On Sunday afternoon, we headed over to Max and Leo’s, a local artisan pizzeria in Sudbury, to give it a try. We believe it is highly important to support local businesses, and encourage you to do the same!
The backstory: Twin brothers, Max and Leo Candidus, started in 2010, when they purchased their first coal-fired pizza oven. They drove around in a trailer, with the pizza oven, to local parties and events. The brothers had no professional training, just a passion for pizza. Over months, they worked incredibly hard, “studying and testing the history and gastronomy of pizza dough in a quest for the perfect pizza,” according to the restaurant’s website.
What to eat: They have an array of pizza on the menu, ranging from their classic cheese to their specialty “L’Umina” pizza with olive oil, sliced pear, caramelized onion, ricotta cheese, finished with prosciutto, wildflower honey, and basil. At Max and Leo’s, customers also have the option to build their own pizza with any toppings for an extra price. They also have build-your-own nachos, oven-roasted wings, tacos, sandwiches, salads, pasta, and more!
The Atmosphere: The restaurant itself truly is a labor of love, with so many small details that tell such a story. The door of the restroom is an antique farm door that the brothers found in New Hampshire, and the shelves of the bar were built by Max himself. The waiters were very interactive with their customers, with laughter echoing throughout the restaurant. We arrived around 12:50 in the afternoon, and when we walked in there were only about 4 other parties there. We got seated immediately, and got our drinks very shortly after. Our pizza came out 15 minutes after we ordered.
The Pizza: We ordered “The Mikey” and their classic cheese pizza. The pizza had a very good thin crust, it was crispy but small parts of it tasted a little charred and burnt (from the coal-oven), which definitely is an acquired taste. There was definitely a lot of cheese, which fell off quite easily, but it was not too oily. The sauce was delicious and it was a good ratio of cheese to sauce.
Would we recommend it? For both of us, we had never been to the restaurant before, and honestly did not know what to expect. But, overall, we had a very pleasant experience. All in all, we highly recommend this restaurant to anybody who is looking for some good pizza!
