The owner is actually super nice. Took the time to explain his process and the history of his shop to my brother and I. But when it comes to his pizza, he does not play any games. He takes tremendous pride in what he does. He makes every single pie that comes out of there. If he's not there, they do not open.
Steve. He’s a lovely man. I live in Meriden and Little Rendezvous is amazing. Try their clam apizza. I get anchovy and onions, lots-of sauce, well done. Babies in Meriden have been teething on their crust for generations. I did, and my children did.
Do you remember Paul B, the former owner? His daughter is married to Steve. She is a beautiful woman. Anyhow, Steve worked for Paul for years. He know his apizza. The oven is amazing. The sauce, crust, cheese blend, plus the weird ambiance, postcards of old Meriden on the walls, the history, and pride. All these elements together make Little Rendezvous ans Steve’s apizza a magical experience.
@@JaimeMesChiens We used to see Paul as kids in the 90's. Time flies. My grandparents lived in South Meriden, so we ALWAYS went when we visited. He was really nice and Steve does a great job carrying it on.
Dave is like oh the owner doesn’t know or care who I am or that I’m here, I’ll show you buddy. I’ll make this place so busy that you will think of me in your nightmares 😂
@@Cryptosifu My wife and I always guess the score, and I said 8.7, and after his reaction to the 8.2, I changed it to 8.9. But 9.1, damn son, that's a score
I'm going to move there. I want to try all the pizza there.. you guys are so blessed. Why in Connecticut?? I've always asked that and never get a firm answer...😅
I’ve been there a bunch of times. The owner is there every single day, makes every single pizza. & that’s how he always is. The other night I was the last pizza of the night & he was friendly as hell. He asked me how my day was, & said he hoped I enjoyed the pizza. He’s a good dude.
I loved the pan over from the owner making a pie to the picture of a younger skinnier version of him making a pie. He didn't give a fuck that Dave was there and he didn't give a fuck that the photographer and newspaper team was there. A master of his craft! Inspiring :)
If you've ever seen the movie Airplane!, it's like that scene where Lloyd Bridges' character says something like "things sure have changed around here" and then walks over to the wall and makes a concerned pose and you see he's standing in front of a portrait of himself wearing the same outfit making the exact same pose lmao
For perspective how long this place has been around: my grandmother got stuck there for hours in a rainstorm at 9 years old after going to see The Wizard of Oz in theaters with her brother. That's how long my family has been going to Little Rendezvous and we will never stop! Best pizza in CT and probably the world (imo); glad to see it get the recognition it deserves but mad that the already long wait for a pie has been even longer since this review went up!
WOW that is incredible!! I'll be in the area for work next month and I cannot wait to stop by this place! With how popular it is, what should I expect in terms of wait time?
@@lherz13 a few weekends ago it was 1 hour 45 minute wait. If you go on a weeknight probably wont be too crazy. If I may suggest: yes the mozzarella is great but our family fave since I was a kid and even before I was born has always been a “plain” pie… which is just sauce and parmesan, no mozz. Its so unique and the flavor of their incredible sauce really shines that way. But you cant go wrong with a mozz either, of course. Hope you enjoy
@@richardfutrell9395 Same here first score that popped in my head was 8.7 but then he started really looking at the slice from all angles. And I was like this might be going into the 9's!
Have been eating Little Rendezvous pizza for over 50 years because it's always awesome! About 15 years ago I was diagnosed with Celiac Disease. I can't eat anything with gluten. Little Rendezvous buys gluten free frozen pizza crusts that come in their own aluminum pan. The oven, sauce and the toppings make the pizza, so I've never been left out of eating a terrific Rendezvous pizza or been sick from cross contamination. My all time favorite is the white clam pizza. A shout out to the Bernier family! Paul owned and operated the Vous for probably close to 50 years. My sister married a Bernier and worked there, her son, my nephew has worked there and his son, my great-nephew works there! Congratulations, Vous Crew!
Want to give an update. Last time I went to our local legend, it seemed his 3 sons or nephews came to help because of the uptick in business. Pizza is still amazing and it’s awesome to see what one review can do for a company. 1.2 million people know about our little brick oven spot in Meriden CT. It’s incredible!
MONSTER SCORE!!!!! You know Dave isn't very generous with ANYTHING over like an 8.2... 9.1 is damn near monumental! I hope they're prepared for quite an influx in business!!! Good for them!!!
Lifelong resident, I been getting a small pepperoni under the cheese forever. Best 10$ ever spent. Shout out my hood, congrats to the owner, deserves the recognition, always respectful and straight-forward, always working! No games, no slices, no garlic bread, no wings, just drinks, and great pizza! Proud of my city for once
I love places like that. They do one thing and they do it right. There's a place in Maine called Alex's Pizza, only serves 10 inch personal Greek style pizzas and sodas. You request the old oven and it's a wonderful little pie. They've been around almost 65 years doing the same thing, and they're busy every night. I wish more restaurants did that...
