OT: Best Pizza in CT

[imno1]

Capped off a wonderful post-game walk around Calf Pasture Beach and brought home some pies from Magic 5 Pizza Co. in East Norwalk.

My pick was their Fig Jam pie: goat cheese, tomato sauce, fig jam, caramelized onions and arugula (I passed on the bacon). Lovely choice: the jam wasn't too sweet and paired nicely w/ a red blend, nice poofiness of the goat cheese and little bit of saltiness while the arugula added brightness and bitterness.

Overall, super balanced and will replay. It's within my top-3 of their pies along with their Margarita and their clam pie.

View attachment 84045

Call me old fashion or just plain old but I prefer my salad on the side.

 

[karstenkibbe]

I have to check this place out, I live and work locally. Looks a bit like a bar pie style? What is your go to around here? I'm a Colony guy when it comes to going out with the boys to have a couple beers and watch a game - have never taken a Colony pie to go. Letizia may be my local favorite if bringing home. Lately, I've just been heading north to go for some real deal apizza...I've become a pizza snob!

Like @Hey Adrien! i am a big fan of Magic 5. But his pie looks nothing like the pies I usually get there. I describe their pizza as a cross between a bar pie and Neapolitan. I know that doesn’t make sense but they are cracker thin pies with the puffy Neapolitan edges. I do the 20 minute drive from Stamford when I want to mix things up. Recommend.

 

[jpeakin]

Like @Hey Adrien! i am a big fan of Magic 5. But his pie looks nothing like the pies I usually get there. I describe their pizza as a cross between a bar pie and Neapolitan. I know that doesn’t make sense but they are cracker thin pies with the puffy Neapolitan edges. I do the 20 minute drive from Stamford when I want to mix things up. Recommend.

Yea, I went on their website and was confused as some pies look bar stlyle and others look Neopolitan

 

[Zissou]

Ever tried tomato pies in Philly? Don’t ever call it Pizza.

 

[mussels]

Capped off a wonderful post-game walk around Calf Pasture Beach and brought home some pies from Magic 5 Pizza Co. in East Norwalk.

My pick was their Fig Jam pie: goat cheese, tomato sauce, fig jam, caramelized onions and arugula (I passed on the bacon). Lovely choice: the jam wasn't too sweet and paired nicely w/ a red blend, nice poofiness of the goat cheese and little bit of saltiness while the arugula added brightness and bitterness.

Overall, super balanced and will replay. It's within my top-3 of their pies along with their Margarita and their clam pie.

View attachment 84045

Standardized test: Fig jam, goat cheese, arugula, and pizza. Which one does not belong ?

hint - it’s not fig jam, goat cheese, or arugula.

 

[karstenkibbe]

Ever tried tomato pies in Philly? Don’t ever call it Pizza.

I’ve always thought the tomato pie originated in South Jersey, specifically the Trenton area - and not in Philly. IMO, They are 1a to New Haven style apizza. I’ve sung the praises of DeLorenzo’s and Papa’s, both in Robbinsville, previously in this forum.

 

[karstenkibbe]

Sally’s Stamford tonight for dinner. Closest they’ve come to the Wooster Street chew and crisp since they’ve opened. Solid pie.

 

[Zissou]

I’ve always thought the tomato pie originated in South Jersey, specifically the Trenton area - and not in Philly. IMO, They are 1a to New Haven style apizza. I’ve sung the praises of DeLorenzo’s and Papa’s, both in Robbinsville, previously in this forum.

Trenton pie is another…. It’s more like pizza with the sauce on top, thin crust, served hot.

Tomato pie in Philly area is usually a big rectangle sheet often served for a party or gathering. It’s served room temp or between fridge and room temp. Crust is more bready, tomato sauce layer (which can be just tomato and salt but also some seasonings), and then parm sprinkle cheese and olive oil. From the bottom up it transforms from crust to bread to gooey bread wet layer to sauce.

Two must tries are Conshohocken Bakery and Corropolese Bakery (Norristown).

It’s not pizza. My hot take is that I like all styles - NY and American Neapolitan are my favorites in the states - but when in Chicago, do Chicago. There is nothing like southern Italy. Caserta, above Naples, is pizza heaven.

Is Foccacia pizza? No. Think of Tomato Pie and Foccacia as cousins to pizza. Foccacia, Tomato Pie, Stromboli, Calzone…. They are all great.

 

[karstenkibbe]

Trenton pie is another…. It’s more like pizza with the sauce on top, thin crust, served hot.

Tomato pie in Philly area is usually a big rectangle sheet often served for a party or gathering. It’s served room temp or between fridge and room temp. Crust is more bready, tomato sauce layer (which can be just tomato and salt but also some seasonings), and then parm sprinkle cheese and olive oil. From the bottom up it transforms from crust to bread to gooey bread wet layer to sauce.

