OT: Best Pizza in CT

[Hans Sprungfeld]

FWIW Bufalina takes reservations.

I know this and know that it's a good thing, and yet I've never been great with making reservations, as though it hems me in rather than making something possible. It occurs to me that the question I have is about lead time for reservations, and you'd know.

Somehow, Guilford feels like a hike, and making a reservation for pizza 15 miles away seems odd, but Buffalina seems like a good idea if I'm out that way, which isn't all that often (beach, sweet corn, along the way home). In writing this reply, I'm wondering if I could call for a reservation on relatively short notice, somewhat like calling for takeout, simply asking if there's anytime we could get in and planninh accordingly.

As a Westville local, I think nothing of being told crazy prep times if I call for Ernie's or House of Chao take out, or even scheduling a take out pizza with a generous lead time for Pat to make it. In other words, how do I best work it at Bufalina?

I'm going to have to deal with hype and expectations my first time no matter what anyway, and poking my head into a packed place and being politely told No hasn't worked.

Sorry for the long question while I sort this out.

 

[Robertelamin]

This sounds like an existential pizza crisis Hans.

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

This sounds like an existential pizza crisis Hans.

Relatively speaking, exactly.

 

[8893]

I know this and know that it's a good thing, and yet I've never been great with making reservations, as though it hems me in rather than making something possible. It occurs to me that the question I have is about lead time for reservations, and you'd know.

Somehow, Guilford feels like a hike, and making a reservation for pizza 15 miles away seems odd, but Buffalina seems like a good idea if I'm out that way, which isn't all that often (beach, sweet corn, along the way home). In writing this reply, I'm wondering if I could call for a reservation on relatively short notice, somewhat like calling for takeout, simply asking if there's anytime we could get in and planninh accordingly.

As a Westville local, I think nothing of being told crazy prep times if I call for Ernie's or House of Chao take out, or even scheduling a take out pizza with a generous lead time for Pat to make it. In other words, how do I best work it at Bufalina?

I'm going to have to deal with hype and expectations my first time no matter what anyway, and poking my head into a packed place and being politely told No hasn't worked.

Sorry for the long question while I sort this out.

Short answer: it depends.

There are only eleven seats inside. Outside is weather permitting and first come, first served, but you'll want inside for your first visit. You need less lead time mid-week than on weekends, and with fewer people than with three or more. If you are flexible enough to sit before 6:00 or after 8:00, even last minute calls are worth trying on weekend nights. If you are going with four or more at a busy time on a busy night, you'll want to call at least a week in advance.

Consistent with your concern about dealing with hype and expectations, keep in mind that the beauty of the place, imo, is in appreciating the simple elegance of a few ingredients and an intimate setting, where there's a 50/50 chance you will end up sharing a piece of your neighbors' pie, and/or urging them to try one of yours, even though you are total strangers.

Order a salad so you can let your piping-hot pie sit for a minute or two before eating. Listen to the music. Watch four people work in a space that you would find cramped to work alone. Get at least one pizza per person, and have speck on at least one of them if feasible. If you like the individual ingredients on any pie but are apprehensive about the combination, trust that it will work. When in doubt, ask. They are incredibly nice people.

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

Short answer: it depends.

There are only eleven seats inside. Outside is weather permitting and first come, first served, but you'll want inside for your first visit. You need less lead time mid-week than on weekends, and with fewer people than with three or more. If you are flexible enough to sit before 6:00 or after 8:00, even last minute calls are worth trying on weekend nights. If you are going with four or more at a busy time on a busy night, you'll want to call at least a week in advance.

Consistent with your concern about dealing with hype and expectations, keep in mind that the beauty of the place, imo, is in appreciating the simple elegance of a few ingredients and an intimate setting, where there's a 50/50 chance you will end up sharing a piece of your neighbors' pie, and/or urging them to try one of yours, even though you are total strangers.

Order a salad so you can let your piping-hot pie sit for a minute or two before eating. Listen to the music. Watch four people work in a space that you would find cramped to work alone. Get at least one pizza per person, and have speck on at least one of them if feasible. If you like the individual ingredients on any pie but are apprehensive about the combination, trust that it will work. When in doubt, ask. They are incredibly nice people.

The final sentence is key and fits with how theyvve said No.
And your tips align with ways I avoid lines on Wooster Street or at Modern (though with more options when there are lines), unless I'm hosting an out-of-towner on a mission.

The small & friendly One6Three has good combos, and Ive traded slices with others and even suggested that they should take their slowest night and make it a thing, so that people show up with that expectation.
I was looking for the long answer, so thanks.

 

[TRest]

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

 

[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.