Looked like a great pie. A word about the old coal fired ovens. Some delivered the heat from the bottom, some were 'ducted' to deliver heat from the top. The old bread bakeries (Sally's Santillo's) had ovens designed for the majority of the heat from the bottom. The baker knew the hot and cool spots to place the loaves during baking so the bottom wouldn't burn. Fast forward to pizza. One needed bottom heat but at the same time needed to apply heat to the top. Ovens were modified, adding chambers from the firebox to direct an amount of btu's towards the top or 'roof' of the oven. Many of these including the old ones at Sally's and Pepe's and Santillio's have dampers to regulate control of the heat flow. My guess is that this place had a coal fired PIZZA oven specified, where much of the heat was delivered from the top. It makes for a well cooked pie, without the 'leopard' type char on the bottom. Thanks for the review. It is now on my list.
Dry heat is also paramount. A pizza has quite a bit of inherent moisture (cheese, sauce) to dissipate. Gas ovens have a hard time doing that as one of the by products of LNG combustion is water. This is why most 'modern' pizza makers resort to thicker crusts, to help dissipate that moisture. The dough is formulated for it. The large cavities in the risen dough crust will absorb and deflect this moisture. This is the main reason why pizza makers desiring a thin crust pizza using modern equipment end up with pizza soup. Hard to do thin crust, with a nicely cooked top, in a modern gas oven. I can do this experiment at my home. 2 pizzas prepared the same way, one cooked in my kitchen gas oven, one cooked on my charcoal fired Big Green Egg. No comparison. I can close the gap by turning on the broiler (electric) element for the last few minutes for the top cook but that is just window dressing, does nothing for crispness.
A friend of mine always tells me about this place, since he used to live nearby, but I didn't realize it was this caliber of a pizza. Looked amazing and what a monster score. I like when the cheese is browned like that
@@PlainVidzDid you actually watch the review? Did you hear the crunch? It doesn’t char because the brick oven is perfectly flat and distributes the heat damn near perfectly. There is nothing undercooked on that pizza.
I worked at the Vous when I was 13 because my uncle worked there. All these years later, he still helps out from time to time. This is such great exposure for our beloved pizza place.
Make me jealous. I was stationed there in Groton and was lucky enough to eat New Haven pizza, but wasn't lucky enough to find out about this place. I miss CT pizza!
@@davenutt8914My once anything about being Quebec style. They named it the little rendezvous because they joined the grocery store with the pizza at while the bread bakery , but came the pizza place and it was a Little rhyndublo of two establishments. Also in the older days, a lot of people used to eat there. People got engaged there stuff like that. A little Rendezvous o k talk to text and get the spell it l o l is a small gathering date et cetera I remember one time my father's stuff. Will you marry me in pepperoni on a pizzaand there was a ring in the box too
This is the pizza I grew up on. I remember going into that building and walking down those hallways as a kid to pick up a pie. Great score. Great pizza.
Dude literally jumps onto the One Bite vid the second it drops, only to look for anyone using the catchphrase, just so he can yell at them lol. His life can’t be going well.
Favorite owner of all time, old school professional, lets his food do the talking and doesn't try to beg for a good review. And that pie looked fucking amazing, wish we had a place like that around here.
he was just doing his job it makes no difference who orders a pizza, this guy doesn't even review a single pizza anyway all he does is give his subjective rating, hes a joke and people only take what he says seriously because hes famous and no other reason.
I grew up in Meriden and bought my first house 3 minutes from here. We used to get a pie every Friday night for years until we moved to CO. Different owner back then and the coal came from a train car that ran right through downtown. I think the oven was hotter back then and while the Pizza is excellent, it was even better back then. I've had it several times with this owner on trips to visit family, but after this review, you can't even get through to order. Too bad that Verdolini's is gone, it was another landmark pizza in Meriden before a flood put them under. New Haven pizza is great, but Meriden has pie just as good or better. K Lamays steam cheeseburgers are awesome too!
This place is great, been going here since I was a kid with my grandmother in the early 80s, decades before the ownership changed. The pizza never changed a bit though and I wondered if it would ever get the credit that it was due and, well, here we are. Their sausage is made in house and a must try. I'm happy for the guys there to get this proper review, they definitely deserve it. But, it's definitely bittersweet as well because my wait times just increased drastically with all you tourists foaming at the mouth for a taste!
You gotta give Dave credit this idea to tour and rate so many pizza places around the country is genius. Definitely going to get people’s attention to see whats out there and how the places they’ve been to score and also his wide range scoring system is spot on. I would have screwed it up like his guests did and score too high at mediocre places not leaving enough room for the upper echelon
I live down the street from this place. The oven is now actually close to 150 years old. It used to be a bread oven way back when. Defiantly my favorite pizza
Steve is the owner and can be cranky at times but he is true to the pie and has not changed the recipe. He takes pride in his sauce and buys the best cheese, flour and toppings. I am from the "Big M" (Meriden) and my family has been going there since the 60's and it's the best kept secret. The oven was built in the late 1880's as a bread oven and Steve burns coal which is what makes the pizza so special. The second best keep secret in the "Big M" is Ted's Steam Cheeseburgers, but don't let this guy review it. lol
The owner keeps the deck clean on his oven. The dirtier pies with the coal and dust on the crust just show the lack of cleaning. He mops that deck. You can hear the crunch through out the tasting
This review and your comment has sold me on a trip upt to Meriden. Thank you kindly. I will come back here and report my experience. Steam cheeseburgers.....oh ya!
