It seems like when something good comes to town, you hear about it over and over. First, a friend mentions something off-handedly. Then, you read about it in the local paper. Next, it pops up on Facebook and Twitter. Another friend recommends it. Your professor goes off on a welcomed fifteen minute tangent about it. Your roommate talks about it nonstop.
This was the case with one of the newest pizzerias to come to New Haven–Red Tömado.
Courtesy of Red Tomado
Located at 72 Church Street (next door to College Wine), this new-age, Neapolitan-style pizzeria is sure to become a New Haven favorite.
After hearing about the place repetitively, my roommate and I visited on a Tuesday afternoon. We were told that Red Tomado was “like Chipotle but pizza.” If that’s not intriguing, what is?
Upon entering the restaurant, I understood what this meant. At Red Tomado, you don’t walk in and simply order one of the house-made specials. Instead, you head over to an assembly line and design your own pizza.
photo by Sarah Strong
Red Tomado boasts a selection of two different kinds of dough (original thin crust or gluten free), seven types of sauces, nine types of cheese and countless vegetable and protein toppings. In addition, there are free extras like chopped garlic, fresh chilies and oregano.
The beauty of this design-your-own pizza option is that you don’t have to choose just one type of sauce or cheese. Want the original crust with the signature house made tomato sauce, shredded mozzarella, gorgonzola AND pesto (before toppings of course)? No problem.
photo by Sarah Strong
Kickin’ buffalo sauce with goat cheese and mozzarella? Easily done.
photo by Sarah Strong
Once your designer pizza has been assembled to your liking, it is popped into a rotating pizza oven and cooked for exactly 90 seconds.
photo by Sarah Strong
During this painstaking minute and a half wait, you can walk over to the soda machine of the future which offers hundreds of different flavor combinations for your favorite soft drink. Or you could select from a variety of red and white wines or draft and bottled beers.
Courtesy of flickr.com
After you’ve polished of your pizza, see if you have room for desert. If you do, you’ll get to experience another one of Red Tömado’s futuristic methods for serving food as you select from several flavors of gelato in a rotating freezer.
photo by Sarah Strong
Don’t be put off by Red Tömado’s love of a shiny gadgets–the food is no gimmick. After my first visit, I was anxious to return and I have already been back for a second taste of Napoli.
The New Haven Red Tomado is the first of a series of franchises set to open in New York and Connecticut in the coming months. Check it out so you can say you found it first.
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