New Haven aldermen approve ceremonial naming of Worcester and Broad corner for Frank and Filomena Pepe

The Board of Alders of the City of New Haven voted to designate the corner of Worcester and Broad streets as the Frank and Filomena Pepe Corner, a ceremonial naming to honor the founders of Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana.

The measure was moved by a board member and seconded before receiving voice approval. A board member read the item and recounted the pizzeria’s origins, saying Frank Pepe’s restaurant “originated in New Haven in 1925.” The speaker described Frank Pepe’s journey to the United States, his work in local bakeries and markets, and noted Filomena Pepe’s administrative role in running the business.

The request frames the renaming as recognition of a century-long local business and its ties to the Worcester Square neighborhood. A separate alder recalled personal family traditions at the restaurant and encouraged colleagues to support the item because of its cultural and neighborhood significance. After a brief discussion, the board approved the ceremonial designation by voice vote.

The action is ceremonial and does not alter property ownership or street-naming ordinances; the board member who introduced the item said the intent is to make the family’s legacy “officially permanent in perpetuity.” The measure’s passage followed statements about the business’s local history, including references to the restaurant’s founding, growth and the role of family members who continued operations after Frank Pepe’s death.

The board did not record a roll-call vote in the transcript; the passage was announced after a voice vote. No formal objections or amendments were recorded in the meeting excerpt.