@@bluestarindustrialarts7712 Ha nice, I'm sure you will enjoy it. Ted's invented the steam cheeseburger in 1959 and it's delish. The big secret is the cheese which is from Wisconsin.
I lived in CT most of my six decades. I never heard of this place until I heard of this review. I used to drive from Canton to Farmington to get my favorite pizza. Now I drive all the way to Meriden.
I'm from NYC (Italian ancestry), moved to New Haven at 21 and I'm 43 now. When I was younger I thought NY was the epicenter of the universe for Italian food and pizza. However, I started to favor New Haven apizza (Sally's, Bar, Dayton st. List goes on). Then I was introduced to Neapolitan, then I stared making sourdough neapolitan...my opinion is this after trying Zeneli's (great Neapolitan) and Sally's back to back: although I love apizza...I think like mostly all Italian food, Italy does it better, but in the US, New Haven is probably the best. I want to try Franco Pepe's (not Frank( in Caiazzo Italy before I make up my mind
Cooking with brick oven you have to keep spots open and rotate so the bottoms cool. Every time you put a pizza on a spot it cools. Overload it and the bottoms of your pizza won't cook. And you have to balance the temp of the floor and the air temp itself. It's an art. Those pies looked undercooked on the underside for how cooked the top was.
undercarriage is clearly not soft - it just is not charred - and that is probably due to the stones at the bottom of the over being uniform and carrying heat without burning it
Another great video Dave. They just keep coming. It's like a river of pizza reviews.. awesome.. seriously you are doing a great job with the pizza reviews and also fair reviews.
This is the American dream right here. Making good quality product, and actually caring about what you do. Also the owner was hilarious. His utter disregard for Dave, and instead attention to detail is why this score is well deserved. Props to this establishment and owner, and I wish him a prosperous future!
I grew up in NYC..I spent 27years in New Haven. Sally's n Pepes were highly recommended. I scoped out both but never went in. Parking sucks n I'm not one to wait on a long line for pizza. I found Modern, down on State St., n never looked back. I ate the entire damn pie every time so they became one of my guilty pleasures. The Italian Bomb is still a fond memory here in NC. My friend who came w me n ate his own pie in its entirety, moved to Miami. He used to get them shipped down there!
Before or after the inflated, biased reviews where he gets scared and makes friends with the owner standing there? He also used to never accept free pizza, that changed and his score
Been waiting for this day with sadness because I knew the score would be astronomical. When I go out to CT and visit my best friend in Meriden, this has always been the go to (red pie + a pepperoni). Didn't want to share this with the world and the guy making the pizza might legit drop dead trying to keep up with the orders - he has heart problems - but here we are.
If he's this good he should hire a couple people & train them well so he has help and the tradition of making 9+ pies can continue in CT. Sad to hear this will likely negatively impact him though 😞
@@dhLotan There's a nobility to discovery but it was nice to know that there was an unknown, unheralded pizza place I could always count on for elite level pizza. Nothing beats that walk into the backroom where the oven is and seeing the "CASH ONLY" signs all over. Whole place is coated in flour. I think he's tried apprentices but none of them have his dedication and honestly no one will. It's him. He lives for this. It's his pride and joy and what he contributes to his community.
Well, considering this is America, so he's going to need the extra money from all the new customers to afford the healthcare bill for when he ultimately does have heart problems. So it kinda works out, I guess?
Been going to Little Rendezvous since school days in the 50's. Things have changed a little since then. Missing the pin ball machine and the wall mounted juke boxes. The owner has changed but the pizza always the same. Always delicious 😋
It’s so worth the trip. The crispiness can be a little high for some but If you like sausage, you MUST get the plain sausage it’s sooo good and simple.
I don't care about the char or the burnt edges, I think being able to use a coal fire oven/wood fire oven without burning anything is the mark of a true artist. I am all about how the cheese fuses with the sauce. I want to travel out there to find out what the crust is like.
Been going there for 10+ years. All these comments about it being "burnt" need to try it. No burnt taste at all. It's my favorite pizza and I'm glad they got a great score!
when i saw the top of the pizza i thought ''dave is gonna like this'' then i saw the underside of the pizza and thought ''ok maybe not'' mind blown with a 9.1 what a rollercoaster of a score 😂
Dave, you've stirred the CT pizza community up with this score! We are polarized by your review. I've never been to this one, but Fuoco is really good. Glad you liked it.
Good way to put it. I still am trying to wrap my head around that score. I'm a NH pizza diehard, and that pie just does not look like anything I've ever seen. TBH, it looks more like a frozen pizza than a fresh brick oven pie. I am going to have to get up there and try it, obviously it's one of the rare pies that you can't score just by looking at it in a video. 9.1 is a HOF score, he hands out 8's like sewer caps, so he was obviously blown away by this pie. Crazy.
