Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana

Legendary clam pizza Mecca.

by Josh Ozersky

Some say it's the best pizzeria in the country; others say it's not even the best in New Haven, but no one doubts that this clam pie is worth driving miles for.

07/04/09

Don't Go Out Of Your Way

by al121

This is not fresh mozzarella and San Marzano tomatoes. This is a neighborhood pizza charred up in a brick oven. If you've had Lombardi's you'll be very disappointed. If you're not spoiled already it's a decent pie, but don't go out of your way for it.

• Pros: brick oven
• Cons: cheap cheese and tomatos

09/24/08

Maybe the Best in New Haven but not the USA

by timmikols

Went there on a Sunday afternoon in the fall and the place was packed, we were lucky to get a parking place on the street. Over a hour and a half wait so we went next door to "The Spot". The same pizza we were told just not the ambiance of the original restaurant. Pizza was very tasty and large. A oval shaped pie that was cut into irregular shaped slices. The crust was very thin and very crispy, alittle burnt on the edges. The sauce was more a plain tomato sauce than a pizza sauce, not spicy enough for my taste. The cheese was ample but the topping were weak in supply. I've had pizza all over the country and this was good, just not the best which I've had in Philadelphia.

• Pros: Food, Liquor License
• Cons: Parking, Waiting too long for a table

09/15/08

Outstanding pizza

by nothappyeck

I have had pizza all over the U.S. and around the world. This is without a doubt one of the best pizza experiences of my life. My daughter goes to school in R.I. and my son in Conn. I look forward to making the trip now that I have discovered this place. If you enjoy good pizza, you must try this place. It's not far off I 95 and worth the effort. Just writing this makes me want to jump in the car and get a Frank Pepes Pizza.

• Pros: great pie
• Cons: long lines and parking problems

09/11/08

Outstanding Pizza

by TWizard

Connecticut has the best Pizza and Pepe's in New Haven is right up there, if not at the top. Get there early, or expect to wait for a while in line- for a while. Over an hour at times, but the line is more manageable than Sallys. The crust and sauce are great. Certain times the pizza tastes better than others, tough to explain but always great. I've heard enough about New York pizza- the "City" better have at least 3 or 4 good places for a pie or a slice when there's over 6 million people living there! That being said, Pepe's in New Haven is great, to avoid the line in the summer time its great to go with a buddy after work, order ahead for takeout, cut through the line, grab a few beers at the liquor store on the corner, and eat the pizza in the park with a few cold ones.

• Pros: delicious pizza, simple menu, historic
• Cons: long line, seats near door can be extremely drafty in the winter with the door opening so much

07/15/08

Best Pepperoni

by yankeegirl46

I love Pepe's SO much that while dating my boyfriend, now husband, prposed to me there!!! This pizza is amazing. It is my fav of ALL the New Haven County pizza restaurants!!! Your next visit to New Haven, DON'T miss it!!!!

• Pros: Everything!

01/20/08

Best Anywhere!

by milo65

Pepe's is better than any pizza anywhere. New Haven style pizza is extra thin and black on the bottom. Different than New York style pizza and of course Chicago style. I've tried pizza all around the U.S. Nothing compares to Pepe's

• Pros: Best Pie Anywhere
• Cons: Parking, Long Line

11/10/07

If you like soggy pizza...

by foody1977

I don't get what they hype is. People said it's what put New Haven on the map. Personally, I don't like my pizza crust to be soggy and thin. I like a good thick crust that can withstand all of my toppings and not flop when I try to put it into my mouth. Although, it's the first pizza restaurant I've been to for a long time that offers anchovies...mmm salty.

• Pros: anchovies, ambience
• Cons: soggy pizza

07/23/07

Major Letdown

by joeyvigg

As a die hard New Yorker and pizza lover, I must say I have tried them all. From The Bronx, Westchester, Manhattan, Queens, Brooklyn, LI, Staten Island and NJ, I have had the best. Over the years I have encountered many annoying New England nats that claimed that ?New Haven Pizza? was the best. So today, I decided it was a beautiful day and that I would make the hour and a half plus trip to New Haven with some buddies to see what all the fuss was about.

All I can say is WOW?and not in a good way. Talk about OVERRATED. We heard the horror stories about the parking and service (but for great pizza, none of that really matters). I must say, the parking lot attendant was one of the nicer parts to our experience- great guy. We sat ourselves at the neighboring annex ?The Spot?. When we asked the lot attendant what the difference was between the two, he said ?100 feet; the length of the driveway?. He may have been right, but the real answer should have been the difference in the pizza is 100 miles?FROM NEW YORK.

We ordered our pies and calmly waited hungrily. We ordered three different pies ? the ?famous? white clam pie, a regular, and one with sausage. I took my first bite, and my first thought was, ?EHHHHH?. It was OK. I looked at my buddies, and they had the EHHHH face too. You know the face; the one that says, this is ?ok?, but not worth the drive ok.

The crust was ok, probably a little too well done, the cheese was nonexistent and the sauce was bland. The clams were definitely out of a can, and if they weren?t they really seemed it.

I was looking around at all of the other patrons to see if they had the same bitter beer faces we all did. They didn?t. They were really enjoying themselves! Then it dawned on me. People from Connecticut and New England don?t know any better. To put it in the words of a California transplant in my group, ?I have had better pizza in California.? OUCH, enough said.

07/22/07

What a letdown...

by joeymast

As a die hard New Yorker and pizza lover, I must say I have tried them all. From The Bronx, Westchester, Manhattan, Queens, Brooklyn, LI, Staten Island and NJ, I have had the best. Over the years I have encountered many annoying New England nats that claimed that ?New Haven Pizza? was the best. Quite a bold statement and one that I wasn?t buying. So today, I decided it was a beautiful day and that I would make the hour and a half plus trip to New Haven with some buddies to see what all the fuss was about.

All I can say is WOW?and not in a good way. We sat ourselves at the neighboring annex ?The Spot?. When we asked the lot attendant what the difference was between the two, he said ?100 feet; the length of the driveway?. He may have been right, but the real answer should have been the difference in the pizza is 100 miles?FROM NEW YORK.

We ordered our pies and calmly waited hungrily. At this point we were definitely excited to try this. We ordered three different pies ? the ?famous? white clam pie, a regular, and one with sausage. I took my first bite, and my first thought was, ?EHHHHH?. It was OK. I looked at my buddies, and they had the EHHHH face too. You know the face; the one that says, this is ?ok?, but not worth the drive ok.

The crust was ok, probably a little too well done, the cheese was nonexistent and the sauce was bland. The clams were definitely out of a can, and if they weren?t they really seemed it.

I was looking around at all of the other patrons to see if they had the same "bitter beer faces" we all did. They didn?t. They were really enjoying themselves! Then it dawned on me. People from Connecticut and New England don?t know any better. Connecticut has always existed in a severe identity crisis. They either want to be from New York or Boston. To put it in the words of a California transplant in my group, ?I have had better pizza in California.? OUCH, enough said.

• Pros: The parking lot attendant, clean facilities
• Cons: The Pizza