Paul Buccieri’s story doesn’t start with Buccieri’s Pizzeria—it starts with a pizza paddle in hand at just 14 years old, learning the ropes from his older brothers at Pizzeria Regina. It was there, elbow-deep in flour and tradition, that a dream began to rise. Years later, after working his way up to manager and honing his skills, Paul and his wife Dawn took the leap and opened their first restaurant, Bacci’s, in Saugus. That bold decision—funded by their wedding money—set the tone for everything that followed. When the opportunity came to open Buccieri’s in Chelsea in 1998, it wasn’t just a business move—it was the beginning of something deeply personal.
The name itself is a tribute. Paul’s father, James Buccieri, was a baker in Boston’s North End, where he ran a beloved family bakery called A. Buccieri’s and Son. He helped Paul craft the dough recipe that still forms the foundation of every pizza served today. That connection—to craft, to family, to legacy—is what defines Buccieri’s. “It was important to carry on the name,” Paul says. “It means something.”…