Modern Apizza — Restaurant in New Haven

From the moment the pie emerged from the oil‑fueled brick oven, it was clear: Modern is a master of New Haven‑style apizza. Founded in 1934 (originally as State Street Apizza), it’s considered one of the iconic “Holy Trinity” of New Haven pizza alongside Pepe’s and Sally’s .

I ordered their famed White Clam Pie (with fresh littleneck clams, garlic, olive oil, pecorino romano, and bacon). The clams were sweet and abundant, and the crust… wow. Thin, blistered, slightly charred on the bottom, crispy yet chewy—the kind of crust only a New Haven apizza can pull off . The little semolina bits stuck to the underside added that smoky crunch local aficionados talk about .

I also tried the Italian Bomb—sausage, pepperoni, bacon, mushrooms, peppers, onions, garlic. Delicious, but definitely loaded—worth sharing or choosing one or two toppings if you’d prefer a lighter slice .

Service was efficient and friendly, though there’s always a long line to dine in—30+ minutes. Takeout was much faster (around 20 minutes), and makes the experience more casual but every bit as satisfying .

What makes Modern stand out: • A loyal dedication to high-quality, locally sourced ingredients. Their Margherita uses fresh mozzarella from Liuzzi Cheese in nearby North Haven . • Their oven doesn’t rely on coal but still achieves the intense high-heat bake that defines New Haven pizza . • Recognized nationally, including Pizza Today’s 2023 Pizzeria of the Year award .

In summary: Modern Apizza delivers a reliably excellent representation of New Haven‑style apizza—whether you’re a local or a pizza pilgrim. Thin, charred crust; bold, balanced toppings; and a fast-paced but friendly atmosphere. If you want to experience one of America’s most celebrated pizzerias, this is a spot...

Disappointed by the Customer Service Despite Delicious Pizza

We came to Modern Apizza in New Haven with high hopes—and honestly, the pepperoni and sausage pizza was absolutely delicious. Crispy crust, flavorful toppings—it hit the spot. If this review were based solely on taste, it would be an easy five stars.

But unfortunately, the service soured the experience.

One of my friends ordered the Veggie Bomb small pizza ($14.50 + $9.25 in toppings). When it arrived, they immediately noticed the broccoli had a strange taste—off enough to send the pizza back. They kindly requested to replace it with a small pepperoni and sausage pizza, which matched what the rest of us were enjoying.

Here’s where it went downhill…

Instead of accommodating the exchange or offering any sort of resolution, we were later told we’d be charged for all three pizzas. Yes, even the one they couldn’t eat.

I understand restaurant policies—but when a customer returns food due to taste concerns and politely requests a smaller replacement, it’s disappointing to be charged nearly $83.20 for a meal where one dish went untouched. There was no offer of a discount, no apology, and frankly no empathy. That’s not how you win repeat customers.

So while the food (well, some of it) was great, the customer service left a lot to be desired. You be the judge.

PS, I normally give five star reviews. It’s not very often that I give a two star.

Warm regards, Dennis Schleicher, YouTuber with over 90K subscribers and content creator...

I am a pizza lover and New Haven has one of my all time favorite places. I decided to try a different place this time so on October 24 2024, before a presentation, I stopped at Modern Apizza on State Street.

I was in college in New Haven for four years in the late 70's-early 80's and Modern was in business, not that far from campus but I never went. Now as an older adult, I decided to give it a try. I was not disappointed.

The atmosphere was good and reminiscent of several other pizza establishments in New Haven. Though it was late afternoon/early evening, on a Thursday, there was a line outside and the restaurant was full. The line moved quickly and I got a table. Service was quick and I ordered a pepperoni, sausage and fresh mushroom pie. Turnaround was reasonable and my pie arrived.

Crust is important and it was near perfect, being from either a wood or coal fired oven. Sauce was well-seasoned and toppings were plentiful. I ate half of the pizza and took the rest to go. By chance, it actually reheated well the next evening when I got home to Massachusetts.

I really missed out on another great pizza place during my years in New Haven. I would definitely eat there again and I recommend it. Though there is a parking lot, parking is limited including on the street. It is reasonably priced in comparison to other New...