New Haven, Modern.

[G Pizza]

I saw a post regarding New Haven style pizza a few weeks back and since I’m only a few minutes away from NH I wanted to get some pizza and share my experience at one of the big 3 NH shops: Modern Apizza established in 1934. The remaining 2 are Sally’s and of course Pepe’s. Modern is a little easier for me to get to and I was getting pizza to go for anyone who wanted some in the family. I headed over to Modern yesterday at 3:00 it was a 25 minute wait for only 3 small pizzas. Cheese. Cheese with 1/2 meatball & 1/2 pepperoni. Cheese with 1/2 mushroom and 1/2 sausage & onion. I asked my wife to come with me because I could drop her off at the door and then turn around up the street. She grinned but came with me.

Sometimes when I go alone I end up parking far up the street which is fine sometimes. We actually snagged a spot right in the tiny parking lot. Awesome! There was a line of people out the door and down the sidewalk waiting to dine in. A waiter came out and called a party of seven as we were walking in. For take out you just walk right in and head to the back where the huge brick oven is. We counted 6 pizzas in the oven that we could see and an employee was rotating some pizzas that we couldn’t see. Impressive operation as the whole kitchen is open to see.

The cashier handed me the pizzas and I grabbed them as if they were a present, and in the car the smell was ridiculous. Soooo goood. Modern Apizza was my Grandmothers favorite pizza and we always talked about how she loved it growing up and I remember us all eating there as a family. It has not changed over the years that I could pick up on anyway.

I’ve heard that they use cheddar cheese but not sure. The taste of their pizza is so good and it’s almost buttery as it keeps drawing you in for more, it’s crazy tasty. The crust has a crunch on the outside and inside is soft. The pizzas are very thin. Not an abundance of sauce or cheese. And of course slightly well done is how good pizza is made in this area.

[foreplease]

Of all the styles discussed here on the forum this is the one I would most like to try. It could even be a little more done for my tastes. Thanks for the write-up.

[Jon in Albany]

I grew up in Southern Connecticut and we were a house divided. My dad liked Sally's. My brothers and I were pro Pepe's. Not that Sally's was bad, just we liked Pepe's better. For a while, my brother lived in an apartment on Wooster Street. So we would call in a pizza to Pepe's. By the time I got there, it was almost ready. Quick walk back to the apartment and we had basically skipped the line. Lately I find Pepe's can be hit or miss. I can go and it will be just as amazing as it was in the 80s. And other times I could see where someone would get it for the first time and think, "What's the big deal?" I know relatively recently Sally's changed ownership. Haven't been back to see if anything changed.

Next time I am in the area, Zuppardi's in on my to do list.

[hammettjr]

I had a plain cheese pie at Modern a couple years ago. To me the flavor was overwhelmingly romano.

[scott r]

modern does hit hard with the Romano and its grande mozzarella.  Great pizza!  I think its interesting that all 3 of the big guys in NH use a different brand of mozzarella.

[jkb]

I haven't made pizza for a few months.  When I get back to it in September,  it will be meatballs for sure.

[G Pizza]

I had a plain cheese pie at Modern a couple years ago. To me the flavor was overwhelmingly romano.

This may be why I really like the pizza at Modern, I do love Romano cheese.

I grew up in Southern Connecticut and we were a house divided. My dad liked Sally's. My brothers and I were pro Pepe's. Not that Sally's was bad, just we liked Pepe's better. For a while, my brother lived in an apartment on Wooster Street. So we would call in a pizza to Pepe's. By the time I got there, it was almost ready. Quick walk back to the apartment and we had basically skipped the line. Lately I find Pepe's can be hit or miss. I can go and it will be just as amazing as it was in the 80s. And other times I could see where someone would get it for the first time and think, "What's the big deal?" I know relatively recently Sally's changed ownership. Haven't been back to see if anything changed.

Next time I am in the area, Zuppardi's in on my to do list.

Living on Wooster would be quite the experience, I mean, you would never go hungry I guess. It's like living in little Italy, on one road lol.  I will have to get over to Pepes again it's been a while, although I usually go to "The Spot" behind Pepes, which I believe is the original Pepes. 

[hammettjr]

...  I will have to get over to Pepes again it's been a while, although I usually go to "The Spot" behind Pepes, which I believe is the original Pepes.

Wow. I had never heard of The Spot. Below is from wikipedia and serious eats.

[foreplease]

I love a story that has a happy ending.


I was in and out of the Hartford airport (Bradley) approx 24 times in high school. I could kick myself and give you a turn too for not knowing about New Haven pizza then and finding a way to get there a couple times.

[quietdesperation]

when pepe's gets crowded we used to go to the spot, couldn't really tell the difference.

[Jwpeppa]

We just hit modern for the first time the thursday before labor day weekend.  We've been to a couple of the Pepe's locations (not new haven) and have never been to sally's.  We wanted to try Sally's but we were there before they opened, so modern it was.  Didn't disappoint - supple crust, sauce was velvet and full of flavor.  my only "gripe" was the amount of cheese.  It was much more than what i'm seeing on your pies.  Could have choked a horse.  But otherwise, great experience.