Made in Connecticut: Flavors only found in New Haven

While New Haven’s run as Connecticut’s co-capital may have ended, its legacy of world-class pizza has endured. Each year, droves of people visit the Elm City for a taste. Chicago has deep dish, New York has thin crust, and New Haven has apizza.

“New Haven-style apizza is [akin to the Neapolitan-style pie] traditionally baked in a coal-fired oven at temperatures in excess of 650°F," says Gary Bimonte, co-owner of Frank Pepe’s Pizza. "The result is a thin, crispy crust that is sturdy enough to hold the toppings. My grandfather, Frank Pepe, was one of the first people to open a pizzeria in New Haven. Many Italian immigrants who were bakers settled in the area, and many bakeries began to evolve and offer pizza.”

And in the 10 years after World War II, more than 50 pizzerias opened up in the area. Simply put: CT’s second largest city has a long history of firing up some of the best pizza in the country (although New Havenites will tell you it's unequivocally the best). While locals may agree that apizza reigns supreme, what they can’t seem to agree on is which parlor is number one...

Famed historic pizzeria, Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana, known as Pepe's, has been serving up traditional brick oven pies since 1925. Modern Apizza set up shop on State Street in 1934. Down the block from Pepe's is Sally’s Apizza, a New Haven staple since 1938. And then there’s relative newcomer BAR, which is popular among the college crowd for its mashed potato and bacon pie.

While pizza may be the reason for your visit, the city’s robust culinary scene goes way beyond crust, sauce and cheese (even if it is the best around). Billed as the Cultural Capital of Connecticut, New Haven is replete with theaters, museums, world-class art galleries (like the Yale University Art Gallery and British Art Center at Yale), fine dining establishments and music venues. It’s also home to several universities, including Yale, which means hungry college and graduate students. You’ll even find a growing a craft cocktail scene and gourmet food trucks, like The Cheese Truck and Chief Brody’s Bahn Mi, popping up everywhere.

Browse the gallery above for New Haven's trademark tastes, and see more Connecticut flavors below.