Pepe's facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana |
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The Frank Pepe sign on Wooster Street
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| Restaurant information | |
| Established | 1925 |
| Food type | New Haven-style pizza |
| Dress code | Casual |
| Street address | 157 & 163 Wooster Street |
| City | New Haven |
| State | Connecticut |
| Postal/ZIP code | 06511-5709 |
| Country | United States |
| Coordinates | 41°18′10″N 72°55′01″W / 41.302907°N 72.916933°W |
| Reservations | Not taken |
Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana, often called Pepe's, is a super famous pizza restaurant. You can find it in the Wooster Square area of New Haven, Connecticut. It opened way back in 1925, making it one of America's oldest and most loved pizza places!
Contents
Who Was Frank Pepe?
Frank Pepe started Pepe's in 1925. He was born in Maiori, Italy, in 1893. When he was a teenager in 1909, he moved to New Haven.
Frank first worked in a factory. Later, he fought for Italy in World War I. After the war, he got a job at a bakery on Wooster Street. He started selling his "tomato pies" from a special wagon. He was so good at it that he eventually bought the bakery. On June 16, 1925, it became the first "Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana." Frank Pepe passed away in 1969.
The Story of Pepe's Pizza
Pepe's is famous for its special thin-crust pizza. This pizza is cooked in a coal-fired brick oven. When Frank Pepe first opened, he only made two kinds of pizza:
- The "tomato pie" had tomatoes, pecorino romano cheese, garlic, oregano, and olive oil.
- The other had the same ingredients, plus anchovies.
Moving Next Door
The land where Pepe's first stood was owned by another family. They asked Frank Pepe to leave so they could open their own pizza place called The Spot. So, in 1936, Pepe moved his restaurant right next door. Years later, in 1981, the Pepe family bought back The Spot. Now, both restaurants serve the same delicious menu.
The Famous White Clam Pie
The idea for the famous white clam pizza came from an alleyway next to the restaurant. A man would sell fresh clams there. Pepe's started serving clams at the bar. Soon, Frank decided to put the clams on a pizza!
The white clam pie has crust, olive oil, oregano, grated cheese, chopped garlic, and fresh clams. The restaurant can add mozzarella cheese, but they suggest you try it without. They believe mozzarella makes the pizza too heavy. They always use fresh clams. If fresh clams aren't available, they won't make the white clam pie. Three people work at Pepe's just to shuck (open) the clams! This pizza has become a signature dish in New Haven.
Pepe's Expands
Pepe's has grown beyond New Haven. In 2015, they opened a location in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts. On April 17, 2017, their 9th location opened in Waterbury, CT. In June 2019, a new Pepe's opened in the Burlington Mall in Burlington, MA.
What's on the Menu?
All Pepe's locations have the same menu. Since 1925, they have only served Foxon Park bottled sodas. These sodas come from East Haven, Connecticut. Besides soda, they offer beer, wine, and many kinds of pizzas with different toppings.
How the Ovens Work
All Pepe's ovens are special. They are coal-fired and built from brick, just like the first one. Each oven is about 14 feet (4.3 m) by 14 feet (4.3 m). They cook pizzas very fast, in about 8 to 10 minutes. The ovens get super hot, around 650 °F (343 °C)!
Pepe's Locations
Pepe's is a family-owned chain with locations outside of New Haven. Nine family members are co-owners. All locations look similar with green and white designs. They use the same square pizza pans and get ingredients from the same suppliers.
- 163 Wooster Street, New Haven, CT - "The Spot" – (1925)
- 157 Wooster Street, New Haven, CT – (1936)
- 238 Commerce Drive, Fairfield, CT – (March 2006)
- 221 Buckland Hills Drive, Manchester, CT – (September 2007)
- 1 Mohegan Sun Boulevard, Uncasville, CT – Mohegan Sun Resort & Casino (July 1, 2009)
- 1955 Central Park Avenue, Yonkers, NY – (November 2009)
- 59 Federal Road, Danbury, CT – (January 2011)
- 1148 New Britain Avenue, West Hartford, CT – (September 23, 2013)
- 199 Boylston Street, Chestnut Hill, MA – (December 16, 2015)
- 130 Reidville Drive, Waterbury, CT -- (April 17, 2017)
- 21 Universal Boulevard, Warwick, Rhode Island – (April 30, 2018)
- Burlington Mall, Burlington, Massachusetts
- 24 Eldridge Avenue, Watertown, Massachusetts
Friendly Pizza Rivalry
Another famous pizza place on Wooster Street is Sally's Apizza. It was started in 1938 by Sal Consiglio, Frank Pepe's nephew. Sally's and Pepe's have a long, friendly competition. Pizza fans often argue about which one is better! For example, singer Frank Sinatra loved Sally's. But President Ronald Reagan preferred Pepe's.
Pepe's Popularity
Pepe's is a very busy place. People in New Haven will happily wait in line for hours to get a table. Waiting in line is almost as much a tradition as the pizza itself! Pepe's is also a big tourist attraction in New Haven.
Awards and Recognition
- 1999: Pepe's was named one of "America's Classics" by the James Beard Foundation.
- 2006: The History Channel's American Eats show said Pepe's started New Haven-style pizza in 1925.
- 2009: The Guardian newspaper called Pepe's the "Best Pizza on Earth."
- 2009: GQ magazine's food writer, Alan Richman, said Pepe's tomato pizza was the twelfth best in the country.
- 2009: Connecticut Magazine named Pepe's the best pizza in the state.
- 2010: Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana joined the Connecticut Hospitality Hall of Fame.
- 2013: Zagat said Pepe's white clam pizza was the best in Connecticut.
- 2013 & 2014: The website The Daily Meal named Pepe's white clam pizza the best in the country two years in a row!
Pepe's in Film
Pepe's is one of three pizza restaurants shown in the movie Pizza A Love Story. This film is about New Haven's three famous pizza spots: Pepe's, Sally's, and Modern. The movie first showed in April 2019.
Famous Visitors
Many famous people have visited the original Pepe's in New Haven. These include:
