Before they were stretching dough on Middletown Avenue, Maria and Saul Flores were getting up at 4 a.m. to stock a food truck in downtown New Haven.
The couple ran Alegria Cafe, serving a mix of Mexican and Italian breakfast and lunch, from tamales and burritos to paninis and quesadillas, the New Haven Register reported. They closed the truck in December 2022 and opened Venezia Pizza at 34 Middletown Ave. in early 2023, in the space where longtime eatery Bonesse Apizza used to be.
Maria Flores told the Register the move was “a scary decision,” but a real kitchen, with storage and more refrigerators, changed their days. With the truck, they had to buy fresh ingredients every morning and clean up late at night. “We sleep better,” the couple said. Family and friends helped with financing and permits, and the Floreses called the shop “a new adventure.”
“Every day, we’re cooking with love and for the love of our customers,” Maria Flores said. “It’s the main thing for Venezia.”
Why pizza, and not tacos? Saul Flores, who makes the pies using local products, told the Register that a Mexican menu would have meant a long list of dishes and many more ingredients to buy. Pizza let them focus. Maria Flores said the food truck taught her something new every day, and she hopes the shop inspires anyone who’s “a little shy to start” a business of their own. “It’s not easy but it’s not impossible,” she said.
Dough made daily, with a Mexican accent
Venezia’s own story starts with the crust. The family says it uses top-quality ingredients and makes its pizza dough in-house every day, and credits that dough with keeping customers coming back. “As owners, we wanted to put a little bit of our Mexican heritage into our pizzas,” the restaurant says, so it worked Mexican flavors and spices into the lineup.
You can taste that in the Mexicana pizza, with chorizo or steak, jalapeño and onion ($22 for a 14-inch medium), which Saul Flores told the Register was one of the shop’s best sellers. It shows up in the sandwiches, too. The Mexican Sandwich packs chorizo, steak, beans, quesillo, jalapeños, onion and avocado ($15), and the Cemita brings breaded chicken, beans, ham, quesillo, chipotles and avocado ($14). Flan ($6.50) and churros ($2) share the dessert list with cannoli ($3).
A full pizza lineup
Classic pies start at $12 for a 14-inch plain and $14 for a medium mozzarella, and a 25-inch Party Pizza is $30. There are Sicilian pies, a gluten-free crust and nearly 20 gourmet pies. Among them: a Clam Casino with bacon, garlic and peppers, white or red, and a Seafood Pizza with calamari, shrimp and clam (both $26 for a medium), a Mashed Potato pie with onion and bacon, an Arugula pie with prosciutto, roasted peppers and balsamic cream, and an Eggplant Rollatini pie with ham, ricotta and red sauce.
Beyond pizza, there are calzones ($14 small, $16 large) and stromboli, garden, antipasto, Caesar and caprese salads, and $12 subs from meatball to eggplant parmigiana. Fried mozzarella and eggplant rollatini are $12 each as starters, and the Meat Lovers and House Special pies, both stacked with pepperoni, sausage and bacon, are $24. Venezia invites customers to come grab a slice, delivers through the major delivery apps and offers catering for parties.
What to order
Classic Margherita
Tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella and basil on that house-made crust ($22 for a medium, $2 more for a large). It’s the simplest pie on the gourmet list, which makes it the best way to judge the dough.
Chicken wings
A dozen wings in your choice of Buffalo, BBQ or Asian sauce ($15.50). They’re an easy add-on for a pizza night, and they travel well for takeout.
Garlic knots, bruschetta and a cannoli
Garlic knots brushed with garlic butter and served with marinara ($10), bruschetta piled with tomatoes, basil and garlic ($10.50), and a $3 cannoli to finish. Order a few and share.
A pepperoni pie
Sometimes you just want the classic. A medium mozzarella pie is $14, and regular toppings like pepperoni add $3 for a medium or $4 for a large.
Why we like it
Venezia is the kind of small family shop that makes a neighborhood better: dough made every morning, owners behind the counter, and a menu where a seafood pie and a cemita sit comfortably side by side.
What diners are saying
“The clam and shrimp pizza is delicious, I would also recommend adding some chorizo to add some more flavor.”
— Carlos, Google review
“Best pizza around! Every topping is fresh, and you can tell every pizza is made with care. Their specials are always creative and truly unique. The white zucchini flower pizza is absolutely incredible—it has zero chance of surviving the night!”
— Kyle, Google review
“Amazing pizza! We were visiting from Phoenix, AZ and got the seafood pizza since seafood is sparse back home. It was everything I hoped for. We also got meatballs, bread, and a churro.”
— Diana, Google review
Hours
Venezia Pizza is open 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and 2 to 9 p.m. Sunday. It’s closed Mondays. Call (203) 691-1078 to order. Google puts the typical tab at $10 to $20 per person.
Key facts
- Where: 34 Middletown Ave., North Haven
- Hours: Tue.-Sat. 11 a.m.-9 p.m.; Sun. 2-9 p.m.; closed Mon.
- Phone: (203) 691-1078
- Price range: $10-$20 per person (Google)
- Owners: Maria and Saul Flores
- Website: veneziapizzacoct.com
What’s your go-to order at Venezia? Tell us, or send a tip about another North Haven business, at northhavencourier.com/contact.
Photos: Venezia Pizza via Google; Jihoon Kang via Google; Desiree Pina via Google; DoorDash via Google; Grubhub via Google; Photos courtesy of Venezia Pizza
