Spring into New Haven Restaurant Week March 22-27th 2015

New Haven Restaurant Week returns March 22 – 27, 2015

#NHRW15

Are you looking forward to spring as much as I am? The days are warmer, daylight is longer, and it's time to go OUT!!

What better place to start then New Haven, to celebrate New Haven Restaurant Week!

Thirty-six of downtown New Haven’s award-winning and diverse restaurants are featuring $18 lunch and $32 dinner prix fixe menus during the week of March 22nd through March 27th!

Participating restaurants will offer a multi-course, prix fixe menu typically consisting of an appetizer, entrée and dessert.

Reservations are highly recommend, so be sure to make your reservations early!

116 Crown – RW Menu – (203) 777.3116

Adrianna’s – RW Menu Coming Soon – (203) 865-6474

Barcelona – RW Menu Coming Soon – (203) 848.3000

Basta Trattoria – RW Menu – (203) 772.1715

Bentara – RW Menu – (203) 562.2511

Briq – RW Menu – (203) 891-7155 

Caffé Bravo – RW Menus – (203) 772-2728

Caseus Fromagerie Bistro – RW Menus – (203) 624-3373

Cask Republic –  RW Menu Coming Soon – (475) 238-8335

Christopher Martin’s – RW Menus – (203) 776-8835

Fornarelli’s Ristorante – RW Menus – (203) 745-5677

Goodfellas – RW Menu – (203) 785.8722

Harvest Wine Bar & Restaurant – RW Menus – (203) 777-2500

Heirloom – RW Menus – (203) 503-3919  

John Davenport’s – RW Menus – (203) 974.6858

L’Orcio – RW Menus – (Lunch on Friday only) – (203) 777.6670 

Miya’s Sushi – RW Menus – (203) 777.9760

Oaxaca Kitchen – RW Menus – (203) 859-5774 

Olea – RW Menu – (203) 780-8925 

Pacifico – RW Menus – (203) 772.4002 

Roía – RW Menus – (203) 200-7045 

Soul de Cuba Cafe – RW Menus – (203) 498.2822

Stone Hearth – RW Menu Coming Soon – (203) 691-1456

Tarry Lodge – RW Menus – (203) 672-0765 

Taste of China – RW Menu Coming Soon – (203) 745-5872

Temple Grill – RW Menus – (203) 773-1111

Thali – RW Menu Coming Soon – (203) 777.1177 

Tre Scalini – RW Menus – (203) 777.3373

Union League Cafe – R W Menus – (203) 562.4299  

Zafra Cuban Restaurant & Rum Bar –  RW Menus – (203) 859-5342

Zaroka – RW Menu Coming Soon – (203) 776-8644

Zinc –  RW Menu Coming Soon – (203) 624.0507 

For more information visit InfoNewHaven at http://www.infonewhaven.com/restaurantweek

or

Connecticut Restaurant Week at http://www.connecticutrestaurantweek.com/restaurant-weeks-ct/new-haven-restaurant-week

The Fall 2015 NHRW will be Nov 1-6, 2015.

Pepe's Pizzeria in New Haven - and beyond!

Media Promotional Sampling

I have never lived anywhere in Connecticut other than New Haven County. In fact, I've lived in only two towns my entire life. Both towns are a short five minute drive from downtown New Haven.

And yet, I had never been to the iconic pizza parlor that set the standards for New Haven Style Pizza in Connecticut, Frank Pepe's Pizzeria Napoletana ..

Consistently voted one of "The Best Pizza Spots in the Country" by Food and Wine, and recently voted the #1 Pizza by the Daily Meal, Pepe's is known for their iconic tomato "pie" and their white clam pizza! Pepe's is located in the heart of New Haven's "Little Italy" on Wooster Street in historic Wooster Square.

On my very first visit to Pepe's, I had the pleasure of sitting down for a late lunch with Gary Bimonte, grandson of "old reliable" Frank Pepe. What I enjoyed most, besides learning about the family's nearly century old traditions of pizza pie making, were the heartfelt stories he told about growing up in the restaurant, and the family meals he shared with aunts, uncles, and cousins around the dinner table. To me, that's one of the best things about food, sharing and enjoying it with those you love, and breaking bread with old and new friends. Read more about Pepe's origins and history HERE.

The Pepe family history is rich with tradition, but the one thing that has remained the same is FAMILY. Be it the offspring of various family members cooking in the kitchen, cleaning tables, or what have you, the family is still involved in varying degrees to Pepe's today. Gary likely has the best job of all, that of quality assurance, and he spends his days traveling to the many Pepe's locations, ensuring the the same quality that originated in New Haven CT, is available in all seven of Pepe's current locations, the two New Haven locations, and in CT's Fairfield, Danbury, West Hartford, Mohegan Sun,  and NY's Yonkers. (Rumor has it that Pepe's is currently scouting locations in Boston's Brookline neighborhood, and a shoreline location in Rhode Island, rumors that Gary could neither confirm or deny.)

And what's on the menu at Pepe's? Pizza, pizza, and more pizza! A fresh garden salad is also available, in addition to Foxon Park Soda, Beer and Wine. See the entire New Haven Pepe's Menu HERE.

Be sure to visit a Pepe's location near you. And if you have the opportunity, visit the original Pepe's in New Haven, CT.

Here's some of the pics from our visit!

Pepe's Pizza and another New Haven staple - Foxon Park Soda
White Birch Beer and Apizza is a match made in pizza paradise!

The tomato pie pictured below is classic Pepe's pizza at its best. Simple fresh ingredients guarantee an equally fresh taste. Crisp thin crust. Absolutely delicious.

The one, the only, original Pepe's Tomato Pie
Sliced Tomato, herbs and spices, and grated parmesan cheese

Ahhhhh. Moving on we sampled the white clam pizza made with fresh clams and garlic, lots of garlic! Succulently sweet clams and zesty garlic make the perfect pairing on pizza!

The White Clam Pie
Fresh clams on the classic New Haven thin crust pizza
Thin and crisp - but never burnt on the bottom
The secret? The only thing that we could learn was that the dough is a bit "wetter" than norm.

I always thought that New Haven pizza couldn't be duplicated anywhere because of our unique water...but Gary assured me they worried about that too, and test the water in every location!

For more pictures visit the Home Place facebook page, and don't forget to "like us" while you're there
More pictures HERE

Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana

157 Wooster Street

New Haven, CT 06511

203-865-5762

Web: http://www.pepespizzeria.com/?page=home

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pepesnewhaven

Twitter: https://twitter.com/pepespizzeria

Visit a Pepe's location near you!

In ...

West Hartford CT

Danbury CT

Fairfield CT

Mohegan Sun Casino in Uncasville CT

Yonkers NY

Disclaimer: We were invited to this promotional sampling at Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana by members of  the Pepe's Management and Marketing Team, however, the views and opinions expressed herein are our own.