Pepe's Pizza Yonkers Location

[wincountrygirl]

Does anyone have an update on when Pepes is going to open at the old Ricky's Clam House in Yonkers? I thought it was originally slated for May 2009.

[Charlie B]

Pepe's does a good job on their unique style of pizza. If you like the sort of pie. Sometimes I do, more often I don't. But it's not bad. They could have done a better job of the interior.

[chumly]

Okay so I finally made it to what I was hoping for was a lunch to remember. What a disapointment. I ordered a medium pie with mozz cheese. Maybe it was a mistake to order anything but the "clam" pie and maybe my expectations were too high as I thoroughly enjoy Totonnos style pizza (original location). The crust despite not having the usual charring of a good coal fired pizza was nicely done but was bland and tastless along with the "cheese" and tomato "sauce". I wish I had a picture of the overabundance of rubbery cheese acting as a liner for the oil slick on top. There was enough oil floating on top of my pizza for Al Gore to recycle. Had to use napkins and copious amounts of table cheese and salt to get it to the palatable stage. An hour later and all I could still taste was the oil. Can't believe people wait in line for what - at best - is medicocre "brooklyn style" pizza. I even asked the waitress if this was the norm. She agreed and added that the oil protected the pizza from burning in the oven. Chalk it up to another rendition of the "emperors new clothes" syndrome so common today with the foodie crowd.

[geendatz]

I gave this place a try yesterday,and see no need to return.The white clam pie was watery,with tasteless canned clams and no other ingredients on the pie to redeem it.Sausage pie was good for the slices of fennel sausage and little else.The crust was nothing special to me...So far,Tarry Lodge rates as the best pizza in Westchester,and Keste in Manhattan is my numero uno.

[anonymouse1935]

Watery? I find that hard to believe. All of the white clam pizzas in all of the Pepe's in three locations never served me a 'watery' pie.

I think you should go back again.

Tarry Lodge is good for an expensive personal white clam pizza. A regular family of four couldn't afford to eat a white clam pizza at Tarry Lodge.

[JMF]

I agree about watery, and lousy pies in general. I have been several times and was not pleased with any of the pies I got. One day I may go back, but it will be because friends want to try, not for myself.

[roxlet]

I think the "water" you are referring to is actually brine, since they, unlike some actually use fresh clams. However, if you are unsatisfied with your pizza, send it back. They held back serving us one of our pies when it was deemed to have come out of the oven too burned. I sure they would accommodate you if you were unhappy with what you were served.

However, why would you go "several times" to a place you felt served bad pizza?

[chloe4ever]

Exactly Roxlet. Why keep going back to a place if the pizza was that bad??

[roxlet]

LOL chloe4ever. Exactly right. Besides, if you think it's so horrid, then it is your duty to talk your friends out of it!

[JMF]

do you folks happen to be affiliated with the place? You seem to champion them and attack any naysayers on a regular basis. Everyone has their opinion, mine may not agree with yours, but it is as valid as yours.

[roxlet]

No, if I were affiliated I certainly wouldn't suggest that you talk your friends out of going there since you think it's so bad. I just think it is unusual to go to a place "several times" (several implies 3 or more) and say that it has been horrible each time. If I hate a place, I just don't return.

[cubanat]

jmf are you affiliated with another pizzeria that you seem to be poo-pooing them whenever you can? I just read the same comments from you on a different thread. comment and move on by not patronizing the place! less of a wait for the people that like pepes.

[chloe4ever]

I am the owner/chef/dishwasher *shhhhhh* don't tell anybody.

[JMF]

I went for lunch today. To put it plainly, the pizza was terrible. No flavor, watery sauce, crust was tough like leather and had a bitter taste, and burnt. Not a nice tasty char, but burnt. Pie sliced weird, some slices triangle, some long and sort of rectangular that were hard to pick and the toppings slid right off and made a big mess on the floor. Pizza was boiling hot when it arrived, and cold in 2-3 minutes. I won't go back. Only worse pizza I ever had was in rural SW Minnesota.

[anonymouse1935]

On the floor? The toppings ended up on the floor?

On the slicing, that is how Pepe's slices their pizzas. Have you not had Pepe's pizza before?

But it's 'terrible' at the Yonkers location? I'm sorry to hear that. Still, I'll have to try it out for myself.

[chloe4ever]

Wow. Amazing. Believable. Especially the part where the toppings just slid right onto the floor. I wish I could have witnessed that. Wow. I hope the waitresses did not fall after slipping on all the toppings. And ALL pizza cools down. I don't think defect pizza exists that goes from "boiling" (what exactly is boiling pizza?) to cold and it is the restaurants fault.

