News on Pepe's in Yonkers

[roxlet]

I was out to dinner tonight, and we were talking about Pepe's opening in Yonkers, and it occurred to me that no one has mentioned Pepe's opening in Yonkers recently. Does anyone have any updated information about this as well as a possible opening date? As I recall, it was supposed to be in the space that Ricky's had been in on Central Avenue.

[SundaySauce]

I am working on getting an interview and a pre-opening tour at the Yonkers location for my blog "Sunday Sauce'".
If this comes into fruition I will let you all know asap. BTW my cousin called last night from the Pepe's in Fairfield raving about the clam pie. To think that I won't have to travel down to Lombardi's to get a decent clam pie..fingers are crossed!

Jonny
www.SundaySauceNY.com

[chloe4ever]

I really enjoyed reading your blog "Sunday Sauce". Keep up the good work.

[chowdom]

They are open :-)

[tbetz]

Just came back from the Yonkers Pepe's, and boy am I happy!

Given the experience people had with the Fairfield Pepe's, I determined to wait six months before going to the Yonkers store, but tonight I just didn't want to cook, and it's just a 20-minute drive away... and I wanted to have Pepe's pizza fresh in my mind for comparison when I visit De Lorenzos Tomato Pies in Trenton later this week.

Wife and I chowed down on a small tomato pie (grated parm, no mozzarella), and a small clam pie with white (garlic) sauce. (Because it's the dead of winter, no cheese and basil pie, sadly.) They were very close to the pies we had enjoyed in the New Haven store -- it seemed like I had a bit heavier and more even coating of the tomato sauce than I remembered, so the top of the pie was less toasted than I remembered, but the clam pie was absolutely identical in every meaningful way to the clam pie I had eaten in New Haven - crisp crust on the outer half of the ring, and juice/oil-soaked on the inner half, with the bottom crust still maintaining its integrity.

If you are a Westchester-based Pepe's fan and have been waiting for the Yonkers store to shake out the new oven, I'd say that the wait is over!

[roxlet]

I was so excited to drive by today and see the sign for the restaurant bazing across the front of the building. Sadly, I will be out of the country when it opens, but I intend to visit ASAP!

[foodismylife]

OMG OMG
now if we can only get sally's to open one also
i have spent the summer tasding pizza on the munchmobile pizza patrol for the newark star ledger and have tasing about 146 places with at least 50 more to go and haven't found a clam pie yet.
cannot believe how many places make dreck.
only about ten percent are any good.
a mano and renato's in ridgewood nj the latter for a grandma's pie the former for anything and patsy's in paterson are great choices in bergen county.
mr nino's in harrison nj off the charts great steak itialana also.
forza pizza

[roxlet]

Try the clam pie at Tarry Lodge in Port Chester. It's wonderful, though different than Pepe's. According to a friend of mine who grew up in Staten Island, clam pies are very popular there and widely available

[foodismylife]

thanks for the heads up re staten island, they make very solid pies there particularly
de ninos
my son subs shrimp for clams at pepes also truly wonderful, bacon has to be soft and chewy tho

[chloe4ever]

Huh? Well placed commas and periods are your friends.

[foodismylife]

Sorry , re punctuation my adhd makes it very difficult.
Will try harder next time.

[chloe4ever]

.

[jfood]

go to spiritos in elizabeth and wash it down with the best ravioli you will ever taste.

and manage your expextations on Pepes. it is more hype than taste.

[CTburgerlover]

Seconded on Pepe's. Blah.

[SundaySauce]

I can confirm it's opening Nov 2. Signage is up. I will see if I can take a pic later today.
Hopefully clam pie is better than Tarry Lodge which receives a resounding thumbs down.

Jonny
www.SundaySauceNY.com
ww.curtos.com

[iluvcookies]

Just passed this today... sign in the window touts a November 2nd 2009 opening!

