OT: Best Pizza in CT

[karstenkibbe]

Always thought this thread more or less handled wood-fired Neapolitan as a separate thing. It's pretty much the one major pizza style where CT does not dominate.

That said, looks fantastic.

No offense to that Neapolitan pie… but my eye keeps getting drawn to that lager - maybe a pils - with the perfect lacing around the glass.

 

[Deepster]

View attachment 99951
Benchmarking…. Not in CT. Buffalo mozzarella, spicy salami, and red onion.

Too doughy and not enough Mozz.

 

[Zissou]

Too doughy and not enough Mozz.

As Neapolitan is the father to both NY and New Haven…. I’d say the amount of fresh Buffalo mozz was just right. Not enough for a NY pie, but NY pies don’t use fresh mozz. For New Haven style some would say any mozz is too much. Too much fresh mozz makes a pie too wet.

This pie made me think of apizza roots. Some char on the crust. It was still a fork and knife Neapolitan though. Wood fired flavor.

 

[Zissou]

Also, on the “too doughy”, I think of Neapolitan now from an apizza perspective. Apizza has the crunchy and chewy signature texture. A Neapolitan like this one has a crunchy oversized edge crust that is charred, and a doughy soft center that must be cut with a knife and fork. The oversized crunchy edge provides enough to ratio with the center so you can get both in every fork bite. Just a great pie.

 

[Kolumbo]

Great pizza in Middletown

MONDO

www.mondomiddletown.com

Mondo Restaurant | Middletown CT

Mondo Restaurant, Middletown, Connecticut. 6,136 likes · 139 talking about this · 14,264 were here. 10 Main St. Middletown, CT 860.343.3300

www.facebook.com

 

[formerlurker]

Newtown has a very vibrant culinary community and this may be the best pizza in Connecticut right now.

Get there an hour before open

Good Old Days Pizzeria & Cocktail Den

www.goodolddayspizza.com

 

[jpeakin]

Don't think it's been discussed here...anyone ever been to One6Three in New Haven. Eclectic menu and but it looks pretty good

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

Don't think it's been discussed here...anyone ever been to One6Three in New Haven. Eclectic menu and but it looks pretty good

It's been one of the least mentioned worthy options.

Initially, it captured favor with those further north on the Whitney-Orange corridor, a more convenient local choice than DaLegna (now NoLa, right?), Next Door, and, of course, Modern. It also, I believe, developed a following from those who got deliveries to East Rock Brewing. I'm out of date regarding how the pandemic has shifted things, and now moved out of state, but I was an early visitor, and the folks were friendly, the pies were creative, and I always enjoyed it. Atticus has also added to the choices as one get closer to East Rock Park.

I'd enjoy hearing an update if you do visit.

My earliest memories included swapping slices with other diners, just because it was on a more intimate scale and lent itself toward people being curious about what other people were having. Also, it was fun to write lovers' initials on the cut hardwood that formed one wall, and not so fun after the relationship ended sadly. A nice, low-key neighborhood place on lesser-traveled Foster Street that also captured upper State Street folks, and, like Next Door, an outgrowth from a family pizza truck business, so adept at smaller, quickly-cooked pies from a smaller-scale oven.

Another one from that same period was ReBar in West Haven, which did great pies out of a bee hive, and I think has pulled through the pandemic.

 

[CTFAN4LIFE]

Last night went to Hartford Pizza Garden on Farmington Avenue in the west end of Hartford; next to Tisane/across the street from Tangiers Market. They opened a few weeks ago and are doing New Haven style and Detroit style as well as Grandma style. Awesome Shephard's Pie. Our group also did the Fig/Goat cheese and loved it as well. People raving about the eggplant as a topping (it's not a signature pie but they told us they'll soon make eggplant grinders with it, too). Definitely worth stopping in or doing takeout.

 

[Kolumbo]

Dave Portnoy was in Middletown today visiting Mondo Restaurant and Sicily Coal Fired Pizza

 

[AidanFan20]

I've only been back East a couple times, both to my best friend's place in Poughkeepsie. Knowing that I was a HUGE pizza nut, she arranged a Hudson Valley Pizza Tour for me... We had slices at five or six places. most NY style. Loved 'em all!

But the best one was actually a Detroit style pie, at a place called Hudson & Packard, right in the middle of Poughkeepsie.

Out here in NorCal, I don't think there are any really good NY style pizzas, but there some decent ones... For me, Chicago style is the best. Zachary's, a four-store chain in the East Bay is the bomb diggity! (Okay, I'm sure that's already an old phrase... and get off my lawn...)

There is supposedly a "California style", but I just call that fast-food pizza... like Chuck E. Cheese or Straw Hat. Still better than a hamburger in my book, but I can find better almost all the time.

