Sally's Apizza

With well over 1,000 ratings, this is one of the top reviewed pizzerias in the One Bite community. And hailing from New Haven, the self-proclaimed “Pizza Capital of America,” expectations are very high. After deciding to break away and compete with Pepe’s in 1938, Sally’s familial rivalry with his cousin Frank has put Wooster St. on the map as the “Pizza Mecca.” Their old school coal-fired brick oven produces classically original pies with unique tastes that are difficult to duplicate. Char, char and more char, almost to the point of being burnt is the best way to describe the undercarriage of the pizza. The dough is incredibly thin and smokey with a delightfully crispy crust that is virtually unmatched by any other pizza. While their tomato pies are very popular, I prefer my pizza with cheese, so I opted for the mozzarella topping. Unfortunately, this mootz is burned on instead of melted on, like Freddy Krueger’s face. With no ooze or creaminess, the cheese is stiff, almost bar pie-ish. While it adds some flavor, it also contributes to the overall charred taste. The biggest disappointment has to be the sauce. More of a tomato purée, the sauce lacks any zip or zest, no kick, no oomph, nothing to distinguish itself from generic pizza sauce, lacking enough flavor to overpower the charred taste from the dough and cheese. Because of the popularity of the place, the lines are long, the waits are long and the pickup times for 1 pizza range from 1 to 3 hours on any given night. While I appreciate the history and old school style, I think Sally’s is a bit overrated and my 8.1 score is generously given out of respect for what is really mid-to-high 7s pizza. If you’re making the pilgrimage to New Haven, I recommend Pepe’s & Modern Apizza over Sally’s, especially when it comes to the sauce and cheese.