Let’s be honest. New York pizza is iconic. Nobody’s taking that away. But if you’ve never had a New Haven apizza (that’s pronounced “ah-beetz,” by the way), you’ve been missing something. And now that there’s a spot bringing authentic New Haven style to Marietta, GA, there’s really no excuse.
So what makes New Haven pizza different? Pull up a chair.
It Starts With the Dough — and the Char
New Haven apizza has roots going back over a century in coastal Connecticut, where Italian immigrant bakers developed a style that’s thinner, crispier, and more irregular than anything you’d find at a New York slice shop. The crust blisters and chars at the edges — not burnt, but kissed by the heat in a way that adds a smoky, complex flavor you simply can’t get from a conventional oven.
At Ah-Beetz New Haven Pizza on Barrett Parkway in Marietta, that signature char comes from a state-of-the-art high-temp natural stone oven that fires at 750°F+, producing the same authentic crust you’d get in a classic New Haven apizza joint. That’s the whole philosophy behind the slogan: No character without char.
New York pizza? Often soft, foldable, built for convenience. New Haven apizza? Thin, crackly, charred at the edges, and unapologetically proud of it. One style is a slice on the go. The other is an experience.
The Toppings Tell a Different Story Too
New Haven pizza doesn’t just look different — it’s built differently. The classic New Haven “mootz” pizza forgoes tomato sauce entirely, letting the fresh mozzarella shine on its own. And then there’s the white clam pizza: fresh littleneck clams, olive oil, garlic, and oregano on that charred crust — no red sauce, no mozzarella, just pure briny, garlicky perfection. It sounds unexpected. It tastes like a revelation.
These aren’t novelty toppings slapped on a familiar base. They’re traditional, time-tested combinations that New Haven pizza makers have been perfecting for generations. When a Marietta crowd raised on New York-style gets their first taste of white clam pizza, the reaction is almost always the same: why didn’t anyone tell me about this sooner?
So Why Is New Haven Apizza Worth the Trip to Cobb County?
Glad you asked. Ah-Beetz is the only New Haven apizza in Cobb County — and the Dave Portnoy / Barstool Sports score of 8.4 that he bestowed onto us 3 years ago at our original location in Delray Beach, FL (one of the highest in the entire Southeast) tells you everything you need to know about the quality. Founder Nicholas Laudano is a New Haven, CT native who grew up on this food. It’s not a trend he’s chasing — it’s home.
If you’ve been searching for the best pizza near Town Center Mall or something worth a drive down Barrett Parkway, this is it. The crust doesn’t lie.
Come try it for yourself. http://www.Ah-Beetz.com (order online)
Ah-Beetz is located at Barrett Creek Plaza, 125 Ernest W Barrett Pkwy NW, Ste A111, Marietta, GA 30066. Open Tuesday through Saturday — closed Mondays. Check the menu and hours at ah-beetz.com or call (678) 695-7432. Come hungry.
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