OT: Best Pizza in CT

[HooperScooper]

The ones from his latest trip out this way are mostly east of the city, more than an hour RT for me. Lupo is in Lawrenceville, at least 45 mins RT for me. Actually first time hearing of Lupo. I've heard Davide is good. I did have Iron Born and enjoyed it, but that's Detroit style.

The ones he originally reviewed are at best average, and in a couple of cases much worse. I'd rate all of them lower than what Portnoy gave them.

Sounds like you need to move.

 

[Deepster]

Ok I’m expecting to be ripped because there are a lot of pizza snobs here but here goes:
I went to Costco and ordered to go a large pepperoni at $9.95. It’s BIG and loaded with cheese and pepperoni. They cut the pieces 1/2 size what they sell by the slice in the store.
I go home put slices in the toaster oven to get it very very hot and crisp then hit it with some red pepper flakes.
I’m more than happy and you can wrap in foil the slices for the freezer and they are actually BETTER on reheat.
They only make cheese and pepperoni but you can get a cheese and just add your own toppings to get what you want. I understand the white clam would be tougher to duplicate.
For reference when I ordered a pepperoni from Pepi’s last time….I had to send a search party out to find the toppings. So $10 vs $35

Mods. Please ban this poster.

 

[ElGuapo]

If one has to stoop to going to Costco and playing pizza reheating games at home to get a decent slice, I highly suggest going deeper into the store and picking up one of these Club Double-Packs in the freezer.

The Authentic Motor City Pizza Co. | Our Products

Seven delicious varieties of Detroit Style deep dish pizza

www.motorcitypizzacompany.com

They are very good, will fill you up and leave you plenty for a 2nd or 3rd meal/snack.

But back to topic before I get banned or lose any of my hard-earned Cred for mentioning Costco pizza in a post...

 

[Deepster]

If one has to stoop to going to Costco and playing pizza reheating games at home to get a decent slice, I highly suggest going deeper into the store and picking up one of these Club Double-Packs in the freezer.

The Authentic Motor City Pizza Co. | Our Products

Seven delicious varieties of Detroit Style deep dish pizza

www.motorcitypizzacompany.com

They are very good, will fill you up and leave you plenty for a 2nd or 3rd meal/snack.

But back to topic before I get banned or lose any of my hard-earned Cred for mentioning Costco pizza in a post...

I guarantee there is a much better mom and pop pizza place within a mile of that Costco. Inexcusable.

 

[dvegas]

I got three of the new DiFara frozen pies at Shop Rite last week, on special, 3 for $10, advertised as regular price $10 each (but now are marked at $5.99 each).

I always doctor up a frozen pie with oregano, olive oil and pecorino before baking in a (well-preheated) oven. Not bad, good crust, the basil was really nice (although baked on the pie, included), would definitely buy again at a $5 price point, but not $10

 

[boog204]

Went to John’s in Times Square last week and it was very, very good. But $25 for a small pepperoni is stupid.

 

[superjohn]

I went to the Sally's in Woburn, MA a while ago and the large pizza was the same size as Pepe's 18" large but it cost 20% more.

I'm looking at the menu online for both now and I see what Sally's did. They reduced the price of the "large" since it was so high before and people were complaining but now their "large" is only 15". Pretty slimy. It's like the chip bags that they keep increasing the price on and reducing the amount of chips in the bag.

At the Pepe's up here in Chestnut Hill a 16" medium cheese pizza is $20.50. The Sally's in Woburn 15" large cheese pizza is $25.50. So for 1" less it's 24% more cost. Stupid. It's why I refuse to go to Sally's again. If I really enjoyed Sally's more than Pepe's, which I don't, then I wouldn't care about the price difference. But it's the principle that Sally's since the sale and expansion is being run by a greedy corporation.

I'll never go to Sally's again either. Everything that was cool about that place was ruined once they sold out. It's comical they got rid of their large pizzas and shrunk their medium. Did they not think people would notice they're getting ripped off even more than they were before? A pizza place without a large pie, what a joke.

 

[Horatio]

Mondo. Easy walking distance from Wesleyan.

Going here today. It’ll be my second time. I work in Middletown but live in New Haven so I’m trying to find something decent away from home. We settled with Mondo.

 

[upstater]

I'll never go to Sally's again either. Everything that was cool about that place was ruined once they sold out. It's comical they got rid of their large pizzas and shrunk their medium. Did they not think people would notice they're getting ripped off even more than they were before? A pizza place without a large pie, what a joke.

Are you talking about their original place? We last went in December/January and we ordered a large and it filled the entire rectangular pan.

