Modern Apizza has been a New Haven institution since 1934, serving some of the city’s most beloved pies from its long brick building on State Street. Originally called State Street Apizza, the restaurant changed its name in the 1940s and has remained a cornerstone of New Haven’s “holy trinity” of apizza joints alongside Frank Pepe’s and Sally’s. Unlike its counterparts, which use coal-fired ovens, Modern bakes its pizzas in an oil-fired brick oven that reaches scorching temperatures and produces the same signature char and chewy crust that define New Haven–style apizza.



The restaurant’s dough is made from a long-fermented starter that gives each pie a tangy depth, while the sauce is crafted from hand-crushed Italian tomatoes and finished with a dusting of Pecorino Romano. While Modern respects the traditional simplicity of apizza, it also embraces variety. Its menu features dozens of combinations, from minimalist tomato pies to fully loaded options like the “Italian Bomb,” piled high with bacon, sausage, pepperoni, mushrooms, onions, and peppers. The balance of old-school technique and generous toppings has helped Modern build a fiercely loyal following.



Inside, the dining room has a comfortable, no-frills charm -- red booths and checkerboard floors. A typical Modern pie starts with a base of hand-crushed Italian plum tomatoes seasoned simply with salt and oregano. Unlike the heavy cheese coverage found on most American pizzas, Modern’s default “mozz” pie uses just enough whole-milk mozzarella to complement the sauce rather than smother it, with a final dusting of sharp Pecorino Romano for extra bite. The balance of sweet tomato, salty cheese, and smoky crust is delish.



It’s baked directly on the hot brick floor of an oil-fired oven, which reaches well over 600 degrees and creates the hallmark blistered crust that’s chewy in the center and crunchy at the rim. This pizza has depth: the sauce caramelizes slightly around the edges, the cheese bubbles and browns, and the char adds complexity without bitterness. That's why in 2023, Pizza Today named it Pizzeria of the Year.



Grade: A

BAR began selling pizza in New Haven in 1996. It set itself apart from New Haven’s traditional pizzerias by utilizing a gas-fired brick oven instead of the iconic coal-fired ovens. This innovation allowed BAR to craft pizzas with a thinner, crispier crust, distinguishing its style from the classic “apizza” known in the region.



One of BAR’s standout creations is the Mashed Potato & Bacon Pie, a white pizza that has become a cult favorite. This inventive dish features a thin, cracker-like crust topped with a creamy layer of mashed potatoes, garlic, Parmesan cheese, and generous chunks of crispy bacon. The combination of these ingredients results in a rich, savory flavor profile.



Grade: A

Frank Pepe, born in 1893 in Maiori, Italy, immigrated to the United States in 1909 and eventually settled in New Haven, Connecticut. After working in bakeries and other jobs, he and his wife Filomena opened a small bakery in 1925 on Wooster Street, which soon evolved into a pizzeria. Pepe began selling simple “apizza” pies — thin, coal-fired pizzas topped with tomato, garlic, olive oil, grated cheese, and sometimes anchovies — and quickly gained a loyal following. In 1937, the business moved into a larger space at 157 Wooster Street, where it remains today. Known for its distinctive charred crust and commitment to quality, Pepe’s became a New Haven institution, with its white clam pizza later achieving iconic status. It was introduced in the mid-20th century, when clams were abundant and cheap along the Connecticut shoreline. The pizza is built on Pepe’s signature thin, coal-fired crust, which develops a crisp, slightly charred texture from the high-heat brick ovens. Instead of a tomato base, it uses fresh shucked littleneck clams, grated Pecorino Romano cheese, garlic, olive oil, and a sprinkle of oregano. The brininess of the clams mingles with the sharp, salty cheese and the roasted garlic, creating a pie that is rich yet balanced, with the smokiness of the crust tying everything together. Grade: A

Sally’s Apizza is a legendary New Haven pizzeria founded in 1938 by Salvatore “Sally” Consiglio, whose mother purchased the Wooster Street storefront for $500 and encouraged him to turn it into a restaurant. After Sally’s passing in 1989, his wife Flo and their sons Bobby and Ricky carried on the family tradition, keeping the business rooted in the same methods and recipes that made it famous - the coal-fired techniques and sauce-forward pies. Often compared with nearby rival Frank Pepe’s, Sally’s remains a cultural icon and a central player in the ongoing story of New Haven-style pizza, celebrated nationally for its authenticity and deep neighborhood roots. New Haven, Connecticut, is known for a distinctive regional pizza variation that originated in New Haven, Connecticut. Locally called “apizza” (pronounced ah-beetz), this style is known for its thin, chewy yet crisp crust that’s baked in a coal-fired brick oven, giving it a signature char. The sauce usually takes center stage, with cheese used more sparingly than in other American pizzas, and toppings are often simple but high quality—like the city’s famous white clam pie. TOMATO SAUCE PIE (STAFF PICK) - Made with Sally’s tomato sauce and parmesan (without mozzarella)

Sally’s Apizza’s Tomato Sauce Pie, also called the Tomato Pie, is a classic New Haven-style apizza that showcases simplicity and tradition. Made with Sally’s signature tomato sauce and a sprinkle of parmesan cheese—but no mozzarella—it highlights the quality and flavor of the sauce and the coal-fired crust. This minimalist approach allows the bright, tangy, and slightly smoky notes from the oven-charred crust to shine, offering a purer taste of the apizza tradition.

MOZZARELLA & TOMATO SAUCE PIE (LOCAL FAVORITE) - Made with Sally’s tomato sauce and mozzarella

Sally’s Apizza’s Mozzarella & Tomato Sauce Pie is a beloved variation of the classic New Haven-style apizza, combining the rich, tangy flavor of their signature tomato sauce with the creamy melt of mozzarella cheese. This pie is a local favorite, offering a harmonious balance between the boldness of the sauce and the smoothness of the cheese, all atop Sally’s signature thin, charred crust. The mozzarella, affectionately referred to as “mootz” in New Haven, adds a satisfying richness that complements the sauce without overwhelming the palate. Baked in a coal-fired oven, the pizza achieves a perfect char, enhancing the overall flavor profile and providing a delightful contrast to the tender interior. Grade: A

New Haven, Connecticut, is home to four distinct food truck districts. “Food Truck Paradise” is a collection of mobile eateries overlooking the water on Long Wharf Drive, featuring an array of food options with an emphasis on Latin American cuisines, according to CTInsider. Featured dishes include Chicken Lo Mein; steak and cheese sandwiches, beef, chicken and veggie tacos, pizza, ribs, empañadas, cashew nut chicken, falafels, General Tso’s chicken, Caesar’s salad, lamb curry, coffee, tea, cupcakes, ice cream, and more, according to Visit New Haven. Here is a sampling of the food trucks along the wharf: Arepas CT, El Azteca, El Rinconcito, Ixtapa, La Chalupa, La Chicky Munchy, La Jaltera, La Patrona, La Unica, Old Mexico, Mexicalli Black Truck, Sandwiches El Cubano, Santa Apolonia, Sweeney’s Hot Dog King, Sweeney Mexican Food, Tacos Santa Ines, Tripletas & More and Winn Pinchos. It was quite a sight to see so many trucks lined up in one place - like 30! I wanted to try them all - but that will need to wait til next time. Have you ever been?