Posted by Michael Stern
, June 22, 2010 06:32
85 years ago during the third week of June, Frank Pepe, who had been working as a baker selling tomato pies from a cart at New Haven’s Wooster Street Market, opened Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana at 157 Wooster Street. To celebrate the anniversary, the family threw a party on the first day of summer at the original location, now known as The Spot, next door to today's Pepe's. A variety of pizzas were made for the occasion, including fresh tomato pie. Francis Rosselli, Pepe’s grandson, pictured at the lower right, pointed out that the coal-fired oven in which these pizzas were made is the one Frank Pepe started with 85 years ago. (Francis, by the way, took the picture of the burning coals, bravely risking lens-melt!)
