Frank Pepe's Opening New Westport Pizzeria

Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana is preparing to add Westport to its Connecticut map, with a new restaurant planned for 361 Post Road West in the White Birch Center. The family-owned chain announced the project in December 2025 and said the opening was expected in summer 2026. Frank Pepe’s website now lists the Westport outpost with an “Opening June 2026” notice and a phone number for the site. The location would become the brand’s 18th restaurant on the East Coast, according to the company’s earlier announcement. ### Where exactly is the new Frank Pepe’s going? The new restaurant is slated for 361 Post Road West in Westport, inside the White Birch Center. Frank Pepe’s said it signed a lease with Saugatuck Real Estate LLC for the space, which totals 3,529 square feet. Patch and Fox61 both reported in December 2025 that the Westport restaurant would open at that address after the lease was finalized. The company’s own location page now identifies the same address and lists daily business hours alongside the June 2026 opening notice. ### What has the company said about why it picked Westport? Jennifer Bimonte-Kelly, a co-owner of Frank Pepe’s and granddaughter of founder Frank Pepe, said in the company announcement that customers from Westport and nearby towns had been traveling to Fairfield, New Haven and Stamford for years. She said those customers had been asking when the company would bring a restaurant closer to home. Bimonte-Kelly also said the family takes its time with site selection and focuses on “quality over quantity” when it opens new restaurants. The statement framed the Westport project as an expansion driven by demand from existing customers rather than a broader strategic shift. ### What kind of restaurant is planned for the site? The Westport restaurant is expected to include about 90 dine-in seats and a dedicated takeout area, according to the company’s December announcement carried by local outlets. Fox61 reported that the design draws from the original New Haven restaurant. Frank Pepe’s said it plans to serve the same coal-fired pies associated with its New Haven-style apizza. In its statement, the company said it uses olive oil in its pizzas and bromate-free flour, and it highlighted ingredients including fresh-shucked clams for its White Clam Pizza. ### How big is this opening for the chain’s Connecticut footprint? Frank Pepe’s said the Westport restaurant would be its 18th location along the East Coast. Local reports in December said it would also become the company’s ninth Connecticut location once it opens. The chain traces its start to 1925 on Wooster Street in New Haven. That history has remained central to the company’s public messaging around the Westport site, with Bimonte-Kelly describing the business as a 100-year-old family-owned brand. ### Is there an exact opening date yet? Frank Pepe’s public Westport location page says “Opening June 2026,” but it does not show a specific day in the version currently available online. An MSN pickup of a more recent local report said a representative gave June 1 as the opening date, though that detail is not visible on the company page itself. As of May 19, 2026, the clearest company-published timing is June 2026. The restaurant’s online listing already includes the Westport address, phone number and posted business hours, which suggests the location is being readied for launch. ### What should Westport diners watch for next? June 2026 is the next concrete milestone for the Westport opening. Frank Pepe’s website directs customers to the Westport location page for address details, hours and ordering information once the restaurant begins service.