I lived in New Haven as a kid so Ive had Moderns, Pepe's and Sally's. Then my parents moved us to Meriden, lived on Center Street for years right across from Saint Rose's church and right up the street from Rendezvous. Hands down its the best.
I just got pizza here on this recommendation, it is the smallest little hole in the wall place and it’s amazing pizza. This place is no frills, it’s not fancy, it’s about one thing and that’s excellent pies. They make only pizza, No grinders, wings, salads. Just pizza. 🍕
Just went tonight, called ahead at 3:30 to get a pie at 5:30. Got there and they were slammed! While I was there they declared that they were taking no more order for the night. It was 5:38PM on a Wednesday. But I got mine almost on time. The pizza was great, not a 9.1 for me on pizza alone, maybe an 8.4. But it was a cool place for sure, glad I went.
Having been to a few places that Dave ranked 9+ I really must say that pizza must have been GREAT. It’s always awesome to see a place get a 9+ score, definitely a place to try if you can
Dave Sam’s Pizza, Ogelsby Illinois Hurry up before Sam is no longer around. Been making pies for 70 years. Same oven, same price, hand made cheese, dough, sauce etc Been trying to get your attention for years abiut this
I love that Dave never changed over the years. He’s still the outgoing extroverted, super confident outspoken dude that’s down to earth despite having a great job and earning shit tons of money
@@jamiemoore1989An 8.3 is a 9 because the owner doesn’t take bullshit from people who think they know pizza better and think they can make 100 special requests on their order. Entitled brats bring the score down, not the pizza. The pizza is amazing (I grew up in Meriden, this restaurant is the only thing I miss about CT).
I grew up eating Little Rendezvous and it's def always been my favorite place to eat. My parents would get a couple pies on Friday night and I'd be eating it for breakfast lunch and dinner all weekend.
I worked at Rendezvous as a teen in the 1990s and have been there throughout my life. It is the best pizza on earth and a well-deserved score! Despite ownership changes from Paul to Steve the product remains epic. FYI guess how the coal gets to the oven… kids like I was haul it up from the basement in 120 degree heat! 😅
Some people say a man is made out of mud. A poor man's made out of muscle and blood. Muscle and blood, and skin and bones... A mind that's weak and a back that's strong.
Exactly at 2:35 it's just a pizza you can't make if you don't have that kind of oven. Can't wait for that spot in Eliz NJ to reopen. And dang, more places in Connecticut aside from New Haven that actually have that oven, and make it that good. Who knew 🤯🤤🤤🙌🔥
What a monster score. That place is about to get so much business, and I love that the owner probably won't give a flying fuck.
looks like they already have plenty with how locked in the owner was
You was so in love with the sad owner yesterday you gonna hit up this place also on your so called 4 hour pizza trip?
Spoke to him and he isn't looking forward to it lmao. it's already 45 minute wait on the weekends and its about to get worse hahah.
Spot on. Monster score. Amazing looking pizza.
Yup he better triple that truck order and get a great night sleep tonight bc he’s gonna be slammed
The owner is actually super nice. Took the time to explain his process and the history of his shop to my brother and I. But when it comes to his pizza, he does not play any games. He takes tremendous pride in what he does. He makes every single pie that comes out of there. If he's not there, they do not open.
Steve. He’s a lovely man.
I live in Meriden and Little Rendezvous is amazing.
Try their clam apizza.
I get anchovy and onions, lots-of sauce, well done.
Babies in Meriden have been teething on their crust for generations.
I did, and my children did.
Do you remember Paul B, the former owner?
His daughter is married to Steve. She is a beautiful woman.
Anyhow, Steve worked for Paul for years. He know his apizza.
The oven is amazing.
The sauce, crust, cheese blend, plus the weird ambiance, postcards of old Meriden on the walls, the history, and pride. All these elements together make Little Rendezvous ans Steve’s apizza a magical experience.
Uber Debbie says 7.1
That’s why he doesn’t have time to chat.
@@JaimeMesChiens We used to see Paul as kids in the 90's. Time flies. My grandparents lived in South Meriden, so we ALWAYS went when we visited. He was really nice and Steve does a great job carrying it on.
Dave is like oh the owner doesn’t know or care who I am or that I’m here, I’ll show you buddy. I’ll make this place so busy that you will think of me in your nightmares 😂
No fuks given, everyone knows the rules.
Love how Dave reacted to the 8.2 app score, but no way I was expecting THAT score
I was expecting a 8.5.
Yeah I thought the lack of char/crisp on the undercarriage eliminated it from the 9's
@@Cryptosifu My wife and I always guess the score, and I said 8.7, and after his reaction to the 8.2, I changed it to 8.9. But 9.1, damn son, that's a score
Watch the one where he was at jacks.
I want 8.6 he surprised me
Every time Dave nods his head while chewing the first bite, you know it’s going to be a great score
I’ve noticed that, too!