[foodismylife]

please let that sign be true a clam pi with garlic and soft bacon is on my list for a final meal
also shrimp and garlic without cheese ain't too shabby either

a mnao in ridgewood nj offer the best naples style pizza in the tri state region
don't pass up their pastas and end with gelato
bring your own moltacinos or montepucinas and heaven is yours

[foodismylife]

my teacher once said i would not amount to anything in life if i didn't learn to type
she was right meant clam pie not pi
and the name of the restaurant is a mano which means hand made not a mnao which merely means i am stupid

[wincountrygirl]

I thought mnao was one of those shorthand things like LMAO - but that I didn't know what it meant!

[foodismylife]

no just that i eat far better than i type my wife and kids call me mr food and i am currently a member of the pizza patrol for the newark star ledger

[Jon1856]

From LoHud:
Famous New Haven pizzeria coming to city
YONKERS - Still under construction, the brick building on Central Park Avenue looks unassuming enough. Only a small "now hiring" sign on the second floor hints of what's to come: a culinary challenge to an essential building block of life in this city - New York pizza.
If things go according to schedule, on Nov. 2 the site will become the first New York branch of the legendary New Haven, Conn., pizza parlor Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana.................
http://www.lohud.com/article/20099072...

[foodismylife]

how much longer do we have to wait can't find a proper clam pie in this state of nj

[Delucacheesemonger]

DeLorenzo's in Trenton is not shabby

[roxlet]

Here is info from Liz Johnson's blog:
Frank Pepe’s, the famous Neopolitan New Haven pizzeria known for its white clam pie, will open where the former Ricky’s Seafood used to be on Central Avenue in Yonkers in early fall, said Ken Berry, CEO of the Frank Pepe’s Development Company, which is the Pepe family’s development arm.
The building is being completely rebuilt, and the Pepes are creating two exact replicas of the custom coal-fired, brick oven pizza oven found in the original New Haven location.
“They are being hand-built on the premises, brick-by-brick,” said Berry. They will exactly mirror the New Haven oven, down to the metal work, which is made from castings taken from the original building, he said.
The dining room will also feel similar to New Haven, with plenty of booths, hardwood floors and tin ceilings. The artwork and pictures on the wall will also have the Frank Pepe’s look.
Frank Pepe’s just opened a restaurant at Mohegan Sun, and Yonkers will be fifth location and the first outside of Connecticut. Berry said it was chosen because of the high population density and its convenient location.
Check back here toward the end of summer for an update.
The 411 on Frank Pepe’s: 1955 Central Park Ave.., Yonkers. 914-961-8284.

[wincountrygirl]

Thanks, Roxlet. We were down Central avenue on Saturday and I was looking for rickys' but that looks completely gone with a new building so we were wondering if that would be Pepe's.

[GIOny]

Yes, that's the place where Pepe's is going.

[roxlet]

Yes, but boo-hoo! I think I will be out of the country for a year by the time it opens -- and where I'm going (Egypt) has really, really terrible pizza!

[KarenNYC]

if you don't want to wait - hit the Fairfield location - the pies are as amazing as New Haven but less of a wait.....

[MRS]

Oh yum!!!! Cannot wait!

[biga290]

This afternoon I drove down on the way back from a quick trip to Boston. I made my usual stop at the original Frank Pepe on Wooster St in New Haven. I ordered a couple of pies to go and when i got back home to westchester I noticed that the carry out boxes at the bottom each proclaimed "Opening November '09 on Central Ave. in Yonkers, NY."

[wincountrygirl]

A bit longer to wait than we had hoped, but at least it's still happening. Thanks!!!

[biga290]

I just ate the Pepe's "special". Its the regular pie with 4 meats and most of the usual toppings piled on. If you can make the drive to Fairfield or New Haven its well worth the trip to haul a few home. They get better for the first couple of days in the fridge and then they freeze very well. Then you don't have to wait until November. And if you go during the summer you can try their amazing fresh tomato and basil pie. that one won't be around in november.

