Since 1934, this family-owned institution has been perfecting the art of New Haven-style apizza with an oil-fired brick oven that reaches 700 degrees Fahrenheit, creating the signature charred crust that locals crave. 🍕
Modern Apizza forms one-third of what New Haven residents call the “Holy Trinity” of pizza, earning its place alongside legendary neighbors through generations of dedication to thin-crust pizza excellence.
Located in the East Rock neighborhood on State Street rather than the more famous Wooster Street, Modern has quietly built a national reputation that brings celebrities, Yankees players, and passionate pizza pilgrims to its doors.
How Modern Apizza won New Haven’s hearts
The story began when Antonio “Tony” Tolli, Connecticut-born but Italy-raised, returned to America in 1930 and learned baking from his uncle, who ran New Haven’s oldest Italian pastry shop.
Tolli opened Tony’s Apizza at 874 State Street in 1934, installing a coke-fired brick oven designed specifically for pizza in the mostly residential East Rock neighborhood. 🏛️
Young Nick Nuzzo wandered into the pizzeria at the age of 14 in 1937, beginning a 50-year journey that would eventually see him purchase the restaurant in 1952 from Louis Persano, who had renamed it “Modern Apizza” in 1944.
The oil-fired brick oven conversion happened in 1967 when coke production ceased in New Haven, preserving the authentic cooking method that creates Modern’s distinctive charred edges and perfectly crisp crust.
William “Billy” Pustari purchased Modern in 1988 and, along with his wife Mary, built its reputation to national prominence while expanding the dining area and adding a second oil-fired brick oven in 1992.
The Pustari family continues the legacy today with daughter Erica Pustari managing operations and using social media to share the restaurant’s story while hosting everyone from Steven Spielberg to Yankees players with equal warmth. ⚾
Their signature apizza specialties showcase fresh ingredients like littleneck clams and fresh mozzarella from Liuzzi Cheese in North Haven, paired with locally-made Foxon Park soft drinks that many argue perfectly complement New Haven-style apizza.
Food Highlights
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Italian Bomb: Modern’s legendary signature loaded with bacon, sausage, pepperoni, mushroom, onion, pepper, and garlic, creating a meat lover’s paradise.
- Pepperoni Pizza: Classic simplicity executed perfectly with quality pepperoni on New Haven-style apizza dough.
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Pizza Margherita: The classic Italian variation made with fresh mozzarella from Liuzzi Cheese in North Haven, great sauce, and basil.
- White Clam Pizza: A New Haven classic showcasing fresh pre-shucked littleneck clams with garlic and olive oil on white pizza dough, proving seafood belongs on pizza. 🦪
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Clams Casino: The adventurous coastal favorite featuring fresh littleneck clams, bacon, and peppers that delivers a flavor explosion combining briny seafood with smoky richness on thin-crust pizza.
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Eggplant Pizza: AÂ vegetarian favorite available with a mozzarella base and choice of red or white preparation.
- Veggie Bomb: The plant-based answer to the Italian Bomb featuring spinach, broccoli, olive, mushroom, onion, pepper, and garlic.
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Hot Cherry Pepper Pizza: For heat seekers who want that spicy kick on their pie, adding vibrant flavor and fire to Modern’s perfectly charred crust. 🌶️
Atmosphere
Step into Modern and you’re immediately transported by vintage images lining the walls that chronicle nearly 90 years of pizza-making history in this very location.
The bustling restaurant fills quickly with both devoted locals and first-time visitors, though efficient service means wait times stay reasonable even during peak hours when lines form out the door.
Watching pizzas slide in and out of the charred oil-fired brick oven from the dining room creates entertainment and anticipation, reminding everyone they’re experiencing authentic New Haven-style apizza made the traditional way.
The casual, no-frills environment keeps focus squarely on what matters—exceptional pizza served in a family-owned institution where celebrities and regular customers receive identical warm treatment. đźŽ
Bottom Line
Visit Modern Apizza for New Haven-style apizza that’s earned its place in the “Holy Trinity” of legendary pizzerias, nearly 90 years of family ownership and traditional techniques passed through generations, oil-fired brick ovens reaching 700 degrees that create signature charred crust, iconic specialties like the Italian Bomb and Clams Casino you won’t find elsewhere, and fresh ingredients including local mozzarella and littleneck clams that honor quality.
Address:
874 State Street, New Haven, CT 06511
đź“ž (203) 776-5306
🕔 Open Tue-Thu 10:30 AM–10 PM, Fri-Sat 10:30 AM–10 PM, Sun 3 PM–10 PM (closed Mon)