Pepe's has been a 'piece of home' for me through 29 years in the Marine Corps. The pizza's quality is consistent from New Haven to Virginia.
Todd Oneto
29-Year Marine Corps Veteran
EST. 1925 · NEW HAVEN, CT
About Pepe's Pizzeria
A century of craft, community, and the original New Haven apizza.
Our Story
Why We Make Pizza
Passionate About Pizza Since 1925
Frank Pepe was born near Naples, Italy, and arrived through Ellis Island as a teenager in 1909 with limited English but a strong work ethic. He married Filomena Volpi, whose English proficiency helped establish the business. In June 1925, he opened his pizzeria on Wooster Street in New Haven — initially selling "apizza" from a cart, saving until he could expand.
The original menu was elemental: a pie with tomatoes, pecorino cheese, garlic, oregano, and olive oil — plus an anchovy variant. Family members including his half-brother Alessio and cousins worked alongside him in those early years.
Much has happened since Frank Pepe started baking "ah-beets" almost 100 years ago. Pizza has gone from an obscure ethnic dish to a mainstay of the American dining scene. But what hasn't changed at Frank Pepe's is the family's commitment to the tradition of food quality and commitment to the community at large that Frank Pepe envisioned in 1925.
The Foundation
Our Crust
One of Frank Pepe's first jobs was in a bakery, and this experience helped hone his skill in the art of baking. In its essence, pizza — or "apizza" as it is known in New Haven — is a humble meal with crust as the foundation, crushed tomatoes and very simple, fresh ingredients topping the pie.
The dough that all Frank Pepe's restaurants use is identical to the original recipe Frank Pepe created. Pepe's dough recipe is a wetter dough that takes longer to ferment, acquiring a much richer flavor than ordinary pizza dough.
The hot, dry air produced by the coal oven works magic on the higher water content dough, contributing to the bubbly quality of the crust — almost like a thin, crispy, airy, ciabatta-style bread. Crisp on the outside and moist and chewy on the inside. True pizza crust bliss.
Sourced with care
Our Ingredients
Topping a Frank Pepe's pie are the freshest, highest quality ingredients sourced from the world's finest producers.
Tomatoes
Hand-picked from a field at the foothills of Mount Vesuvius in Naples, Italy — canned and imported annually by Francis Rosselli and our Quality Assurance team.
Clams
Harvested from the Long Island Sound and the shores of Massachusetts — shucked fresh every single day by long-time Pepe teammate Eric Preston.
Pecorino
Hand-selected from the best producers in Sardinia, Italy — the birthplace of pecorino cheese — adding that beautiful, salty finishing flavor to every pie.
Olive Oil & Cheese
Explicitly made for Pepe's, using recipes and processes that work best in our coal-fired brick ovens' higher heat, dryer baking environment.
The Heart of Every Pie
Our Ovens
Passionate About Pizza Since 1925
A key to a Frank Pepe's pie is the chemistry produced by the dry heat made by our custom 14-foot by 14-foot, 100,000-pound brick oven combined with our wetter, longer fermenting dough.
Pepe's ovens are not your typical pizza oven — they are, in fact, bread ovens. We custom-make a replica of the original Wooster Street oven at each location, with every detail covered. We even re-use the mold created to construct the original cast iron doors for the oven mouth and coal chambers.
At Frank Pepe's, we are proud of and passionate about the artisanal tradition of attempting to perfect the baking of mouth-watering pizza. Every day, we try to get better at our craft.
Size 14 × 14 ft
Weight 100,000 lbs
Fuel Coal-fired
Heritage Replica of original Wooster St. oven
What People Are Saying
Testimonials
A century of loyal fans, celebrated voices, and hungry visitors.
I've been coming to Pepe's for as long as I can remember — probably since I was 3 or 4 years old. My favorite is the sausage and onion pizza.
Paul Giamatti
Actor
Pepe's has been part of our life for 50 years, ever since neighbors first brought us here when we moved from New Jersey. It's become a second family to us.
Les & Carol Grant
Loyal Guests, 50 Years
I've been coming to Pepe's for 60 years. My go-to is a small pie with mozzarella — the crust is just perfect.
Mark Birney
Loyal Guest, 60 Years
Even as a New Haven native, I only discovered Pepe's about 10 years ago after moving to the Wooster Square neighborhood.
Linda Barone
New Haven Native
Come Visit Us
Experience It for Yourself
17 locations across 7 states — each one a faithful replica of the original Wooster Street experience.
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Pepe's Rewards
Celebrate 100 years of apizza with us! As a Pepe's Rewards member, you'll get exclusive access to special events, centennial promotions, and more during our 2025 celebration. Don't miss out on this once-in-a-lifetime experience—join today and be part of the legacy!