"They did it first, and they’re still doing it the best. Founded in 1925, this Wooster Street spot consistently creates pies that are the golden standard of a New Haven apizza. The crust is thin, chewy, and doesn’t flop when you hold up a slice. The extremely charred (but never burnt) bottom adds a subtle smokiness, and there’s just a teensy sprinkling of pecorino romano. Pepe’s invented the slightly sweet original tomato pie and the salty, garlicky white clam pie, and all it takes is a bite of either to understand why there’s always a line down the block. Simplicity is what makes their apizza so good, and everyone else in New Haven is just trying to match their quality." - ciera velarde, holland white
Lisa Nichols