Iconic CT Restaurant Named 'Must Visit' In Prestigious New Food & Wine List

NEW HAVEN, CT — While the debate as to Connecticut's status as the "Pizza Capital of the United States" shows no sign of ending, at least one pizzeria is continuing to rack up national recognition.

Food & Wine has released its "10 Must-Visit Pizzerias in the United States." Declaring that the state of "American pizza has never been better," the magazine notes that a wide range of popular regional styles are now available from Chicago to California to Detroit.

And, of course, New Haven. Representing the Elm City on the list is Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana.

Here's what Food & Wine had to say about Pepe's:

“Nobody does New Haven apizza (pronounced 'ah-beetz') like Frank Pepe, which recently celebrated its 100-year anniversary. Grandfather Frank immigrated from near Naples and fired up the ovens in 1925, introducing the now iconic, sweet and simple tomato pies, anchovies optional. The family still relies on cavernous coal-fired brick ovens, resulting in dramatically charred crusts with leopard spots. In addition to the tomato pie, don’t miss the sweet and briny white clam pizza – this is where the style originated.”

Pepe's was No. 5 on the Food & Wine list. The pizzeria originated the New Haven-style thin crust pizza that's both crispy and chewy thanks to special coal-fired ovens.

With that in mind, it's no wonder that Pepe's is earning national acclaim — Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro made a symbolic declaration last year naming New Haven as the Pizza Capital of the United States.

Related: Ah-Beetz! New Haven Is The Pizza Capital Of The US: Congresswoman

Pepe's has expanded in recent years and now has 17 restaurants across the East Coast.

The Wooster Street pizzeria has earned heaps of accolades over the years, including being named the nation's top pizzeria by The Daily Meal.

Pizzerias in Los Angeles, Jersey City, Chicago, San Francisco, Berkeley, Portland, Oregon, and, of course, New York City, also earned the national recognition.

Check out the full list at Food & Wine.

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