You found his tell. Let’s get him at the poker table
Yyyyeeeep 😆
nah, he'll nod for a 7+
but when he tries to back away from the pizza he's holding? you know it's good.
I'm going to move there. I want to try all the pizza there.. you guys are so blessed. Why in Connecticut?? I've always asked that and never get a firm answer...😅
I’ve been there a bunch of times. The owner is there every single day, makes every single pizza. & that’s how he always is. The other night I was the last pizza of the night & he was friendly as hell. He asked me how my day was, & said he hoped I enjoyed the pizza. He’s a good dude.
“He’s in the same pose as he is in the article.”
*shows article, exact same pose*
That was great 😂
Even funnier when you actually go there, and he’s still in the same pose with the same shirt and expression 🤣
no idea why dave doesnt do some stand up on the side
Just went last week and he was in the same pose
@anthonysoscia217
One pose, everybody knows the rules
I had to rewind to see if he was even wearing the same shirt.
Finally an owner letting Dave do his thing.
Nobody ever pronounces the name of the town correctly
Everybody knows the rules
This comment will age well after his latest review where owner did come out and started arguing with Dave.
I love the fact the confident owner didn’t come running out just hovering over Dave. Let the man do his business. Much respect.
Present your case in the store, but don't go outside and hover. You're gonna lose points pulling those shenanigans.
I loved the pan over from the owner making a pie to the picture of a younger skinnier version of him making a pie. He didn't give a fuck that Dave was there and he didn't give a fuck that the photographer and newspaper team was there. A master of his craft! Inspiring :)
Funniest scene in a long time
I'm not moved by the drama. That pie looked like shit.
Master of not giving a fuck, I love it!
If you've ever seen the movie Airplane!, it's like that scene where Lloyd Bridges' character says something like "things sure have changed around here" and then walks over to the wall and makes a concerned pose and you see he's standing in front of a portrait of himself wearing the same outfit making the exact same pose lmao
He probably just shy
I lived in meriden my whole life and this has been my favorite pizza of all time, im glad you finally made it out here!
There's probably gonna be a line next time you go
Don’t you mean you lived in “Meridian?” Lol
How often do you eat Pizza?
You won't have it for a few months.. good luck!
Fukin nine one 😀👍
For perspective how long this place has been around: my grandmother got stuck there for hours in a rainstorm at 9 years old after going to see The Wizard of Oz in theaters with her brother. That's how long my family has been going to Little Rendezvous and we will never stop! Best pizza in CT and probably the world (imo); glad to see it get the recognition it deserves but mad that the already long wait for a pie has been even longer since this review went up!
The Wizard of Oz was released in NINETEEN THIRTY NINE. (1939)
Don't be mad that the line is long, be proud that the food is still good.
The food is crap
WOW that is incredible!! I'll be in the area for work next month and I cannot wait to stop by this place! With how popular it is, what should I expect in terms of wait time?
@@lherz13 a few weekends ago it was 1 hour 45 minute wait. If you go on a weeknight probably wont be too crazy. If I may suggest: yes the mozzarella is great but our family fave since I was a kid and even before I was born has always been a “plain” pie… which is just sauce and parmesan, no mozz. Its so unique and the flavor of their incredible sauce really shines that way. But you cant go wrong with a mozz either, of course. Hope you enjoy
@@reginaangelica751 YUM I'll have to try the plain pie and the mozz. Thank you!!
To say I wasn't expecting that score is a huge understatement
Damn near dropped my phone no lie
I guessed 8.6 tops!!
I thought he was gonna go 8.7 or so. shocked the crap out of me too.
@@richardfutrell9395 Same here first score that popped in my head was 8.7 but then he started really looking at the slice from all angles. And I was like this might be going into the 9's!
Defo looked generous from a far
WOW! Haven't seen that score in forever. Well deserved!
I actually think that place he mentioned it reminded him of was his last 9
Its toasted well . Looks different. Cripsy
Place isn't that good not even close to a 9.1. I live 15mins away tired it multiple times 7.1 at best
@@twood552 k peckerwood
@@twood552yeah, that score is way overblown, imo.
Have been eating Little Rendezvous pizza for over 50 years because it's always awesome! About 15 years ago I was diagnosed with Celiac Disease. I can't eat anything with gluten. Little Rendezvous buys gluten free frozen pizza crusts that come in their own aluminum pan. The oven, sauce and the toppings make the pizza, so I've never been left out of eating a terrific Rendezvous pizza or been sick from cross contamination. My all time favorite is the white clam pizza. A shout out to the Bernier family! Paul owned and operated the Vous for probably close to 50 years. My sister married a Bernier and worked there, her son, my nephew has worked there and his son, my great-nephew works there! Congratulations, Vous Crew!
The owner ignoring Dave bumped that score a couple points.
He talks NFL with me anytime I walk in but I’ve been a regular for 13 years. He’s just a no frills dude.