Two must tries are Conshohocken Bakery and Corropolese Bakery (Norristown).

It’s not pizza. My hot take is that I like all styles - NY and American Neapolitan are my favorites in the states - but when in Chicago, do Chicago. There is nothing like southern Italy. Caserta, above Naples, is pizza heaven.

Is Foccacia pizza? No. Think of Tomato Pie and Foccacia as cousins to pizza. Foccacia, Tomato Pie, Stromboli, Calzone…. They are all great.

Ok that’s interesting because people in the Trenton area literally refer to their pizzas, as you described them, as “tomato pie”.

What you’re describing in Philly is what we call bakery pizza up this way. Delicious in its own unique way when done correctly.

 

[storrsroars]

Standardized test: Fig jam, goat cheese, arugula, and pizza. Which one does not belong ?

hint - it’s not fig jam, goat cheese, or arugula.

Thing is, you can find those things on pizza in Italy.

What you won't find is pineapple, buffalo chicken, or ranch.

 

[ClifSpliffy]

Sally’s Stamford tonight for dinner. Closest they’ve come to the Wooster Street chew and crisp since they’ve opened. Solid pie. View attachment 84088

and the price for that burnt thing?
looks kinda like shmura matzoh, with cheese and tomato.

hey auggiedoggie! don't tell the good folks here aboot rts 145/80 za.
iffn that place gets busy cuz u yakked, im gonna ask them to shut u off.
also, they bring it to my hut, do they bring it to yours?

 

[Waquoit]

The latest Yelp email declared Zeneli Pizzeria the Best In Connecticut. I hadn't recalled many mentions on this board so I did a quick search. Turns out there have been plenty of mentions and a quick browse says all were positive. So good job by the Yard here.

 

[karstenkibbe]

and the price for that burnt thing?
looks kinda like shmura matzoh, with cheese and tomato.

hey auggiedoggie! don't tell the good folks here aboot rts 145/80 za.
iffn that place gets busy cuz u yakked, im gonna ask them to shut u off.
also, they bring it to my hut, do they bring it to yours?

Spliffy, I make lots of shmura matzoh pizzas on Pesach, brobrah. I prefer the sooty cracker-thin rounds for my seders and for all eight days, rather than those machine-baked squares you’re slathering with cream cheese over the chag. Also, don’t remember the price on the Sally’s pie, but it was damn tasty.

 

[ClifSpliffy]

Spliffy, I make lots of shmura matzoh pizzas on Pesach, brobrah. I prefer the sooty cracker-thin rounds for my seders and for all eight days, rather than those machine-baked squares you’re slathering with cream cheese over the chag. Also, don’t remember the price on the Sally’s pie, but it was damn tasty.

I prefer the sooty cracker-thin rounds for my seders and for all eight days, rather than those machine-baked squares you’re slathering with cream cheese over the chag.

now, why would you extoll the unparalled virtue of the hand baked, then assume i'd be eating the machine stuff, except for when away and it's the only option?
listen holmes, im on the good stuff since day one. we used to make it ourselves back when. once, someone decided to get all churched up and hire sum guy to take a blow tourch to the GE, to make it super clean for the holiday. almost burned down our kitchen. the rest of us told the decider-in-chief 'we're not doing that again. next year it's easy-off!'

how much was the pie again? (on topic!)

 

[I Bleed Blue]

Had Fuoco’s in Chesire takeout for the Super Bowl. Solid coal fired apizza for not New Haven.

8.2

 

[Huskybass]

The latest Yelp email declared Zeneli Pizzeria the Best In Connecticut. I hadn't recalled many mentions on this board so I did a quick search. Turns out there have been plenty of mentions and a quick browse says all were positive. So good job by the Yard here.

Zeneli was superb on my one visit.

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

Ever tried tomato pies in Philly? Don’t ever call it Pizza.

I’ve always thought the tomato pie originated in South Jersey, specifically the Trenton area - and not in Philly. IMO, They are 1a to New Haven style apizza. I’ve sung the praises of DeLorenzo’s and Papa’s, both in Robbinsville, previously in this forum.

I flew into Newark two Fridays ago, and detoured to Robbinsville en route to Ocean City.

With PaPa's phone perpetually busy, I took a chance and ended up timing things perfectly by putting in my order in person, scooting over to DeLorenzo's to order there while the PaPa's baked, then back to PaPa's for the pickup & immediate eating of slices in the car, and then back to DeLorenzo's to do the same. They are less than a mile from each other.

As leftovers, two halves fit well into a single box and reheated decently in a toaster oven over the weekend.

This was my Trenton tomato pie recon mini-tour, after I'd messed up and gone to DeLorenzo's Pizza in Hamilton after visiting the Center for Sculpture there last summer.

