OT: Best Pizza in CT

[John]

Rossini's sold the log cabin in Farmington to Joey Garlic's right.......that Rossini's was real good!!!

grew up in Farmington and LOVED that place, my friends and I would go all the time - either that or George's in Unionville

 

[husky91]

Would take Modern over any and the portion sizes are huge too. Son gets small calzone and it could feed a family.

I would say Pepe's has the best white clam and my favorite pie is Modern's Italian Bomb.

 

[sledog]

Ocean in NL was always popular with the HS crowd, but Campus and Central had superior pizza.

 

[suzyq]

Franklin Giant meatball or chicken cutlet (in the oven). There's no better Grinders in CT.

Maple Giant used to be better and my husband really liked having the beautiful , buxom daughters of the owner take his order), but Franklin is still great.

 

[suzyq]

Harry's just opened a second location in Glastonbury.

Unfortunately, Harry's moved in after Mike Procaccinni was driven out by high rent. Geno's was always my favorite, but it's completely different from New Haven pizza. It had more sauce and heavy cheese, and it was cut in squares.

 

[upstater]

Canned tomatoes? Oh my God, do they use flour and cheese, too?

He's right. The best pizza places stew their own tomatoes over long hours. It makes all the difference in the world.

 

[Dove]

Same with my family. It was an Italian-American convention in the Bridgeport/Stratford area where I grew up. As best as I have been able to tell, this was simply our way of ordering a cheese pizza, with Italians-Americans who (or whose families) had immigrated from the Naples area calling the cheese "scamozz." I'm almost certain it was always mozzarella cheese here, but there is a regional variant in Italy called "scamorza," which is similar to mozzarella (it is both smoked and unsmoked, but in some areas they use the term only for the smoked variant). You can find scamorza here, but it is not common (and never has been) and would be much more similar to fresh mozzarella, not the low-moisture, part skim mozzarella used by most pizza places on a standard cheese pizza, which is what I remember us getting when we ordered a "scamozz apizza."


Portofino is the best and most consistent in town imo, especially if you're in North Madison, Dove. Red Tomato is actually Madison, too, but it is near the Guilford line. It is good, but it's not New Haven, and not worth the inconvenience as compared to Portofino imo. It also doesn't travel all that well in my experience. Portofino's new restaurant in New Haven just opened last week. It is called "Da Legna" and it is on State Street, where Abate's Pizza used to be (across from Christopher Martin's). I have not been yet, but we are going for dinner next weekend and I will report back. He has a wood-fired brick oven imported from Italy for the pizzas, and he has teamed with talented New Haven area chef Dave Foster, who is making several small plates and salads. I'm looking forward to it. BTW, if you haven't had them yet, Portofino's stuffed breads are ridiculously good. Just don't start bringing them to other people's houses for gatherings, because they'll never ask you to bring anything else, and their "order" will double every time, as people wipe the things out in no time.

Nuzzo's is okay, but nothing really special imo. We use them because our kids like them, and when we need delivery. IMO, the next best local option besides Portofino is Bradley and Wall. Their sauce in particular is excellent; I think their use of plum tomatoes is the difference. Give them a shot next time. Their entrees, sandwiches and sides, etc. are also good.

Kudos for that 8893! I am already requested constantly to bring those stuffed breads to family functions. And Mrs. Dove feels they work for dinner, too, as an entree. I brought two to an Audubon mtg in West Hartford and one person who loved them was bummed they were from Madison.

 

[huskyjawz]

He's right. The best pizza places stew their own tomatoes over long hours. It makes all the difference in the world.

Yeah they stew tomatoes out of a can. What are we arguing about?

 

[Dove]

Canned tomatoes? Oh my God, do they use flour and cheese, too?

ha haa. That oven can negate some of the negatives. I was stunned when I asked for tomatoes and they said they were from a can. The mushrooms clearly were.

 

[huskyjawz]

Oh, I see. You were referring to a topping; I thought the sauce. I agree canned tomatoes as a topping is not good. I hate canned mushrooms, too. I don't know for a fact, but Pepes' mushrooms certainly seem canned to me.

 

[8893]

Kudos for that 8893! I am already requested constantly to bring those stuffed breads to family functions. And Mrs. Dove feels they work for dinner, too, as an entree. I brought two to an Audubon mtg in West Hartford and one person who loved them was bummed they were from Madison.

