New Haven Register (New Haven, CT)
Slices of Heaven: Great Connecticut Pizza Places, Part 2
You already know this, but we’ll say it anyway: Connecticut has some of the best pizza in the world. (If you somehow don’t believe us, just ask the steady parade of celebrities and bigwigs who make it a point to stop by Wooster Street for a slice whenever they get within throwing distance of New Haven.
But while the city’s legendary ah-beetz — a style anchored by now nearly century-old New Haven mainstays Pepe’s, Sally’s and Modern — may have put Connecticut on the culinary map, the state’s pizza prowess goes much deeper, and further, than that.
So a group of dining experts (made up of restaurant critics, freelance writers and other experts) shared their views with Connecticut Magazine on some of their favorite pizza restaurants around the state. We’ve sorted the pizzerias by the style each is most identified with.
Here you’ll find plenty of spots both within New Haven and beyond which serve that signature style, but also many outstanding places dedicated primarily to Neapolitan, Greek (aka New England) style, tavern style, sourdough or even hybrid pies.
We think it’s that combination of proven tradition and creative innovation that makes Connecticut pizza — we’ll say it again — some of the world’s best. But don’t just take our word for it. Take a pizza pilgrimage and find out for yourself!
Last week we shared the first part of our list focusing on New Haven and New York style pizza, here are the remaining 29 from the list. To read the full list visit, ctinsider.com/ct-magazine-bestpizza.
NEAPOLITAN STYLE
The original pizza style, Neapolitan pies typically are relatively small, use simple, fresh ingredients and plenty of sauce, and are cooked in a wood-fired oven.
Bufalina 1070 Boston Post Road, Guilford
Everything about Bufalina is small — except the flavors and satisfaction. The space is only 300 square feet, and at any given time the menu features six or seven specialty pies.
Gravitate to the namesake Bufalina for the classic pleasures of Buffalo mozzarella with San Marzano tomatoes and basil oil drizzle, or go for the Gamberi experience: wood-fired shrimp, mozzarella, roasted lemon, parsley salsa verde and toasted Parmesan.
There’s a small but nice list of wines, beers and cocktails, or BYOB with a corkage fee. Chef/ owners Melissa Pellegrino and her husband, Matt Scialabba, worked in bakeries and kitchens in Italy to learn the art of cooking in wood-fired ovens — and it shows in every bite.— Douglas P. Clement
Harry’s Bishops Corner 732 N. Main St., West Hartford
Writing for the Hartford Courant but living in Hamden, my go-to pizzeria after work was Harry’s. The hand-stretched, thin-crust pizzas are first-rate, with a nice selection of traditional Neapolitan, specialty and seasonal pies plus a robust selection of build-your-own toppings.
The dining room is a bit nicer and more modern than most pizza joints, and wine, beer flights and Hosmer Mountain sodas are offered. For lactoseintolerant folk like me, it’s helpful to be able to balance pizza with one of Harry’s exceptional salads, and the wheat-intolerant will welcome the gluten-free crust option.— Frank Cohen
Ignazio’s 42 Williams Ave., Mystic
Open for a little less than a year on the outskirts of downtown Mystic, Ignazio’s cooks up the same highly rated pies as its sibling restaurant in the Dumbo neighborhood of Brooklyn in
New York City. The pizza has been well received by a steady line of customers who stop in to dine or pick up takeout.
The Neapolitan pizza has a crust that is thin, airy and baked in a wood-fired oven, with just the right crunch, flavor and bite. The toppings are fresh and some locally sourced.
The briny-good white clam pizza is loaded with chopped clams. Another favorite pie is topped with plump whole shrimp, smoked slab bacon, roasted red peppers, garlic, olive oil and mozzarella. Shrimp is from the fish market across the street.
For a thicker slice, try the square Sicilian pie.— Ann Baldelli
Letizia’s Pizza 666 Main Ave., Norwalk
In one way or another, and on and off, Uncle Joe Letizia’s thincrust Italian pizza has been keeping Fairfield County fed for almost a century.
There’s a lot of rich family history here that we simply don’t have the space to tell you. Good thing there’s an “Our History” section on Letizia’s website to do that for you.
But “family” is the key word here, as their pizza business is still thriving under Dennis Letizia (Joe’s grandson), Dave Cook (Dennis’ cousin) and Danny Segers (Dennis’ former brotherin-law).
Letizia’s is where locals and
plenty of out-of-towners go to indulge in thin (but not paper thin) pies that are perfectly oily and adequately red sauced, with bubbly hot mozzarella that nearly goes up to the crust. Tip: try the pizza “Aunt Mary Style,” sprinkled with garlic powder and black pepper, and it doesn’t hurt to ask for a side of hot oil.— Andrew Dominick
Locali 32 Forest St. C, New Canaan
One of the more recent additions to New Canaan’s pizza scene, Locali opened a decade ago under the direction of owner Mogan Anthony. (A Mount Kisco, N.Y., location followed in 2019.)
Locali serves traditional and upscale Neapolitan-style pizza, using San Marzano tomatoes, and bakes the pies in an Italianimported, wood-burning oven.
The crust is super thin and crispy with great flavor to enhance the toppings. Choose from the original Queen Margherita, or one of a dozen predesigned combinations, with toppings ranging from pepperoni, andouille or chicken sausage, clams, capicola, soppressata, various cheeses (including fior di latte mozzarella), wild mushroom with truffle oil, kale pesto, artichokes to arugula.— Jeff Schlesinger
Otto
69 Main St., Chester
Tiny Chester is one of Connecticut’s
great artistic towns, packed far beyond its population with restaurants and galleries. The chefs here take their reputation as artisans seriously, and Otto’s Patrick Schaefer is no exception.
His huge oven dominates this small pizza joint, churning out Neapolitan, almost Californiastyle, pizzas with soft, chewy dough and fresh toppings. Indeed, the white pizzas and their toppings are standouts here, from fresh herbs to caramelized onions.
Inside dining is limited, but during summer seating spills out onto the shady patio, and the barbecue grill adds new fire to the menu. Don’t forget the tiramisu for dessert.— Eric D. Lehman
Parlor Pizza 5 River Road, Wilton
Tim LaBant of the highly acclaimed fine-dining establishment Schoolhouse at Cannondale has mastered the perfect pizza at his Parlor restaurant.
Whether you’re a traditionalist and prefer your pie topped with cheese or pepperoni or a margherita, or you’re the adventurous sort, preferring to try the asparagus, mushroom cream or butternut soppressata, you’ll agree that it’s the crust that separates this from the rest.
Parlor’s Neapolitan-style pizza is made from their own unique blend of flour, as well as a 48hour fermentation process which yields the ideal thin crust-to-chew combination.
Catch Parlor’s truck at the Westport Farmers Market on Thursday.— Jessica Gordon Ryan
SoNo Wood Fired 59 N. Main St., Norwalk
Former Stanziato’s general manager Besar Kaba had his passion for fermenting dough and firing pies reignited while working at the popular Danbury pizzeria. At the start of this year, he opened a spot of his own, SoNo Wood Fired.
Kaba’s menu at SoNo is a