Pepe's Pizzeria Napoletana to Open in the Greater Boston Area

You've heard the rumors, now here's the real deal!

Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana, a third-generation owned and operated pizzeria, touted as a “New Haven Institution”, has entered into an agreement to acquire the space that is currently operating as The Fireplace (since 2001) in Brookline, MA. Fireplace Chef / Owner Jim Solomon, who hails from New Haven and is a huge fan of Frank Pepe’s pizza, released a statement  on July 29, 2014 announcing his departure from the 1634 Beacon Street restaurant and his plans to focus on his thriving catering business.

For Frank Pepe’s, this is an opportunity to answer the public’s call to open a location in the Boston area and for the business to grow its family of Napoletana style pizzerias that patriarch Frank Pepe began nearly 90 years ago in 1925. The Frank Pepe team is thrilled with the prospect of joining the booming culinary scene that the Washington Square neighborhood of Brookline has become known for.

“With so many great pizza places here, the bar has been set extremely high,” says Gary Bimonte, the grandson of Frank Pepe who, along with members of the Frank Pepe family, continues to run the business to this day, “We’re excited to have Bay State pizza lovers try our pizza. Can there ever be enough good pizza in the world?”

Frank Pepe’s is beyond thrilled over the enthusiasm and support from their Connecticut customers and equally excited about the outreach they have encountered from eager Boston based fans, many of whom hail from CT or who make a Frank Pepe stop along their routes between New York and Boston. 

So now the real work begins. From now until the end of the year, the Frank Pepe team will be developing and submitting plans for their coal-fired pizza restaurant to the town and upon approval, hope to begin construction and the behind the scenes process of opening their new location. Once the dough rises and all goes according to plan, the Greater Boston area can look forward to a Summer 2015 opening of what The Daily Meal has deemed “The #1 Pizza in America (October 2013)” and TIME Magazine hailed as “The 13 Most Influential Pizzas of All Time (May 2014)”.

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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.

Alex Deibold - Branford CT Native and Pepe Pizza Descendent - Wins Bronze in Sochi

Have you been following the Olympics! I just love watching the daily events on TV and getting the updates on scores and medal winners all day long.

I was absolutely thrilled to learn that former resident Alex Deibold, of Branford CT, my hometown, won a bronze medal at Sochi in the Snowboard Cross!

Today it was the sports headline in our paper, the New Haven Register!

And Deibold has even MORE ties to Connecticut!

He is the nephew of Tony Rosselli, Frank Pepe, the pizzeria founder's, oldest grandson. To celebrate this momentous occasion the entire Pepe Connecticut family gathered at the original Pepe’s Pizzeria in New Haven and presented a pizza with the Olympic rings atop Pepe’s world famous Napoletana pizza to celebrate his feat!

Alex Deibold wasn't among the favorites to win a medal in Tuesday's snowboard cross final, yet he was the only American to advance to the final and the only American with a flag draped around his shoulders as he stood on the podium after his third-place finish, reports USA Today. His fellow teammates dogpiled on Deibold after the 27-year-old Branford, CT native slid across the finish line in third place. His teammates understood just what Deibold had endured to even make the Olympic team, let alone find his way upon the podium.

Deibold truly was the underdog among them - but he came through for Team America!

For more read:  

http://pepespizzeria.com/pizza/connecticut-connection-to-the-olympics-in-sochi/

 See Alex’s Today Show interviews here:

http://www.nbcolympics.com/video/today-rising-occasion
http://www.nbcolympics.com/video/today-olympic-glory?ctx=team-usa 

!!! *** Go Team U.S.A. *** !!!