The best pizza in New Haven is one of the most hotly debated food topics in the country.

New Haven, Connecticut may be best known for Yale University, but it’s also famous for its coal-fired “apizza”—a style that has put this small city on the national pizza map.

As a New Haven  local, I’ve eaten New Haven pizza too many times to count, and Modern is our family’s usual go-to. But when we compared four famous spots in a blind taste test, I was the holdout for Pepe’s. Modern won the family vote; Pepe’s won mine. I’m also including Da Legna, which I’ve visited many times, for its more unusual toppings.

To settle the debate for ourselves, we ate at five of the most famous New Haven pizza spots over five nights and finished with a blind taste test to crown a winner.

New Yorkers scoffed, and so did Rhode Islanders, but everyone else streamed into the state to find out what we in Connecticut have known for a long time. There is something special about New Haven-style “apizza.” Another favorite New Haven pizza place was ranked in the top ten (Modern Pizza), and other New Haven pizza joints were ranked in the top 20.

When you think about the top pizza places in the US, you probably don’t think of tiny CT, but this should quickly change your mind.

Now everyone knows about the secret about the best pizza in New Haven, but what is the best pizza is the best in New Haven?

History of Pizza in New Haven

The pizza tradition in New Haven began when Italian immigrants first flocked to this part of the state in the early 1900s. The immigrants were primarily from Naples and began making “apizza” similar to what they had in Italy.  This pizza’s long fermentation gives the crust more flavor and spring.

In New Haven, you’ll often see pizza called “apizza,” pronounced roughly “ah-BEETZ.” The name comes from the Neapolitan expression for “the pizza,” carried here by Italian immigrants. It’s part of the city’s pizza tradition, along with the thin crust, char, and sauce-forward pies.

Frank Pepe’s was ground zero for pizza in New Haven when it opened in 1925. They cooked their pizza in coal-fired ovens and allowed the crust to get a char to add more flavor to the crust.

Pepe’s pizzas were served with tomato sauce with only a sprinkling of parmesan.  They were topped with “mootz” or mozzarella cheese very sparingly (If they were topped at all!)

Pepe’s, Sally’s, and Modern are often called New Haven’s “big three.” Pepe’s opened in 1925, Modern traces its beginnings to 1934, and Sally’s opened in 1938. They share a tradition of thin-crust apizza, but they don’t all use the same fuel: Pepe’s and Sally’s use coal-fired ovens, while Modern uses an oil-fired oven.

Most appiza places are on Wooster Street or nearby, so if you are looking for good pizza, head there, and you won’t be disappointed.

 

What Make New Haven Pizza Unique

New Haven apizza is rooted in Neapolitan pizza traditions, but it has developed a character of its own. The crust is thin, with a chewy interior, crisp spots, and plenty of char. That char is part of the flavor, although how much you get varies from one pizza place to another.

Toppings are generally kept simple, giving the crust and tomato sauce room to shine. The sauce is often the star, especially on a tomato pie, where mozzarella isn’t covering it up.

Those details are what make comparing New Haven pizzas so much fun. Even with similar ingredients, the chew of the crust, the amount of char, and the flavor of the tomatoes can make each place taste very different.

 

How We Compared New Haven’s Pizza

We compared four of New Haven’s best-known pizza places: Frank Pepe’s, Modern Apizza, Sally’s Apizza, and BAR. At each, we ordered a tomato pie and a specialty pizza so we could compare the basics and try something the restaurant was known for. We also ordered Foxon Park white birch beer, because that’s part of the experience for us.

We took notes on the crust, sauce, toppings, and our overall impressions. Then we brought home tomato pies from all four places and tasted them with our eyes closed.

Modern won the family vote, but I preferred Pepe’s. These are our personal preferences, and the detailed reviews below explain what we liked at each place.

I’m also including Da Legna, where I’ve eaten many times. It wasn’t part of this blind taste test, but it’s another place I enjoy and recommend.

We took copious notes at each location, quite a few pictures, and noted the prices of birch beer at each as a way to differentiate prices. (The sizes were not comparable at each place, and a liter of birch beer is a liter of birch beer, so it seemed like the best price comparison.)

On the 6th night, I ordered tomato pies from all our top contenders, and we fed each other the different choices while our eyes were closed, thus a blind taste test to pick our winner. The top 2 were far and far better than any others, but one came out victorious. Read on to find out which one.

Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana

Best for: Classic New Haven apizza and white clam pizza

Pepe’s is famous for being the oldest apizza spot in New Haven. They also began the pizza empire with relatives breaking off to start Modern. Pepe’s is famous for its white clam pizza.