Owner said in news yesterday was gonna have a heart attack from all the new customers lol
Probably a 8.8 or 8.9 and Dave was caught in the moment
From an 8.9 to a 9.1 for sure
@@1988ZER Caught in yo mum's snatch that's fo sho
I just asked my cousin who lives 30 minutes from them to go make pizza. They were sold out already and this video has only been up for 3 hours.
Oh cool. I asked my neighbor's sister's lawnmower to go make a grilled cheese.
In stock. ✅
they're closed on Tuesdays
My daddy mayer sewer cousin
Asked my teacher from highschool, who lives 7 hours away from Atlanta, to make pop-tart, wasn't sold out yet..
@@pizzaearthpancakesandother2549 Can you ask your neighbors sister if she can go make me a grilled cheese if you know what i mean
Want to give an update. Last time I went to our local legend, it seemed his 3 sons or nephews came to help because of the uptick in business. Pizza is still amazing and it’s awesome to see what one review can do for a company. 1.2 million people know about our little brick oven spot in Meriden CT. It’s incredible!
Don't you mean Meridian?!?! I'm from New Haven myself and even I say Rendezvous is top 3 in the state.
MONSTER SCORE!!!!! You know Dave isn't very generous with ANYTHING over like an 8.2... 9.1 is damn near monumental! I hope they're prepared for quite an influx in business!!! Good for them!!!
Lifelong resident, I been getting a small pepperoni under the cheese forever. Best 10$ ever spent. Shout out my hood, congrats to the owner, deserves the recognition, always respectful and straight-forward, always working! No games, no slices, no garlic bread, no wings, just drinks, and great pizza! Proud of my city for once
so wholesome !
I love places like that. They do one thing and they do it right. There's a place in Maine called Alex's Pizza, only serves 10 inch personal Greek style pizzas and sodas. You request the old oven and it's a wonderful little pie. They've been around almost 65 years doing the same thing, and they're busy every night. I wish more restaurants did that...
can you still get a pizza there ? has the rush died down a bit ?
I’m jealous, my man
The owner looked so invested in making the pizza right that it had to be at least a 9. Shout out him
Looked like a great pie. A word about the old coal fired ovens. Some delivered the heat from the bottom, some were 'ducted' to deliver heat from the top. The old bread bakeries (Sally's Santillo's) had ovens designed for the majority of the heat from the bottom. The baker knew the hot and cool spots to place the loaves during baking so the bottom wouldn't burn. Fast forward to pizza. One needed bottom heat but at the same time needed to apply heat to the top. Ovens were modified, adding chambers from the firebox to direct an amount of btu's towards the top or 'roof' of the oven. Many of these including the old ones at Sally's and Pepe's and Santillio's have dampers to regulate control of the heat flow. My guess is that this place had a coal fired PIZZA oven specified, where much of the heat was delivered from the top. It makes for a well cooked pie, without the 'leopard' type char on the bottom. Thanks for the review. It is now on my list.
Very informative, I actually really like that! No black char on the bottom and yet perfectly cooked, a SOLID pie, would love to try it sometime
That's amazing!!! I never thought I'd learn so much about pizza watching this jackass!!!😂😂😂😂 I love that Saltillo review. That guy was a trip!!!
@@jesuschrist194 Yes Jesus....it is a question of balance.
Dry heat is also paramount. A pizza has quite a bit of inherent moisture (cheese, sauce) to dissipate. Gas ovens have a hard time doing that as one of the by products of LNG combustion is water. This is why most 'modern' pizza makers resort to thicker crusts, to help dissipate that moisture. The dough is formulated for it. The large cavities in the risen dough crust will absorb and deflect this moisture. This is the main reason why pizza makers desiring a thin crust pizza using modern equipment end up with pizza soup. Hard to do thin crust, with a nicely cooked top, in a modern gas oven. I can do this experiment at my home. 2 pizzas prepared the same way, one cooked in my kitchen gas oven, one cooked on my charcoal fired Big Green Egg. No comparison. I can close the gap by turning on the broiler (electric) element for the last few minutes for the top cook but that is just window dressing, does nothing for crispness.
You need to school dave on this stuff!!!!🤣🤣
It’s been a line time since Dave has scored a pizza in the 9’s!! I’m blown away. Pizza must be 🔥🔥
It would be nice if somebody came to the comments and was able to be in suspense of the score, but nope, you guys all spoil it
@RAYMAZE why would you read comments before watching the video. How do you comment on a video without watching. That's on you
It's not like it's a two hour movie, it's five minutes. Just watch the video before looking at the comments. Doesn't take long to finish.
@@raymaze810 coming to the comments first is your fault you jabroni
Man, this guy is going to get roasted in these replies, and I'm here for it.
Every so often i come back to this video to make my day better.
A friend of mine always tells me about this place, since he used to live nearby, but I didn't realize it was this caliber of a pizza. Looked amazing and what a monster score. I like when the cheese is browned like that
Reminds me of lasagna 😋
That’s cool and all but the owner doesn’t give a flying fuck.
