by Karla Ciaglo CTNewsJunkie
NEW HAVEN, CT — Connecticut turned its passion for pizza into a statewide tourism campaign Tuesday, launching the official “Connecticut Pizza Trail” outside Modern Apizza. The event drew elected officials, restaurateurs, and pizza enthusiasts who framed the state’s signature dish as both cultural heritage and economic engine.
The trail, which consists of more than 100 pizzerias out of about 900 submissions, builds on a February report from the state comptroller that measured pizza’s economic footprint in Connecticut. The study counted 1,376 pizzerias statewide, including 63 in New Haven. Despite ranking 29th in population and 48th in land area, Connecticut leads the nation in pizza shops per capita, according to the report. And nearly 80% of those restaurants are family-owned or independent — well above the national average of 4%.
Together, it’s estimated that the Connecticut pizza industry generates about $600 million in annual sales,contributing to $3.5 billion in overall economic activity, with more than $45 million in state tax revenue, according to the report.
New Haven’s coal-fired apizza alone attracts more than two million visitors a year, contributing an additional $100 million to the local economy.
Modern Apizza, voted the top stop on the new trail, hosted the launch. Owner Bill Pustari accepted a bronze plaque with gratitude, noting the recognition was especially meaningful because it came from the public. The state’s chief marketing officer, Anthony M. Anthony, who helped spearhead the campaign, reminded attendees that more than 13,000 residents cast ballots before a panel of food writers and critics finalized the list of 100 trail stops.
“This isn’t just about feeding our bellies — it’s about feeding our families, our communities, our economy, and our culture,” Anthony said.
The celebration honored pizza makers not just as business owners but as community leaders. Kenny Wildes, known as “CT Pizza Man,” was applauded for reaching his 3,000th consecutive day of eating pizza, a streak he is pursuing as a Guinness World Record while raising money for Connecticut Foodshare and the Feeding Families Foundation.
Anthony Anthony, the chief marketing officer for the Connecticut’s Department of Economic and Community Development, holds up a sample of the new license plates that he says will take Connecticut’s pizza identity on the road during a news conference Monday, July 28, 2025, at Connecticut Foodshare in Wallingford. In the background from L to R: DMV Commissioner Tony Guerrera, Connecticut Foodshare CEO Jason Jakubowski, and Gov. Ned Lamont. Credit: Donald Eng / CTNewsJunkie
In July, the Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles unveiled a specialty pizza-themed license plate in partnership with Connecticut Foodshare, allowing residents to display their pizza pride while supporting the hunger relief organization.
New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker underscored the city’s Italian immigrant heritage, recalling that Frank Pepe opened his shop a century ago, followed by Sally’s and Modern, cementing traditions that remain central to New Haven’s identity. “Pizza is part of our heritage, our culture, and our civic pride,” Elicker said. He also celebrated the city’s new claim to fame: in mid-September New Haven set a Guinness World Record for the largest pizza party, drawing 4,525 attendees and surpassing the previous record of 3,357 set in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in 2023.
Lieutenant Gov. Susan Bysiewicz emphasized the marketing reach of the campaign, noting that Connecticut’s pizza promotions have already generated billions of media impressions and are drawing visitors from neighboring states.
“Many pizzerias feel like stepping into someone’s family kitchen,” she said. “Pizza’s universality can unite people across political divides.”
Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro, D-3rd, was unable to attend due to the federal shutdown. She sent a recorded message calling New Haven “the home of some of the most famous pizzerias in the country” and calling it the rightful starting point of the trail.
The launch also showcased the “pizza bus,” parked outside Modern Apizza and wrapped with bold graphics promoting Connecticut as the pizza capital of the world. Paul Mayer, vice president of marketing and communications at DATTCO, which operates the bus, said it is expected to draw about 66,000 views a day and 15 million impressions over its 225-day run.
“We’ve wrapped a lot of buses, but none has generated the excitement of this one,” Mayer said.
Mystic Pizza, known for the 1988 movie starring Julia Roberts, is listed on the CT Pizza Trail. Credit: Enrico Della Pietra / Shutterstock
Mayer highlighted the tangible impact of these marketing investments. Earlier this year, billboards placed along the New York border sparked conversation, but they also delivered results, driving a 22 percent increase in visits to New Haven and a 50 percent jump in traffic to CTVisit.com. The signs promoted Connecticut as home to the nation’s best pizza, with a cheeky message aimed at the neighboring state: “Not you, New York.”
Culinary tourism is giving Connecticut’s economy a boost in the tourism sector. According to the Department of Economic and Community Development, visitor spending generates $15.5 billion in business sales each year, produces $959 million in state and local tax revenue, and directly supports more than 84,000 jobs.
State leaders believe pizza can capture an even larger share of that spending, with every dollar invested in pizza promotion returning eight to nine dollars in tax revenue.
Anthony closed the event by announcing a new CT Travel & Recreation Rewards program, set to debut in January 2026. Visitors who share trail photos on social media will earn points redeemable for Connecticut-themed experiences, from tours of the State Capitol to shooting hoops with UConn basketball players.
The top five shops that received votes were 1. Modern Apizza, 2. Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana, Sally’s Apizza, Zuppardi’s Apizza, and Bar.