We ordered a tomato pie, a white clam pizza, and a pepperoni pizza. If you visit during the summer, the fresh tomato pizza is heavenly.

• The tomato pie tasted like fresh tomato unadorned by anything other than olive oil. The sauce is chunkier than other tomato pies we had, but there was less of it on the pizza. The pie has a very thin crust with less chew than either Sally’s or Modern. But the crust has the best flavor of the bunch.  The fermentation of the crust leads to a tangy and delicious crust. The edges are subtly charred.
• The clam pizza is a must if you are a seafood lover. Garlic, parmesan, and tender clams are tossed across the surface of the pizza, and olive oil completes the symphony. It is pure bliss.
• We had the longest wait at Pepe’s (40 minutes) on Thursday night at 6:30 pm.

Modern Apizza

Best for: Overall balance of crust, sauce, and consistency

Modern Apizza dates to 1934 and cooks its pizza in an oil-fired brick oven. It’s generally our go-to when we eat pizza in New Haven—we love how it tastes, and the location is convenient for us.

I will say that Modern is generally our go-to when we eat pizza in New Haven. It is the closest to home, and we love how it tastes.

Modern is known for its Italian Bomb pizza, which features bacon, sausage, pepperoni, onion, pepper, garlic, and mozzarella.

Here are our findings:

• The Italian bomb is spicy and vinegary and overloaded with toppings, making it hard to eat without a fork.
• The tomato pie at Modern has quite a bit of parmesan, which makes it very rich.
• The crust has a nice chew with a very subtle crunch and is almost pillowy as it nears the crust. The char on the edge gives a bitter note that pairs well with the rest of the pizza. The crust is the thickest of all the crusts at the edge of the pizza.
• The sauce features a smooth mouthfeel with a very tomato-forward taste. It is well-seasoned and not too salty.
• Modern also wins for fastest service! You order as soon as you sit down and within 10 minutes, you have your pizza.

On-site parking is often full, but they do have it. Our wait time was 15 minutes on a Tuesday night. Street parking is relatively easy to find on weeknights.

Sally’s Apizza

Best for: Purists who love charred crust and bold tomato flavor

Sally’s is known for their tomato pie; its devoted fans say it is the best in New Haven. Sally’s was established in 1938 by Salvatore Consiglio, the nephew of Frank Pepe. The Consiglio family ran it until 2017, when it was sold to new owners. The exact recipe is still being used today and the same equipment.

We got a tomato pie and a pepperoni pizza.

• We found the tomato pie to have a much more acidic sauce than other places, but they were more generous with the tomato sauce. The sauce was pretty plain and had little seasoning other than salt.
• The crust has a much darker char than anywhere else, making for messy eating. (We went through a ton of napkins!) The crust is less chewy and more crunchy and is not our favorite crust of the bunch.
  

  photo credit: Travels With The Crew

   

• Sally’s is for the purist as their pizzas are built on the foundation of a few ingredients and letting their sauce and crust shine.
• Our wait time on a Wednesday night was 5 minutes.

 

BAR

Best for: Creative toppings and a lively atmosphere

Bar opened in 1991, making it the youngest of the competitors for the best pizza in New Haven. Bar is known for its beer on tap and its nightlife, and its pizza.

Bar is known for its mashed potato pizza.

We ordered a mashed potato pizza and a classic tomato pie.

• Bar has the thinnest crust of all the pizzas we tried. There is not a lot of chew to the crust, nor is it very strong. I found it hard to eat the mashed potato pizza with my hands and had to resort to using a fork..
• The tomato pie is not what you want to order here. The sauce was very bland and needed salt. Instead, order the mashed potato and bacon pizza. It is yummy and different. The crust becomes a kind of an afterthought, and the salt from the bacon rounds out this unusual pizza.
• In the summer Bar makes one of our favorite’s a lobster roll pizza. Its pricey, limited time, and so good.
• Our wait time on a Tuesday night was 30 minutes.

Da Legna: For Unusual Toppings

Da Legna is very different from the other pizza places on this list. The crust is similar, but instead of sticking with the same topping combinations, they offer so many unusual choices that it’s honestly hard to pick a favorite.

I’ve eaten here many times, and the Pecora is one I love. But part of the fun of Da Legna is trying something different rather than ordering your usual pizza.

It’s not far down the road from Modern, and in my experience, it doesn’t always have a line out the door. That makes it a great option when you want good pizza but don’t want to spend as much time waiting. You may still encounter a wait, but it’s worth considering when the better-known spots are busy.

Why Modern Won Our Family’s Blind Taste Test

When we tasted the tomato pies with our eyes closed, most of our tasters preferred Modern’s puffier crust and smoother sauce. It’s already our usual go-to, so the result gave us another reason to keep returning.