@@fitfogey he’s a great guy
You mean overcooked like that? He needs to over cook the top because clearly the bottom is lacking in heat. Nah, I wont drive 30 min. for that.
@@PlainVidzDid you actually watch the review? Did you hear the crunch? It doesn’t char because the brick oven is perfectly flat and distributes the heat damn near perfectly. There is nothing undercooked on that pizza.
Might be the best run of pizza since he started this game. The whole north east trip has been good looking pies.
Mostly all CT, CT is pizza capital of the world
@@In2investing Nope. Italy
@@charlesfinnegan7930 real pizza. american pizza.
I worked at the Vous when I was 13 because my uncle worked there. All these years later, he still helps out from time to time. This is such great exposure for our beloved pizza place.
I’m so glad this place is getting the attention it deserves. Absolutely phenomenal pizza and great local business
I grew up eating this pizza will probably die eating it. Makes me happy seeing it finally getting the recognition it deserves!
Make me jealous. I was stationed there in Groton and was lucky enough to eat New Haven pizza, but wasn't lucky enough to find out about this place. I miss CT pizza!
What kind of pizza is this? He doesn't say it :(
@@mezo72271 coal fired pizza old owner said it was Quebec style pizza. Hence the French name :)
@@mezo72271It looks like it's just mozzarella.
@@davenutt8914My once anything about being Quebec style. They named it the little rendezvous because they joined the grocery store with the pizza at while the bread bakery , but came the pizza place and it was a Little rhyndublo of two establishments. Also in the older days, a lot of people used to eat there. People got engaged there stuff like that. A little Rendezvous o k talk to text and get the spell it l o l is a small gathering date et cetera I remember one time my father's stuff. Will you marry me in pepperoni on a pizzaand there was a ring in the box too
This is the pizza I grew up on. I remember going into that building and walking down those hallways as a kid to pick up a pie. Great score. Great pizza.
120 year old coal fired brick oven... Everyone knows the rules.
9.1
Oh... you said everyone knows the rules so this comment must be hilarious.... (cough).
@@MrSamrchdsWhy are you soo miserable?
Dude literally jumps onto the One Bite vid the second it drops, only to look for anyone using the catchphrase, just so he can yell at them lol. His life can’t be going well.
we found the daily miserable commenter😂
Favorite owner of all time, old school professional, lets his food do the talking and doesn't try to beg for a good review. And that pie looked fucking amazing, wish we had a place like that around here.
he was just doing his job it makes no difference who orders a pizza, this guy doesn't even review a single pizza anyway all he does is give his subjective rating, hes a joke and people only take what he says seriously because hes famous and no other reason.
Just went to Little Rendezvous today. Amazing crunch. Ate six slices - I never eat that much.
1:48 is one of the funniest transitions ever. Office-esque.
I love how Dave said the owner was in the same pose as in the photo, and then the cameraman pans to the article on the wall 😂
Comedic gold. couldn't have planned it better and it wasn't planned.
I grew up in Meriden and bought my first house 3 minutes from here. We used to get a pie every Friday night for years until we moved to CO. Different owner back then and the coal came from a train car that ran right through downtown. I think the oven was hotter back then and while the Pizza is excellent, it was even better back then. I've had it several times with this owner on trips to visit family, but after this review, you can't even get through to order. Too bad that Verdolini's is gone, it was another landmark pizza in Meriden before a flood put them under. New Haven pizza is great, but Meriden has pie just as good or better. K Lamays steam cheeseburgers are awesome too!
I'd never buy real estate in Meriden.
It's a real dump.
This place is great, been going here since I was a kid with my grandmother in the early 80s, decades before the ownership changed. The pizza never changed a bit though and I wondered if it would ever get the credit that it was due and, well, here we are. Their sausage is made in house and a must try. I'm happy for the guys there to get this proper review, they definitely deserve it. But, it's definitely bittersweet as well because my wait times just increased drastically with all you tourists foaming at the mouth for a taste!
Bittersweet? Because it's all about you? You should shut your face and be proud that you got a 9.1 in the neighborhood.
You gotta give Dave credit this idea to tour and rate so many pizza places around the country is genius. Definitely going to get people’s attention to see whats out there and how the places they’ve been to score and also his wide range scoring system is spot on. I would have screwed it up like his guests did and score too high at mediocre places not leaving enough room for the upper echelon
He often messed up the scores in his early reviews. Probably took a solid year to find a good system.
I would've never learned about Connecticut Pizza without dave
I can't help but wonder if he's legally banned from Maryland.
Not one review ever in Maryland...
Her: Hey honey, where are we going for our vacation?
Him: Meriden, CT
I live down the street from this place. The oven is now actually close to 150 years old. It used to be a bread oven way back when. Defiantly my favorite pizza
Steve is the owner and can be cranky at times but he is true to the pie and has not changed the recipe. He takes pride in his sauce and buys the best cheese, flour and toppings. I am from the "Big M" (Meriden) and my family has been going there since the 60's and it's the best kept secret. The oven was built in the late 1880's as a bread oven and Steve burns coal which is what makes the pizza so special. The second best keep secret in the "Big M" is Ted's Steam Cheeseburgers, but don't let this guy review it. lol
The owner keeps the deck clean on his oven. The dirtier pies with the coal and dust on the crust just show the lack of cleaning. He mops that deck. You can hear the crunch through out the tasting
@@Nothing-qq4hd Yes, true, he keeps the deck clean.
