Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana
Encyclopedia
Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana, known locally as Pepe's, is a popular pizza
restaurant
in the Wooster Square
neighborhood of New Haven, Connecticut
at 163 Wooster Street. Opened in 1925, it is one of the oldest and best known pizzerias in the United States
.
immigrant. Pepe was born in Maiori, Italy
, and immigrated to New Haven in 1909 at the age of 17. The quintessential Wooster Square
Italian immigrant, he took a job at a New Haven factory, but he hated it. During World War I
, Pepe went back to Italy to fight for his native country. Upon returning, he soon landed a job working at a bakery on Wooster Street. Pepe began walking through the Wooster Square market and sold his "tomato pie
s" off of a special headdress. After saving enough money, he was able to buy a wagon from which he sold his pizzas. He did so well with his pizzas that he was eventually able to take over his employer's business and turn it into the first "Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana" on June 16, 1925. Frank Pepe died on September 6, 1969.
(closely related to Neapolitan
-style Italian pizza) which he baked in a coal-fired brick oven. Originally, Frank Pepe only made two varieties of pizza: the "plain" (oregano
, chopped garlic
, tomato sauce, and grated pecorino romano
cheese) and the "marinara" (tomato sauce, grated cheese, and anchovies
).
The piece of land which Pepe's restaurant sat on was owned by the Boccamiello family. They later made Frank Pepe leave so that they could start their own pizzeria at the establishment, which they renamed The Spot. Pepe moved his restaurant to its current location next door to The Spot in 1936. The Pepe family later bought back The Spot from the Boccamiello family in 1981 and it now serves the same menu as the newer restaurant.
In the alleyway between The Spot and Pepe's, Boccamiello's nephew Bear would open clams and sell them on the half shell to passersby. Pepe's restaurant began serving littleneck clams on the half shell at the bar. It was only a matter of time before he decided to put the clams on the pizza. The white clam pie is just crust, olive oil, oregano, grated cheese, chopped garlic, and fresh littleneck clams. The restaurant will serve the pizza with or without mozzarella, but they try to discourage customers from ordering it with mozzarella because they feel that it makes the pizza too heavy and rich. They are also adamant on using freshly shucked clams as opposed to canned clams; if fresh clams are not available then they will not serve the white clam pie. Three men are employed by Pepe's just for shucking the clams on location. Since its invention, the white clam pie has become the signature pizza of pizzerias in New Haven.
Today Pepe's is particularly known for its innovation of the white pizza topped with freshly shucked littleneck clams. This type of pizza pie became one of the restaurant's famous specialties the result of Frank serving little neck clams in his restaurant Frank Pepe was allergic to tomatoes and cheese thus the inspiration for his white clam pie.
Specialty Pies
Another Wooster Street pizza restaurant, Sally's Apizza
, was founded by Pepe's nephew Sal Consiglio in 1938. Sally's and Pepe's have a long friendly rivalry and pizza fans are divided over which serves the better pizza. Frank Sinatra
, for example, was a fan of Sally's, while President Ronald Reagan
preferred Pepe's.
in New Haven.
, Kelly Clarkson
, Bill Murray
, Ernest Borgnine
, John Turturro
, Kevin James and Vince Vaughn
have all visited the New Haven location.
Pizza
Pizza is an oven-baked, flat, disc-shaped bread typically topped with a tomato sauce, cheese and various toppings.Originating in Italy, from the Neapolitan cuisine, the dish has become popular in many parts of the world. An establishment that makes and sells pizzas is called a "pizzeria"...
restaurant
Restaurant
A restaurant is an establishment which prepares and serves food and drink to customers in return for money. Meals are generally served and eaten on premises, but many restaurants also offer take-out and food delivery services...
in the Wooster Square
Wooster Square
Wooster Square is a neighborhood in the city of New Haven, Connecticut to the east of downtown. The name refers to a park square located between Greene Street, Wooster Place, Chapel Street and Academy Street in the center of the neighborhood...
neighborhood of New Haven, Connecticut
New Haven, Connecticut
New Haven is the second-largest city in Connecticut and the sixth-largest in New England. According to the 2010 Census, New Haven's population increased by 5.0% between 2000 and 2010, a rate higher than that of the State of Connecticut, and higher than that of the state's five largest cities, and...
at 163 Wooster Street. Opened in 1925, it is one of the oldest and best known pizzerias in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Frank Pepe
Pepe's was founded in 1925 by Frank Pepe (April 15, 1893 – September 6, 1969), an ItalianItaly
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
immigrant. Pepe was born in Maiori, Italy
Maiori
Maiori is a town and comune on the Amalfi coast in the province of Salerno...
