You Need To Try This is a running archive of all the awesome drinks and dishes we’ve come across over the course of our professional and private lives — or at least the ones that we have the presence of mind and patience to photograph before they get in our bellies.

While appreciative of Vancouver’s robust authentic Neapolitan pizzerias, a fan of the classic New York-style slice, and an enthusiastic repeat customer of the many dedicated pizzaiolos who invest in serving the best local and seasonal ingredients on sourdough, until very recently, New Haven-style pizza was not on my radar.

Industry Apizza (pronounced “ah-BEETZ”) – a wood-fire outfit located inside St. Augustine’s pub on The Drive – is brand new on the Vancouver pizza scene. It’s also apparently the city’s first dive into true New Haven-style pizza.

So, what’s up with New Haven-style? As Industry Apizza’s co-owner, Anthony Frustagli, puts it: “It’s a bit of a culinary time capsule – it originated in the 1920s in New Haven, Connecticut, and to this day follows the same simple rules of using a combination of tomato sauce, garlic, oregano, olive oil, and grated cheese.” The sauce is typically made from fresh, high-quality tomatoes, and is often less seasoned than sauces used in other pizza styles, while the shape is less of a perfect disc and more ‘freeform’. One of the most distinctive aspects of this style of pizza, though, is the signature char, which adds to the flavour profile.

As Frustagli explained during my first visit, the ‘Classic White Clam’ (white pie with fresh shucked clams, parsley, lemon) is the play if you want the full New Haven-style experience. Since my dining companion at the time had a shellfish allergy, I ordered the ‘Italian Stallion’ instead. The thin, crispy crust came lightly seared, and with a good amount of chewiness (without being doughy). The sauce was a bright, slightly tangy affair – no overload of seasonings, just natural flavours setting the stage for coins of pepperoni, house-made fennel sausage, Two Rivers bacon, mushrooms, zippy sweet cherry peppers, and hot honey. At $33, it wasn’t the cheapest pizza ever made, but it was seriously delicious stuff and well worth the price for a 16” pie (cut into 12 asymmetrical pieces). So good, in fact, that I returned to order it again a week later. Bonus points to Industry for importing Foxon Park soda (a synonymous pairing going back to 1922) in Kola, White Birch, Root Beer, Cream Soda, Grape, Orange, and Cherry flavours.

Industry Apizza is located inside St. Augustine’s Craft Brew House (2360 Commercial Drive). Hours are Sunday to Thursday, 11:30am-Midnight; Friday & Saturday, 11:30am-1am.

Industry Apizza

Neighbourhood: Commercial Drive

2360 Commercial Dr. (Located in St. Augustine’s)

WEBSITE

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