Pizza war winner: Sally's Apizza

Anybody from Connecticut, and perhaps New England, is aware of the pizza wars originating in New Haven. Who makes a better pie? Is it Frank Pepe? Or Sally's Apizza? If we were judging by volume, then it might be said that Frank Pepe is the clear winner, and pizza devotees don't need to travel to New Haven to enjoy. They can stop by West Hartford, Manchester, or other locations to enjoy their favorite. But is that the end of it? Recently a friend and I decided to go and find out. Although it was a wednesday night, Sally's Apizza was humming and we were considerably lucky to get the one table that had opened up, close to the tantalizing smell of the ovens, and within sight of the steady line of hungry customers at the front door.

So what is the secret? Well, honestly, I think it's in the pie's simplicity, and in the deeply flavorful sauce. We decided that it made most sense to do a 50/50 split so that we could try both styles. Maybe the secret lies in the fact that the same coal fired oven has been used for over eighty years, and there is some sort of flavor infusion effect happening. While we pondered this, and sipped on our white birch beer sodas, we looked around the place and admired the photos. At the time, we were not sure if the photos were of actual patrons, but a glance at their website says that they are! "Many dignitaries, athletes and stars have dined on Sally's over the years. Pictures and memorabilia from these visits line the walls. Notables include Frank Sinatra, Bill Clinton, Al Gore, Kathleen Turner, Don Rickles, Jimmy Durante and Gary Trudeau (look for the Doonesbury tribute to Sally's the next time you are there)." 

We anxiously watched as pie after steaming by came out on rectangular metal sheet pans, to other eagerly waiting patrons. We made a quick mental note to ourselves that we wouldn't arrive at the point of starvation on our next visit. Conversation at this point strayed to references to the Chinese food restaurant episode of Seinfeld, and the eggroll dare.

We were almost to that point when our pie was placed down. Ignoring the fact that it was steaming hot, I quickly folded up a slice (like a New Yorker) and savored the tang of the tomatoe sauce. That sauce. It is like eating fresh tomatoes, with that lingering acidity on the tongue. Fellow diners appeared to be as won over as I was, and "this is the best pizza I have ever tasted" resonated from several booths. The half with the mozzarella cheese was a close second, and soon the pie had disappeared in front of us. I know pizza preference is a personal thing. But for me, Sally's Apizza is the clear winner of the pizza war. I have tried Frank Pepe's on three separate occasions and been under impressed. Every time, the pies lacked in flavor, had a soupy and rather uncooked center, and too much crust. But maybe that's how other people like their pies.

If you are in New Haven, and have time to wait in the line, give Sally's a visit. But be prepared. It is a cash only establishment, no credit cards accepted. Personally, I am ready for another.

237 Wooster Street, New Haven, CT
http://sallysapizza.com/index.html

HOURS:

Monday        CLOSED
Tuesday        CLOSED
Wednesday   4:00 to 9:00
Thursday      4:00 to 9:00
Friday          4:00 to 10:00
Saturday       3:00 to 10:00
Sunday         3:00 to 9:00