OT: Best Pizza in CT

[87Xfer]

No shame in the Hawaiian imo. I add jalapeños or cherry peppers. I like the sweet, spicy and smoky combo.

I could never stomach Hawaiian until i tried a local one with a bunch of roasted jalapenos on it. Shocking difference.

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

Nice. I haven't been to Hubbard Park in decades. I have been Little Rendezvous twice and think it's definitely a worthy stop for Connecticut pizza nuts.

Interesting order by Caplan; I do agree that, at their best, Sally's is the best for my preferences because of the oily char.

How did you remember the order? That's some serious "person-woman-man-camera-TV" recall ability you got there.

I'll take the compliment, but also offer that other than starting with Sally's instead of Pepe's, and next mentioning Modern because it's in the Big 3 that "Pizza, a Love Story" limits itself to, there's pretty good chance that he was doing an east to west visual memory scan, and went in order...which is how I just recalled while writing this that he also mentioned BAR, after Modern and before Ernie's.

 

[HuskyHawk]

I could never stomach Hawaiian until i tried a local one with a bunch of roasted jalapenos on it. Shocking difference.

Seems that would balance the sweetness of the pineapple nicely

 

[Balker]

I'm on it. Mrs. 8893 was calling around 11:45 while waiting for our daughter in her dentist appointment and she finally got through around noon. Got the special and three other pies. I will report back.

Tell me about Coal and Daises. I don't think I've seen it mentioned here before. I just looked it up and it looks like it's in that industrial spot near the Chowder Pot that has already been two other restaurants in like the past three years? Seems to be a jinxed spot. I was in both prior establishments a couple times each--one was a burger joint and I can't remember what the other one was--and they never seemed to get it right; the place has a weird flow about it, like they need a Feng shui consultant.

Coal and Daisies is ok. It’s definitely an above average pie. I think the closest comparison is probably Da Legna, but slightly less good and with less good combinations. Upside, they deliver and are on Grubhub and arrive about 30 min after I order.

In this case though, I went with Zeneli. Great per usual, but did the light bake and reheat.

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

Agreed. They could up their cutlet quality.

Interesting, I had the same thought when I tried it at your recommendation, but didn't mention it because I'd previously struck you as too grumpy about my first visit to Wethersfield Pizza (since uprated through multiple visits).

@imno1 's recommendation toward Olde World for chicken cutlet is very welcome news. Very much enjoy their pizza, and recommend it as a convenient Wilbur Cross on-off option for those passing through and wanting take out that showcases its Modern roots well.

And back to Papa's, which location is better, or are they equal? Not sure if they still have their beginning of the week discount coupon going, but if so, it's a good one.

And on the topic of special pricing, the post-COVID reboot of Next Door's Humphrey St. location as Big Green Pizza Truck takeout (same owners) offers a large cheese pizza daily for $10. I've taken to picking up a pie, eating a few slices, and then stacking leftovers in a container in the fridge or freezer for custom topping and a good reheat in the toaster oven. Had some success last week in an air fryer as well.

 

[8893]

Ok, I have neither had nor considered apples on a pizza, or apples with sausage (except in a stuffing).

I do like apples with smoked gouda, and I could see smoked gouda with sausage, so I am guessing this--like the vast majority of Bufalina's combinations--works, but I am very curious to hear reviews because I don't know if we will get this special before it's gone:

I will definitely get that if they keep it for tomorrow.

I'm kind of over the late fall menu now anyway, so this would be a welcome diversion!

Shut out... couldn't get through on the phone between meetings and they were sold out at 1:45. Now we'll never know if the apple pizza was any good.

I had it once (elsewhere) and it was good. But it's certainly not a red sauce kind of pie. Maybe similar to that one at Buffalina. Apple and sausage is a good pairing anyway.

I'm on it. Mrs. 8893 was calling around 11:45 while waiting for our daughter in her dentist appointment and she finally got through around noon. Got the special and three other pies. I will report back.

The special was amazing. All four pies were A+ but that was our unanimous favorite. Really well balanced and great flavor.

I was a little worried when I arrived to pick up our pies. I was late to begin with, which is rare for me, and then I saw that Matt was not working and there was a new guy (tall, skinny, younger kid) manning the oven. But he absolutely nailed them. We did the light bake, uncut and finished them at home at 450 for five minutes and they were as perfect as you could hope for.

This was our first time with the late fall menu this year, so we did the Funghi, Bolognese and Zucca along with the special. I loved them all. Can’t wait for leftovers tomorrow.

 

[mussels]

Lost the Blue trail on the way back down, wrestled w/darkness & a dying-to-dead phone battery, and learned that Little Rendezvous was temporarily closed due to COVID once I got back to my car.

