Ranking New Haven Pizza (A Chicago Girl’s Take)

As a native Chicagoan, I’ve eaten a lot of really good pizza. My favorites are and will always be in the Midwest, even after traveling to places like Naples, the birthplace of pizza.

That doesn’t mean I’m some pizza snob. I really like pizza. Brian LOVES it.

When we knew we were visiting New Haven, Connecticut, on a trip through New England, I started scheming how many pizza stops we could make in one week.

There’s a lot of New Haven-style pizza in New Haven. There’s a lot of DELICIOUS New Haven-style pizza in New Haven.

We tried the big three, and then we ranked them. New Haven folks, apologies if you’re out there and offended…or not. Food is subjective.

Does New Haven have the best pizza?

Anyone in New Haven will tell you that New Haven has the best pizza in the country, perhaps even beyond that.

I’m from Chicago, though. No, I’m not going to send you to the much-maligned casseroles some may think of when they talk about Chicago-style pizza.

I’m talking about Pequod’s, a spot so near and dear to my heart that it’d be hard for me to accept your friendship if you had an ill word to say about it.

Chicago is also tavern-style, what most Chicagoans will say is the real Chicago pizza they consume on the regular.

But I digress. New Haven does, indeed, have some delicious pizza. Is it the best? That may be more of a question of geographical preference.

Defining New Haven-Style Pizza

New Haven-style pizza is thin crust and coal-fired. No, it’s not burnt, you ignorant Yelp reviewers. That char’s there on purpose and adds smoke to the whole situation.

If your fingers aren’t blackened by the experience you’re doing it wrong.

It’s also not about the cheese in the most traditional sense. Most of the best New Haven pizza spots will have a plain tomato pie on the menu. It’s crust, tomato sauce, and a dusting of cheese on top. Add garlic if you’re feeling festive.

There’s nowhere to hide on that kind of pie, and it’s a delight in its simplicity. You won’t miss the toppings if the execution is on point.

It’s all about the crust in New Haven. 

You’re not here to fold these slices or cut them with a knife and fork. (I did both at one of the spots below, but that’s not the usual.) These pies have a chew you won’t get anywhere else, and the best slices will almost bite you back rather than flop over.

Fun fact: It’s “apizza” in New Haven, not pizza. Pronounce it “ah-beetz.” It doesn’t make sense. I know it. It doesn’t matter. That’s how it is.

The top three pizza places in New Haven for a pizza tour are all within walking distance of one another, two just down the street from each other.

I can’t think of anywhere else in the world with this level of high-quality pizza in such a short stroll.

READ MORE: Mystic is famous for Mystic Pizza and it’s an easy trip from New Haven!

New Haven Pizza: Ranking the Top Three

Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana, or Pepe’s, Sally’s Apizza, and Modern Apizza are the top players on the New Haven pizza scene.

We tried all three in that order.

Again, I’m from Chicago. Connecticut folks would consider any rankings from me bullocks, but I’m doing it anyway.

Here’s where we landed:

1. Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana
2. Sally’s Apizza
3. Modern Apizza

If you choose one over the other on your trip to New Haven, you won’t have a bad time. I don’t have a dog in this fight. I will tell you more about why our pizza rankings fell the way they did just in case that sways you in any way.

Note: If you want mozzarella cheese on your pie, you may have to say that. If you want to sound extra, order your apizza with “mootz.” I swear that’s legitimate.

1. Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana

Pepe’s at 157 Wooster Street is the OG. It deserves the top spot for that longevity alone, but I felt validated in my choice when I found out it’s the preferred pizza stop for Henry Winkler, too.

Winkler and I agree: Pepe’s is the best pizza place in New Haven.

Despite the fact that it’s expanded to 11 locations you just feel the history of this place as soon as you arrive. There are old-timey photos hung on the walls of the granddaddy of pizza here, Italian immigrant Frank Pepe, dating back to 1925.

That’s how long this place has been around in Wooster Square.

He’s all smiles as he tosses that pizza up in the air.

He’s all smiles as he’s loving on his wife.

He was likely all smiles when locals found they couldn’t live without a weekly Pepe’s habit satisfied.

We ordered one of the pies this place is known for: a white clam pie, with bacon added for good measure. Winkler loves it, and so do I. For most, this is the best clam pizza New Haven has to offer.

It wasn’t fishy at all, and more salty than anything else. There were all kinds of heart eyes over this one as if Cupid’s arrow struck just right.

Our second pie — yes, we regularly ate two different pizzas over the course of just a few days — was a gorgonzola and mushroom special as a veg option. It also featured a white sauce, and it was delicate and delicious.

When life offers you gorgonzola, you take it.

We didn’t have the red sauce at this stop which may have been a mistake, but the way my taste buds were dancing suggests no mistakes were made.

Note: If you want to be seated right away at Pepe’s or any of the others, arrive early. I’m talking about 4pm. Have a late breakfast or light lunch and make it happen. Lines start to form around 5pm.

