Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana Reviews

The wait may be long but it's worth it. They got the dough right.

Great Pizza, I drive 50 mi. for. this pizza . I love the authenticity of the small restaurant and real coal fired oven!!

Great pizza. My daughter and I had the white clam pizza and it was great. The service was quick and friendly.

this place is really fun the first time you go. wait in line forever, get the "treatment", enjoy a good pizza. it is simply not worth the wait the second time you go. i noticed the pizza had gotten much smaller the last time i was there and it was not cheap before they shrunk it. go once and enjoy the routine.

Had oustanding roasted peppers and chicken pizza - awesome

Old fashioned pizza, yum yum! I ordered half white clam and half tomato original. Almost finished a small size pizza by myself.

Fine pizza, good service. Not my favorite, but perhaps the definition of New Haven style pizza: ultra thin crust, well done (read slightly burnt), and lots of salty cheese. Locals know to order pickup, especially in the Summer when the place has a long wait. Wooster Square park is right around the corner, do yourself a favor, skip the line, order takeout ahead and eat in the park.

Tasty pizzas. Not sure if it lives up to the hype fully though

No nonsense pizza, decent beer selection, and decor from the 20s.

Not all that! My friend insisted we go because we were visiting but I think I could have made better pizza myself... Maybe not the dough but the rest for sure!!?

Staff is safe and friendly. Takeout is still on point!

Always a wait. 45 minutes this time. It's a beautiful day so the wait was not a problem. Chatting with others. Once seated the service was great. We orders a couple of Person draft beers that were delivered quickly and nicely chilled. Our pizza order was delivered quickly as well. Delicious thin crust pizza cooked to perfection. Will go back again.

The clam pizza was perhaps one of the best pies I ve ever had. Worth a stop!

Once you strip away the name, the accolades, and the hype you're left with some fairly average pizza at best. The plain pie was good but not worth the 45 minute to 1hr wait you'll experience on the weekends. The fresh clam pie was a soggy mess that I cannot recommend.

It's hyped for good reason. Get the summer pie, mmm garlic.

I did not think it was as special as people had made it sound to be. It was very busy however. I will probably not go back.

My first time visiting. Truly great pizza and pretty good all around. The crust isn't too cardboardy nor is it fluffy like cake. It has burnt areas which give it a good bitter sourness with every few bites. The clam pizza was a must try and even though I'm not a fan of clams, it was good, fishy but with some added parm and sweet hot sauce like a habanero then it touches all my flavor marks. The next was maghrita which is sweet tomatoes and dashes of mozzarella and basil it was my favorite and Ohh how I would love to have that every week. It is traditional and a simple menu providing simply greatness. Would recommend the maghrita as a beginner try.

Being italian I am always very skeptical of pizzas abroad. Especially in US. But Frank Pepe was a real good surprise. Pizza is a bit overcooked and hard compared to a proper italian one, nevertheless it is really good and tasty!

Excellent Connecticut style pizza (I believe it's properly called: Apizza ??) ..., Worth the drive to this original location. In business since 1925, and for good reason. Also like the Foxon Park Kola..., less sugar than regular soda and tastes more natural. Also, wonderful and attentive service. I finished a small pie by myself ... Apizza not sold by the slice here however, if you don't finish it now, you'll definitely finish it later.

Pies were pretty good. Call ahead and order takeout for speed.

The best pizza I've had in a while, look forward to going back.

There's a reason why you've heard about Pepe's pizza.

Flavor of the pizza was amazing but the burnt crust was disappointing.

Good but Overhyped. Wouldn't wait in line for it though.

Best pizza in USA. The dough gets its rich flavor from the old oven of previous pizzas being cooked for so many years. Nothing like a Pepes pizza

Sit down will take awhile. Always a line. Take out takes about a half hour but no line to order and has some of the best pizza I've ever had.

Have to say, the pizza here was excellent - perfectly cooked, quick polite service and fair pricing. Two pizzas and a drink cost $32 - more than fair for some high-quality excellent pizza, even meeting my NY-pizza palette. Recommended!

This place screams nostalgia for me. My dad and I go every time he's up from North Carolina because New Haven pizza cannot be beat. Our favorites are the White Clam and Bacon (him) and the Spinach Gorgonzola Mushroom (me). Love the thin and crispy crust and atmosphere.