I know they won't sell the large togo anymore but you can definitely order it for sit-down as of 3 months ago.

 

[Purple Stein]

Going here today. It’ll be my second time. I work in Middletown but live in New Haven so I’m trying to find something decent away from home. We settled with Mondo.

Mondo is great. Enjoy!

 

[FfldCntyFan]

Can't speak for anyone but myself but if I want Sally's I'll take the 40+ minute drive (depending on traffic) to New Haven.

I went once to the Stamford location, and while the pie was fine, the entire atmosphere was far removed from what someone would want when dining out (and not looking for fast food prices).

The attitude from everyone there seemed to be "ringing the register" is all that matters.

The Pepe's outside of Wooster Street at least feel a bit like a family run pizza place.

 

[Husky25]

Sally's seems to be valuing themselves out of the Big Three/Four/Five.

 

[superjohn]

Are you talking about their original place? We last went in December/January and we ordered a large and it filled the entire rectangular pan.

I know they won't sell the large togo anymore but you can definitely order it for sit-down as of 3 months ago.

I haven't been in a long time because I didn't like my two visits since they sold out and I live out of state so not giving them anymore chances. All of their locations including their original location menu say they just serve a standard 12 inch pizza and a classic 15 inch pizza now. There's a few Reddit threads on it.

 

[upstater]

I haven't been in a long time because I didn't like my two visits since they sold out and I live out of state so not giving them anymore chances. All of their locations including their original location menu say they just serve a standard 12 inch pizza and a classic 15 inch pizza now. There's a few Reddit threads on it.

View attachment 108845

That's online ordering.

Not the sitdown menu

But I can't find any pictures of a large since late 2024 on Yelp. If they changed, it's for 2025. I've known they don't do large takeout pizzas for several years now.

 

[superjohn]

That's online ordering.

Not the sitdown menu

It's their menu, not online ordering.

 

[upstater]

It's their menu, not online ordering.

I know where you got it. That's the main site. It says menu. But they cater to online ordering. It's for all the stores. You can't go to Sally's anymore and order it to go. You have to order online. The wait times for pickup are 3-4 hours so you do it online. Last time I looked at the menu online a few months ago, it was the same way. No large pizzas available on that menu on the website. But in the store, when we sat down, we ordered 2 large pizzas that filled the tray.

If you go on Yelp, you can see large pizzas from sit-down diners as late as November 2024.

But this online menu has stayed the same

 

[Kemba Time]

How is Krust Pizza in Middletown?

I'll be visiting Middletown often in the next few years since my oldest is starting at Wesleyan. I already scoped out places like Fuoco in nearby towns.

Live in Middletown, and Krust and Mondo are both downtown go-tos for us (along with Vero Cucino, a ways off Main Street).

Mondo is more traditional pizza place and Krust is more of a pizza & a couple cocktails night out -- usually coupled with a stop at Eli Canon's across the street.

• Fresh tomato & basil is my fave at Mondo (with a risotto fritters app) and it's the only place on the planet I order a pizza without meat as my first choice.
• At Krust, sweet & spicy roni is the play.

Won't derail the thread with non-pizza options, but hit me up for any Middletown recs you need. There are a ton of good options on Main Street and nearby.

 

[superjohn]

I know where you got it. That's the main site. It says menu. But they cater to online ordering. It's for all the stores. You can't go to Sally's anymore and order it to go. You have to order online. The wait times for pickup are 3-4 hours so you do it online. Last time I looked at the menu online a few months ago, it was the same way. No large pizzas available on that menu on the website. But in the store, when we sat down, we ordered 2 large pizzas that filled the tray.

If you go on Yelp, you can see large pizzas from sit-down diners as late as November 2024.

But this online menu has stayed the same

Maybe you can still order a large at their original New Haven location but at the Stamford location as of two days ago they only sell a 12 inch standard and 15 inch classic for sit down like it says on all their online menus.

 

[upstater]

Live in Middletown, and Krust and Mondo are both downtown go-tos for us (along with Vero Cucino, a ways off Main Street).

Mondo is more traditional pizza place and Krust is more of a pizza & a couple cocktails night out -- usually coupled with a stop at Eli Canon's across the street.

• Fresh tomato & basil is my fave at Mondo (with a risotto fritters app) and it's the only place on the planet I order a pizza without meat as my first choice.
• At Krust, sweet & spicy roni is the play.

Won't derail the thread with non-pizza options, but hit me up for any Middletown recs you need. There are a ton of good options on Main Street and nearby.