I'd go back to either, specify "well-done," and dine-in next time. Both were good. I was front-loaded to like DeLorenzo's more, and surprised myself thinking better of Papa's. Something different with the flavor of DeLorenzo's cheese maybe.

At Papa's, I added sausage, a split the halves with one having mustard, which is a touted specialty. Not bad, but not for me as a first choice.

At DeLorenzo's my split was sausage on one half no topping on the other.

Overall, I like the tomatoes on top, conceptually and in practice. My friend in Asbury Park owns a rooming house in Trenton, so a return visit on a rent pick-up day might work to get me back there, and whichever we eat at, we can get take out on the other afterward.

I'm glad these places came up, and I will return. Two good first
impressions, though New Haven is secure at the top of my list.

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

Tomato pie in Philly area is usually a big rectangle sheet often served for a party or gathering. It’s served room temp or between fridge and room temp. Crust is more bready, tomato sauce layer (which can be just tomato and salt but also some seasonings), and then parm sprinkle cheese and olive oil. From the bottom up it transforms from crust to bread to gooey bread wet layer to sauce.

This sounds very much like what I'd get (and love) at Sullivan Street Bakery, just south of Greenwich Village on the west side of Soho in the late 90s.

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

Zeneli was superb on my one visit.

My delicious birthday lunch with my older sister in November 2021.

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

What you’re describing in Philly is what we call bakery pizza up this way. Delicious in its own unique way when done correctly.

Where in CT?
Interested

 

[karstenkibbe]

Where in CT?
Interested

I should have been more specific about “up this way”. There’s nothing in my area of Fairfield County, but I’ve had great bakery pizza at Calvitto’s Bakery in Cranston, RI and at numerous bakeries in Utica, NY, which is known as a bakery pizza town. I do recall having solid bakery pizza about seven years ago in Windsor, CT, but my crappy memory isn’t helping me with the name of the place.

 

[karstenkibbe]

I flew into Newark two Fridays ago, and detoured to Robbinsville en route to Ocean City.

With PaPa's phone perpetually busy, I took a chance and ended up timing things perfectly by putting in my order in person, scooting over to DeLorenzo's to order there while the PaPa's baked, then back to PaPa's for the pickup & immediate eating of slices in the car, and then back to DeLorenzo's to do the same. They are less than a mile from each other.

As leftovers, two halves fit well into a single box and reheated decently in a toaster oven over the weekend.

This was my Trenton tomato pie recon mini-tour, after I'd messed up and gone to DeLorenzo's Pizza in Hamilton after visiting the Center for Sculpture there last summer.

I'd go back to either, specify "well-done," and dine-in next time. Both were good. I was front-loaded to like DeLorenzo's more, and surprised myself thinking better of Papa's. Something different with the flavor of DeLorenzo's cheese maybe.

At Papa's, I added sausage, a split the halves with one having mustard, which is a touted specialty. Not bad, but not for me as a first choice.

At DeLorenzo's my split was sausage on one half no topping on the other.

Overall, I like the tomatoes on top, conceptually and in practice. My friend in Asbury Park owns a rooming house in Trenton, so a return visit on a rent pick-up day might work to get me back there, and whichever we eat at, we can get take out on the other afterward.

I'm glad these places came up, and I will return. Two good first
impressions, though New Haven is secure at the top of my list.

View attachment 84112

Glad you enjoyed. My personal preference is DeLorenzo’s, but I am a big fan of both.

 

[Deepster]

I should have been more specific about “up this way”. There’s nothing in my area of Fairfield County, but I’ve had great bakery pizza at Calvitto’s Bakery in Cranston, RI and at numerous bakeries in Utica, NY, which is known as a bakery pizza town. I do recall having solid bakery pizza about seven years ago in Windsor, CT, but my crappy memory isn’t helping me with the name of the place.

Joey's in West Hartford has a Grandma Bakery pizza on their specialty menu. I got it this weekend and it was awesome. I'm a big fan of that place. I never, ever have been disappointed there.

 

[August_West]

Macca on Wooster St last night! Pepe's

 

[August_West]

and the price for that burnt thing?
looks kinda like shmura matzoh, with cheese and tomato.

hey auggiedoggie! don't tell the good folks here aboot rts 145/80 za.
iffn that place gets busy cuz u yakked, im gonna ask them to shut u off.
also, they bring it to my hut, do they bring it to yours?

No, because I live in Old Lyme now. and am actually moving again in a couple months to Lyme (with part of our property in old lyme lol)

But I get them when Im at work in Centerbrook and Ivoryton and Bring home . Its a really good spot in a location that's crazy. It makes me not miss the BEC's from the place it was before the Pizza place so much (because those were great)