, and immigrated to New Haven in 1909 at the age of 17. The quintessential Wooster Square
Wooster Square
Wooster Square is a neighborhood in the city of New Haven, Connecticut to the east of downtown. The name refers to a park square located between Greene Street, Wooster Place, Chapel Street and Academy Street in the center of the neighborhood...
Italian immigrant, he took a job at a New Haven factory, but he hated it. During World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, Pepe went back to Italy to fight for his native country. Upon returning, he soon landed a job working at a bakery on Wooster Street. Pepe began walking through the Wooster Square market and sold his "tomato pie
Tomato pie
Tomato pie is commonly regarded as unique to Italian-American populations. Unlike typical New York-style pizza, which is closely related to Neapolitan pizza, tomato pie is derived heavily from Sicilian pizza, and as such can be found in predominantly Sicilian-American communities.The basic recipe...
s" off of a special headdress. After saving enough money, he was able to buy a wagon from which he sold his pizzas. He did so well with his pizzas that he was eventually able to take over his employer's business and turn it into the first "Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana" on June 16, 1925. Frank Pepe died on September 6, 1969.
Restaurant history
Pepe's originated the New Haven-style thin-crust apizzaApizza
New Haven-style pizza, locally known as apizza, is a style of Neapolitan pizza common in and around New Haven, Connecticut. It originated at the Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana and is now served in many other pizza restaurants in the area, most notably, Sally's Apizza, Bar Bru Room, Grand Apizza,...
(closely related to Neapolitan
Neapolitan cuisine
Neapolitan cuisine has ancient historical roots that date back to the Greco-Roman period, which was enriched over the centuries by the influence of the different cultures that controlled Naples and its kingdoms, such as that of Aragon and France...
-style Italian pizza) which he baked in a coal-fired brick oven. Originally, Frank Pepe only made two varieties of pizza: the "plain" (oregano
Oregano
Oregano – scientifically named Origanum vulgare by Carolus Linnaeus – is a common species of Origanum, a genus of the mint family . It is native to warm-temperate western and southwestern Eurasia and the Mediterranean region.Oregano is a perennial herb, growing from 20–80 cm tall,...
, chopped garlic
Garlic
Allium sativum, commonly known as garlic, is a species in the onion genus, Allium. Its close relatives include the onion, shallot, leek, chive, and rakkyo. Dating back over 6,000 years, garlic is native to central Asia, and has long been a staple in the Mediterranean region, as well as a frequent...
, tomato sauce, and grated pecorino romano
Pecorino Romano
Pecorino Romano is a hard, salty Italian cheese, suitable primarily for grating, made out of sheep milk . Pecorino Romano was produced in Latium up to 1884 when, due to the prohibition issued by the city council of salting the cheese inside their shops in Rome, many producers moved to the island of...
cheese) and the "marinara" (tomato sauce, grated cheese, and anchovies
Anchovy
Anchovies are a family of small, common salt-water forage fish. There are 144 species in 17 genera, found in the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Oceans. Anchovies are usually classified as an oily fish.-Description:...
).
The piece of land which Pepe's restaurant sat on was owned by the Boccamiello family. They later made Frank Pepe leave so that they could start their own pizzeria at the establishment, which they renamed The Spot. Pepe moved his restaurant to its current location next door to The Spot in 1936. The Pepe family later bought back The Spot from the Boccamiello family in 1981 and it now serves the same menu as the newer restaurant.
In the alleyway between The Spot and Pepe's, Boccamiello's nephew Bear would open clams and sell them on the half shell to passersby. Pepe's restaurant began serving littleneck clams on the half shell at the bar. It was only a matter of time before he decided to put the clams on the pizza. The white clam pie is just crust, olive oil, oregano, grated cheese, chopped garlic, and fresh littleneck clams. The restaurant will serve the pizza with or without mozzarella, but they try to discourage customers from ordering it with mozzarella because they feel that it makes the pizza too heavy and rich. They are also adamant on using freshly shucked clams as opposed to canned clams; if fresh clams are not available then they will not serve the white clam pie. Three men are employed by Pepe's just for shucking the clams on location. Since its invention, the white clam pie has become the signature pizza of pizzerias in New Haven.