We read several reviews on TripAdvisor and decide to come here. We wait outside in the queue like the other customers until they call us (15 minutes of waiting) Arrived in front of the girl, they tell us that there is no space for the stroller and that we have to leave it aside. Let us note that the child is sleeping ... the girl then sends us to the side of the street where there is a sort of detachment of the pizzeria telling us that there was more space. We arrive and on the door there is a lady9 who begins to rude rudely that the place is closed. Let us note that we were told to go there from the main room, but this one continues to scream like a tarantula. Meanwhile another one comes out and starts to ask what the problem is and once he has finished explaining it all, he also attacks him by emphasizing the fact that they are closed. We come as a practitioner hunted away without having even eaten and with a newborn ... I don't know how to eat, but for the treatment I received I wouldn't even come back by invitation.

Amazing pizza. Wonderful variety to chose from. Every pizza is uniquely good.

World's best pizza. The only thing I will miss when we move from CT next month

Absolutely classic. In my view there is no one best pizza but Frank Pepe's is certainly one of the very best, even in a class of its own. This is my second visit to the original location and it was great! This time we tried their classic white clam pizza and the summer only fresh tomato pizza. Both amazing! It is soooo easy to get off and on route 95 for the Wooster St. location you would think highway department planned it. If you have a chance stop by.

One of the best pizzas in the world. There is usually a wait like and it definitely worth it. Takes around 30 mins to get seated. Must try the original tomato pie. All other pizzas are great too. Also try the foxon park sodas.

Got the white clam pizza with a friend. The service was good. We went on a Friday night at 6:15 and didn't have to wait very long. The following explains why. The taste of the clam pizza reminds of getting a mouthful of sea water after being hit by a massive wave. The taste was so odd and salty, I envision a group of Italian men going around to local docks and scrapping crusty barnacles off of old boats and throwing them directly onto their pie. Overall, the quality was decent but the taste of salt water was overwhelming.

This is the best pizza place in New Haven, hands down. It s a bit pricey but all the ingredients are fresh and it honestly tastes amazing!

Great experience. I'm vegan and it was easy to order. The waitress Jennifer was super fun and helpful. Got a veggie pizza no cheese and Pepe's salad with no cheese and pitcher of Peroni

Our server Vinny was very nice. Beer was over carbonated. Pizza was basically matzoh with toppings. We don't understand the hype but maybe we're in the minority as we both commented how they were just continously pumping out pizza for take out.

Summary: The grandfather of the New Haven pizza scene. Frank Pepe has been serving perfect pies with crunchy yet chewy texture since 1925. The legendary white clam pizza is a must try but all menu items are excellent. Patrons can expect various waiting times but all visits are worth the wait.

Must Try: White clam pizza.
Also recommended: Margherita and Amanti della carne.
Avoid: N/A

- Outstanding, worth a special excursion

This was my first visit to a non-chain/fast-food pizza place in the USA. It was a phenomenal experience filled with great food and warm servers! Best vegan pizza I have eaten thus far!

Leaving aside all the hype about New Haven pizza, Frank Pepe's is just plain good. Not just the classic coal oven crust, but the toppings as well. I am particularly partial to the sausage and the anchovies, but to each his own. If you're in New Haven's Little Italy, there are many places worth a try, but Frank Pepe's is certainly one of them.

I'm going to start this review with a disclaimer. I'm writing a review on the Pepe's pizza page, but what I'm really reviewing is "The Spot", which is in a separate building in the Pepe's parking lot. I've been in the actual Pepe's restaurant plenty of times, plenty of times enough to be able to assure you that the service AND the pizza are better at the Spot. It's a different oven, and it makes a huge difference. I think most people wait at Pepe's just because "it's Pepe's". Trust me, hit the Spot.

I love me some pizza, and I mean, any kind of pizza (no pineapple please). And I enjoy the fact that within 30 minutes of me I can have countless varieties of pizza. That being said, the pizza here is amazing and firmly in my top 3 of all time. Super thin crust that I love, cooked quickly and with a little char. I get that some people aren't into that, and I'm not going to sit here and try to claim that this is how pizza "should" be done. The very evolution of the pizza itself has gotten to the point where no one can say that about any style. Who cares how it "should" be done, either you like it or you don't...on to the next! Without a doubt though, what they do here is unique and worth trying if you haven't.