That's the thing with those breads: you might as well have them for dinner, because when you put them out beforehand, no one can stop eating them, and then people are invariably full before dinner. Ordinary people usually stop eating then. The problem for me is that I don't. Which is why I have to try to stop myself from eating them altogether, or at least wait until there are only a few pieces left before I start.

If you haven't found Pasta Vita in Old Saybrook yet, check it out for sure-fire prepared meals, soups, sauces, meatballs--pretty much everything you could want for high-quality meals to reheat at home (refrigerated or frozen). Their Chicken-Artichoke Lasagne is another item I have a problem stopping myself from eating until I am way, way, way past full.

 

[kcc1442]

My family is in that area, and we often get Mondo's, at least when I'm around. I like their pizza a lot.

Mondo = same ownership as Naples in Farmington but Naples sells twice as much pizza and was the original. Excellent pizza. Harry's was another good nomination. I might have actually enjoyed Barb's (Harry's ex wife's place when they split) pizza in west hartford on park ave better until it moved. Don't remember where it relocated, Glastonbury? Any one know?

 

[Dove]

That's the thing with those breads: you might as well have them for dinner, because when you put them out beforehand, no one can stop eating them, and then people are invariably full before dinner. Ordinary people usually stop eating then. The problem for me is that I don't. Which is why I have to try to stop myself from eating them altogether, or at least wait until there are only a few pieces left before I start.

If you haven't found Pasta Vita in Old Saybrook yet, check it out for sure-fire prepared meals, soups, sauces, meatballs--pretty much everything you could want for high-quality meals to reheat at home (refrigerated or frozen). Their Chicken-Artichoke Lasagne is another item I have a problem stopping myself from eating until I am way, way, way past full.

Okay, we know of Pasta Vita just can't get the car past Lenny and Joe's...we are suckers for the whole-bellys.

 

[mauconnfan]

Mondo = same ownership as Naples in Farmington but Naples sells twice as much pizza and was the original. Excellent pizza. Harry's was another good nomination. I might have actually enjoyed Barb's (Harry's ex wife's place when they split) pizza in west hartford on park ave better until it moved. Don't remember where it relocated, Glastonbury? Any one know?

Hearing great things about Mondo..........have to try it!

 

[8893]

Okay, we know of Pasta Vita just can't get the car past Lenny and Joe's...we are suckers for the whole-bellys.

I hear you. We go there a lot in the summers. I think Johnny Ad's in Old Saybrook is slightly better, but the space, proximity and carousel at Lenny and Joe's keep us in town most of the time.

 

[Excalibur]

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

Every region has its own flavor.

That would be great if it were true. Unfortunately, other than with respect to sauces, BBQ can be made just as well up here, and often without the need to go out to eat.

 

[Excalibur]

Harry's, West Hartford for me

Not as good as it was 10 years ago.

 

[upstater]

Yeah they stew tomatoes out of a can. What are we arguing about?

fresh tomatoes versus canned tomatoes

 

[upstater]

Oh, I see. You were referring to a topping; I thought the sauce. I agree canned tomatoes as a topping is not good. I hate canned mushrooms, too. I don't know for a fact, but Pepes' mushrooms certainly seem canned to me.

Pepe's uses fresh tomatoes for the sauce.

 

[huskyjawz]

Pepe's uses fresh tomatoes for the sauce.

I doubt it.

In the summer, they use fresh tomatoes on the seasonal pie.

 

[businesslawyer]

There was a guy on my floor freshman year from Cos Cob who called grinders "wedges". I've never heard that anywhere else.

Wedges was the only thing they were called in Westchester in the '70s. But I haven't heard anyone use that term in decades.

 

[Robertelamin]

Not as good as it was 10 years ago.

Are you going to the West Hartford Center one or the Bishops Corner one? The Bishops Corner Harry's is better

 

[huskyniner]

I wouldn't consider it top 5 in CT or anything, but Napoli's in Wallingford is pretty incredible. Hadn't been mentioned in this thread yet, but it's easily the best in town.

 

[Bezzz]

Are you going to the West Hartford Center one or the Bishops Corner one? The Bishops Corner Harry's is better

Harry's in West Hartford Center no longer exists. The running shoe store next door took over the space and expanded...I was the architect.

 

[Excalibur]

Harry's in West Hartford Center no longer exists. The running shoe store next door took over the space and expanded...I was the architect.

Didn't it just move over to Main?

Are you going to the West Hartford Center one or the Bishops Corner one? The Bishops Corner Harry's is better

Been to both -- been about 2-3 years though.