Today Pepe's is particularly known for its innovation of the white pizza topped with freshly shucked littleneck clams. This type of pizza pie became one of the restaurant's famous specialties the result of Frank serving little neck clams in his restaurant Frank Pepe was allergic to tomatoes and cheese thus the inspiration for his white clam pie.
Beverages
- Since 1925, Pepe's has exclusively served Foxon ParkFoxon ParkFoxon Park is a soft drink brand produced by Foxon Park Beverage Company. The company is located in East Haven, Connecticut and has been in business for more than 80 years. Their sodas are a traditional accompaniment to the New Haven-style pizza sold throughout the area, and they are also served at...
bottled sodas from East Haven, ConnecticutEast Haven, ConnecticutEast Haven is a town in New Haven County, Connecticut, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the town population was 28,189. The town is just 3 minutes from downtown New Haven...
. - Fountain sodas include Coca-ColaCoca-ColaCoca-Cola is a carbonated soft drink sold in stores, restaurants, and vending machines in more than 200 countries. It is produced by The Coca-Cola Company of Atlanta, Georgia, and is often referred to simply as Coke...
, Diet CokeDiet CokeDiet Coke is a sugar-free soft drink produced and distributed by The Coca-Cola Company. It was first introduced in the United States on August 9, 1982, as the first new brand since 1886 to use the Coca-Cola trademark...
, Hi-CHi-CHi-C may refer to:* Hi-C, a beverage brand* Hi-C , a Compton, California rapper* HiC, a C++ Compiler and Integrated Development Environment...
pink lemonade, NesteaNesteaNestea is a brand of iced tea manufactured by Nestle and distributed by Nestle company's beverage department in the United States and byBeverage Partners Worldwide , a joint venture between The Coca-Cola Company and Nestle, in the rest of the world. It competes with Unilever/Pepsi's Lipton Iced Tea...
, and Sprite (soft drink)Sprite (soft drink)Sprite is a transparent, lemon-lime flavored , caffeine free soft drink, produced by the Coca-Cola Company. It was introduced in the United States in 1961. This was Coke's response to the popularity of 7 Up, which had begun as "Bib-Label Lithiated Lemon-Lime Soda" in 1929...
. - Bottled beer and draft beer (pint glass or pitcher).
- Wine is available by the glass or bottle.
Pizza
Small, Medium and Large pies are sold with following toppings available.- Mozzarella
- Bacon, Chicken, Salami, Sausage, Pepperoni
- Anchovies, Fresh Clams, Shrimp
- Broccoli, Fresh Garlic, Mushrooms, Onions, Peppers, Spinach
Specialty Pies
- The Original Tomato Pie
- The Original Tomato Pie w/ Mozzarella
- Fresh Clams, white or red sauce only
- Fresh Clams w/ Mozzarella
- Chicken
- Chicken w/ Mozzarella
- Fresh Tomato Pie (seasonal)
- Vegetable Special
The oven
All Pepe's ovens are coal fired and built in exactly the same manner from brick, based on the original. They measure 14 feet (4.3 m) by 14 feet (4.3 m) and cook pizzas in approximately 8 to 10 minutes. The oven cooks at 650 °F (343.3 °C).Locations
Pepe's has expanded outside of New Haven as a small family owned chain. Nine relatives are co-owners of the chain, including grandsons Gary Bimonte and Francis Rosselli. All locations feature the same green and white design of their building and fixtures, serve on the square pizza pans and use the same suppliers for their ingredients.- 157 Wooster Street, New Haven,CT – (1936)
- 163 Wooster Street, New Haven, CT- "The Spot" – (1925).
- 238 Commerce Drive, Fairfield, CT – (March 2006)
- 221 Buckland Hills Drive, Manchester, CT – (September 2007)
- 1 Mohegan Sun Boulevard, Uncasville, ConnecticutUncasville, ConnecticutUncasville is an area in the town of Montville, Connecticut. The area traditionally known as Uncasville is a village in southeastern Montville, at the mouth of the Oxoboxo River...
– Mohegan Sun Resort & CasinoMohegan SunMohegan Sun, located in Uncasville, Connecticut, is the second largest casino in the United States with of gaming space. It is located on along the banks of the Thames River. It is at the heart of the scenic foothills of southeastern Connecticut, where 60 percent of the state's tourism is...
