OT: Best Pizza in CT

[Mr. Wonderful]

I wouldn't spit it out or anything, but it is like asking who is the best qb in the nfl and listening to a contingent who keeps telling you its Tim Tebow.....it just doesnt belong in the catigory of BEST.

Best pizza I've had was made by Cuban immigrants in Miami. The owner's daughter did a sexy dance for us while bringing it to our table to boot.

Second best was a tiny hole-in-the-wall place in Prospect that had to close because the owner got deported. I think it was called Four Corners.

Seems to me there is a correlation between not speaking English well and good food.

 

[mauconnfan]

Still is a very underrated pizza place in CT. Wasn't better than Verdolini's in Meriden (so I hear), but that's another story.

Oh you break my heart with this...............the absolute best pizza ever was Verdolini's my friend I miss it to this day. The Spooker was great but even better was just a pizza with sauce and parmesan cheese (plain)....loved it growing up............every Sunday with the relatives at one house or the other basically was Verdolini's.......the flood ruined us huh?

 

[WhereistheDove?]

Anyone around Danbury should stop in at Stanziato's. Not your average pizza place, but has taken over from Pepe's as my favorite.

 

[Rico444]

Anyone around Danbury should stop in at Stanziato's. Not your average pizza place, but has taken over from Pepe's as my favorite.

While we're talking Danbury, Soho on White Street is pretty awesome.

 

[kcc1442]

Any fans of Pomodoros in Farmington??

I do like Pomodoros very good pizza. But Naples pizza also in Farmington trumps Pomodoros for me. Naples pizza is still one of the best I've ever had in the state.

 

[jleves]

Where I live in SoCal, the pizza you get from the grocery store frozen food aisle is as good as any other around here...
Darn, I miss pizza

One of the first things I do when I go back to CT is get pizza because there really is nothing very good out here. For SoCal, if you can find one in your area, try Big Moma's and Papa's Pizza. It's pretty good - almost like New England style pizza. Looks like the closest one to Pomona is in Pasadena.

For the record, if you're looking for a good Italian market, there is a Claro's in Upland. Only place you can find edible pepperoni out here.

 

[John]

George's Pizza in the Unionville village of Farmington

 

[Tommyboy]

I would take the worst pizza in CT over the best here in northern Florida. Definitely miss the food from up north.

Sent from my HTC Glacier using Tapatalk 2

 

[PomonaHusky]

One of the first things I do when I go back to CT is get pizza because there really is nothing very good out here. For SoCal, if you can find one in your area, try Big Moma's and Papa's Pizza. It's pretty good - almost like New England style pizza. Looks like the closest one to Pomona is in Pasadena.

For the record, if you're looking for a good Italian market, there is a Claro's in Upland. Only place you can find edible pepperoni out here.

Thanks, I'll give them both a try.

The best I have had out here so far is reheated Sbarro's at the mall. yeah, I know...that is sad.

 

[HooperScooper]

I'm jealous reading this thread. I live near Boston and the pizza sucks up here. I miss CT pizza.

 

[Askgreek]

Max Pizza in Bristol. I have been eating it for 3 decades and it still tastes the best to me and my family...

 

[FfldCntyFan]

for lower fairfield county like colony, rico's, glenville pizza and coal house

I never understood the attraction to Colony. Yes it's unique but only if I haven't had it in years would I consider it over a dozen other places. Riko's (changed the spelling due to a lawsuit) is Colony with better service.

On Fishy's comment, I can find a number of places within four miles of my house (Stamford, near Long Ridge/Merritt) that are better than anything you can find in Westchester or NYC (though there is a lot of pretty good pizza there). As long as it is real mozzarella, home made (and fresh) sauce & dough, cooked in an actual pizza oven (best being brick, coal fiored where legal) the pizza should come out at worst very good. The unfortunate thing is that there are many parts of the country where they don't have a clue as to what quality pizza really tastes like.

