OT: - Best Pizza in CT | Page 3 | The Boneyard

OT: Best Pizza in CT

Max Pizza in Bristol. I have been eating it for 3 decades and it still tastes the best to me and my family...
 
Letsgohuskies11 said:
for lower fairfield county like colony, rico's, glenville pizza and coal house
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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.
 
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
 
FfldCntyFan said:
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.
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That's what I was told about pork from a guy in North Carolina named Harley Darnell.

Every region has its own flavor.
 
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 !
 
auggie22 said:
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)
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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.
 
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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.
 
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.
 
upstater said:
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.
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I've have to try Anastasio's one of these days.
 
Mr. Wonderful said:
That's what I was told about pork from a guy in North Carolina named Harley Darnell.

Every region has its own flavor.
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Personally it would be far easier for me to live without good pork than to live without good pizza.
 
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.
 
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.
 
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Shocked after reading through 5 pages of this thread that Roseland in Derby came up only two times.
 
8893 said:
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.
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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.
 
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.
 
Northbound said:
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
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Paradise Pizza in Stratford makes Greek pizza and is very good. They have been there for like 50 years.
 
CTBasketball said:
Little Rendezvous in Meriden is pretty good. Declined a bit when it switched owners a couple years back.
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Great crusts but man, they use canned tomatoes and mushrooms.
 
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Chin Diesel said:
Dominos?

OMG. I can't even believe someone mentioned them. Even as a joke.

Pizza Hut is way better.
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Does Pizza Hut still make that Priazzo? mmmmmmmmm.:cool:
 
I had this encounter at Sals Pizza:

The hostess of Sals, probably the owners wife, rudely put us in a booth. I sat down with my back to one other booth. Just before sitting down, I recognized the face of the gal in the booth behind me. When my wife and son were seated I asked my wife to pay attention and let me know if the gal was Busty.

I couldn't be certain who the gal at Sals was because I saw Busty only one other time. My wife and I went with 3 other couples to a Red Sox - Yankees game at Fenway and sat quite high up between first and the right field fence. So I brought binoculars. About the fifth inning we noticed all the Yankee players looking in the stands over their dugout. We thought it was a fight and since I had the only binoculars, everyone asked me to check what was happening. So I panned to the opposite side of the stadium and saw about 300-400 guys (ages 15 to guys with one step in a casket) following this gal. Obviously within milliseconds I saw she was wearing a halter top and heading back to her seat. The beach balls were bouncing tremendously within those very flimsy restraints as she progressed down the stairs to her seat.

When one is preoccupied one doesn't realize what comes out of the mouth and, as loud as cheering a home run, I shouted HOLY !!!! Immediately my wife grabs the binoculars out of my hands and looks. She echoed my statement and the person next to her grabbed them away from her. The problem was the strap was still around my neck. Everyone had a chance to check Busty out and I got the binoculars back. By that time she was in her seat. I relocated her because there was still a large crowd around her trying to get autographs. Before finally getting back to the game I decided to see if the face was an asset as well. I got a pretty decent look and I realized, she was cute, but she needed the other two assets to make a statement.

Anyways flash forward to Sals. Busty is very short, probably under five feet. So when we sat down, and I looked at her in the booth, her beach balls were located below the table top, not visible to my gaze. All I could see was her neck and face. But I remembered that face from five years earlier. That's saying something because I have horrible name and face recognition and, as I pointed out, the two assets I would have had no trouble remembering were hidden from view.

My wife confirmed her identity a little while later. But before that happened I overheard the conversations with her agent and didn't need the heads up. Meanwhile my three year old was playing with one of those cars that, after you rotate the wheels in reverse, you let the car go and it shoots forward until the gear unwinds. Well my kid let the toy go and it goes under my booth into Busty's booth.

Now my wife, who still hadn't got a fix on who the gal was, tells me to go get the car. I said no way. I didn't want to go there because I knew they wouldn't believe it was my kid who sent the car into their booth. So while my wife and I were preoccupied discussing the issue, Busty comes to our booth and brings the car. I wish I had a recording of my kid as his head slowly looks up and with each quarter inch his head raises his lower jaw moves a quarter inch until his mouth was as wide open as I've ever seen on the kid. Funny how young we can be and have the capacity to recognize things that are disproportionate.

Busty gives the kid the car back. Actually he wouldn't take it so she hands it to me. Hardest thing I ever had to do. My wife is staring at me from across the table, and I'm trying my best to do three things. Not let my mouth go agape like my kid, not to stare at the obvious, but get a look without being obvious, and most importantly to grab the car without touching the obvious, the last thing harder than those who haven't seen Busty up close can understand.

Busty leaves us and goes through the restaurant taking pictures with the chefs. Now I understand why the hostess was in a bad mood. Before she leaves she comes back to our booth and asks if my kid would like a picture with her.

He didn't want one. But I was determined. I had a discussion with some people the day before about a guy who seemed to act like he was in a shell and needed to do something crazy once in his life. Two gals suggested we should all take him to see Busty at a strip club. We all laughed not knowing I would run into her the next day. I had to get the picture because I knew when I explained the encounter they would have thought I was making up a tall tail!!!
 
jleves said:
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.
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Yup, ate lots of that stuff growing up. I wouldn't call it real pizza though. Was more of a snack food.
 
HooperScooper said:
Yup, ate lots of that stuff growing up. I wouldn't call it real pizza though. Was more of a snack food.
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OK - if you remember that, do you remember a place downtown that had hot dogs with an amazing chili on them? I cannot remember the name. Something like Pops comes to mind but doesn't sound right.
 
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jleves said:
OK - if you remember that, do you remember a place downtown that had hot dogs with an amazing chili on them? I cannot remember the name. Something like Pops comes to mind but doesn't sound right.
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Scottys Coney Island?
 
stick said:
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.
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The Sally's line situation is based on my observation driving up Wooster Street during prime dinner hours several times a month. It is one of the ways that I access I-95 N on my way home, so I drive up it often. It is only weeknights I'm talking about though, but they used to have a line every night, and now is seems that they usually don't. In fairness, I haven't been there in years, so I can't speak to the quality or cleanliness myself. But when I asked around about my observation that they don't appear to be as busy, several independent sources all said that the quality had dropped in their opinion, and most notably, all commented on the lack of cleanliness--including a guy who lived across the street from it for several years, who also said he rarely saw a line there for the entire time he lived there.

Now I'm thinking I should try it again.
 
If we work the Shady Glen cheeseburger into this, we could make a run at one of the longest threads in years. Or at least since the maker's muppet one that was bumped for months.
 
zyron said:
Paradise Pizza in Stratford makes Greek pizza and is very good. They have been there for like 50 years.
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I grew up in Stratford. Not a huge fan of Greek style, but gotta agree that Paradise was the best Greek style I've had. Good enough that it became my family's go-to place for take-out pizza--and we are generally a family of Neapolitan-style pizza fans.

Jerry's Shakespeare Pizza was notable back in the day for their Sicilian-style pizza. No idea if they are still there, but that was the first place I ever had it, and it was always a treat as a kid. Don't think I'd like it much now though.
 
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