Celebs like Paul Giamatti have shown their love for New Haven apizza

Conan O'Brien stopped by Modern Apizza in New Haven December 2023.
Modern Apizza / Contributed

As a plane full of 100 Connecticut pizza makers, politicians, veterans and pizza aficionados fly down to Washington D.C. Wednesday to stake a claim for New Haven's pizza reputation, here's a look at the famous faces who have enjoyed the Elm City's pizza scene in recent years.

From A-list actors to members of presidential cabinets and legendary musicians, these celebrities have dined at the city's top pizzerias, including Sally's Apizza, Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana, Modern Apizza and nearby Zuppardi's Apizza in West Haven.

Paul Giamatti

Frank Pepe's

Paul Giamatti reaffirmed his loyalty to New Haven-style pizza on "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" in February. In his interview with the late-night talk show host, the award-winning actor and Yale University alumnus discussed how growing up in the Elm City made him a dedicated fan of apizza, the dish that has given the city its reputation as the "pizza capital of America" — at least according to Gov. Ned Lamont.

Pepe's Pizzeria honors Oscar nominee Paul Giamatti, a New Haven native, by renaming his favorite pie after him on March 10. Giamatti has praised the restaurant's white clam and bacon pizza.
Submitted photo / Pepe's Pizzeria

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Conan O'Brien

Sally's Apizza, Modern Apizza

Former "Late Night" host and comedian Conan O'Brien was spotted twice at New Haven pizzerias in 2023, stopping at Sally's Apizza in March and Modern Apizza in December.

O'Brien's March visit to Sally's was redemption for one of its managers, who once turned the comedian away in 2022 because the restaurant was full that day. He signed a pizza box for the staff with caricatures of himself, proclaiming Sally's "not the best pizza in New Haven — the best pizza EVER."

In December, O'Brien and his family had dinner at Modern, sharing four pies and visiting the kitchen to see the pizzas getting made, owner Bill Pustari told Hearst Connecticut. O'Brien posed for a photo with Pustari and signed a pizza box with his signature caricature, thanking the Modern team for "an amazing meal."

Hillary Clinton

Sally's Apizza

Former Secretary of State and presidential candidate Hillary Clinton made a pit stop at Sally's Apizza in October 2023.

She posted a photo of herself on Instagram in front of Sally's, saying that she "was in New Haven only briefly this weekend for a law school reunion, but in this life you make time for the important things."

Paul McCartney

Pepe's

Beatles icon Sir Paul McCartney visited Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana in New Haven after a February 2023 event at the Yale Schwarzman Center, the restaurant confirmed to Hearst Connecticut Media.

Earlier that day, McCartney took to the stage at Yale’s Woolsey Hall to talk about his life and recent book “The Lyrics: 1956 to the Present." During the Yale event, the musician said that he feels a magical and mysterious nature to songwriting. Interest in the event was so high, it crashed Yale's ticketing system on Feb. 8.

"The Sopranos" actors

Sally's Apizza, Pepe's Pizza

Vincent Pastore, Michael Imperioli and Steve Schirripa from HBO's "The Sopranos" will be at College Street Music Hall in New Haven on Nov. 18.
College Street Music Hall / Contributed

Three actors from "The Sopranos" split their votes among the three big New Haven pizzerias. During "In Conversation with the Sopranos" at New Haven's College Street Music Hall in November, Vincent Pastore proclaimed Sally's his favorite, while Michael Imperioli chose Modern and Steve Schirripa shouted out Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana.

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Ilana Glazer

Sally's Apizza

When "Broad City" actress and comedian Ilana Glazer kicked off her fall tour with a stop at New Haven's College Street Music Hall in September, she posted an Instagram reel after her performance. She was seen singing along to Olivia Rodrigo's "bad idea right?" at a number of different spots around the Elm City, including the Yale University campus, the New Haven Green, Mecha Noodle Bar and College Street Music Hall.

At the end of the video, Glazer is seen spread out on the floor with a box from Sally's Apizza on her face. Sally's noticed and commented on the reel, asking Glazer, "How was the pizza?" Madeline Kim, who leads Glazer's Starrpix production company and has been on the road with her, commented back: "Garden Special was 🤌".

Phil Rosenthal

Modern, Sally's, Pepe's

Somebody fed Phil — three types of New Haven apizza.

Phil Rosenthal, the host of Netflix's food and travel series "Somebody Feed Phil," was in the Elm City Friday night for a stop on his "An Evening with Phil Rosenthal" tour. Before the show began at the Shubert Theatre, Rosenthal stopped by Modern Apizza for dinner. But by the time the performance ended, he had sampled all three of the city's "holy trinity" of pizzerias.

That's thanks to New Haven's Colin Caplan, a pizza guru, author, historian, storyteller and founder of the Taste of New Haven food tour agency. During the question-and-answer portion of Rosenthal's show, Caplan appeared at the microphone holding three large pizzas: one each from Frank Pepe's, Sally's and Modern.

Rosenthal accepted the pizzas and tasted each one on stage, sharing slices with moderator Vinnie Penn and the first row of the audience. In the moment, he didn't elaborate on which was his favorite, but with each taste, he did a version of the "happy dance" viewers know from his show when he seems to particularly enjoy a bite of food.

Stephen Colbert

Yorkside Pizza

In April 2023, celebrity comedian Stephen Colbert was seen cooking pizza, instead of making fun of it, in New Haven.

The Shops at Yale — a collection of more than 65 shops and restaurants in downtown New Haven — posted a photo on Facebook of Colbert visiting Yorkside Pizza and Restaurant. During his visit, Colbert spun dough and loaded pizzas into the oven, the post stated. For his efforts, Colbert was awarded the "Employee of the Month" prize of a free pizza slice.

In 2021, Colbert poked fun at New Haven legislators' bids to make pizza Connecticut's official state food.

"Come off it Connecticut, this is a little thirsty. You have zero cuisine of your own so you, who sit right next to New York and New Jersey, are trying to steal pizza as your official food? Why? Because you have one town who makes good pizza?" Colbert said during the segment.

Kamala Harris

Sally's Apizza and Zuppardi's Apizza

When Vice President Kamala Harris visited New Haven and West Haven in March 2021, her staff and security detail picked up 15 large takeout pizzas from Sally's Apizza in New Haven and another 10 pies from Zuppardi's Apizza in West Haven.

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Gwyneth Paltrow

Sally's Apizza

In November 2022, actress Gwyneth Paltrow got a taste of Wooster Street during a visit to Sally's Apizza in New Haven

The pizzeria posted a photo of Paltrow standing outside the shop with two employees, and a representative said at the time that she dined with two friends, later signing a box for the staff.

"For all the amazing people @ [Sally's], thank you for the most perfect pizza," Paltrow wrote on the cardboard pizza box, finishing with "Much love" and her signature.

These celebs have shown their love for New Haven apizza, from Paul Giamatti to Conan O'Brien

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