Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana
| Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana | |
|---|---|
The Frank Pepe sign on Wooster Street
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| Restaurant information | |
| Established | 1925 |
| Food type | New Haven-style pizza |
| Dress code | Casual |
| Street address | 157 & 163 Wooster Street |
| City | New Haven |
| State | Connecticut |
| Postal/ZIP code | 06511-5709 |
| Country | United States |
| Coordinates | 41°18′10″N 72°55′01″W / 41.302907°N 72.916933°WCoordinates: 41°18′10″N 72°55′01″W / 41.302907°N 72.916933°W |
| Reservations | Not taken |
| Website | PepesPizzeria |
Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana, known locally as Pepe's, is a popular pizza restaurant in the Wooster Square neighborhood of New Haven, Connecticut, at 163 Wooster Street. Opened in 1925, it is one of the oldest and best known pizzerias in the United States.
Pepe's was founded in 1925 by Frank Pepe (April 15, 1893 – September 6, 1969), an Italian immigrant. Pepe was born in Maiori, Italy, and immigrated to New Haven in 1909 at the age of 17. The quintessential Wooster Square Italian immigrant took a job at a New Haven factory, but he hated it. During World War I, Pepe went back to Italy to fight for his native country. Upon returning, he soon landed a job working at a bakery on Wooster Street. Pepe began walking through the Wooster Square market and sold his "tomato pies" off of a special headdress. After saving enough money, he was able to buy a wagon from which he sold his pizzas. He did so well with his pizzas that he was eventually able to take over his employer's business and turn it into the first "Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana" on June 16, 1925. Frank Pepe died on September 6, 1969.
Pepe's originated the New Haven-style thin-crust apizza (closely related to Neapolitan-style Italian pizza) which he baked in a coal-fired brick oven. Originally, Frank Pepe only made two varieties of pizza: the "tomato pie" (tomatoes with grated pecorino romano cheese, garlic, oregano, and olive oil) and the other with the addition of anchovy.
The piece of land which Pepe's restaurant sat on was owned by the Boccamiello family. They later made Frank Pepe leave so that they could start their own pizzeria at the establishment, which they renamed The Spot. Pepe moved his restaurant to its current location next door to The Spot in 1936. The Pepe family later bought back The Spot from the Boccamiello family in 1981 and it now serves the same menu as the newer restaurant.
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