OT: Best Pizza in CT

[8893]

The article asks for most underrated outside New Haven, but query what the most underrated in New Haven is.

I’ve mentioned this before, but we hired the pizza truck from Est for our oldest daughter’s high school graduation party five years ago and were really impressed. I was just at another event where they were hired three weeks ago and once again they were great.

Never had their pizza on the premises because, why would you go to maybe the 7th best pizza place in town, when you’ve never heard anything about it?

So that may be one of the most underrated pizza places in New Haven.

 

[Chin Diesel]

What are the top pizza places which haven't been mentioned yet?

 

[ClifSpliffy]

What are the top pizza places which haven't been mentioned yet?

all of them.

 

[huskymedic]

Good question. I think I'd say Olde World.

What is the most underrated pizzeria in Connecticut?

www.ctinsider.com

Votes are in: These are Connecticut’s underrated pizzerias

 

[8893]

Votes are in: These are Connecticut’s underrated pizzerias

View attachment 77251

Interesting.

I didn't make any submissions, but this is how the poll read:

Pepe’s. Sally’s. Modern. Zuppardi's. These spots are inevitably thrown into the discussion when talking about the best pies in the states. However, in the crevices of (arguably) the pizza capitol of the country — whether outside New Haven or not — lie overlooked and underrated pizzerias that are certainly worth the trip.

Think there is a Connecticut pizzeria outside of New Haven that doesn't get enough credit? Let us know.

So I read it to call for pizzerias outside New Haven, but Zeneli and Ernie's are both in New Haven.

It also listed Zuppardi's as one that is not underrated, but consistently ranked among the best in the state.

Roseland is no surprise, nor is Papa's.

I don't know what "Grande Apizza" is. There is Grand Apizza in New Haven, with three others up the shoreline in Guilford, Madison and Clinton; and there is "Apizza Grande" in Deep River, apparently a favorite of @August_West and @ClifSpliffy, but no relation to Grand Apizza.

Anyway, the important thing is that Atticus Market, Olde World and Bufalina are not on the list.

 

[imno1]

I feel Zuppardi's and Roseland are always on a best in CT list so it's hard to underrate either. None the less both are great. I live in Milford and Papa's is my go to here but it's not better than Olde World which should definitely be on the list. I still haven't been to Atticus yet but I have only heard great things.

 

[Chin Diesel]

Wife and I actually went to a Pizza Hut Saturday. We were driving home, happened to see one and hit it on a nostalgic whim.

Boy was I every sorry. Truly is the McDonald's of pizza, you ask me. Worse than Domino's, Little Caesar's and Papa John's and Sbarro......although all of 'em more or less serve a combination of ingredients loosely organized to resemble the wonderful thing we gather here to debate, as opposed to the thing itself.

Never again.

 

[8893]

Anyone ever been to Est Est Est in New Haven? They've been there for as long as I can remember and I must have passed it literally hundreds of times, but never set foot inside. We hired their pizza truck for my daughter's graduation party and it was excellent--totally legit wood-fired, brick oven New Haven pizza. Huge hit. Will definitely be stopping in to the place to see if the pizza there is as good as their truck.

Consistently solid pizza ... been there since early 70's w/ a heavy Yale crowd obviously. Parking can be tough but I've never had bad food there - eggplant parm grinder is a winner as well.

Finally got around to trying their eggplant parm grinder today. Good call, thanks. Glad they sell it in halves; full would have been too big (but I undoubtedly would have eaten it nonetheless).

 

[karstenkibbe]

Finally got around to trying their eggplant parm grinder today. Good call, thanks. Glad they sell it in halves; full would have been too big (but I undoubtedly would have eaten it nonetheless).

Yum. How do they prep the eggplant? I am a sucker for a great eggplant parm grinder, but find that many places in CT cut their eggplant slices too thickly or they don’t bread them - turning the grinder into a sloppy mess (exhibit A: Liuzzi in North Haven). My favorite eggplant parm grinder is at La Bellezza on 49th-Lex/3rd. Nothing in CT comes close. But I’m still on the hunt.

 

[8893]

Yum. How do they prep the eggplant? I am a sucker for a great eggplant parm grinder, but find that many places in CT cut their eggplant slices too thickly or they don’t bread them - turning the grinder into a sloppy mess (exhibit A: Liuzzi in North Haven). My favorite eggplant parm grinder is at La Bellezza on 49th-Lex/3rd. Nothing in CT comes close. But I’m still on the hunt.