2. Sally’s Apizza

Sally’s Apizza was our second stop. This pizza shop has been slinging apizza at 237 Wooster Street, just down the street from Pepe’s, since 1938.

Many a New Haven local has sworn allegiances to one or the other in the battle of Pepe’s vs. Sally’s. Michael Bolton says Sally’s is the best pizza in New Haven.

It’s true.

It’s made all the more amusing when you learn that Sally’s was the brainchild of Frank Pepe’s sister Filomena and her son, Sal Consiglio.

Fun fact: Both eateries claim there’s no animosity, and that any rivalry is good for business for both.

On our visit, we had to try the plain tomato pie at some point, so it happened here. It was simple and delicious. We added garlic for extra flavor and didn’t regret that. It was a flavor bomb.

Our second pie was a pepperoni with anchovies on one side for Brian and a pepperoni with mushrooms on the other for me, pepperonis delicately picked off for Brian. 

Everything tasted great, and the crust was quite similar to what they’re serving up at Pepe’s.

The only drawback was that we were seated outside on a chilly fall afternoon with no heaters. Two little old ladies wandered over to Pepe’s because of it. I mean, we kinda sent them there when they were all, “Where’s the other one?” as we were leaving. 

I’m not going to literally freeze out some kindly old ladies, guys. Again, I have no loyalties here.

The outside seating had us miss out on some of the familial atmosphere we had heard about. We saw what we assumed was one of the owners milling about, but he didn’t stop at our table.

We’d love to come back and eat inside one day and experience some of the ambiance that puts this one above Pepe’s for so many.

3. Modern Apizza

Modern Apizza, at its current location at 874 State Street since 1934, was our last stop.

We arrived around 5pm and had a short wait, cementing the fact that you really should eat like the blue hairs do and get your pizza around 4pm. There was a longish line by the time we finished, but it moved fairly quickly.

The irony here is that everything else you’ll read and see says this is the one with no line. Not true, people. It’s all about when you arrive.

We ordered two pies again, as is our custom, and an order of cheesy garlic bread for some reason. It was delicious but unnecessary and caused our only leftovers of the week.

It wasn’t a bad problem to have the next day.

Brain and I each got our own at this stop. I got the Veggie Bomb, the veg version of their classic Italian Bomb, and he got a pepperoni, sausage, and anchovies concoction. The guy likes hairy fishies.

Mine was chock full of toppings, the reason why I needed a knife and fork for the first bites on each slice. Otherwise, those toppings would slide right off onto the paper plate below.

The pies here didn’t seem as well done as the other two pizza shops, which may be a product of their open flame brick oven. It’s a touch different cooking style than the other two.

The amount of toppings on each of ours was a good time, but it made things floppier. I was able to fold my larger slices, which felt very New York City of me.

These are all minor things. Modern Apizza is still delicious. We’d return to all three.

More Pizza in New Haven

We ran out of pants space after our journey through the top three New Haven-style pizza joints. That doesn’t mean there aren’t others out there, and some are making quite the scene in town.

If you have more time or just want to spend a week eating pizza at every meal, check out the additional highly-rated options I’ve put together for you:

• Bar: Bar has been delighting locals with their mashed potato and bacon pizza since 1996. It’s known as the place where the hipsters go, which isn’t always a bad thing if inventive toppings are involved. Drink and be merry, people.
• Zuppardi’s APizza: This one is technically in West Haven, which is its own Connecticut thing, but it’s on all kinds of best-of lists. Rivaling Pepe’s in longevity, this shop has been open since the 1920s.
• Roseland Pizza: We almost ordered a pie of Roseland Pizza while at Bad Sons Beer Co., a worthwhile stop if you’re in the New Haven area. They have a brick-and-mortar location in Derby, the smallest town in Connecticut.

READ MORE: Lingering in New Haven? Check out my guide to the best things to do in town.

New Haven is famous for pizza for good reason.

Simplicity is key when it comes to New Haven pizza, and I love that about it. The best pizza we ate at New Haven restaurants highlighted the crust and simple ingredients over aggressive toppings that weighed things down.

If you’re able to visit for a slice (or three) of New Haven apizza, you won’t regret it, even if call a pizza city like Chicago home. New Yorkers, I know you’re done with New Haven, too!

Traveling elsewhere in the region? Check these out:

• A Roundup of the Best Day Trips From Boston
• Plan a Trip to the Historic Mansions of Newport
• How to See the Best of Providence, Rhode Island
• Experience the Charm of Portsmouth
• Plan a Fall Trip to Salem, Massachusetts

Love a foodie experience? Read these guides next:

• Finding the Best Breweries in San Diego
• The Cost of The French Laundry: Is It Worth It?
• How to Plan the Best Food Tour in Bologna
• A Guide to the Best of New Orleans
• San Diego Has Polish Food! Here’s Where