AllTrails is your friend. Just downloaded it and got a email promotion for "AllTrails Pro" for like 15 bucks for a year. With pro it allows you to download the map (with multiple layers - contours, aerial view, etc) and then will show you exactly where you are, on the downloaded map and records your hike (route, distance, elevation gained etc). I find it to be a fun toy - of course you'll still have to make sure your phone is charged.

 

[Husky25]

I could never stomach Hawaiian until i tried a local one with a bunch of roasted jalapenos on it. Shocking difference.

Intriguing. I'd think banana peppers would be a nice complement.

 

[8893]

Intriguing. I'd think banana peppers would be a nice complement.

Yep. Good call. They work well too.

And Canadian bacon is better than ham or bacon IMO.

 

[8893]

yeah but he still voted for him in 2020 just like you and 8893 did in 2016

As I have said to others, I will kill you if this thread gets cesspooled.

 

[UconnMICK]

This is my idea of a good stuffed pepper

View attachment 61963

My Aunt Lou used to make these. She used to bring us a glass gallon full of them every year!! One of my favorite days of the year!! I miss Aunt Lou!

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

yeah but he still voted for him in 2020 just like you and 8893 did in 2016

Hey -
Let's keep this thread local.
Didn't it start in WBB?
It belongs here.

@HuskyHawk finessed his Reply to @storrsroars really nicely. Don't you be the one to blow it.

 

[methodology]

Asked my buddy who is related to the owner of Mike's pizza what was better and without hesitation said zuppardis

Case closed

 

[8893]

Asked my buddy who is related to the owner of Mike's pizza what was better and without hesitation said zuppardis

Case closed

Appreciate the intel, but I’m still intrigued enough to try Mike’s.

 

[storrsroars]

As I have said to others, I will kill you if this thread gets cesspooled.

To be honest, I forgot where I was when I posted. I just associate HH with the pool, so it was reflexive. I imagine Tom would just delete the related posts if it comes down to that. I won't mind.

 

[HuskyHawk]

To be honest, I forgot where I was when I posted. I just associate HH with the pool, so it was reflexive. I imagine Tom would just delete the related posts if it comes down to that. I won't mind.

Lets hope so. I spend way more time here than there.

 

[karstenkibbe]

It appears that the rumors of a Sally’s opening on lower Summer Street in downtown Stamford have been confirmed by the appearance of a giant “S” papering the entrance to 66 Summer this week. Going to be a lot of happy people here in the Land of a Thousand Average Pizza Places. (Credit to HeyStamford, run by the late J. Walter Kennedy’s grandson and son of former Advocate sports editor Bob Kennedy)

 

[Huskybass]

Appreciate the intel, but I’m still intrigued enough to try Mike’s.

Mike's is better than Zupp's. No doubt about it.

 

[8893]

Mike's is better than Zupp's. No doubt about it.

I think it’s safe to say that there is a lot of doubt about that, even from people who like Mike’s.

 

[imno1]

I think it’s safe to say that there is a lot of doubt about that, even from people who like Mike’s.

I’ve had both enough to have an opinion and would give Zuppardi’s the higher rating. Neither better than the the top 3 in NH with the exception of Zupp’s fresh white clam which is as good as it gets.

 

[Huskybass]

I think it’s safe to say that there is a lot of doubt about that, even from people who like Mike’s.

And the people I know who really know great pizza all prefer Mike's. The great ones haunt you, and you go back soon after. I was back at Mike's soon after my first trip there. Zuppardi's is really good, but I wasn't compelled to return like I was with Mike's.

 

[nashusky109]

It appears that the rumors of a Sally’s opening on lower Summer Street in downtown Stamford have been confirmed by the appearance of a giant “S” papering the entrance to 66 Summer this week. Going to be a lot of happy people here in the Land of a Thousand Average Pizza Places. (Credit to HeyStamford, run by the late J. Walter Kennedy’s grandson and son of former Advocate sports editor Bob Kennedy)

View attachment 62536

Guessing the one expected to open in SoNo wont now?

 

[karstenkibbe]

Guessing the one expected to open in SoNo wont now?

That’s what I’ve heard. But the rumors have been there about Stamford for almost a year. Between Barcelona, Bar Taco, and all the other restaurants on lower Summer and Park Place, it’s going to be absolute zoo down there with the addition of Sally’s post-Covid.

 

[methodology]

I’ve had both enough to have an opinion and would give Zuppardi’s the higher rating. Neither better than the the top 3 in NH with the exception of Zupp’s fresh white clam which is as good as it gets.

When one of the owners family members admits zuppardis is better that's all that needs to be known

 

[8893]

And the people I know who really know great pizza all prefer Mike's. The great ones haunt you, and you go back soon after. I was back at Mike's soon after my first trip there. Zuppardi's is really good, but I wasn't compelled to return like I was with Mike's.

