Frank Pepe, Creator Of New Haven-Style Pizza, Opens In Alexandria

ALEXANDRIA, VA — In the early 1900s, Frank Pepe immigrated from Italy to the U.S., where he worked on creating his own pizza inspired by his hometown. In New Haven, Connecticut, he established the first New Haven-style pizza, known for being cooked by coal oven and for its thin crust.

After selling pizzas by hand and then by cart, Pepe acquired his first location in 1925, and it's been nearly 100 years as a family-run business since. Frank and his wife, Filomena, eventually passed the business down to their daughters Elizabeth and Serafina, who then passed it down to their children.

Fast forward to the present, Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana has expanded to five other states and soon to Florida. The first Virginia location opened Monday in Alexandria at 3233 Duke Street.

Jennifer Kelly, a granddaughter of Frank Pepe who started working at the business at age 14, was on hand for the ribbon cutting Monday. Over the years, she has gained countless memories, from celebrating birthdays and anniversaries with customers, to seeing people in line for pizza in the rain to support her grandfather's vision.

"I never knew how Pepe's was to other people. It was always a small mom-and-pop shop, even when we've started to expand," Kelly told Patch.

To make a Frank Pepe's pizza, it takes a team of staff to prepare the dough, "decorate the pizzas" with toppings, and take pizzas in and out of the coal oven using a 16-foot-long paddle.

To start, the dough is prepared and left to refrigerate for hours until it rises. Once its risen and rolled out, the pizza dough is ready for toppings.

Kelly says Frank Pepe's uses the highest quality ingredients for pizzas. For Frank Pepe's Fresh Tomato Pie, which became the first slice ever sold in the brand's history, that means toppings of fresh native tomatoes, mozzarella, basil, garlic, grated Pecorino Romano and olive oil. The White Clam Pizza, another of Frank Pepe's creations, features fresh clams, Pecorino Romano, proprietary oil blend, fresh garlic, and oregano.

The pizzeria's menu includes more of these signature pies and build-your-own pies. Once pizzas are topped, they are transferred into the coal-fired brick oven modeled to look like the one from the original New Haven location. Pizzas cook at 600 degrees for about six to eight minutes, depending on the toppings, according to Kelly.

Pizzas come out with a crispy, slightly charred yet chewy crust. After coming out of the oven, pizzas make their way to customers at dine-in tables or pizza boxes for to-go orders.

Each Frank Pepe pizza box comes branded with the nickname "Old Reliable" as a reminder of the founder's legacy.

"My grandfather, the reason he was old reliable, because in the neighborhood, Grandpop would always have his doors open, and also he would give to the neighborhood," Kelly said. "And they knew that Mr. Pepe was always reliable no matter what."

Kelly also noted the significance of her mother and aunt taking over the family business in 1969, a role that was "unheard of" for women at the time.

"The work that they had put down in the business, the dedication, the commitment, showed their children, meaning me and my siblings and my cousins, that it's hard work ethics create strength, determination to carry on a legacy to the utmost level," said Kelly. "It's my grandfather's legacy. There's compassion, there's love, there's commitment."

Kelly still sees Frank Pepe's as a small family-run business. That's because she believes the employees put the same passion into their work as she puts into her family's business.

Kelly was joined by Vice Mayor Amy Jackson, Councilmember John Taylor Chapman and Alexandria Chamber of Commerce Joe Haggerty for the ribbon cutting.

Frank Pepe's Alexandria location is open 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. Indoor dining is available along with takeout by calling 703-719-2035. For more information, visit www.pepespizza.com.