The history of New Haven-style pizza begins in the 1910s when a wave of Italian immigrants settled in the Elm City. They primarily came from Southern Italy, specifically Sicily and Naples, the latter of which is famous for being the birthplace of modern pizza. The thin crust, high-heat methodology is directly inspired by those legendary Neapolitan pies. The use of coal-fired ovens was also established in these early days, as coal was particularly affordable at that time.
It’s difficult to determine where the first New Haven-style pizza was made (and by whom) because they probably didn’t come from commercially licensed restaurants. Instead, it’s believed that Italians operating bakeries began adding pizzas to their repertoires. Some even baked pizzas and then took them to the streets, posting up near businesses to feed workers.
One of the first known makers of New Haven pizza was Ignazio Camposano, who began selling it at his bakery in 1917 before opening a restaurant in 1924. One year after that, Frank Pepe, a native of Maiori, Italy, opened his namesake restaurant, which became arguably the most famous pizzeria in New Haven, firmly establishing the model upon which the city’s pies are based. Frank Pepe Pizzeria is still going strong as the oldest of New Haven’s “Big Four” pizzerias. The other three are Sally’s Apizza, Modern Apizza, and the newest member of the list, BAR. Both Frank Pepe’s and Sally’s sit on Wooster Street, a historical center for Italian-American culture.
Read More: What You Need To Know About New Haven-Style Pizza