Before you get too excited, let me clarify (I guess the title already did): This isn’t the new Frank Pepe in Yonkers, it’s a pic of the original New Haven location. But let me clarify further: There are actually two New Haven Frank Pepes—the true original Frank Pepe is called “The Spot” and is situated next door to the location you see here.  So this is almost the original, but technically not.

Confused yet?

The point is, get ready Westchester, ’cause now that I’ve finally tried this Frank Pepe pizza I’ve heard so much about, my anticipation for the Yonkers opening has only grown.  Yours should too.

You might remember a while back when I met my friend Veronica in New Haven to sample the pizza at BAR, another venerable NH pizza institution. Veronica took me there because a) it’s right around the corner from where she lives and b) she prefers BAR to Frank Pepe.  Her complaint about Frank Pepe was that the crust was over-blackened, to the point where the charred flavor overwhelmed the rest of the pie.

But she was game to go to Frank Pepe again, much to my delight.  I wanted to observe her reaction while eating to gauge the success of the visit.

Here’s one half of the dining room.  Mouth-watering pies everywhere.

The view of the open kitchen when you walk in.

Fresh dough being wheeled over.

Cooks busily preparing the pies.

This is where the magic happens, folks.  The coal oven.

And the payoff from all that insanely hot coal goodness: pizza.

You can’t go to a Frank Pepe without ordering the clam pie—that’s what they’re famous for.  We ordered a large half clam/ half sausage and mushroom.

It’s physically impossible to dislike sausage.

And who knew that clams on a pizza could be so sublime? Salty, briny and meaty, they tasted like they’d just been plucked out of the shell. Take a closer look.

I don’t know how they time the cooking—an overcooked clam would be like rubber; somehow these were just right.  There are also garlic and herbs on there.  Taken all together, it was just delicious.

And what about that crust?  It’s great.  Not too thick, not too thin, well-salted, crispy and pleasurably chewy.  Definitely dark in spots on the bottom, which worked out perfectly—Veronica took the less charred slices, I took the darker ones. Blistered crust = flavor.

We both agreed on those clams.  Some pizza aficionados call Frank Pepe overrated, and who knows, they could be right.  I’m no pizza expert.  But I was as happy as a pig in mud.

And you’d have to ask her, but I think Veronica is coming around to Frank Pepe. As she said, “I liked it better than last time because it wasn’t as burnt.”

I liked it, period.

Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana
157 Wooster St.
New Haven, CT
203-865-5762