OT: Best Pizza in CT

[Hans Sprungfeld]

Being defeated by a 15 mile drive is one of the most Connecticut things ever.

Except when it's about coming out of New Haven and going for pizza in a place that seats a dozen, and there are healthily more than a dozen credible-to-great pizzas along the way.

Plus, "defeated" seriously overreaches, given how I requested and got wise counsel.

Still, point well made & taken, clearly an observation that begged to be made. Kudos.

 

[TRest]

Except when it's about coming out of New Haven and going for pizza in a place that seats a dozen, and there are healthily more than a dozen credible-to-great pizzas along the way.

Plus, "defeated" seriously overreaches, given how I requested and got wise counsel.

Still, point well made & taken, clearly an observation that begged to be made. Kudos.

I moved about 8 miles away from my hometown and it might as well be 100 miles to the rest of my family. Conn natives can be very entrenched.

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

I moved about 8 miles away from my hometown and it might as well be 100 miles to the rest of my family. Conn natives can be very entrenched.

For sure, though we converged 18 miles west of home with chocolate ice cream I'd made for the youngest grandkids' 7th birthday before heading back to NH for our Next Door pizza as a later-than-usual dinner.

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

The plan en route to meet for some family vacation time in Southern Maine was to see to Helen Sung at the final Paul Brown Jazz Series offering at Bushnell Park last Monday. The show was not moved inside to Asylum Hill Congregational Church, so we instead listened to WWUH, and it sounded great. The signal held up and the show lasted until we got toward Storrs.

We ordered online from Willington Pizza, our first ever such experience, and then ate there instead of takeout because the music truly had ended by then. I've never read this thread closely re Willington, so we did not know it would be a pan pizza, but we suspended the snobbery and had a good, quick meal. All four toppings, split on two halves of a small pie, were good individually and in combo: sausage & roasted peppers, shrimp & broccoli.

Cute enough place on a quiet stormy night, and it fueled us for the next three hours. What's best on the menu?

 

[Deepster]

The plan en route to meet for some family vacation time in Southern Maine was to see to Helen Sung at the final Paul Brown Jazz Series offering at Bushnell Park last Monday. The show was not moved inside to Asylum Hill Congregational Church, so we instead listened to WWUH, and it sounded great. The signal held up and the show lasted until we got toward Storrs.

We ordered online from Willington Pizza, our first ever such experience, and then ate there instead of takeout because the music truly had ended by then. I've never read this thread closely re Willington, so we did not know it would be a pan pizza, but we suspended the snobbery and had a good, quick meal. All four toppings, split on two halves of a small pie, were good individually and in combo: sausage & roasted peppers, shrimp & broccoli.

Cute enough place on a quiet stormy night, and it fueled us for the next three hours. What's best on the menu?

A lot of people like their red potato pizza but I turn my nose up at that dreck. They used to have something called The Widowmaker that I’d get. Bacon, Canadian bacon, sausage, pepperoni, ham and like a bunch of other salted cured meats. Delicious.

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

Talk about a crap location. Ok in daylight, but after that good luck!

Just saw this
Is this a 'bad neighbothood' alert?
If so, wow, no way, but what else could you mean by "good luck" after dark?
You're going to drive there. Next Door is a decent-sized, attractive, multi-floor, free-standing building. It has its own ample parking lot. The place is quite nice. It's even near 91, for easy access.
I'm not New Haven-averse like some can be, but this one has nothing to warrant caution, except, yeah, walking the highway underpass to upper State Street near Modern, or going into a relatively benign, working class, Hispanic-majority part of Fair Haven.

 

[uconnphil2016]

Just saw this
Is this a 'bad neighbothood' alert?
If so, wow, no way, but what else could you mean by "good luck" after dark?
You're going to drive there. Next Door is a decent-sized, attractive, multi-floor, free-standing building. It has its own ample parking lot. The place is quite nice. It's even near 91, for easy access.
I'm not New Haven-averse like some can be, but this one has nothing to warrant caution, except, yeah, walking the highway underpass to upper State Street near Modern, or going into a relatively benign, working class, Hispanic-majority part of Fair Haven.

I lived like two blocks from here. Not a bad spot at all lol people are crazy

 

[UConnDad]

Just saw this
Is this a 'bad neighbothood' alert?
If so, wow, no way, but what else could you mean by "good luck" after dark?
You're going to drive there. Next Door is a decent-sized, attractive, multi-floor, free-standing building. It has its own ample parking lot. The place is quite nice. It's even near 91, for easy access.
I'm not New Haven-averse like some can be, but this one has nothing to warrant caution, except, yeah, walking the highway underpass to upper State Street near Modern, or going into a relatively benign, working class, Hispanic-majority part of Fair Haven.[/
Hey Hans,
You've been there? Hmm. I've worked there for 40 years. This hood is unsafe. Like much of New Haven one block makes all the difference. Sure Modern,Goodfellas, De Legna, Chriropher Martins etc. on State Street are fine as long as you're aware of your surroundings. Many Yalies have been mugged even there. But once you go under the 91 overpass you may as well be in another world. And this is not a bad part of Fair Haven, it's just not a good part of New Haven.

