New York City may be the pizza capital of the country, but New England has been giving the Big Apple a run for its money over the years thanks in no small part to Pepe’s Pizza.
Since opening on New Haven’s Wooster Street way back in 1925, Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana has earned legions of fans throughout the decades with its insanely delicious, coal-fired pies. The 92-year-old Connecticut institution is steadily taking over the northeast with its expanded locations, most recently setting up shop in Chestnut Hill.
In addition to the long lines, Pepe’s Pizza’s signature dish, the fresh tomato pie, has also shipped up from the Nutmeg State to the Boston area. The seasonal summer offering has become a staple of the New Haven restaurant’s menu since its debut in 2011, a perfect combination of locally grown tomatoes, garlic and basil, which are marinated in olive oil for 12 hours and then placed atop the shop’s famed crust along with mozzarella cheese. No sauce needed.
The tomato pie is a rare treat that’s only made when the restaurant has access to the best and freshest tomatoes from the region. Fans flock to Pepe’s Pizza en masse every summer to grab a slice, despite the typical lengthy wait times. Trust us, though, it’s worth the wait.
Thankfully, Bostonians will finally have the opportunity to try the iconic pizza again when it returns to the Chestnut Hill location on July 1. The tomato pie will be available in small ($12.50), medium ($20.25) and large ($26.75) sizes, but only through September, so order them while you can.