I've been to Davenport, IA for their great traditional-jazz festival, and while there, had a couple other Chicago-style pies, one just over the river to Illinois, the other at Giordano's, a fairly large chain based in Chicago that makes a GREAT Chicago pie! Zachary's compares very closely to both of those places. BTW, if you've ever tried the chain "Old Chicago", that's a pretty good pie but not really Chicago style, no matter what they say.

The Davenport area also has its own style, Quad-cities style... do NOT try that! EEEEEEEEyuck!

If I ever actually make it to Connecticut, I'll refer myself to this thread.

 

[Conndog]

Always thought this thread more or less handled wood-fired Neapolitan as a separate thing. It's pretty much the one major pizza style where CT does not dominate.

That said, looks fantastic.

Too much crust!

 

[Huskybass]

I've now been to over 100 pizza places in CT. I love to see how they stack up relative to one another. Some recent great ones include Roseland mozz w garlic, Mangia New Haven Plain w Garlic and Milestone in Thomaston for a couple lunch slices.

 

[I Bleed Blue]

Dave Portnoy was in Middletown today visiting Mondo Restaurant and Sicily Coal Fired Pizza

I have feeling he’s going to like both! Prediction…

Mondo’s 8.1
Sicily 8.3 (New Haven Style which Dave loves)

Plus a little compliment on Siciliy’s set up and Main Street as a whole.

 

[speckle]

I've only been back East a couple times, both to my best friend's place in Poughkeepsie. Knowing that I was a HUGE pizza nut, she arranged a Hudson Valley Pizza Tour for me... We had slices at five or six places. most NY style. Loved 'em all!

But the best one was actually a Detroit style pie, at a place called Hudson & Packard, right in the middle of Poughkeepsie.

Out here in NorCal, I don't think there are any really good NY style pizzas, but there some decent ones... For me, Chicago style is the best. Zachary's, a four-store chain in the East Bay is the bomb diggity! (Okay, I'm sure that's already an old phrase... and get off my lawn...)

There is supposedly a "California style", but I just call that fast-food pizza... like Chuck E. Cheese or Straw Hat. Still better than a hamburger in my book, but I can find better almost all the time.

I've been to Davenport, IA for their great traditional-jazz festival, and while there, had a couple other Chicago-style pies, one just over the river to Illinois, the other at Giordano's, a fairly large chain based in Chicago that makes a GREAT Chicago pie! Zachary's compares very closely to both of those places. BTW, if you've ever tried the chain "Old Chicago", that's a pretty good pie but not really Chicago style, no matter what they say.

The Davenport area also has its own style, Quad-cities style... do NOT try that! EEEEEEEEyuck!

If I ever actually make it to Connecticut, I'll refer myself to this thread.

Please be careful mentioning Chuck E. Cheese on a CT pizza board. You seem like a very nice person, be a shame if something bad were to happen to you.

 

[AidanFan20]

Please be careful mentioning Chuck E. Cheese on a CT pizza board. You seem like a very nice person, be a shame if something bad were to happen to you.

Only pizza worse than the above brand is Little Ceasar's regular round pies.

However, Lil C's Deep Deep Dish is pretty decent. Hard to believe they are made in the same kitchen as the round crappy ones...

But actually, I have had even worse pizza, both one-store independent places.

First one, the ex and I went to a concours car show in Napa, out in the sun all day... Went to find a pizza place in Napa... Wine country and all that, the pizza should be good right???? Probably so, but not at the place we selected. They had the sheer AUDACITY to call themselves "New York West Pizzeria"... Well, everything on the pie was awful. I think they used manhole covers for the crust, and the rest wasn't much better... We were STARVING, so we forced down a slice apiece to hold ourselves over, left 90% of the pie sitting there, and left for another place, which fortunately had much better pizza. That parlor is long since gone. Good riddance...

2nd one... Went up to Seattle for a relative's wedding... long wedding, followed by a reception with a little bit of finger food and that's it.
We were starving, ordered from a place called Acropolis Pizza (That should have been our first warning, a Greek name...) I think the cheese they use is Brie? Either that, or it was raw sewage... Absolutely inedible. I should have noticed the smell before I paid the driver... If I had, I would not have accepted the pizza and told the driver to take a hike. We then jumped in the car and found some other spot... That pizza was lousy, too... but nowhere CLOSE to as bad as that crapola from Acropolis. We were like, "Hey does anyone have a clue how to make a pizza up here?"

Okay, enough horror stories...

 

[CONN78SEJ]

No question Modern makes the best pie.

Pepes quality declined once it started to expand.

Nowadays of the big three, Modern definitely makes the best pie. Although my favorite will always be Zupp’s in West Haven, my wife and I love ordering there and then heading to the beach, weather permitting, which is right down the road. Heading to Pepe’s in Fairfield this Saturday, I’ll have a review.

 

[CTBasketball]

I have feeling he’s going to like both! Prediction…

Mondo’s 8.1
Sicily 8.3 (New Haven Style which Dave loves)

Plus a little compliment on Siciliy’s set up and Main Street as a whole.

