NEW HAVEN, Conn. — Beloved Ernie’s Pizzeria was full of politicos and pizzaiolos on National Pizza Day for good reason; Gov. Ned Lamont made an official proclamation.
With state leaders and pizza shop owners by his side inside the 52-year-old Ernie’s dining room, Lamont declared that New Haven is “The Pizza Capital of the United States.”
“It was voted on unanimously, we didn’t allow New York or New Jersey to vote but… we declare New Haven the pizza capital of America,” Lamont said.
Colin Caplan planned the National Pizza Day event. He's the owner of the Taste of New Haven Food Tours and, he likes to be called, “New Haven’s Pizza Guru.”
From Modern Apizza to Sally’s to Pepe’s, Caplan reached out to numerous pizzeria owners to recognize them.
“We are celebrating the wonderful pizza makers and their enterprises,” said Caplan, “and that’s what it’s all about.”
“Any of these (pizzeria) names people know about -- not just in New Haven but in the region -- they know about them because we make unbelievable pizza," said New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker. "New Haven is number one for pizza in the world!”
State Treasurer Erick Russell briefly took the podium and added his stance on the power of Connecticut’s pizza.
“Sorry New York, New Jersey, and Illinois, there’s nothing that really compares but that’s OK, you can have some pride in what you’re bringing to the table,” said Russell.
“We’re here to tell everyone that New Haven is the pizza capital of the world and the country and everywhere else in between,” Caplan added.
FOX61 STUDENT NEWS: New Haven: Pizza capital of the world
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