Flatbread Company Brighton Joins Boston’s Growing Bowling Scene With Pizza and Local Beers

Bowling is having a moment in Boston. A new location of Kings just debuted in the Seaport District a few weeks ago, complete with giant neon cocktails and a variety of games in addition to bowling (hello, foosball.) In Fenway, bowling and billiards bar Jillian’s has recently gotten a facelift and a rebrand into Lucky Strike Social. And this weekend in Brighton, Flatbread Company opens at the Boston Landing development, just down the street from the recently opened Kohi Coffee Company and a big New Balance store. (The athletic wear company’s headquarters are located at Boston Landing.) The doors open at 11 a.m. on Sunday, November 19, at 76 Guest St.

This is Flatbread Company’s 14th location. The local pizzeria chain got its start in Amesbury, Massachusetts, in 1998 and has expanded mostly around the New England area since then, although there is a location as far out as Hawai‘i. Flatbread Brighton is only the third location to feature bowling, though, following in the footsteps of the Somerville and Salem outposts. And it’s candlepin bowling, of course, because this is Massachusetts. Keen-eyed candlepin fans will be sure to notice the pin-inspired light fixtures throughout the new Brighton location.

The two-level space spans more than 12,000 square feet and includes seven bowling lanes on the ground floor (along with a full bar, the main dining room, and an open kitchen that includes two substantial clay pizza ovens), plus another two dining areas upstairs — one of which has its own bar and two bowling lanes and can be rented for private events. Outside, there’ll be a 75-seat patio once the warm seasons return.

On the ground floor, be sure to take in the sights of the bowling machinery, on full display behind glass in the hallway by the restrooms. You can finally see what happens to the pins and balls behinds the scenes.

Fun note about the bowling: It’s old-school; there are no monitors with automatic scoring, so brush up on the rules and get ready to go back to the pencil-and-paper days of yore. Bowling costs $30 per lane per hour, and reservations can be made by phone — (617) 903-4595. (As for reservations for a table for lunch or dinner, those are only available for groups of eight or more.)

On the food and beverage side, Flatbread is all about the local sourcing, especially at the bar. There are 20 beers on tap, highlighting some of the best local breweries, from Banded Horn in Maine to Fiddlehead in Vermont. And the liquor selection is also very local, including Boston Harbor Distillery, Bully Boy, and more.

While the food menu centers around flatbread pizzas, there are also salads and desserts, including sundaes warmed up in the pizza ovens. There are gluten-free options throughout the menu, although there’s a $4.50 upcharge for gluten-free pizzas, which are made with dough from Peace of Mind Baking in North Conway, New Hampshire.

Flatbread Company will open at 11 a.m. daily in Brighton, serving food until 11 p.m. and drinks until 1 a.m. Check out the garage at 80 Guest St. (below the Warrior Ice Arena) for $5 validated parking.

• Flatbread Company Brighton Coverage on Eater [EBOS]

Disclosure: Eater Boston reporter Terrence B. Doyle is also employed as a bartender at Flatbread Brighton. He played no role in the creation of this story.