Best Pizza in New Haven

Fired since 1934, Modern remains a local standard-bearer for crackly, chewy apizza and the famous Italian Bomb. Recognized by Italian pizza editors in 2025 and celebrated by Pizza Today, it’s the essential non-chain “big three” stop without the franchise feel.

Bar New Haven - Review - Downtown - New Haven - The Infatuation

In a town best known for its old-school apizza joints, it can be hard to fit in if you haven't been around for over 80 years (see: legends Frank Pepe’s and Sally’s). But Bar isn’t so worried about that—their famous mashed potato and brick-oven-cooked bacon pizza sends all tradition by the wayside. Purists should sample the red pie with mozzarella, which has a sweet and tangy sauce and a thin, charred crust. (And if you want one, Bar does a fresh greens salad with pear, blue cheese, and pecans to cleanse your apizza palate.) photo credit: Lisa Nichols There’s plenty of space to come in with a big group and have a bunch of pies set up on trays tableside—you’ll never feel cramped here. They also have lots of drink options, including their own house-brewed beers and fun cocktails. If you’re doing a whole New Haven pizza crawl, make this your last stop: There’s a full bar and live DJs Thursday through Saturdays at night. Food Rundown Base Red Pie With Mozzarella This pie holds up well compared to the Wooster Street classics, with the bonus of not needing to wait in a long line to eat it. It comes out perfectly blistered and bubbled with just the right amount of char on the crust, and is easy to pick up and devour. No frills, no nonsense—just a great slice of apizza. photo credit: Lisa Nichols Mashed Potato & Bacon Scattered with globs of mashed potato, this has an entirely different consistency than a normal slice of pizza. But the weight can lead to different bites being different temperatures when digging in. That aside, the bacon bits sprinkled throughout make it loaded and savory. photo credit: Lisa Nichols Portrait Of New Haven Out of all the cities in the US, New Haven has the highest percentage of Italian-American residents, and that’s deliciously represented by this pie. A base of red sauce and mozzarella is thinly layered over homemade dough, topped with dollops of fresh ricotta, roasted red peppers, and sausage, and perfectly seasoned with basil and garlic. Order this if you’re looking to balance out one of the funkier pies on your tableside tray. photo credit: Lisa Nichols - Chloe Zale & Holland White

Four brothers brought true Neapolitan craft to Wooster Street—fluffy-rimmed pies from a gold-tiled wood oven, house-made cheese, and warm hospitality. Ranked among America’s best by 50 Top Pizza and lauded by CT food media, it’s a must beyond tradition.

Westville’s family-run stalwart since 1971, where owner Pat DeRiso still stretches the dough and keeps the fire hot. Cited by The Washington Post and local pizza historians, Ernie’s plain and broccoli rabe pies define neighborhood devotion.

New Haven-meets-Neapolitan with creative toppings and a lively bar scene. Named Connecticut’s best slice by Food Network in 2025 and featured on Guy Fieri’s TV tour, it’s where locals go for the Honeypot and lunch slices on weekends.

A friendly East Rock hangout from the family behind Old World Pizza Truck, known for inventive bar-style pies, fun specials, and BYO vibes. CT Bites spotlighted its 10-year run—go for riffs like Fungus Among Us or a classic white clam.

Zuppardi's Apizza - Review - West Haven - New Haven - The Infatuation

The wood paneling, black metal chairs, and slight sheen of oil on every surface in Zuppardi’s in West Haven makes it feel like the quintessential hometown pizza joint. While you’ll usually find block-long lines full of tourists outside other New Haven apizza spots, it’s never hard to find a table here, as long as Billy down the street isn’t having his seventh birthday party. photo credit: Lisa Nichols The pies at this nearly 100-year-old spot have that classic chewy, charred thin crust, but they’re much cheesier and saucier than the other New Haven pies around town. We found that slices here actually taste better as leftovers, so make sure you ask for a box if you accidentally filled up on Foxon Park white birch soda. Food Rundown Plain Red Pie With Mozzarella This apizza feels more like a New York-style pizza, which is probably due to the generous amount of mozzarella and the fact that they use traditional deck ovens as opposed to the coal fired ovens like most other New Haven apizza joints. Still, it makes for a super solid old-school slice that’s easy to fold—for a more traditional New Haven apizza experience, order the traditional plain pie with just a sprinkling of pecorino romano. photo credit: Lisa Nichols The Special This is their signature red pie topped with mozzarella, canned mushrooms, and misshapen, hearty chunks of their homemade fennel sausage. Sometimes they come out piping hot—so hot that everything slides off when you grab a slice—so practice some patience (we know, it’s hard) for optimal enjoyment. photo credit: Lisa Nichols - Ciera Velarde

A modern Italian newcomer on Wooster Street serving square, thick-crust pizzas alongside handmade pastas and a rooftop scene. Highlighted by The Infatuation in 2025, Gioia offers a fun change of pace from ultra-thin apizza during a crawl.

A beloved wood-fired truck that helped seed today’s scene, catering parties with New Haven–style pies and fueling the team behind One 6 Three. Featured in regional roundups, it’s a uniquely local way to bring apizza to your celebration.