What Shall We Get? A Pizza Expert’s Guide to Connecticut’s Primo Pies
New Haven native Colin Caplan is an authority on pizza. We asked him to share his favorite orders from the state’s top five pizzerias, as ranked by the Connecticut Pizza Trail and his personal list. Caplan runs five pizza tours, including the six-hour Pizza Lovers Tour of New Haven, created a 2019 documentary titled Pizza: A Love Story, and set the Guinness World Record for hosting the Largest Pizza Party with 4,525 attendees. His recommendations have been lightly edited for clarity.
Modern Apizza
The mozzarella pizza at Modern Apizza is exceptional, perfectly balancing flavors, textures, and the gooey, satisfying quality pizza lovers expect. For those who crave meat, the Italian Bomb is the go-to choice—it combines three meats and four vegetables with sauce and cheese, all layered thinly for a punch of flavor and texture.
Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana
Try the original sauce and grated cheese pie with garlic at Pepe’s. This classic Neapolitan tomato pie is perfected by the unique coal-fired ovens, a signature of Pepe’s. For a quintessential New Haven experience, the white clam pizza connects the Native Quinnipiac shoreline’s traditional foods with the immigrant flatbread beloved by all locals.
Sally’s Apizza
The favorite at Sally’s is the original sauce pie with added garlic, a tribute to founder Salvatore Consiglio’s original recipe.
“This is the original Neapolitan tomato pie, tried and true, immortalized in the alchemy of Pepe’s massive coal-fired ovens.”
Summary: Colin Caplan highlights Connecticut’s signature pizzas, emphasizing the rich traditions and flavors that define New Haven’s top pizzerias, connecting history, community, and culinary craft.