Service (again, at the Spot) has never been an issue for us and the prices are fair for the amount of pizza you get. It's not something that I'd do super regularly, but when we're in the area or are looking to flex our fat mouth muscle, we're always down for the Spot.

I visited on a Friday night. The place was busy and I appreciated that they didn't mess around with people waiting for 'just one more guy parking the car'. If you were there, you got seated. If your party wasn't there, you waited. No nonsense! The service was friendly despite the crowd and the pies were a good size. Don't however, sit at the corner booth. The air conditioner drips. It's not very pleasant. Nothing against the food - I can see many people enjoy it from the rush, but I found the whole thing a little oily and dense. Overall, it was a good price and good service. I'd recommend it if you get a drip free seat and enjoy old-school pizza.

The best pizza in New Haven, if not the entire east coast! They don't take reservations, so be prepared to wait outside, and dress accordingly. Don't worry though - the wait is totally worth it!

This place has the best crust and very tasty.one of the best pizzas I ever had.it is a blast from the past.you will definitely leave happy and full.

One of my favorite pizza places ever. Old world style thin cracker crust pizza with simple, fresh ingredients. This place is constantly packed so I recommend ordering ahead and picking up. Watching the bakers pull the pizzas out of their huge brick oven with the longest pizza peels I ve ever seen is worth the trip in itself. Some of the best baking theater I ve seen to date. I highly recommend the seasonal fresh tomato pizza. Words cannot describe how great the local fresh tomatoes on a delicate cracker crust can warm your belly and heart. If you are on the east coast, take the time to seek out the closest location, you won t be sorry!

3rd best pizza in New Haven behind Modern & Sally's. Excellent.

One of the best New Haven pizzas. Love to just eat these over and over again.

Delicious and was able to get the summer tomato pie before it was gone!

The best pizza in the world. And we had a great server tonight.

The crust was burnt, the pizza was soggy & the sauce on the pizza tasted like crushed tomatoes.

It's really great, classic pizza! The original pizza oven is in the small bldg off of the parking lot...

Excellent ... exquisite pizza ... drink refill ... very good

Tasty Pizza, but very burnt crust and burnt toppings. Besides, toppings were spread very unevenly (up to four pepperonies in large piles}. Sprite tasted extremely like chlorine (maybe because of the ice cubes). Long waiting time outside as well as inside. Loud atmosphere inside.

Pepe's doesn't live up to its reputation. We are disappointed.

First time ever having real pizza. I heard the wait was going to be long but it was not. The food was hot and fresh and honestly it was the best pizza I've ever had in my entire life. The staff was friendly and it was an overall amazing experience.

I was expecting a lot more from the clam pie but it was definitely just OK not something I would be willing to drive from New York City to get. Luckily we arrived at about 12:15 PM and we re seated immediately so there was no wait at all. Definitely opt for the fresh garlic as an additional topping. Nice charred thin crust due to the coal fire.

There pies are great!! Mostly order to-go cuz the line is usually long. But that says it All. You know it's worth waiting 4 if the line is always long. My family lives a block away so outta All people I would know Frank Pepe's is Money well Spent

Amazing classic pizza in New Haven! The pizza is delicious and feels homemade. The pizza is made in old-fashioned ovens in the restaurant, which takes some time, but the pizza is definitely worth the wait. Also, it is good to arrive here when it opens, as the restaurant gets crowded and there becomes a wait. Also, the seasonal fresh tomato pie is amazing, and I recommend getting it while it is still in season.

The pizza is pretty good. But with the reputation out of this world it didn t quite live up.

Have to taste the white pie with clams! (House specialty). Always crowded but the service was top speed and attentive. We washed it all down with a pitcher of Sam Adams.

Frank pepes for the margarita and clam pie. Sally's for the classic tomato done deal I don't want to hear it anymore.

Pizza was delicious, staff was friendly, brought out the pizza to the car. Kids loved the pizza as well.