That has definitely been the case for us with Zupp's. Their fresh clam pie will always keep us coming back, and we will always add at least one other pie that features their house-made sausage among the ingredients (current fave in that regard is their escarole and bean pie with sausage added).

I haven't tried Mike's so I can't say where I would rate them, but my larger point is that I think the "There's no doubt X is better than Y" discussion ends when you're quibbling at the margins of the great ones like we are here. At that point, it's about specific pies that one does better than the other, personal preference, and not catching an off pie, which happens.

So if you are saying that Mike's deserves a place in the pantheon of New Haven pizza greatness, I am willing to entertain that notion. If you are saying there is no doubt it's better than Zupp's, I think the thread itself is proof that there is reasonable doubt about that--unless you're saying that @imno1 doesn't know great pizza.

 

[Deepster]

And the people I know who really know great pizza all prefer Mike's. The great ones haunt you, and you go back soon after. I was back at Mike's soon after my first trip there. Zuppardi's is really good, but I wasn't compelled to return like I was with Mike's.

Oh! All the people you know that REALLY know great pizza prefer Mike's? Why didn't you say that in the first place! Because all the people that I know that REALLY know great pizza hate Mike's.

 

[Ratso]

naples was the best just sayin..

i didn’t got to yale, i was a townie yorkside pizza & toads place on my hot list

 

[imno1]

That has definitely been the case for us with Zupp's. Their fresh clam pie will always keep us coming back, and we will always add at least one other pie that features their house-made sausage among the ingredients(current fave in that regard is their escarole and bean pie with sausage added).

I haven't tried Mike's so I can't say where I would rate them, but my larger point is that I think the "There's no doubt X is better than Y" discussion ends when you're quibbling at the margins of the great ones like we are here. At that point, it's about specific pies that one does better than the other, personal preference, and not catching an off pie, which happens.

So if you are saying that Mike's deserves a place in the pantheon of New Haven pizza greatness, I am willing to entertain that notion. If you are saying there is no doubt it's better than Zupp's, I think the thread itself is proof that there is reasonable doubt about that--unless you're saying that @imno1 doesn't know great pizza.

I wouldn't consider myself an expert but more a pizza snob. Growing up in New Haven I have enjoyed great pizza since I've had teeth. Being a snob since an early age I have never had Domino's. Papa Johns, or Lil Caesar. But @Huskybass knows people who know great pizza so I may be wrong

 

[Balker]

New winter menu at Bufalina:
MAIALINO ALPINO $17
Braised pork ribs, juniper, rosemary, mushrooms, fontina cheese, herb gremolata
PATATE $15.50
Roasted potatoes, wild fennel, asiago cheese, sausage
CIPOLLE $16
Caramelized red onion, blisteredscallions,gorgonzola, mozzarella, bacon
BROCCOLI $16
Heirloom broccoli, roasted garlic oil, straciatella

Had the Patate and Maialino Alpino tonight. Patate is a revision to a special they had earlier this year, the Asiago cheese replacing whipped chive creme fraiche, and sausage instead of bacon. While still great for potato lovers, this is not quite as exciting to me as the initial version.

The Maialino was good, the mushrooms and pork rib were great, the juniper and rosemary flavors are interesting, but I found myself not wanting more than a few bites. It was just too much.

I’ll give the other two new ones a test drive next weekend

 

[8893]

New winter menu at Bufalina:
MAIALINO ALPINO $17
Braised pork ribs, juniper, rosemary, mushrooms, fontina cheese, herb gremolata
PATATE $15.50
Roasted potatoes, wild fennel, asiago cheese, sausage
CIPOLLE $16
Caramelized red onion, blisteredscallions,gorgonzola, mozzarella, bacon
BROCCOLI $16
Heirloom broccoli, roasted garlic oil, straciatella

Had the Patate and Maialino Alpino tonight. Patate is a revision to a special they had earlier this year, the Asiago cheese replacing whipped chive creme fraiche, and sausage instead of bacon. While still great for potato lovers, this is not quite as exciting to me as the initial version.

The Maialino was good, the mushrooms and pork rib were great, the juniper and rosemary flavors are interesting, but I found myself not wanting more than a few bites. It was just too much.

I’ll give the other two new ones a test drive next weekend

Funny, I read the new menu the other day and was deflated because none of the new seasonal pies appealed to me based on the description.

Mrs. 8893 hates rosemary so we'd have to skip the Maialino Alpino or ask them to omit it, and I don't get the juniper either.

Agree with you re the Patate; I liked that other version and this one doesn't sound like it pops.

I think I remember last year's Cipolle was a little different, too, but that's probably the one I'd settle for if I had to choose one of the four.

IIRC we added sausage to the Broccoli pie last year and were glad we did. Some of their chili oil, too.