(July 1, 2009) - 1955 Central Park Avenue, Yonkers, NY – (November 2009)
- 59 Federal Road, Danbury, ConnecticutDanbury, ConnecticutDanbury is a city in northern Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. It had population at the 2010 census of 80,893. Danbury is the fourth largest city in Fairfield County and is the seventh largest city in Connecticut....
– (January 2011)
Competition
Sally's Apizza
Sally's Apizza is a famed pizzeria in the Wooster Square neighborhood of New Haven, Connecticut. It, along with its neighbor Pepe's, is often cited by aficionados in debates over the world's best pizza....
, was founded by Pepe's nephew Sal Consiglio in 1938. Sally's and Pepe's have a long friendly rivalry and pizza fans are divided over which serves the better pizza. Frank Sinatra
Frank Sinatra
Francis Albert "Frank" Sinatra was an American singer and actor.Beginning his musical career in the swing era with Harry James and Tommy Dorsey, Sinatra became an unprecedentedly successful solo artist in the early to mid-1940s, after being signed to Columbia Records in 1943. Being the idol of the...
, for example, was a fan of Sally's, while President Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
preferred Pepe's.
Success
Pepe's is a busy establishment, and New Havenites will cheerfully wait in line outside the restaurant for hours in all kinds of weather. Having to wait to be seated is almost as much of a New Haven tradition as the pizza itself. Pepe's is also a major tourist attractionTourist attraction
A tourist attraction is a place of interest where tourists visit, typically for its inherent or exhibited cultural value, historical significance, natural or built beauty, or amusement opportunities....
in New Haven.
- 1999: Pepe's was named to the James Beard FoundationJames Beard Foundation AwardThe James Beard Foundation Awards were established in 1990 and are often called "The Oscars of Food." Held on the first weekend in May, the Awards honor the finest chefs, restaurants, wine professionals, journalists, cookbook authors, restaurant designers, and other food professionals in the...
's list of "America's Classics". - 2006: Pepe's is acknowledged on the History Channel's "American Eats' show as the originator of New Haven-style pizza in 1925.
- 2009: Pepe's was named the "Best Pizza on Earth" by The GuardianThe GuardianThe Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
.- Food correspondent for GQ magazine Alan RichmanAlan RichmanAlan Richman is an American journalist and food writer. He is perhaps best known as a food correspondent for GQ magazine, and has won 14 James Beard Foundation Award for journalism .-Early life and education:...
names Pepe's the 12th best pizza in the country in the May issue. - Connecticut Magazine named Pepe's the best in the state.
- Food correspondent for GQ magazine Alan Richman
- 2010: Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana was inducted into that Connecticut Hospitality Hall of Fame on December 7, 2010.
Notable visits
Robert DeNiro, Henry WinklerHenry Winkler
Henry Franklin Winkler, OBE is an American actor, director, producer, and author.Winkler is best known for his role as Fonzie on the 1970s American sitcom Happy Days...
, Kelly Clarkson
Kelly Clarkson
Kelly Brianne Clarkson is an American pop rock singer-songwriter and actress. Clarkson came into prominence after becoming the winner of the inaugural season of the television series American Idol in 2002 and would later become the runner-up in the television special World Idol in 2003.In 2003,...
, Bill Murray
Bill Murray
William James "Bill" Murray is an American actor and comedian. He first gained national exposure on Saturday Night Live in which he earned an Emmy Award and later went on to star in a number of critically and commercially successful comedic films, including Caddyshack , Ghostbusters , and...
, Ernest Borgnine
Ernest Borgnine
Ernest Borgnine is an American actor of television and film. His career has spanned more than six decades. He was an unconventional lead in many films of the 1950s, including his Academy Award-winning turn in the 1955 film Marty...
, John Turturro
John Turturro
John Michael Turturro is an American actor, writer and director known for his roles in the films Do the Right Thing , Miller's Crossing , Barton Fink , Quiz Show , The Big Lebowski , O Brother, Where Art Thou? and the Transformers film series...
, Kevin James and Vince Vaughn
Vince Vaughn
Vincent Anthony "Vince" Vaughn is an American film actor, screenwriter, producer and comedian. He began acting in the late 1980s, appearing in minor television roles before attaining wider recognition with the 1996 movie Swingers...
have all visited the New Haven location.
External links
- Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana – Official site
- Frank Pepe's review at Slice
- Roadfood.com listing, with review by Michael SternJane and Michael SternJane Grossman Stern and Michael Stern are American writers who specialize in books about travel, food, and popular culture...