“Pronounced Ah-Beetz” Exhibit Opening at New Haven Museum

From Frank Pepe’s original hat to celebrity-signed pizza boxes (including Gwyneth Paltrow and Yogi Berra!), if you love the crust, the crunch and the char of New Haven apizza, or simply have strong views on what comprises a good pie, you’ll find something to feed your personal pizza passion in the new exhibit “Pronounced Ah-Beetz,” which will open at the New Haven Museum (NHM) at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, October 9, 2025.  Slices from Pepe’s, Sally’s, and Modern will be included. Free admission. Register here.

“Pronounced Ah-Beetz” will examine the fun, the flavor and the history of pizza, including its  origin as an affordable means of feeding workers in the fields of Italy, and how it became the food of the poor in the U.S. The Italian migration to New Haven gave way to Frank Pepe’s Pizzeria Napoletana, which gave birth to Sally’s Apizza, while a mile away Tony’s Apizza became Modern. How these three establishments became among the most iconically loved pizza restaurants in the country will be a major focus.  

While the exhibit will highlight the “Big 3”original apizza spots in New Haven, it will also extend through the family tree of New Haven pizzerias to present a picture of family, food and community that includes a host of other local pizzerias, including: Ernie’s, Zuppardi’s, BAR, Zeneli’s, Olde World, and the Big Green Pizza Truck, among others.