Jump to content


Welcome to the eGullet Forums!

These forums are a service of the Society for Culinary Arts & Letters, a 501c3 nonprofit organization dedicated to advancement of the culinary arts. Anyone can read the forums, however if you would like to participate in active discussions please join the Society.

Photo

The Better Pizza: Pepe's (CT) vs DiFara's (NYC)


  • Please log in to reply
7 replies to this topic

#1 rotuts

rotuts
  • participating member
  • 2,436 posts

Posted 01 May 2012 - 07:07 AM

this is a narrow topic, as Im hoping someone has been to both establishments or one or the other.

I have not been to DiFara's and only know about it as recently on Test Kichen, Kimball went there to taste NYC thin crust and raved about it. K is a tricky guy.

So if you have been to both, what do you think? been to one? the other?

my view is that Pepe's cant be beat and does not even get close to other 'fine' parlors ive been to:

White Clam pizza, and Bacon pizza I die for. Pepe's

#2 Mjx

Mjx
  • host
  • 4,129 posts

Posted 01 May 2012 - 07:23 AM

Surely this is subjective, and depends on the sort of pizza you like.
Michaela Scioscia, aka "Mjx"
Host, eG Forums
mscioscia@egstaff.org

#3 weinoo

weinoo
  • host
  • 5,676 posts

Posted 01 May 2012 - 07:23 AM

I wouldn't even consider DiFara's thin crust.

And wouldn't you have to compare Pepe's with NYC coal-oven pizza for an accurate comparison?

Mitch Weinstein aka "weinoo"
Host, eGullet Forums
mweinstein@eGstaff.org
Tasty Travails - My Blog
My eGullet FoodBog - A Tale of Two Boroughs
Was it you baby...or just a Brilliant Disguise?


#4 rotuts

rotuts
  • participating member
  • 2,436 posts

Posted 01 May 2012 - 07:36 AM

just wondering as i have not been to DiF. Kimball might have other reasons for chosing NYC that have nothing to do with pizza. Who would want a 'free' trip to New Haven? Visit Yale? well a week of Pepe's might be worth is.

Its true the wood-coal-oven makes a huge difference if not too smokey. I and i guess Pepe's has expanded to several other CT spots.

Pizza is like the Perfect Cup: the same taster can tell the difference one to the other.

#5 rotuts

rotuts
  • participating member
  • 2,436 posts

Posted 01 May 2012 - 07:57 AM

then there is this:


http://www.gq.com/fo...t?currentPage=5

this guy clearly knows nothing. :raz: he put Sallys (NHaven CT) Above Pepe's

but (s)he does mention places in NYC and CA.

#6 jmolinari

jmolinari
  • participating member
  • 1,305 posts

Posted 01 May 2012 - 01:07 PM

I've been to both, and it really depends. For clam, Pepe's (i don't think Di Fara offers clam even). For "normal" pies, i'd say i prefer Di Fara's...but it's pretty close.

#7 rotuts

rotuts
  • participating member
  • 2,436 posts

Posted 01 May 2012 - 01:24 PM

Wow! good for you! I bet your are the only person to go to both

and at Pepe's it would have to be the same pizza.

#8 Fat Guy

Fat Guy
  • eGullet Society staff emeritus
  • 29,291 posts

Posted 01 May 2012 - 08:04 PM

I've been to both. Two very different styles. Di Fara is the apotheosis of the NYC slice shop. This style has been in decline everywhere, except Di Dara has managed to improve on it. Pepe's represents a subset of the American coal-oven pizza style. I wouldn't really characterize either as having particularly thin crust, and they're not really comparable on a specific level.
Steven A. Shaw aka "Fat Guy"
Co-founder, Society for Culinary Arts & Letters, sshaw@egstaff.org
Proud signatory to the eG Ethics code
Director, New Media Studies, International Culinary Center (take my food-blogging course)