Lunch, Anyone? Oath Craft Pizza

Oath Craft Pizza opened its fifth pizzeria, in Coolidge Corner, last month in what had been Walgreens.

When the news that Oath Craft Pizza, the Nantucket-born chain known for its thin-crusted pizzas, was opening in Coolidge Corner in April, it raised a few eyebrows. With the Upper Crust Pizzeria and Otto Pizza already in the neighborhood, folks wondered if another pizzeria was really needed. We were curious about whether its avocado oil–infused crust and inventive toppings were enough to set Oath apart from the neighborhood’s other pizzerias, so we headed over to decide for ourselves.

The fast-casual pizza chain was cofounded in 2015 by Cape Cod native Doug Ferriman, owner of the award-winning Crazy Dough’s Pizza Co.. The first Oath opened on Nantucket and three more are now open locally, in South Station, Chestnut Hill Square, and Davis Square. In the works are expansions as far afield as Washington, D.C., and New York City.

Crusts are made fresh each morning and what the chain bills as “chef-inspired” toppings are added as ordered. Once assembled, pizzas are tossed into hot ovens for just 90 seconds. Unfortunately, the much-hyped crust fell short of our expectations; it was doughy and reminiscent of fried dough, which we felt competed with the savory toppings.

As well as pizza with classic toppings like cheese, pepperoni, and veggies ($6 for a half, $8 for a whole), there are eight craft pizzas ($7 for a half, $11 for a whole) sporting creative names and toppings, like the luau (an updated Hawaiian pizza with mozzarella, BBQ pulled pork, fresh pineapple, crushed red pepper, BBQ drizzle, and scallions) and the David (a Mediterranean-inspired pie topped with mozzarella, roasted mushrooms, sausage, ricotta, fresh basil, and a balsamic glaze). Customers can also create their own pizzas from a “selfie” menu, where you first select size, then sauce or spread (vine-ripened tomato, basil pesto, or truffle), then topping, including pesto, smoked bacon, roasted cherry tomatoes, and kalamata olives. In the mood for something sweet? There are two dessert pizzas: berry crumble (vanilla sugar, fruit preserve, ricotta, and graham cracker crumble) and chocolate chunk cookie (chocolate chip cookie dough, ricotta, and powdered sugar) ($6 for a half, $8 for a whole). Gluten-free, vegetarian, and vegan options, including Daiya vegan cheese, are available.

We decided to try half-sizes of two of Oath’s craft pizzas. First up was the Spicy Mother Clucker, topped with mozzarella, pickled red onion, spiced chicken, sriracha, secret sauce, and scallions. The pizza was mildly spicy and the creaminess of the secret sauce balanced the heat of the sriracha. The chicken was tender and the pickled red onion was flavorful. Our second selection was the Muffled Trushroom, topped with truffle sauce, mozzarella, roasted mushrooms, ricotta, and parmigiano. The blend of the three cheeses complemented the generous portion of earthy roasted mushrooms, but the truffle sauce was nearly undetectable.

We also ordered a half-size selfie, choosing vine-ripened tomato sauce, mozzarella, ricotta, roasted garlic, roasted potato, roasted mushrooms, and secret sauce. It was easily our favorite dish and easily the most flavorful. The tomato sauce was fresh and robust, the roasted garlic sweet and aromatic. The roasted potatoes didn’t add much in terms of flavor, but provided an interesting texture.

Overall, we were underwhelmed by Oath’s menu. For a chain that emphasizes “craft,” many of the items fell short on flavor. But if you’re looking for fast service and customizable options, you might enjoy Coolidge Corner’s latest pizzeria. And it’s hard not to be impressed by the restaurant’s chic-industrial interior. Oath’s booths, communal tables, and countertops can accommodate about 30 customers.

Oath Pizza, 276 Harvard St., Coolidge Corner, Brookline, is open Sunday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.; phone: 617-860-6538.

This is part of a weekly series featuring Boston lunch spots of interest to the BU community. If you have any suggestions for places we should feature, leave them in the Comment section below.

Liz Vanderau can be reached at vanderau@bu.edu.

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