It’s been a good year for Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana, the legendary New Haven-style pizza chain. The brand opened a new location in Palm Beach, Florida, in June, made the Michelin Guide as one of the country’s best pizzerias and announced a marketing partnership with Yale University Athletics. So what’s next?

How about a new specialty pizza for the fall?

Flavorful seasonal pizzas have been key to Frank Pepe’s formula for keeping customer interest high in 2023. And the Patata Rustica is a real beauty, topped with seasoned gold potatoes, bacon and Asiago, mozzarella and Romano cheeses, then finished with a touch of imported olive oil. Available at all 16 Frank Pepe locations through the end of the year, it starts at $16.75 for a small pizza.

Related: The humble origins of Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana

“The presentation of the pizza is just gorgeous,” Jennifer Bimonte-Kelly, Frank Pepe’s granddaughter, said in a press release. “When I take that first bite, it just fills me with comfort and makes me feel like I’m back in my Nonni’s kitchen.”

This photo shows the Patata Rustica, a pizza topped with gold potatoes, bacon and three cheeses.

The Patata Rustica (Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana)

The brand is already famous for another seasonal offering, the Fresh Tomato Pie, which hits the menu every summer. It features fresh, locally grown tomatoes and is only offered during the tomato-growing season. When the special launches, the regional media has been quick to promote it, resulting in a bonanza of free publicity every year.

But Frank Pepe has been centering seasonal pies on the menu all year long. Back in February, it rolled out another LTO pizza, this one crafted with winter weather in mind: the chicken diavolo pizza, featuring oven-roasted chicken coated in hot sauce, white onions and Gorgonzola cheese. “Our customers play a huge role when it comes to curating our new menu ideas, and when we saw an increase in requests for a spicy pizza, we listened,” Kelly said. “We put our own spin on a classic diavolo and created something savory that could be enjoyed by all heat-tolerance levels.”

In May, Frank Pepe followed up with the Spring Special, topped with mozzarella, slightly sweet roasted tomatoes, spinach and bacon, plus a finish of grated Pecorino Romano and a drizzle of olive oil. Kelly said that pie was “a delicious experience, from biting into the juicy roasted tomatoes to savoring the richness of the mozzarella and enjoying the satisfying crunch of the bacon and spinach.”

This photo shows Frank Pepe's Spring Special pizza, featuring mozzarella, roasted tomatoes, spinach, bacon, Pecorino Romano cheese and a drizzle of olive oil.

The Spring Special (Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana)

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The brand released Vino Dulce, an Italian sangria that’s mixed in-house, in May as well.

Founded in New Haven, Connecticut, in 1925, Frank Pepe currently has 16 locations across Connecticut, South Florida, Maryland, Virginia, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and New York.

 

Food & Ingredients