New York Pizza vs. New Haven Pizza

Who has better pizza? This is one of those questions that people will debate until the end of time. It is similar to the New York vs. Chicago pizza question. The only difference is that New York and New Haven both make pizza, while Chicago prides itself on making a casserole whose best attribute is making people morbidly obese. I recently had the pleasure to be on a road trip with two great friends who were game to stop in New Haven on our way back from Boston to fully indulge in a pizza tasting tour. I am the humble cook nyc, but there is a twist in the fact that I consider myself to be a New England boy at heart. That's right, I bleed the red and blue of Red Sox Nation, and find people who don't pronounce r's to be quite endearing. I am a born and raised Connecticut boy who loves apple cider, maple syrup, the Hartford Whalers fight song (Brass Bonanza by Jack Say), and being from the Nutmeg State (even though no one is sure where that name comes from). With all that being said, it would seem clear that I would be predisposed towards New Haven pizza love. I grew up on the stuff, and pizza is definitely one of those foods where our childhood exposure solidly informs our preference later in life. I stood in line for two hours, in the freezing cold outside of Frank Pepe's long before 'foodies', The Food Network, and the bro-tastic stylings of one Guy Fieri captured the nation. In Connecticut, people always loved food, and pizza was no exception. You know why pizza is so amazing? It is soul satisfying food that is good everytime you have it. Think back to all the cool restaurant dinners you have had, now tell me that going out for pizza wasn't just as satisfying, maybe more so. Pizza is one of the cheapest ways for a family to eat out, and no one is leaving that table disappointed. Pizza is delicious, filling, and even when it isn't that great, it is still pretty amazing. Sitting around a table with a couple of pies (that is what we call them in Connecticut as in, "How about I pick up a pie tonight?"), a pitcher or two of tasty beverages, and family or friends is a sure fire way to enjoy oneself. To tell you the truth, I need to get some pizza right now, so I will be back............................

So we stopped at three celebrated New Haven pizza institutions, Zuppardi's Apizza, Modern Apizza, and Frank Pepe's Pizzeria Napoletana. We would have gone to Sally's (my old personal favorite) but they are only open for dinner, and we breezed through in the afternoon. Our selections were the fresh shucked clam pie at Zuppardi's, a pepperoni and black olive pie at Modern, and a plain pie at Pepe's. Were any of them bad, no. Were any of them ethereal, no. They were good, solid, thin crust pies with smoky char on the bottom and plenty of flavor, but these simply were not the magical unicorns that people have made them out to be. Don't get me wrong, they were delicious, but not in a mind blowing sort of way. To be honest, the highlight of all three establishments is that they serve Foxon Park White Birch Beer, which may be the perfect beverage to wash down a couple of slices (Cheerwine cherry soda would be a close second). In fact, I can safely say that I ate twelve slices of pizza in the span of a couple of hours and the birch beer served as the perfect counterpoint to this somewhat gluttonous activity. "Here's the thing" (in quotes due to the fact that this statement is credited to my friend Ben, who usually follows it up with some sort of zen, common-sense break-down type shit), good pizza simply isn't great pizza, it is just good pizza, and that is okay. So to New Haven I say unto you, congratulations for making really good pizza, and when you want to have truly great pizza, shoot down I-95 to New York City.

Before I address what i think are spots to check out in City, I must tend to a matter that continues to bother me at a deep level. What is it about smaller restaurants, particularly pizzerias, where it is acceptable to treat people like crap? Is this supposed to make the pie taste better? Am I meant to feel privileged to enjoy your pizza, as evidenced by the disdain you convey to me for being a customer of your establishment? Listen, I'm not expecting you to roll out the red carpet or kiss my ass, but am I completely crazy to think that being marginally hospitable is too much to ask? I left all three New Haven establishments feeling like I had been a major inconvenience to the staff for handing over my money for the products that they sell. Do you not want my money? I will always be kind and respectful to you, because the truth is I have infinite respect for what it is that you do. You are collectively partaking in the process of feeding people, and I think that is honorable, and should be a source of pride for those that do it. And this is not isolated to New Haven, because I have been on the receiving end of this in New York as well. Okay, I'm done with that particular rant, so onto New York pizza.

New York seems to have more pizzerias than coffee shops, which is amazing, considering we have an awful lot of coffee shops. It feels like every corner has a shop slinging utility slices that are delicious for what they are. A utility slice is simply the basic slice that is made at thousands of shops around the City, usually taken to go on a plate, and folded for ease of consumption. These slices are cheap, filling, and relatively delicious, particularly when hunger pains are overwhelming you as you emerge from the subway. These are standard, but what pizza lovers really want, is something amazing. The truth is that I have eaten at a small smattering of pizzerias in New York. There are so many to try, that it would take true singular dedication to really produce an accurate take on everything going on in the New York pizza scene. But I have visited several establishments, and many of them have smoked New haven pizza in a big way. One of the interesting things about New York, is that you actually have a big palette of pizza styles to choose from. There is New York style pizza, but I'm no longer sure what that even denotes anymore. For a classic thin crust pie, I like John's on Bleecker (just elbow the tourists out of the way.....just kidding....sort of), and Trevor (who was part of the New Haven tasting) swears by Grimaldi's under the Brooklyn Bridge. The truth is that there are a ton of old-school places that generate rave reviews from people, and most are deserving of the praise. What is really exciting in New York is that you also have a wave of newer Neapolitan style pizzerias doing incredibly exciting things, including Motorino, Roberta's, Keste, etc. So what are my favorite places for pizza in New York? Now is the moment when I pause for dramatic effect..............and then I reveal that I have two favorite places, who do completely different things. BEST Pizza in Williamsburg, and Co. in Manhattan are where the magic happens. More to come on these two gems.

One thing I can say for sure about this whole experience is that good company will always make good food better, great food a lasting memory, and bad food tolerable through a few laughs. I am fortunate to have amazing friends, and I try never to take this fact for granted . Sharing food with phenomenal people is one of the best things that life has to offer. I was lucky enough on this trip to share several meals with two of the finest people I have ever had the pleasure to know (the drive to Somerville not withstanding), and it all reminded me of why I love food so much. It is never simply about the food, but instead about people, context, and the joy of living.