OT: Best Pizza in CT

[huskymedic]

 

[husky429]

Finally got down to Little Rendezvous now that things have calmed down last weekend. It was a good pie, but IMO not worth a 9.1. Under crust (or whatever the heck it's called) was a tad chewy for my liking. Felt like I was getting a jaw workout the whole time. Loved the sauce, slightly burnt cheese, and the crunch on the edge crust. Definitely would go back, but it doesn't top a few places in the state for me.

 

[Kolumbo]

Lemon ricotta, new potatoes, pistou, red pepper flake and dill from the grill.

View attachment 101899

We get pizza from the same half dozen places close to home but I need to try it more when we are on the road, or make a special trip to New Haven. I've also been to a couple places in Torrington and agree those places make great pizza. Grew up on mostly the Greek style so I am partial to that and I love NY slices.

This photo, no. Any random food placed on dough does not make it pizza. Potatoes, pasta, fruit, various deep-fried chicken, and anything bbq or buffalo, all absolute "No's." Just like sheet on a hamburger roll doesn't make it a burger. This image concoction is really some version of potato something or other and should be put on a plate instead of pizza dough. Save the carbs, taste the potatoes.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Pequod's is pan pizza but also falls under deep dish. Pequod's and Burt's are different than traditional Chicago Deep dish, they have the caramelized crust and the cheese and toppings on top where traditional Chicago deep dish is cooked in a cake pan which yields a flaky crust and they put the cheese on the bottom then toppings and sauce on top. They're both a lot better IMO than the cracker thin square cut tavern style pizza Chicagoans consider Chicago pizza and people are hyping up lately.

Connecticut does pizza so much better than everywhere else.

Shhh, I know. I picked Pequods on purpose! I could have used Ginos or Lou Malnati's.

 

[Deepster]

Just for kicks, I went back to page 1 of this thread. From 1/5/13 to 1/21/13 alone (16 pages), there were 21 posts specific to Sally's or Pepe's.

And the thread has continued another 11 years and 305 pages after these posts.

Replicant	10/02/2011	S	Everybody knows Sally's and their Famous Fresh Tomato Pie is an absolute classic and delicious!
CTBasketball	01/05/2013	P	I've got money on Pepe's in New Haven but what do you all think?
cjd05002	01/05/2013	P	Pepes quality declined once it started to expand.
sledog	01/05/2013	S	Sally's w/o a doubt.
huskysupporter	01/05/2013	S	I must be the only person who can't stand sally's pizza.
stick	01/05/2013	S	Sally's on their worst day probably makes a better pie than any other CT Pizza place's best day except maybe Pepe's in New Haven. The reality is Sally's main pizza makers are amazing. The only negatives to Sally's is the wait times, mediocre service and a horrific bathroom.
stick	01/05/2013	P	Pepe's New Haven – I've never tried any of the other locations, but I probably have Pepe's more often than any other as the wait is not too brutal and the quality of their pies are great most of the time. Compared to Sally's, Pepe's is professionally run and their bad days (mediocre pies) are better than most of the other pizza places.
upstater	01/05/2013	P	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.
GemParty	01/05/2013	S	The Best: Sally's Apizza New Haven, wait & ambiance could improve. Wife hates the bathrooms.
GemParty	01/05/2013	P	Very Good New Haven style Pizza & great portions for pastas. Try Joey Garlics Newington. Try the eggplant fries with a blizzard of Parmesan cheese.
Stick	01/05/2013	S	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.
8893	01/05/2013	S	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.
8893	01/06/2013	P	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.
willie99	01/06/2013	P	I prefer Pepe's because they're the only one that serves a fresh whole clam pizza, and it's my favorite pie in the world
GreatHusky	01/06/2013	S	If you like thick and sloppy, Pepe's is for you. I prefer Sally's because it is thin and crunchy.
UConnKev	01/06/2013	P	If I had to rank the best pies I've had in Connecticut, it would go like this: 1) Pepe's in New Haven only
uconnbill	01/06/2013	P	Pepe's is my favorite and it has to be clam in season.
HuskyNationJE	01/08/2013	SP	Sally's is by far the best pizza in CT. Pepe's is still good, but has fallen off with all their expansion and lack of loyalty to their roots on Wooster St.
DoronElAmin	01/11/2013	S	For my money, the best pizza in CT is still Sally's.
imno1	01/14/2013	SP	I may be old school but for me the real test of greatness is how the pie taste with few or no toppings. Dough, sauce, and cheese for the most part. I'll take Sally's for that. For a specialty pie I'll take the original White clam at Pepe's.
JustHusky	01/21/2013	P	Pepes pizza with anchovies. May be disgusting to some, but for the true fans out there, true bliss.

