Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana
Frank Pepe, an immigrant from Maiori near Naples, opened his pizzeria on Wooster Street in 1925 after years selling tomato pies from a wagon in the Wooster Square market; the family moved to the current address in 1936 or 1937 and still fires a custom-built coal oven, replicated at every location from the original. The family's own site says the dough recipe is unchanged since Frank Pepe created it, and current pizzaiolo Gary Bimonte has explained why coal, at roughly 1,000°F, gives the crust its char.
Why it is here
Frank Pepe, an immigrant from Maiori near Naples, opened his pizzeria on Wooster Street in 1925 after years selling tomato pies from a wagon in the Wooster Square market; the family moved to the current address in 1936 or 1937 and still fires a custom-built coal oven, replicated at every location from the original. The family's own site says the dough recipe is unchanged since Frank Pepe created it, and current pizzaiolo Gary Bimonte has explained why coal, at roughly 1,000°F, gives the crust its char.
What to order
White Clam Pizza, introduced in 1964 (olive oil, garlic, oregano, grated cheese and fresh clams)