I'm also pretty particular about the texture and preparation of eggplant parm. Theirs is breaded and sliced medium, with probably a bit more cheese than I expected, but I'm not complaining. Sauce was nicely sweet; standard enriched, soft white grinder roll, and looks like it was toasted just a touch in the pizza oven to melt the cheese. Very old school pizza joint style; better than Luizzi's. I would give it a B+; my A+ is reserved for one of our friend's eggplant parm, which is her recently-departed mother's recipe. I would definitely have the Est one again though.

My favorite commercial eggplant parm of the moment is from Pasta Vita, which I note now has a Darien location. It's not a grinder but a prepared meal, and it is freaking perfect. We love pretty much everything from them and have been going to their original location in Old Saybrook for almost 25 years, but somehow only recently got around to trying their eggplant parm. It's now a staple that we always have in the freezer. Oh, and their chicken-artichoke lasagna would be in the running for my death row meal.

 

[ClifSpliffy]

Votes are in: These are Connecticut’s underrated pizzerias

View attachment 77252

so, a hokey, invalid poll, where n=398, proclaims
'these are Connecticut's underrated pizzas!'
sure. not.
iffn it ain't, at least, n=1056, im not even looking at it, the little that i ever do look at 'polls.'
polls, meh.
eggplant? old school -Fortuna's Conquering Hero, Bridgeport Connecticut. everybuddy in the Park City has an eggplant parm thing on the menu. u ever been out there in America? it's an eggplant dessert. i think that somewhere between Ct, Rhody, and SE Mass is the eggplant parm holyland.
shoprite's frozen entry at $6.95 for a large amount is righteous, too, but u got to bend down to find it at the bottom of the freezer box.
don't hurt ur back.

 

[storrsroars]

As I type this, at Sally's Stamford just finishing slice of wife's sausage & mushroom. Crust more crackery, less chewy than expected, nice fennel taste on sausage, slice a bit runny. My clam pie leaves me wanting for a Pepe's. Some clams quite chewy. Overall less flavorful, was hoping for more.

Never did get to eat at Sally's in NH, but have been at Pepe's numerous times. Can't help but think Sally's on Wooster must be better, otherwise what's the fuss all about?

But, introduced my wife to Foxon Park after she initially ordered a coke. I enjoyed the birch, she the root beer, which was her favorite part of the meal. She did note that even if I thought the pizza wasn't the best CT or even Stamford could offer, it was better than 99% of Pittsburgh pizza.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

I went to the Stamford Sally's not long after it opened. Once was enough for me and in all candor, I'll drive to NH for Sally's before I'll stop by the Stamford restaurant again (have been to Sally's NH a few times since in fact).

The entire feel of the Stamford location is that it is there solely to ring the register. The (then) brand new brick oven also was lacking the necessary seasoning to turn out a true Sally's pie.

 

[imno1]

As I type this, at Sally's Stamford just finishing slice of wife's sausage & mushroom. Crust more crackery, less chewy than expected, nice fennel taste on sausage, slice a bit runny. My clam pie leaves me wanting for a Pepe's. Some clams quite chewy. Overall less flavorful, was hoping for more.

Never did get to eat at Sally's in NH, but have been at Pepe's numerous times. Can't help but think Sally's on Wooster must be better, otherwise what's the fuss all about?

But, introduced my wife to Foxon Park after she initially ordered a coke. I enjoyed the birch, she the root beer, which was her favorite part of the meal. She did note that even if I thought the pizza wasn't the best CT or even Stamford could offer, it was better than 99% of Pittsburgh pizza.

View attachment 77304

Clam is not really their thing. A great clam pie like one from Zuppardi's doesn't need cheese

 

[superjohn]

As I type this, at Sally's Stamford just finishing slice of wife's sausage & mushroom. Crust more crackery, less chewy than expected, nice fennel taste on sausage, slice a bit runny. My clam pie leaves me wanting for a Pepe's. Some clams quite chewy. Overall less flavorful, was hoping for more.

Never did get to eat at Sally's in NH, but have been at Pepe's numerous times. Can't help but think Sally's on Wooster must be better, otherwise what's the fuss all about?