[ninnikuramen]

Yea, this doesn't sound typical. Hope you give it another shot. My wife and I have been here 5-6 times so far, and while it has varied a little between trips (we've gotten one that was pretty close to burnt), overall it's been a shining gem for us in an otherwise barren city.

A few weeks ago, we called ahead and ordered a large pie. When I got there, they apologized to me, saying they had actually made my pizza too large and were going to have to cut it into two and put them into two mediums size boxes. The large is already on the big side, this extra large was incredible. And, because of the egregious screw up on their part... they gave us another free large pie! It sounds like it might be a company policy to go overboard on these kinds of things.

[JohnF]

Was there today Nov 15, 2009 - just opened 2 weeks ago. At 3 PM on a Sunday the wait was about 10-15 minutes. Built 2 replicas of the ovens in New Haven. My wife and I had a clam and a plain pie with half sausage - could have closed my eyes and would have been on Wooster Street. Great location - cuts my commute from northern jersey from 90-120 minutes to 30-35 minutes. Parking in lot, also some on street.

[anonymouse1935]

Ditto here on the Fairfield location, first time there. 30 minute wait, pies were just as good, parking was plentiful, and best of all, the waitresses weren't grumpy.

I look forward to trying Yonkers one of these days.

Frank, your heirs are doing you proud.

[raider]

the clam pie is delicious. who set up the parking tho? (or lack of parking)

[irvingk]

Went to Pepes Yonkers on Sunday. Had the clam pie and regular pie. Was very disappointed. Not in the league of Pepes New Haven. Not in the league of Delorenzos in Robbinsville either.

[theAVE]

We stood in line tonight and ordered the clam pie. Must say, we were totally unimpressed. Maybe its the water? Or they are working out the kinks? Certainly not New Haven -- or at least not as we remembered it. ;(

[chloe4ever]

Well, it would not be the water. This area has great water.

Have not tried the clam, but the regular pie was amazing.

[theAVE]

Perhaps we should try the regular pie. we are definitely giving it another shot!

[anonymouse1935]

theAVE, have you tried the clam pie in Fairfield? It is as good as the clam pie in New Haven, which is Nirvana.

I am anxious to try it in Yonkers, I wonder why it is different?

[LorenV]

Had lunch there yesterday and echo your comments. Perfectly done rendition of the original NH classic. Charred but chewy crust with succulent clams and little to no soggy spots anywhere on the pizza. Which is a feat in and of itself with this style.

Hats off to Yonkers for having the traditional Foxon soda in house too!

[UHLFELDER]

I WENT ON 11.10.09.
BUT FIRST, IF YOU LIKE THIN CRUST PIZZA FROM PLACES SUCH AS PATSY'S (COAL & THE BEST PERIOD) IN E. HARLUM OR FRANKIE & FANUCCI'S IN HARTSDALE,NY (THE ABSOLUTE BEST IN WESTCHESTER/BRONX WITH WOOD OVEN) THEN YOU WILL NOT BE INTO PEPE'S.
IT IS A MED. CRUST PIZZA & OILY. DON'T THINK THEY USE FRESH CHEESE.

[Jimmy Cantiello]

Of course they use fresh cheese. Pepe's is known for having buttery tasting moots. And believe me, it's fresh. You're right about the crust being a little thicker than most NY pies, though. I personally think that's a plus.

[plien69]

Pepe's uses low-moisture mozzarella, not the high-moisture mozzarella which many people consider "fresh mozzarella."

[Jimmy Cantiello]

What do I know? I've only been eating Pepe's pies for about forty years. But you're right about their cheese. When I said above that Pepe's uses "fresh" cheese it was in response to UHFELDER's post. I assumed he/she was claiming that the Pepe's in Yonkers was using "out of date" mozzarella. I jumped the gun on that one. Sorry for the confusion.

[cubanat]

frankie & fanucci's blows. it's what olive garden is to Italian restaurants. How you say...corporate dreck?

[rfonte]

Pepe Pizza is officially opening on November 2, 2009. The new location is the first New York location and will be located at 1955 Central Park Avenue, Yonkers, New York, the former home of Rickys Clam House. I found out their number will be 914 961 8284. They also told me they are going to train staff in Late October and are looking for the public to come in an sample their delicious pie for free to train the staff.

[MisterBill2]

Where do we sign up??? Stuff like that is usually offered to friends and family of the staff.

[surman]

Main thread on this topic: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/584612

[kjon117]

I drove by there this past weekend. The frame of the building is up, and that's it. Not sure, but I doubt they will open in May.

[roxlet]

I checked pepe's web site, and there was no news about it there. Let's keep our fingers crossed for a spring opening.