We’ve been to Pepe’s, Sally’s and Modern, of course, but we hadn’t been to Zuppardi’s. Because pizza is our favorite food, we thought it crucial that we add their ballyhooed clam pie to our repertoire. Late on a Sunday afternoon, we were surprised to find the joint in West Haven empty. Was something amiss? We didn’t mind, it’s better than braving the line at Pepe’s. We ordered the clam pie and our sweet server recommended the sausage. We ordered that, too, and a plain for no good reason except to compare. The plain was plain, the sausage is fantastic (chunks of it, freshly housemade and cooked directly on the pie makes all the difference), but oh, the clam. Redolent of garlic, with plump, juicy bivalves studding a thin, slightly charred crust, this is one remarkable pie. A bit of clam broth and olive oil soaks into the crust, adding even more clam flavor. Just a squeeze of lemon completes this memorable feast. Pizza heaven. Call ahead to make sure the clam pie is available. Price varies depending on the availability of fresh clams; on our visit a large pie was $40.

Good to know: Zuppardi’s Pizza Truck for catering and parties coming soon.
zuppardisapizza.com

tags: Zuppardi’s Pizza, West Haven, pizza, clam pizza