First of all, let's talk pronunciation. For anybody who grew up in an Italian speaking family of Neopolitan descent like I did, there was no such thing as pizza. It was called "a-beetz". Watch the Sopranos, and you'll catch them referring to it in that way. And what the heck is "motsarella"? Where I grew up, it was pronounced "mootzarelle." Pronunciation isn't the only thing that sets New Haven tomato pies apart from the rest. Every pizza is a unique work of art - not confined by the shape of a square or round pizza pan. It comes out slightly charred and steaming from a brick oven in an infinite variety of irregular shapes. While each shape is unique, the ingredients are uniformly consistent. Fabulous fresh dough. Primo olive oil. Killer Mootz. Locally made sausage. And a sauce that tastes like somebody cooked it all day - which they did.
Some argue that pizza was, in fact, invented in New Haven. It probably was not - but who really cares, as long as what's being served up NOW is the best. And it is. Sally's and Pepe's, two of the three most famous New Haven pizza places, are located on Wooster Street. It's a charmingly well-preserved slice of the Elm City's old Italian neighborhood. The other classic New Haven pizza place is Modern - located about half a mile away on State street. A Johnny Come Lately New Haven pizza joint that gives the originals a run for the money is Bar, located right off of Yale's campus in the heart of Downtown New Haven.
I won't bore you with the debate over which is best. They each have their own strengths, (Pepe's white clam pie is legendary), and each is worth a visit. Just be prepared for a ridiculously long wait. Are they worth the trouble? It depends on your mood. For your first time, I'd try for an off hours visit, so as not to let the wait color your opinion.
I'll debate. Sally's!
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