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

I appreciate the particulars in your reply, but I still can't see it, and wouldn't think twice re Next Door. Especially because so much else of Connecticut is about driving and free parking, this plave fits that model to a tee.

It seems to me that it'd be an inconvenience for someone to cross either street to commit a crime of opportunity in a dedicated parking lot, just as I'd consider it both unnecessary and inconvenient to wander off the lot for nothing of interest adjacent.

I've never given any of the State Street places you mentioned a second thought as to personal safety. I live in Westville and walk its streets round the clock. And I certainly acknowledge that throughout so much more of non-city CT, I give personal safety and personal property protection virtuality no thought. I admit that t'opportunity predation' (a term I just made up) is possible in New Haven. I choose my bicycle routes with such an awareness and would prefer the possibility to be much closer to 0%.

 

[methodology]

I think @UConnDad is being a little extreme. As i said earlier Humphreys never had any real problems and I've spent plenty of time throughout all new haven with no problems as long as you mind your own business. Only problem I ever had was a knife pulled on me leaving bar one night at closing. Hasn't prevented me from going there or anywhere in near haven. I have friends who live on summit st for past 30 years off of grand and by Quinnipiac ave never had any issues over there when i go there

 

[formerlurker]

I think @UConnDad is being a little extreme. As i said earlier Humphreys never had any real problems and I've spent plenty of time throughout all new haven with no problems as long as you mind your own business. Only problem I ever had was a knife pulled on me leaving bar one night at closing. Hasn't prevented me from going there or anywhere in near haven. I have friends who live on summit st for past 30 years off of grand and by Quinnipiac ave never had any issues over there when i go there

That's funny and pretty nonchalant bad ass at the same time.

Were you minding your own business?

 

[methodology]

That's funny and pretty nonchalant bad ass at the same time.

Were you minding your own business?

Never even saw the guy came up behind me when i was going to get in my car in the lot across street by geronimo and behind lous lunch

 

[formerlurker]

Never even saw the guy came up behind me when i was going to get in my car in the lot across street by geronimo and behind lous lunch

Wow, I've parked there many many times. Glad you're ok.

 

[huskymedic]

I think @UConnDad is being a little extreme. As i said earlier Humphreys never had any real problems...

The neighborhood was pretty volatile between 2005 and 2011 with a bunch of shootings (not necessarily random tho') but has been on the upswing for the last 5 years or so... Like anywhere else just be aware of your surroundings and don't stumble around drunk!

 

[AdamaNation]

Best plate of pizza in America? Can you name these CT super slices? All in the top 50 places in the US.

 

[upstater]

Forget about New Haven pizza, Buffalo pizza is where it's at: Is America’s Pizza Capital Buffalo, New York?

This line perfectly sums up my feelings about Buffalo pizza, and he means it as a compliment: ""In fact, I’d argue we’re already eating it: Domino’s and Papa John’s sweet sauces and lack of structural integrity have more in common with Buffalo-style pizza than a slice at Joe’s."

 

[upstater]

By the way, has anyone watched this?

Ugly Delicious | Netflix Official Site

Good show for pizza fans, but those of you who hate Domino's better not watch.

 

[Waquoit]

Is America’s Pizza Capital Buffalo, New York?

No.

 

[Mazhude]

As American as pizza pie: All the regional styles you can eat here

Not far from New York, New Haven, Connecticut, has been the home of good pizza for a long time. Or "apizza," as they call it there. I will quote Jane and Michael Stern, authors of "Roadfood," whose enthusiasm for the style probably did a lot to popularize it. "The crust is sensational – brittle at its edges, ruggedly chewy where it puffs up, scattered on its crisp underside with burned grains of semolina from the oven's brick floor."

The coal ovens char the crust, and a longer dough-rising time develops its flavor. They are not cheesy, gooey pizzas; in fact, you have to ask for mozzarella. Otherwise, it's just crushed tomatoes on a crust with Pecorino Romano. The emblematic topping is clams.

 

[Mazhude]

Site names Connecticut's top slang word

"In Connecticut, the top "slang word" is apizza, referring to New Haven-style pizza..." Just saying.

 

[crazyUCfan23]

Has anybody been to Bruno’s in new Fairfield? My favorite pizza spot

 

[AdamaNation]

Has anybody been to Bruno’s in new Fairfield? My favorite pizza spot

I will on my way out tomorrow
My pic has
Pepe’s white clam pie
And Tomato pie
Ernie’s plain cheese
Moderns Italian bomb
Bars mashed potato and bacon
Sally’s was closed as it was 2 when I came through.

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

I will on my way out tomorrow
My pic has
Pepe’s white clam pie
And Tomato pie
Ernie’s plain cheese
Moderns Italian bomb
Bars mashed potato and bacon
Sally’s was closed as it was 2 when I came through.

Solid choices.
I prefer Sally's for plain tomato, but maybe that's why you got two from Pepe's.

 

[August_West]

Went to Beverly Pizza on Fairfield Ave in black Rock last week. Real good old school pie. Not New Haven style but really good.

 

[huskyjawz]

Went to Beverly Pizza on Fairfield Ave in black Rock last week. Real good old school pie. Not New Haven style but really good.

Greek.