[wincountrygirl]

The fresh tomato and basil sounds great. Maybe I'll make the pilgrimage!

[biga290]

figure early august or so for the fresh tomato and basil though its definitely worth the hike for their non-seasonal stuff especially the trademark fresh clams with NO motz.

[SundaySauce]

I own Curto's Appliances which is diagonal from the spot where Pepe's is going up on Central Ave. It looks like they have a ways to go. I will take a photo tomorrow and post online.

Jonny
www.curtos.com
www.sundaysauceny.com

[chloe4ever]

Good news for the Mohegan Sun location, it is opening a year ahead of schedule. Instead of Summer 2010, it will be opening this Summer! I love this casino, so this will be a welcome addition this Summer!

And the Yonkers location is "set" to open this coming fall.

[Jon1856]

Their own web site is not saying all too much-just spring. Humm.
http://www.pepespizzeria.com/

[Jon1856]

From Westchester Magazine:
Openings, Closings, Kitchen Changes, Food Events
Famous pizzeria Frank Pepe is scheduled to open sometime this month in the space that once housed Ricky’s Clam House (1955 Central Ave, Yonkers) This is the first non-Connecticut location for the New Haven-Fairfield pie-maker, famous for coal-fired pizzas; its garlicky white-clam pie has made grown men tear up (see “Pedigree Pies” on page 156).
http://www.westchestermagazine.com/We...

[laylag]

Article is dated 3/17 and since it's now 3/26 and I haven't heard and don't see anything on Pepe's website about it, guess we're looking at April or later... Hope not. Very anxious.

[Jon1856]

Well, has anyone been down that part of CPA in the past few weeks?
Mark II eye-ball and Mark I ears can be the best way to find out info ;>D

[laylag]

After posting I googled again and found an article citing a May 1 opening date. The article was not new so that appears to have been the target date for a while. Since there is no recent news on Pepe's website I have to think any earlier is wishful thinking.

[Lolasartre]

I have to go down that way either today or tomorrow and I'll report back.

[Reposado]

I was by there last weekend on way to Route 100 (which was good, but all we had were burgers and sammys, so no report). They sign up on the tyvek says something to the effect of "opening summer 2008." Looks like we'll have to wait awhile longer. We also looked for Totonnos, but didn't find it. Anyone been and where is it in relation to Central Ave.?

[rich51]

totonnos is probably less than a mile from central ave on tuckahoe rd. it is inside a hotel, went there once . it was good but the strangest decor, as i recall it is like a converted hotel lounge ,but creepy, would not go back , but i look forward to pepes

[Jon1856]

Totonnos is within the bar area. Not converted at all. Just a strange place to put a business. But is where it is located.
Pizza was good-just out of my normal area of operations.

[MisterBill2]

There's a Westchester Mag article that makes it seem like they had tried the pizza in Yonkers. Having the place not close to opening yet when the article was actually published caused the writer to have to admit on their site that she was writing about the Connecticut location's food, although she refused to admit that what they did was wrong (this was on their website).

[Jon1856]

Last time I drove by the hole in the ground that was Ricky's, in early Nov, it was just that.
A hole in the ground.
Could have changed by now I guess.
Per following, May 1st:
http://www.pepespizzeria.com/images/y...

[laylag]

That's all I've found too except that I did note on Frank Pepe's website that the blurb linking to this article as per Jon's post mentioned Yonkers as the "first" of several Frank Pepe's planned for Westchester. While Yonkers is exciting and the idea of more maybe even closer to me is even more tantalizing, the planned extensive expansion including out at one of the CT casino hotels does worry me. Perhaps getting too big, too fast and could be difficult to retain the quality. I hope I'm wrong.

[roxlet]

Thanks laylag. I found the article on the web site, and this is the link to it...

http://www.pepespizzeria.com/images/y...

It seems that there is really nothing new yet.

[surman]

Drove past today and was happy to see a banner recruiting employees hanging from the cornice.