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Officials, family members celebrate new sign
New Haven served up a slice of history Friday as city, state, and federal leaders gathered to dedicate the corner of Wooster and Brown Streets as “Frank & Filomena Pepe Corner” — honoring the founders of the pizzeria that helped make Elm City the nation’s “Pizza Capital.”
U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro, Gov. Ned Lamont, Mayor Justin Elicker, and Wooster Square Alder Ellen Cupo were among the many officials who turned out to celebrate a century of thin crust, white clam pies, and family-run flavor that’s become a cornerstone of the city’s identity.
“New Haven is a pizza paradise and a pizza capital of the country,” declared Mayor Elicker, citing the city’s 63 pizzerias and over $100 million in annual pizza sales. “We don’t need to say it anymore — but we’re going to continue to say it.”
The dedication marked the 100th anniversary of Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana, which opened in 1925 and now spans 17 locations across the country. Family members accepted a City of New Haven proclamation presented inside a custom pizza box.
DeLauro, who is Italian-American and grew up around the corner from the original Wooster Square location, shared personal memories of the Pepe family — including childhood pizza nights, lemonade stands outside the shop, and a ceramic jardinière gifted to her parents by Frank and Filomena that still sits in her living room. She also announced the submission of a statement to the Congressional Record in honor of the centennial. (Last year, DeLauro entered a statement into the Congressional record declaring New Haven the “Pizza Capital of the United States.”)
“This corner is not just a historic location. It points the way to the future and to all generations to come that will get to enjoy the delicious apizza made in New Haven,” DeLauro said. “Their history is my history.”
Lamont added, “You gotta be really good to do that for 100 years,” reflecting on the pizzeria’s humble beginnings and generational legacy.
Several members of the Pepe family spoke at the ceremony, including Jennifer Kelly and Lisa Cusano, who reflected on the legacy of Frank and Filomena and those who carried on their work.
To mark the milestone, the Pepe’s team also rolled out a celebratory car parked near the event, advertising a national sweepstakes running from May 20 through June 30. Prizes include a 2025 Fiat 500e All-Electric Car, his-and-hers Bianchi bikes, a De’Longhi espresso machine, and a VIP pizza tour for six.
Following the speeches, Anthony Roselli — Frank Pepe’s oldest grandchild — had the honor of unveiling the new “Frank & Filomena Pepe Corner” street sign, drawing cheers from the crowd. For Roselli and his extended family, the moment marked not only a century of success, but the continuation of a deeply personal story.
The celebration closed with a community pizza party on the block where it all began, complete with slices, stories, and tributes to the legacy of a family — and a flavor — that helped define New Haven.
“Frank and Filomena had a dream,” Kelly said. “And now, 100 years later, we are celebrating the life and legacy of our grandparents — and are truly blessed to have a street corner named in their honor.”
Mayor Justin Elicker presents proclamation in a pizza box to Anthony Roselli.
Rep. DeLauro: "If this city is the nation's pizza capital, in many ways this corner is its capital building."
