While New Haven was being recognized as a “pizza destination” as far back as the 1950s, the Connecticut town that is home to Yale University is experiencing a more recent moment of foodie superstardom.
The New York Times recently ruffled serious feathers by naming New Haven rather than New York as the “pizza capital of the United States.” Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger joined the bandwagon later in the spring when he began a June concert at MetLife Stadium by asking the crowd — the majority of whom were presumably from the New York, New Jersey and Connecticut tri-state — when concertgoers from the latter state began cheering; Jagger said that he “heard that Connecticut says they have the best pizza in the United States.”
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The latest numbers from the Connecticut Tourist Office show that, in 2023, the entire state experienced skyrocketing tourism with 68 million travelers spending $1.173 billion. This was a 6.7% increase from 2022 while, as one of its most popular tourist destinations, New Haven drove the state’s post-pandemic resurgence.
New Haven has a very distinctive pizza style — here is where you can get it
Summer is traditionally a popular time for food-minded travelers, with the International Culinary Arts Food and Fusion Festival, Milford Oyster Festival, and Puerto Rico Food Festival all taking place in August. With a population of just under 25,000 people and a territory of just over 369 square miles, New Haven is home to over 740 different restaurants and dining establishments.
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A number of those — including Sally’s Apizza, Frank Pepe Pizzeria Neapolitana and Modern Apizza — are the home of the iconic New Haven pizza style mentioned by Jagger (pronounced “a-beetz,” apizza was how the pizza that became recognizable for its thin crust, charred edges and dominance of sauce rather than heavy cheese was pronounced by the Neapolitan immigrants who popularized it.) While the longstanding traditions of the Italian-American community in the area make it harder for newcomers to break into the Italian food market, a trio of Albanian brothers who had initially immigrated to Naples opened what grew into the popular Zeneli’s Pizzeria & Cucina Napoletana in 2019 (Zeneli is Gazmir’s, Aleko’s and Jeshar’s family name.)
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New places to eat keep popping up in New Haven
Non-Italian restaurants with a storied New Haven history include the Union League Cafe, which opened in 1993 and quickly became the city’s go-to place for fancy French dishes like duck breast with cherries, mussels with chorizo, and veal medallions. Zinc is a farm-to-table restaurant dating back to 1999. On the casual side, Claire’s Corner Copia has been attracting students and locals looking for a quick break with its extensive vegetarian breakfast and pastry menu since 1975.
On June 14, one of the latest additions to the city’s dining scene began welcoming diners when Italian husband-and-wife duo Danilo Mongillo and Rosanna Merenda opened next door to Claire’s for a modern take of Italian food from a new generation of immigrants — no pizza oven but fine dining dishes such as Calamaro Aglio Olio & Peperoncino, cod with puttanesca sauce and six types of gnocchi.
“Influenced by traditions from various parts of the Italian peninsula, Strega is dedicated to creating an authentic Italian experience,” the restaurant writes on its website. “With a deep appreciation and knowledge of Italy’s historical and culinary past, we prioritize imported Italian products and are committed to authenticity in our recipes and menu choices.”
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