Fresh Tomato Pie returning for summer at Pepe's Pizza at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda

Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana is bringing back its popular seasonal Fresh Tomato Pie again this summer at all of its locations, including the one at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda. This is the 17th year that Pepe's has offered the Fresh Tomato Pie, which tops the pizzeria's signature coal-fired crust with fresh native tomatoes, mozzarella cheese sliced daily in-house, garlic, basil, grated Pecorino Romano cheese imported direct from Italy, and just a touch of Pepe’s olive oil blend. The Fresh Tomato Pie will be sold from June 30, 2025 until the end of summer. World-famous Pepe's turns 100 this year, and what better way to celebrate than with a Fresh Tomato Pie from the Montgomery Mall location?

Photo courtesy Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana

Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana celebrates 100 years at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda

This year marks the 100th year of business for Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana. The chain's pizza parlor at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda has only been open for a small fraction of that time, but it will be celebrating the milestone as much as the original New Haven, Connecticut restaurant. Through the end of this month, June 2025, dine-in guests can get a large, 18-inch pizza (16 slices) for $19.25. The offer is available exclusively for dine-in guests from Monday through Friday until June 30. It is limited to one redemption per table, and cannot be combined with any other offer or discount. Look for Frank Pepe on Level 1, in the Old Navy/Cheesecake Factory wing of the mall.

Photo by Foodies of 617

Frank Pepe's at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda to offer Paul Giamatti Pie on Oscars Sunday

Actor Paul Giamatti gave an enthusiastic endorsement of the White Clam with Bacon pizza from Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana recently on television. The pizza chain will return the favor tomorrow, Sunday, March 10, 2024 - the day of the Academy Awards - by renaming that pizza the Paul Giamatti Pie for 24 hours. A medium Paul Giamatti Pie will cost $25 on March 10 only, at the Frank Pepe's locations at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda and at the Alexandria Commons mall in Alexandria.

Nationwide romaine lettuce shortage temporarily nixes Caesar salad at Montgomery Mall's Frank Pepe Pizzeria

A nationwide romaine lettuce shortage discussed in the media since November is now hitting home at Frank Pepe Pizzeria at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda. The pizza parlor is unable to offer its Caesar salad at this time, due to the shortage, a sign at the business says. Romaine lettuce prices have doubled due to the shortage, which has been blamed on a insect-spread virus that killed off 70-80% of some farmers' lettuce crops this year. 

A massive fire destroyed a major produce packing plant in Salinas, California earlier this year, knocking out a facility that "provides a majority of west coast food service customers with fresh lettuce and vegetables" until 2023. Months later, no cause for the fire has been positively identified. Investigators noted that maintenance workers were performing welding work at the facility the day the fire started. It was one of several major food processing plants destroyed by fire earlier this year across the country, which has contributed to pandemic-related supply chain issues.

Frank Pepe Pizzeria hosts soft opening at Montgomery Mall

Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana was hosting an unannounced soft opening last night at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda, ahead of next week's scheduled grand opening. The pizza parlor was giving away free pizzas. I wouldn't suggest driving a long distance - but would I suggest you stop by and see if they are selling, or even giving away, pizzas between now and the grand opening if you're already at the mall? Sì!

Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana sets opening date at Montgomery Mall + sneak preview (Photos)

Update - 12:35 PM, March 17, 2022:  A spokesperson for Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana just informed me that "due to unforeseen events (minor technical issue), our new opening date will now be Monday, March 28th."

The big day is finally approaching at Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda. It will open for business on March 21, 2022, according to a sign posted at the pizzeria. By the accounts of most of those who have tried their coal-fired pizza in New Haven, Connecticut, expect something special, and expect pizza lovers to travel from across the region to be one of the first to try these legendary "tomato pies." Look for Frank Pepe across from The Cheesecake Factory in the Old Navy wing on Level 1 - and in these sneak preview photos:

Menu!

First look: Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda (Photos)

Here's a sneak peek at our first glimpse of Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda. As you can see, the pizza parlor looks nearly ready to open. Pepe's will also have indoor corridor seating and outdoor patio space. The pizzeria's opening is one of the most-anticipated restaurant debuts of 2022.

Frank Pepe's Pizzeria posts banners outside future Bethesda location

The interior fit-out of Frank Pepe's Pizzeria Napoletana at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda has gotten off to a sluggish start after a year of delays. But the chain wants everyone to know the project is still moving forward. New banners have been posted outside the pizza parlor's future space at the mall to get that message across. They also indicate that the pizzeria is now hiring for all positions. 

Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana Montgomery Mall update (Photos)

Here's an update on the eagerly-awaited Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana at Westfield Montgomery Mall. Not much has been constructed inside yet, but several pallets of material from HarbisonWalker International have been rolled into the space. HWI manufactures heat-refracting products, including those used in various types of high-heat pizza ovens. So we're a long way from opening day, but here is more proof the pizzeria project is still moving forward.

Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana posts "coming soon" signage at Montgomery Mall

Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana, voted the world's-best pizza by many across America's Northeast, has posted some Coming Soon signage at its future Westfield Montgomery Mall location. This spot was until recently Bobby's Burger Palace. Pepe's legend precedes it in these parts, and they've appropriately come up with some of the most-elaborate graphic screens ever seen, that put you in front of the original Frank Pepe pizzeria. YouTuber Tarnation Bob has been touting Pepe's as America's best pizza for some time now, and by this fall we should be able to verify if he is correct.

Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana opening at Montgomery Mall

Coal-fired pizza appears to be the new trend in Bethesda. Less than two weeks after the opening of Anthony's Coal-Fired Pizza in downtown Bethesda, Westfield has announced that the pizzeria touted as the "world's best" by many is coming to Montgomery Mall by the end of this year. Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana will be located on Level 1 of the mall. The photo released by Westfield suggests the pizzeria will have an exterior storefront, which makes sense with the town center-style addition coming to the mall this decade.

Founded in 1925 in the beautiful town of New Haven, Connecticut, the pizza chain is still run today by Frank Pepe's descendants. Each location has a coal oven modeled after the original one Frank Pepe began using in 1929. All of their current pizzerias are in Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and New York, so this will be the first Pepe's outside of that region.

Pepe's has won the Best Pizza title numerous times from media outlets and dining guides. YouTuber Tarnation Bob swears by the mushroom pizza at Frank Pepe's, and their White Clam Pizza is known as their signature menu item. Soon it will be our turn to sample what we've been told is the World's Best Pizza at Montgomery Mall, and we're likely to see lines such as those in the photo above.

Photo via Westfield Montgomery Mall