Is White Clam Pizza CT's 'Most Iconic Food'? The Food Network Says So

CONNECTICUT — You may not agree, but the Food Network says the most iconic food in Connecticut is Frank Pepe's white clam pizza.

The network listed the foods each of the 50 states is known for in its 2024 "United Plates of America" report released earlier this year.

According to The Food Network, "Few other pizzas are as revered as Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana’s white clam pizza… The elder statesman of New Haven’s well-regarded pizza scene, Pepe's continues to draw long lines trailing down the block for a chance to enjoy a taste of New Haven’s history from its coal-fired brick ovens."

Pepe's clam pie has "inspired hundreds of imitators with few matching the intoxicating combination of Pecorino Romano cheese, fresh garlic, olive oil, oregano and clams," the network's gourmands gushed. "Combining the Connecticut shoreline’s love of seafood with Pepe’s signature chewy and charred crust, Pepe’s is the place for an authentic Connecticut pizza experience."

The Food Network says its list is "packed with iconic local flavors that share its history and define its geography." The list also includes the best place to find these foods.

If white clam pizza doesn’t suit your tastes, other iconic foods in the region include:

• Massachusetts: Legal Sea Foods clam chowder
• New York: Buffalo wings from Anchor Bar
• Rhode Island: Coffee milk from Dave's Coffee in Providence and Charlestown

Do you agree that Frank Pepe's white clam pizza is Connecticut's defining dish? Take our survey — and don't worry, we don't collect email addresses.