 

[Excalibur]

1) The Big New Haven 3, Pepe's, Sally's, Modern -- haven't had any pizza anywhere (including NYC) that measures up.
2) Bar
3) Rossini's

 

[Mr. Wonderful]

The unfortunate thing is that there are many parts of the country where they don't have a clue as to what quality pizza really tastes like.

That's what I was told about pork from a guy in North Carolina named Harley Darnell.

Every region has its own flavor.

 

[GemParty]

The Best: Sally's Apizza New Haven, wait & ambiance could improve. Wife hates the bathrooms.

Very good but different: Pepes New Haven or Manchester has an excellent white clam pie. If its Summer, wait in line for New Haven, it's part of the experience.

Very Good New Haven style Pizza & great portions for pastas. Try Joey Garlics Newington. Try the eggplant fries with a blizzard of Parmesan cheese.

Bakery sheet pan pizza is underrated in these discussions. Grab the classic from Giovanni's Newington. Sweet sauce and no mozzarella . Just Parmesan . Best eaten cold.

Happy eating !

 

[stick]

After modern and Sally's (in that order), I'll bid rossini's in Cheshire. Still have not had a pizza better than any of those three (and yes, i have had pizza in New York)

The pizza in nyc is mediocre now. I hear there's a place in Brooklyn that's doing it right and if I'm in the neighborhood, I'll have to try it. But I'll say this there's no way there's a better pizza than Sally's in the WORLD. There might be places that can make it as good, but impossible to make it any better when Sally's has its A game. Sally's Pizza at their best is a 10 and I'm a fairly tough critic. Sally's, unlike many other pizza places doesn't have many off days.

 

[storrsroars]

Even though I'm out here in Pittsburgh, I'm lucky enough to live 5 minutes away from one of the few certified DOC Neapolitan pizzas in the US. Great stuff. If you're ever out here, check out Il Pizzaolo. Regularly makes the top 100 US lists. We also have a place that bought Harry's recipe, so we have that going for us.

Being from Stamford originally I grew up at the Colony, so it'll always be a favorite, although I'd never call it best. It is a unique taste I just have to have when I'm back there. Unfortunately the only times I can get to NH when visiting is in the afternoon and Sally's is closed, so it's usually Pepe's. The pizza at Tarry Lodge in Portchester is also worth a trip.

As an aside, I don't know if anyone here is old enough to remember Italian Gardens in Willi. Back in the 70s it was an oasis from all the Greek pizzas around Storrs. We spent enough time there to actually figure out it was less expensive to order 12 glasses of beer for a quarter than the $3 pitchers, which only held 11 glasses worth of beer.

 

[jleves]

Does anyone remember a place I think called Lanteris Pizza in downtown Hartford in the 70s??? They only made sheet pizza that was dough, sauce and cheese. Serious childhood memories of my dad bringing that home.

 

[stick]

I agree with Sticks.
I basically only east Mom's cooking and pizza when I visit Ct. about 3x a year. We go to a pizza place every day.
Pepe's is still better than Modern. All these pizza places are infinitely better than what you get outside the state, but after not having Pepe's for 6 months, you instantly know they do it right. Fresh tomato sauce slow simmered for a very long time, breaks down the acid. Most pizza places don't bother. That's the key for me.
The problem with Pepe's is they are inconsistent. In August, we stopped in and the pizza was fantastic, best ever. Dec. 27th we stopped in and it was packed, 30 minute wait. Not great, and for Pepe's mediocre. I took a look at the pies coming out of the over and saw some burnt way too much, and knew it would be one of those days.
If Pepe's line is too long, try Anastasio's down the street rather than Sally's. Anastasio's on Wooster is pretty underrated.

I've have to try Anastasio's one of these days.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

That's what I was told about pork from a guy in North Carolina named Harley Darnell.

Every region has its own flavor.

Personally it would be far easier for me to live without good pork than to live without good pizza.