But, introduced my wife to Foxon Park after she initially ordered a coke. I enjoyed the birch, she the root beer, which was her favorite part of the meal. She did note that even if I thought the pizza wasn't the best CT or even Stamford could offer, it was better than 99% of Pittsburgh pizza.

View attachment 77304

I'm sure it's like the other Pepe's locations, they aren't really anything like the pizza in New Haven. Those don't even look like Sally's pies.

If you're going to New Haven, I would go to Modern or drive over to Zuppardi's.

 

[Hey Adrien!]

What are the top pizza places which haven't been mentioned yet?

Magic 5 Pie Co. in East Norwalk.

In Norwalk, Colony is still our favorite take out pizza, but Magic 5 is our favorite sit down pizza. I have plans for a family gathering in two weeks where seven of the nine people attending will be for the first time...I'm excited to share it with my family.

 

[storrsroars]

I'm sure it's like the other Pepe's locations, they aren't really anything like the pizza in New Haven. Those don't even look like Sally's pies.

If you're going to New Haven, I would go to Modern or drive over to Zuppardi's.

Would love to but based in Danbury for a wedding, NH not on itinerary. Only went to Stamford for family.

That said, if I find myself near a Colony in next 48 hrs...

 

[karstenkibbe]

Would love to but based in Danbury for a wedding, NH not on itinerary. Only went to Stamford for family.

That said, if I find myself near a Colony in next 48 hrs...

Having eaten at the Sally’s in Stamford numerous times, I would say you’re spot on. I describe it as “an enjoyable take” on Sally’s Wooster Street. It’s not the same. It’s better than the satellite Pepe’s locations compare to the original. Which is why I’m not that jazzed about Pepe’s Stamford opening this fall. The pie that comes closest at Stamford Sally’s is the plain sauce pie. It is excellent. Still, when Mario the Baker is having a good night, or even Belltown Pizza, I’d rather have their rendition of a New York slice.

I do suggest that if you head back through Stamford on your way home, instead of taking 84 west into NY state, they you stop on Myrtle Ave. It really is the same Colony of the 70s. Same great bar pie - an admittedly acquired taste.

 

[karstenkibbe]

so, a hokey, invalid poll, where n=398, proclaims
'these are Connecticut's underrated pizzas!'
sure. not.
iffn it ain't, at least, n=1056, im not even looking at it, the little that i ever do look at 'polls.'
polls, meh.
eggplant? old school -Fortuna's Conquering Hero, Bridgeport Connecticut. everybuddy in the Park City has an eggplant parm thing on the menu. u ever been out there in America? it's an eggplant dessert. i think that somewhere between Ct, Rhody, and SE Mass is the eggplant parm holyland.
shoprite's frozen entry at $6.95 for a large amount is righteous, too, but u got to bend down to find it at the bottom of the freezer box.
don't hurt ur back.

I think you’re in the ballpark geographically. I’ve been to many, many cities across the U.S. thanks to my occupation. I have never had even decent eggplant parmigiana between Scranton, PA and the Pacific Ocean.

 

[Hey Adrien!]

Having eaten at the Sally’s in Stamford numerous times, I would say you’re spot on. I describe it as “an enjoyable take” on Sally’s Wooster Street. It’s not the same. It’s better than the satellite Pepe’s locations compare to the original. Which is why I’m not that jazzed about Pepe’s Stamford opening this fall. The pie that comes closest at Stamford Sally’s is the plain sauce pie. It is excellent. Still, when Mario the Baker is having a good night, or even Belltown Pizza, I’d rather have their rendition of a New York slice.

I do suggest that if you head back through Stamford on your way home, instead of taking 84 west into NY state, they you stop on Myrtle Ave. It really is the same Colony of the 70s. Same great bar pie - an admittedly acquired taste.

So much good pizza in Stamford.

Mario the Baker was my favorite as a kid and when I was in my early 20s, my older sister had a house right off High Ridge, just south of Mario. Whenever I dog sat, I would get a small meatball pie and a quart of pasta fagioli and just eat my way to bliss, passing out on the couch...sounds miserable now, but it was a great way to spend my early 20s as a refuge away from my mom's house while I was paying off my college loans.

