done a lot in my teenage years and the pizza is sliced in squares and often, depending on who made it, you either get it perfect or greasy. I guess it depends on who made it.
But when you get a smaller size, it was perfect. The pizza I remembered from my childhood. We loved it!
It’s important to note that there is one debate that Lemoore and Hanford taste different. The water, yes. The pizza, I don’t know about that. They taste the same too me (granted, this is going from memory back in the ’90s).
The Boston Steak Special, loaded with steak, melted cheese, onions, mushrooms and green bell peppers on toasted bread and it’s a sandwich that many people (like my friend Angelo) travel long distances for.
I’ve heard that the sandwich was much smaller and there wasn’t as much meat these days, but I can tell you that from the sandwich that I got, it’s the same as the one I had way back then. It taste delicious as it did back then and we ate our steak sandwich in honor of Angelo. Who loved these sandwiches so much, that he would order six of them (not to eat all at one time but he would some, take some on the road back to the Bay. That’s how much he loved these sandwiches and I can easily say that myself and friends who ate their sandwiches back then loved it.
And I can reaffirm that the taste is just as great as it was back in the day.
During my college years, I would come home, stop by Boston House of Pizza and I would eat their chef and feta salad (featuring meat, rolled up with cheese and cut) or their chicken kabob salad. One thing that amazes me is how big these chicken chunks are and for those who love their chicken salads, you’re no doubt getting your money worth. You also get two pita bread and the delicious salad dressing I remember from my college years.
Overall, it was great visiting Boston House of Pizza again and eating their delicious pizza, steak special sandwiches and salad. All of us were full right after, but the place brought back so many memories.
It was a special day honoring my good friend who loved this restaurant and to eat there again on #CelebrateAngeloDay was no doubt special.
It’s important to note that the Lemoore location is now owned again by Roy (who still runs the Hanford location), so when I heard discussion of a change of new ownership or management, it’s great to learn the Lemoore restaurant is back in good hands.
So, for those traveling to Lemoore, may it be going up Hwy 41, just moved to the area or traveling to attend the World Surf League Championships this September at Kelly Slater’s Surf Ranch, definitely give Boston House of Pizza in Lemoore (or Hanford) a chance!
