Super Bowl Sunday hits February 8. National Pizza Day follows on February 9. In New Haven, that’s just good scheduling.
This isn’t about novelty. It’s about knowing where to go when the moment calls for wings that can feed a room or pizza that does more than check a box.
Super Bowl Sunday, February 8: Three Ways to Handle Wings
New Haven has options when it comes to game day wings. The question isn’t which spot is best. It’s which approach fits what you’re after.
Archie Moore’s: The Buffalo Standard
Archie Moore’s has been doing buffalo wings since 1982. They were the first spot in Connecticut to serve them, and they’ve built everything around that fact. Wings here come bone-in, traditional style, with celery and house-made blue cheese. You order by volume: 14, 21, or 28 wings. Last Super Bowl Sunday, one location alone moved 20,000 wings. That kind of number doesn’t happen by accident.
If you want classic buffalo wings prepared the way they’ve been prepared for decades, this is where that happens.
Ricky D’s Rib Shack: The BBQ Approach
Ricky D’s treats wings as part of the smokehouse menu, not the star of it. You can get them with BBQ or buffalo sauce, but they’re typically paired with ribs in combination platters: half slab plus six wings, half slab plus twelve. The preparation leans smoked rather than fried. If your Super Bowl spread already includes pulled pork and sides, the wings here fit into that larger BBQ framework rather than standing alone.
Sandra’s Next Generation: The Soul Food Wing
Sandra’s does full-size fried wings with deep spice penetration. Seasoning that goes all the way to the bone. They’re served as part of soul food plates and combos, not as standalone wing orders. The preparation is crispy without residual grease, and the flavor options reflect the broader menu. If you’re building a spread that includes mac and cheese, collards, and fried chicken, these wings belong in that context.
Three spots. Three distinct wing preparations. Buffalo-style volume ordering, BBQ combinations, or soul food plates. Pick based on what else you’re serving.
National Pizza Day, February 9: Expanding the Pizza Conversation
New Haven’s pizza reputation is built on names everyone already knows. National Pizza Day is a chance to look at what else is happening in the city’s pizza landscape.
Bobbi’s: Detroit-Style on Broadway
Bobbi’s opened in September 2024 as New Haven’s 65th pizzeria, bringing Detroit-style pies to a city that didn’t have them before. The format is square 8×10″ pies with thick, airy dough and crispy caramelized cheese edges. The dough gets an extended cold ferment. Toppings lean playful: Butter Chicken inspired by their sister restaurant Sherkaan, Sgt. Pepperoni with hot honey, Gabagool with capocollo and goat cheese. It’s fast-casual counter service, open 11am to 10pm Sunday through Thursday, 11am to 11pm Friday and Saturday.
If you’ve never had Detroit-style pizza in New Haven, February 9 is as good a reason as any.
Da Legna x Nolo: Wood-Fired Sourdough with Beer
Da Legna has been making wood-fired sourdough pizza in New Haven for over a decade. The crust is naturally leavened with leopard-spotted char: lighter and airier than traditional apizza but still thin. Specialty pies include the Honeypot with soppressata, hot peppers, and truffle honey, plus broccoli rabe and sausage. The space also houses Hoax Brewing Company, so beer is on-site. They’re open Wednesday through Monday, closed Tuesdays, with late hours on weekends.
This is the wood-fired sourdough option that’s been serving New Haven long enough to have built its own following.
Pizza by the Brick Oven: The Late-Night Workhorse
Pizza by the Brick Oven runs traditional brick oven pizza with actual wood logs, classic New York-Italian style. What sets it apart is the hours: 3pm to 3am weekdays, 3pm to 4am weekends. The pricing is budget-friendly. The menu extends beyond pizza to wings, calzones, subs, and dinners. It’s located on Howe Street near Yale. This is the spot you call when everywhere else is closed and you need something reliable.
On National Pizza Day, reliability counts for something.
Two Days, Clear Choices
February 8 and 9 line up as a solid food weekend. Super Bowl Sunday demands wings that work for groups. National Pizza Day offers a reason to try pizza across different styles and approaches.
New Haven has the options. Now you know where they are.