I was the holdout for Pepe’s. I loved its chunkier tomato sauce and the richness of the olive oil. To me, it tasted more flavorful.

That’s why I wouldn’t tell everyone to order the same pizza. Modern won our family vote, but Pepe’s won mine. Read the tasting notes above and choose the place that sounds best to you—or try more than one and settle your own family debate.

Other Pizza Places Worth Trying in New Haven

Abate

Abate is another option when you’re on Wooster Street and don’t want to wait in the longer lines at its famous neighbors.

Zeneli

Zeneli on Wooster Street serves Neapolitan-style pizza with a soft pillowy crust ,but its a different experience from traditional New Haven apizza. I’ve eaten here and thought it was very good. When I want something different, it’s a great spot.

Tips for Visiting New Haven’s Pizza Places

Go at an off-peak time if you can. We’ve generally had better luck at lunch or earlier in the evening on weekdays. You can still encounter a line, so leave yourself time rather than expecting to sit down immediately.

Treat our wait times as examples. The waits mentioned in our reviews are what we experienced on those visits. They can vary considerably depending on the day and time.

Consider takeout if you don’t want to wait for a table. Check the restaurant’s current ordering options and pickup estimate. Takeout can save you a dining-room wait, but it doesn’t necessarily mean your pizza will be ready immediately.

Choose your pizza before you go. Try Pepe’s white clam pizza if you love seafood, BAR’s mashed potato and bacon pizza for something different, or a tomato pie if you want to focus on the crust and sauce.

Have another option in mind. Da Legna is one of my alternatives when I want excellent pizza without the line I sometimes find at the more famous spots.

Learn More About New Haven Pizza

Watch Pizza, a Love Story

If you want to understand why people feel so strongly about New Haven pizza, watch Pizza, a Love Story. The documentary explores Pepe’s, Sally’s, and Modern, connecting the restaurants to the city’s Italian-American history and the people who love them.

New Haven pizza historian Colin Caplan, who has shared some of that history with me, is one of the film’s producers. It’s a good way to get some background before visiting—or continue your pizza exploration afterward.

Take a New Haven Pizza Tour

Colin also founded Taste of New Haven, which offers pizza tours combining tastings with local history. A tour gives you a chance to try several pizzas without organizing every stop yourself.

Colin personally guides select tours. If you specifically want to tour with him, confirm who is leading your departure before booking. Check the current itinerary, too, since restaurant stops and tour options can change.

FAQ about New Haven Pizza

What is the best pizza in New Haven?

Modern won our family’s blind tomato-pie taste test, but I preferred Pepe’s. Modern is our usual go-to, while Pepe’s tomato pie and white clam pizza are personal favorites. The best choice depends on the crust, sauce, and toppings you enjoy.

Which New Haven pizza should I try first?

For a classic introduction, start with Pepe’s, Sally’s, or Modern. A tomato pie lets you focus on the crust and sauce. If you want a specialty pizza, I love Pepe’s white clam pizza, while BAR’s mashed potato and bacon pizza offers something different.

What is a New Haven tomato pie?

In this article, “tomato pie” means a pizza topped with tomato sauce and grated cheese, without mozzarella. It was the pizza we used for our blind comparison. Check each restaurant’s menu carefully rather than assuming a tomato pie includes mozzarella.

Do I need to visit all the famous pizza places?

No. Choose the one that sounds best to you, especially if you only have time for one meal. If you want to compare several, share pies with your group or consider a pizza tour. You don’t need to turn lunch into a competition—although our family certainly enjoyed doing that!

Why is New Haven pizza so famous?

New Haven pizza is known for its coal-fired ovens, thin crust, and charred edges, a style brought by Italian immigrants in the early 1900s.

Is New Haven pizza better than New York pizza?

Many pizza lovers say yes, especially if you like thin, crispy crust with smoky char rather than foldable slices.

Where is the best pizza street in New Haven?

Wooster Street is home to several legendary pizza spots, including Pepe’s and Sally’s.

 

Which New Haven Pizza Will Be Your Favorite?

As a New Haven local, I’m lucky that I don’t have to choose just one. Modern is our family’s usual go-to and won our blind taste test, but I still reach for Pepe’s when I’m choosing dinner. When I want unusual toppings, Da Legna is another favorite.

Start with the place—and the pizza—that sounds best to you. Our taste test proved that even people in the same family don’t always agree, and that’s part of the fun. Try a few, find your favorite, and you’ll have your own opinion to bring to New Haven’s never-ending pizza debate.

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