 

[superjohn]

Yum. How do they prep the eggplant? I am a sucker for a great eggplant parm grinder, but find that many places in CT cut their eggplant slices too thickly or they don’t bread them - turning the grinder into a sloppy mess (exhibit A: Liuzzi in North Haven). My favorite eggplant parm grinder is at La Bellezza on 49th-Lex/3rd. Nothing in CT comes close. But I’m still on the hunt.

I love chicken parm, eggplant parm, and veal parm grinders but my I think my favorite for eggplant is breaded and lightly fried thin sliced eggplant, artichoke, roasted red peppers, fresh mozzarella with balsamic vinegar and oil on a bastone. Sometimes add a couple slices of prosciutto. Used to make this for myself at a deli back in the day and it's killer.

 

[superjohn]

I think you’re in the ballpark geographically. I’ve been to many, many cities across the U.S. thanks to my occupation. I have never had even decent eggplant parmigiana between Scranton, PA and the Pacific Ocean.

You can get a solid eggplant parm sammie in Chicago but it seems to pretty much be a veal parm wasteland. I hardly ever see veal on any Italian menus out here. I would put the Chicago breaded steak sandwich up against any parm sandwiches anywhere though.

 

[karstenkibbe]

You can get a solid eggplant parm sammie in Chicago but it seems to pretty much be a veal parm wasteland. I hardly ever see veal on any Italian menus out here. I would put the Chicago breaded steak sandwich up against any parm sandwiches anywhere though.

I need to give Chicago another chance. I lived there in 95-96, a year of an epically harsh winter and an historically hot summer that killed hundreds of elderly Chicagoans. I lucked into an awesome high rise sublet on Lake Shore & Diversey across from the golf range. But I wasn’t prepared for the pizza scene of the mid-90s. Deep dish pizza that gave my Ashkenazi Jewish stomach gastro nightmares, St. Louis style mini squares with weird cheese was scary. There was a place around the 2600 block of Clark that was a decent take on a NY slice. I know the pizza scene has changed dramatically for the better since then. But on my dozens of trips back to Chicago in the last 25 years, I never tried pizza (or subs). I probably should.

 

[superjohn]

I need to give Chicago another chance. I lived there in 95-96, a year of an epically harsh winter and an historically hot summer that killed hundreds of elderly Chicagoans. I lucked into an awesome high rise sublet on Lake Shore & Diversey across from the golf range. But I wasn’t prepared for the pizza scene of the mid-90s. Deep dish pizza that gave my Ashkenazi Jewish stomach gastro nightmares, St. Louis style mini squares with weird cheese was scary. There was a place around the 2600 block of Clark that was a decent take on a NY slice. I know the pizza scene has changed dramatically for the better since then. But on my dozens of trips back to Chicago in the last 25 years, I never tried pizza (or subs). I probably should.

There's a couple places that do thin crust well but honestly just a couple, at least for me. I really don't like the Chicago thin crust style (cracker thin) you explained it well. Most Chicagoans claim that's the real Chicago pizza. I've actually grown to really like deep dish. I hardly ever have it but really enjoy it when I do....

As for sandwiches CT. does Italian grinders better, NYC does Jewish delis better, and Philly is the sandwich capital but the breaded steak sandwich and the Italian beef are great sandwiches.

Man, you picked the worst time to live out here. That summer heat wave is a major national tragedy not many outside this area seem to know about.

 

[storrsroars]

I do suggest that if you head back through Stamford on your way home, instead of taking 84 west into NY state, they you stop on Myrtle Ave. It really is the same Colony of the 70s. Same great bar pie - an admittedly acquired taste.

The salt in the wound from yesterday was that my wife - who ridicules Colony as "Easy Bake Oven Chef Boyardee pizza" - was willing to go to Colony for my sake. But I insisted I had to try Sally's.

Another trip to Stamford is out. But I saw they had a Port Chester location, which was an outside possibility if I dropped down 684 and they had a "breakfast pizza", so I thought maybe they'd be open early. Nope, still 11:30a, too late for us as we'll be on the road early.

Anyway, downtown looks great these days. But damn, driving up Hope St. through Glenbrook & Springdale... lots of new businesses but such gaudy signage, and it seems tons of trees were removed, making the whole ride look like the main drag in East Newark. Lost any New England charm it used to have.