I was surprised to see Middletown is so nice. I live 7 hours away but grew up in New Haven near Foxon, so we took the back way to campus (i.e. Northford). Nice charming Main Street along the river. Daughter already scoped out the Asian food places on Main. What's your favorite? (This is the longest pizza thread on earth so it's allowed).

 

[superjohn]

I was surprised to see Middletown is so nice. I live 7 hours away but grew up in New Haven near Foxon, so we took the back way to campus (i.e. Northford). Nice charming Main Street along the river. Daughter already scoped out the Asian food places on Main. What's your favorite? (This is the longest pizza thread on earth so it's allowed).

Same, when I was a kid it had a rep for being kind of dumpy. I visited a couple of summers ago for the day and was surprised how nice it is. The main drag goes on forever, nice wide sidewalks, restaurants everywhere.

 

[Waquoit]

Same, when I was a kid it had a rep for being kind of dumpy. I visited a couple of summers ago for the day and was surprised how nice it is. The main drag goes on forever, nice wide sidewalks, restaurants everywhere.

I wonder if it's the "Hamilton" effect?

 

[Kemba Time]

I was surprised to see Middletown is so nice. I live 7 hours away but grew up in New Haven near Foxon, so we took the back way to campus (i.e. Northford). Nice charming Main Street along the river. Daughter already scoped out the Asian food places on Main. What's your favorite? (This is the longest pizza thread on earth so it's allowed).

Asian is probably what we go out for the least (much more likely to get as takeout when we don't wanna cook), but Typhoon Thai, Hachi Japanese, Niuda noodles and the Tibetan place are all solid.

Some overall favorites

• Celtic Cavern: Downstairs gastropub vibe with awesome pub food. Bacon burger is amazing and has won best burger in the state type awards
• Eli Cannon's: The Middletown standard. Beer selection/bar food, awesome outdoor area (they opened a place called Tate's on the water I haven't gotten to yet)
• Harrie's Jailhouse: On South Main Street, but really cool place. It's an old jailhouse turned into a really cool restaurant with really good cocktails. Great outdoor area.
• ION is a great vegetarian place (my wife is vegetarian and it's a birthday staple for her) if your daughter likes that.
• Osa. Local/American food. Same owners as Krust
• Perkatory for coffee etc.

Could really go on with a bunch more too

 

[Waquoit]

• Eli Cannon's: The Middletown standard. Beer selection/bar food, awesome outdoors (they opened a place called Tate's on the water I haven't gotten to yet)

Even when Middletown had fewer options, Eli's was always good.

 

[upstater]

Asian is probably what we go out for the least (much more likely to get as takeout when we don't wanna cook), but Typhoon Thai, Hachi Japanese, Niuda noodles and the Tibetan place are all solid.

Some overall favorites

• Celtic Cavern: Downstairs gastropub vibe with awesome pub food. Bacon burger is amazing and has won best burger in the state type awards
• Eli Cannon's: The Middletown standard. Beer selection/bar food, awesome outdoor area (they opened a place called Tate's on the water I haven't gotten to yet)
• Harrie's Jailhouse: On South Main Street, but really cool place. It's an old jailhouse turned into a really cool restaurant with really good cocktails. Great outdoor area.
• ION is a great vegetarian place (my wife is vegetarian and it's a birthday staple for her) if your daughter likes that.
• Osa. Local/American food. Same owners as Krust
• Perkatory for coffee etc.

Could really go on with a bunch more too

Thanks. Marking all this down!

 

[jibsey]

Cool, you can get a Jack's or Tombstone for $3. You love grocery store pizza, most people love pizza from their favorite pizza restaurants.

You can also get Lunchables for cheaper than you can get a grinder from an excellent Italian deli.

You are wrong on this IMO with plenty of disappointment I have personally tasted, recently Ernie’s, but Detroit style Motor City frozen also from Costco is pretty good. So go ahead and keep buying those $30-$40 pizzas because these places that pay about $3 for the ingredients per pie are just loving you, as they buy their second homes and boats.
I expected to be ripped on this and I never said there weren’t good pizzas out there but IMO the cost differential is extreme and not worth it.
We have numerous complaints from people here getting medium pies for $25 and up and these shops are simply taking major advantage of people.
I just prefer to make my own mostly now and in Florida you can buy the fresh dough rolled out already in refrigerated section of Publix. In Ct. Not that I am aware.
One other thing. People are quite passionate about pizza and it has been said I should be banned from this thread, burned at the stake or something to that effect but I wish to point out that another thread opened today asking recommendations for great Italian restaurants. And some really good ones are endorsed but a couple of people have endorsed Olive Garden in that thread. Any talk of banning for their likes should start right there IMO, right?