 

[GlastonTim]

Finally got down to Little Rendezvous now that things have calmed down last weekend. It was a good pie, but IMO not worth a 9.1. Under crust (or whatever the heck it's called) was a tad chewy for my liking. Felt like I was getting a jaw workout the whole time. Loved the sauce, slightly burnt cheese, and the crunch on the edge crust. Definitely would go back, but it doesn't top a few places in the state for me.

Yeah, had it a month ago. Not that good in my opinion. Recently had Zuppardi’s and Pepe’s in Fairfield. Both so much better than Little Rendezvous. Don’t get any of the love.

 

[imno1]

Just for kicks, I went back to page 1 of this thread. From 1/5/13 to 1/21/13 alone (16 pages), there were 21 posts specific to Sally's or Pepe's.

And the thread has continued another 11 years and 305 pages after these posts.

Replicant	10/02/2011	S	Everybody knows Sally's and their Famous Fresh Tomato Pie is an absolute classic and delicious!
CTBasketball	01/05/2013	P	I've got money on Pepe's in New Haven but what do you all think?
cjd05002	01/05/2013	P	Pepes quality declined once it started to expand.
sledog	01/05/2013	S	Sally's w/o a doubt.
huskysupporter	01/05/2013	S	I must be the only person who can't stand sally's pizza.
stick	01/05/2013	S	Sally's on their worst day probably makes a better pie than any other CT Pizza place's best day except maybe Pepe's in New Haven. The reality is Sally's main pizza makers are amazing. The only negatives to Sally's is the wait times, mediocre service and a horrific bathroom.
stick	01/05/2013	P	Pepe's New Haven – I've never tried any of the other locations, but I probably have Pepe's more often than any other as the wait is not too brutal and the quality of their pies are great most of the time. Compared to Sally's, Pepe's is professionally run and their bad days (mediocre pies) are better than most of the other pizza places.
upstater	01/05/2013	P	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.
GemParty	01/05/2013	S	The Best: Sally's Apizza New Haven, wait & ambiance could improve. Wife hates the bathrooms.
GemParty	01/05/2013	P	Very Good New Haven style Pizza & great portions for pastas. Try Joey Garlics Newington. Try the eggplant fries with a blizzard of Parmesan cheese.
Stick	01/05/2013	S	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.
8893	01/05/2013	S	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.
8893	01/06/2013	P	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.
willie99	01/06/2013	P	I prefer Pepe's because they're the only one that serves a fresh whole clam pizza, and it's my favorite pie in the world
GreatHusky	01/06/2013	S	If you like thick and sloppy, Pepe's is for you. I prefer Sally's because it is thin and crunchy.
UConnKev	01/06/2013	P	If I had to rank the best pies I've had in Connecticut, it would go like this: 1) Pepe's in New Haven only
uconnbill	01/06/2013	P	Pepe's is my favorite and it has to be clam in season.
HuskyNationJE	01/08/2013	SP	Sally's is by far the best pizza in CT. Pepe's is still good, but has fallen off with all their expansion and lack of loyalty to their roots on Wooster St.
DoronElAmin	01/11/2013	S	For my money, the best pizza in CT is still Sally's.
imno1	01/14/2013	SP	I may be old school but for me the real test of greatness is how the pie taste with few or no toppings. Dough, sauce, and cheese for the most part. I'll take Sally's for that. For a specialty pie I'll take the original White clam at Pepe's.
JustHusky	01/21/2013	P	Pepes pizza with anchovies. May be disgusting to some, but for the true fans out there, true bliss.

Haha El Presidente must have read my original post.

 

[CONN78SEJ]

Yeah, had it a month ago. Not that good in my opinion. Recently had Zuppardi’s and Pepe’s in Fairfield. Both so much better than Little Rendezvous. Don’t get any of the love.

The thing I love about Zuppardis is not only is it easily on par with Pepe’s and Modern but it is right down the street (2 minutes away, from the West Haven beaches and it’s heavy duty picnic tables. They also will make a delicious thin crust tomato pie if you call ahead. That being said, if you want a treat then a sausage & mushroom pie, or sausage only pie, or margarita pie is to die for. I do not know where they get their olive oil from
but it definitely makes a difference, not to mention, it still is the only pizzeria that still makes it’s own sausage. The best clam pies I have had have been at Zupp’s and Pepe’s. The best tomatoe pie I ever had came straight from the hands of Sal Consiglio about 50 years ago. I went again last year for the same, took one bite and asked for the check and a take home box, my wife and I then walked out and went up the street to Pepe’s. Our Newfoundland had the Sally’s pie when we got home.