Legendary CT Pizzeria To Open Westport Location

WESTPORT, CT — Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana, the iconic pizza chain that started in New Haven in 1925, announced it will open a new location in Westport next summer.

The new spot will be at 361 Post Road West in the White Birch Center, and it will be the chain's 18th location on the East Coast. Pepe's recently finalized a lease with Saugatuck Real Estate LLC for a 3,529-square-foot space in the shopping center.

Frank Pepe’s has finalized a lease with Saugatuck Real Estate LLC, for a 3,529-square-foot restaurant at 361 Post Road West in the White Birch Center, with an anticipated opening in summer 2026. This Westport location will become the brand’s 18th restaurant along the East Coast.

Jennifer Bimonte-Kelly, co-owner of Frank Pepe's and granddaughter of founder Frank Pepe, shared the news on behalf of her sisters Bernadette and Genevieve and her cousins Anthony, Francis and Lisa.

"Our loyal fans from Westport and the surrounding communities have been traveling to our Fairfield, New Haven, and Stamford locations for years asking when we would bring Frank Pepe’s closer to home," Bimonte-Kelly said in a statement. "As a 100-year-old, family-owned brand, we take our time with site selection, focusing on quality over quantity, to ensure every new location delivers the same legendary experience."

The Westport restaurant will feature approximately 90 seats for dine-in guests, with a dedicated takeout area designed to offer a seamless to-go order experience. It joins the chain's family of restaurants across the East Coast, which includes locations in Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New York, Maryland and Florida.

From the announcement:

Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana remains committed to staying true to its heritage and serving the same great coal-fired pies people have loved for generations. The brand uses fresh, real ingredients — no seed oils and no shortcuts. All pizzas are made with 100 percent olive oil, and the flour is bromate-free, underscoring the company’s belief that quality matters in every bite.

The team also prepares everything the right way: fresh veggies sliced in-house, chicken roasted on-site and locally harvested, fresh-shucked clams for the famous White Clam Pizza. The family continues to source Pecorino Romano and vine-ripened tomatoes directly from Naples, maintaining the high standards that have defined the pizzeria for 100 years.

From the coal-fired ovens that began on Wooster Street to the expansion into new communities, the company continues to preserve the distinct chew, char and craftsmanship that define New Haven apizza. Guests in Westport will soon have the opportunity to experience the tradition that has shaped the brand’s reputation for nearly a century.