 

[8893]

Once upon a time it was true that Sally's had the best, going solely by quality of pizza and not counting service, hassle, atmosphere, etc. The good news is that it is rarely a hassle any more because there is rarely a line these days. The bad news is that there is a reason: the quality and cleanliness have plummeted. I don't even consider it an option any more, nor does anyone I know--including people who were loyalists for decades.

The original Pepe's is still great, especially for the white clam pie. No one comes close on that one. And all the others are still solid.

BAR is also as great as it ever was. It gets a boost for interesting toppings (mashed potato, bacon, red pie being my favorite). But you gotta eat it fast and fresh, because the crust is so thin that it doesn't hold up well over time. And I'm talking like 15 minutes.

Modern is still the place where most people who live and/or work in New Haven go for their New Haven style pizza. Take out is always 20 minutes, they have more varied toppings than Pepe's or Sally's (eggplant, artichoke hearts, red pie being my favorite), and in my experience they are very consistent except that the pies can be underdone and/or soggy sometimes. I have solved this by ordering "light cheese, well done." This results in a perfect pie for my tastes.

I second Roseland in Derby as a worthy entry.

Fishy, I don't know where you are in Westchester, but I had some great pizza at Coal's in Port Chester before a show at the Capitol Theatre, and I definitely plan to return there when I go back to the Capitol. A very impressive beer list, too, as well as some very unique grilled chicken wings.

 

[Northbound]

There was a place called J&G in Hartford or maybe East Hartford back ages ago, they made a greek pie which was pretty darn good, there was also Oasis in Farmington, my father loved that place and I remember it it was pretty good, I was just a pup though in the 70's when it was still around. Pepe's and Modern both have to be on the list as top notch, there's some place in Branford that's supposed to be really good, but for the life of me I can't remember the name my uncle told me.

 

[Ts5034]

Shocked after reading through 5 pages of this thread that Roseland in Derby came up only two times.

 

[stick]

Once upon a time it was true that Sally's had the best, going solely by quality of pizza and not counting service, hassle, atmosphere, etc. The good news is that it is rarely a hassle any more because there is rarely a line these days. The bad news is that there is a reason: the quality and cleanliness have plummeted. I don't even consider it an option any more, nor does anyone I know--including people who were loyalists for decades.

The original Pepe's is still great, especially for the white clam pie. No one comes close on that one. And all the others are still solid.

BAR is also as great as it ever was. It gets a boost for interesting toppings (mashed potato, bacon, red pie being my favorite). But you gotta eat it fast and fresh, because the crust is so thin that it doesn't hold up well over time. And I'm talking like 15 minutes.

Modern is still the place where most people who live and/or work in New Haven go for their New Haven style pizza. Take out is always 20 minutes, they have more varied toppings than Pepe's or Sally's (eggplant, artichoke hearts, red pie being my favorite), and in my experience they are very consistent except that the pies can be underdone and/or soggy sometimes. I have solved this by ordering "light cheese, well done." This results in a perfect pie for my tastes.

I second Roseland in Derby as a worthy entry.

Fishy, I don't know where you are in Westchester, but I had some great pizza at Coal's in Port Chester before a show at the Capitol Theatre, and I definitely plan to return there when I go back to the Capitol. A very impressive beer list, too, as well as some very unique grilled chicken wings.

I'll have to try the light cheese & well done for Modern because I had just about given up with them. As for Sally's, are you kidding? The lines are still there or that would be my 1st choice (as well as the wait once seated). That is the sole reason why I don't go there as much anymore. I have to disagree as the quality of their pizza has not waned and looking into the kitchen the same guys are still making all of them.

 

[cto44]

In Southern Fairfield County, it is definitely Sammy's in Southport. The Pepe's in Fairfield is a fraud, and the Colony in Fairfield is worse -- unless you like one size fits all pizza with hot oil (which is definitely not my taste). I also love Sammy's because he (there's a real Sammy) managed to stay open in the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy, when neither he nor anyone else around here had power. He fed us all for a week.