Sicily sucks IMO.

 

[Deepster]

Sicily sucks IMO.

I think the restaurant is very good, the pizza isn't anything to write home about though.

 

[boog204]

I think the restaurant is very good, the pizza isn't anything to write home about though.

I gig there from time to time and the food looks (and smells) absolutely delicious...

 

[Fishy]

I've only been back East a couple times, both to my best friend's place in Poughkeepsie. Knowing that I was a HUGE pizza nut, she arranged a Hudson Valley Pizza Tour for me... We had slices at five or six places. most NY style. Loved 'em all!

But the best one was actually a Detroit style pie, at a place called Hudson & Packard, right in the middle of Poughkeepsie.

Out here in NorCal, I don't think there are any really good NY style pizzas, but there some decent ones... For me, Chicago style is the best. Zachary's, a four-store chain in the East Bay is the bomb diggity! (Okay, I'm sure that's already an old phrase... and get off my lawn...)

There is supposedly a "California style", but I just call that fast-food pizza... like Chuck E. Cheese or Straw Hat. Still better than a hamburger in my book, but I can find better almost all the time.

I've been to Davenport, IA for their great traditional-jazz festival, and while there, had a couple other Chicago-style pies, one just over the river to Illinois, the other at Giordano's, a fairly large chain based in Chicago that makes a GREAT Chicago pie! Zachary's compares very closely to both of those places. BTW, if you've ever tried the chain "Old Chicago", that's a pretty good pie but not really Chicago style, no matter what they say.

The Davenport area also has its own style, Quad-cities style... do NOT try that! EEEEEEEEyuck!

If I ever actually make it to Connecticut, I'll refer myself to this thread.

Best pizza in the Hudson Valley is Hudson and Packard in Poughkeepsie, Pizzeria Posto in Rhinebeck and Eastdale/Town of Poughkeepsie and Lucoli’s in Red Hook.

Hudson and Package also has good wings which are almost impossible to find around here.

 

[Rocktheworld]

Out here in NorCal, I don't think there are any really good NY style pizzas,

Don’t tell me you live in/near the bay and have never been to Tony’s in SF

 

[HooperScooper]

Best pizza in the Hudson Valley is Hudson and Packard in Poughkeepsie, Pizzeria Posto in Rhinebeck and Eastdale/Town of Poughkeepsie and Lucoli’s in Red Hook.

Hudson and Package also has good wings which are almost impossible to find around here.

I don't think any of us should take food recommendations from a person who would eat cardboard and be happy with just its caloric value.

 

[speckle]

Only pizza worse than the above brand is Little Ceasar's regular round pies.

However, Lil C's Deep Deep Dish is pretty decent. Hard to believe they are made in the same kitchen as the round crappy ones...

But actually, I have had even worse pizza, both one-store independent places.

First one, the ex and I went to a concours car show in Napa, out in the sun all day... Went to find a pizza place in Napa... Wine country and all that, the pizza should be good right???? Probably so, but not at the place we selected. They had the sheer AUDACITY to call themselves "New York West Pizzeria"... Well, everything on the pie was awful. I think they used manhole covers for the crust, and the rest wasn't much better... We were STARVING, so we forced down a slice apiece to hold ourselves over, left 90% of the pie sitting there, and left for another place, which fortunately had much better pizza. That parlor is long since gone. Good riddance...

2nd one... Went up to Seattle for a relative's wedding... long wedding, followed by a reception with a little bit of finger food and that's it.
We were starving, ordered from a place called Acropolis Pizza (That should have been our first warning, a Greek name...) I think the cheese they use is Brie? Either that, or it was raw sewage... Absolutely inedible. I should have noticed the smell before I paid the driver... If I had, I would not have accepted the pizza and told the driver to take a hike. We then jumped in the car and found some other spot... That pizza was lousy, too... but nowhere CLOSE to as bad as that crapola from Acropolis. We were like, "Hey does anyone have a clue how to make a pizza up here?"

Okay, enough horror stories...

Sorry you had to experience the Seattle pizza scene. There's tons of great food around here, especially any type of Asian, but the pizza and subs scene is absolutely terrible. I literally daydream about CT pizza and Italian subs a couple days a week. If you've got money and want to make some more, bringing CT pizza to greater Seattle is a no brainer. We serve some of weakest pies imaginable for $25 a pop.

 

[superjohn]

Sorry you had to experience the Seattle pizza scene. There's tons of great food around here, especially any type of Asian, but the pizza and subs scene is absolutely terrible. I literally daydream about CT pizza and Italian subs a couple days a week. If you've got money and want to make some more, bringing CT pizza to greater Seattle is a no brainer. We serve some of weakest pies imaginable for $25 a pop.

The thin crust in Chicago sucks and they charge $25 out here as well. Deep dish is good but it's $33 before u even add a topping and then you're over $40, it's ridiculous. I just make my own now for the most part.