This review and your comment has sold me on a trip upt to Meriden. Thank you kindly. I will come back here and report my experience. Steam cheeseburgers.....oh ya!
@@Nothing-qq4hd Tru dat!
@@bluestarindustrialarts7712 Ha nice, I'm sure you will enjoy it. Ted's invented the steam cheeseburger in 1959 and it's delish. The big secret is the cheese which is from Wisconsin.
Austin deserves an academy award for cinematography for that camera pan to the article
he remains highly underrated
Owner hovers over Dave - 7.2
Owner ignores Dave - 9.1, everybody knows the rules
Definitely
No
Holy crap what a score. Kudos to that owner.
He doesn’t give a fuck. Lol
I lived in CT most of my six decades. I never heard of this place until I heard of this review. I used to drive from Canton to Farmington to get my favorite pizza. Now I drive all the way to Meriden.
Had to pick my jaw up off the floor after that score. Well deserved though, that pie looks incredible.
I audibly gasped, I thought it was going to be an 8.1 at first then he said 8.2 was low amd thought 8.6 then the 9.1 😲
It looks crispy good . 👍
I cringed at the under carriage, but still heard a good crunch so idk
Exactly the same haha I couldn’t close my jaw after it haha big surprise great score!
It looks BURNT
Can’t we all just admit CT has the best pizza?
In Dave's book. Personally I like Neapolitan and Detroit style. But I have never tried New Haven style so I can't knock it until I try it.
I'm from Chicago and i'm dying to try "New Haven" style.
No
I'm from NYC (Italian ancestry), moved to New Haven at 21 and I'm 43 now. When I was younger I thought NY was the epicenter of the universe for Italian food and pizza. However, I started to favor New Haven apizza (Sally's, Bar, Dayton st. List goes on). Then I was introduced to Neapolitan, then I stared making sourdough neapolitan...my opinion is this after trying Zeneli's (great Neapolitan) and Sally's back to back: although I love apizza...I think like mostly all Italian food, Italy does it better, but in the US, New Haven is probably the best. I want to try Franco Pepe's (not Frank( in Caiazzo Italy before I make up my mind
No
Cooking with brick oven you have to keep spots open and rotate so the bottoms cool. Every time you put a pizza on a spot it cools. Overload it and the bottoms of your pizza won't cook. And you have to balance the temp of the floor and the air temp itself. It's an art. Those pies looked undercooked on the underside for how cooked the top was.
The crunch from the well done cheese probably compliments that soft under carriage in a way Dave’s never experienced, no one expected that score
Or Dave is on his period, everybody knows the cycles.
undercarriage is clearly not soft - it just is not charred - and that is probably due to the stones at the bottom of the over being uniform and carrying heat without burning it
Incredible review! 9.1 is a MONSTER score. ❤️ that the owner was handling his business. Old school mentality. Classic 🍕
Another great video Dave. They just keep coming. It's like a river of pizza reviews.. awesome.. seriously you are doing a great job with the pizza reviews and also fair reviews.
I usually get a good feel for what Dave is going to rate a pizza, I was expecting an 8.6 after he said 8.2 was low on the app. A 9.1 is crazy
I honestly saw a 9 in his eyes when he asked
This is the American dream right here. Making good quality product, and actually caring about what you do. Also the owner was hilarious. His utter disregard for Dave, and instead attention to detail is why this score is well deserved. Props to this establishment and owner, and I wish him a prosperous future!
The owner is a real G. I wanna go there just to watch him. lol
What is the American dream?
I grew up in NYC..I spent 27years in New Haven. Sally's n Pepes were highly recommended. I scoped out both but never went in. Parking sucks n I'm not one to wait on a long line for pizza. I found Modern, down on State St., n never looked back. I ate the entire damn pie every time so they became one of my guilty pleasures. The Italian Bomb is still a fond memory here in NC. My friend who came w me n ate his own pie in its entirety, moved to Miami. He used to get them shipped down there!
Gasped when he gave that score
Haven't had this reaction since Delucias, "Is it the best pizza I ever had? Its 100 % in the conversation "
I know, it wasn't burnt at all so I thought he was going to give it a mid-8.
@@RyanMcAndrews Under cooked bottom, overcooked top (until it turned to tomato paste!). I'll pass.
Dave needs to put out a book " in search of the perfect one bite" all of the best 9.1 plus scores with back stories - proceeds to Charity.
Lol you haven't had much experience with Dave
@@jacobsnellenberger860 I mean he gives a lot to charities/ businesses... And he loves pizza. What am I missing here?
Before or after the inflated, biased reviews where he gets scared and makes friends with the owner standing there? He also used to never accept free pizza, that changed and his score
Book title:
One bite, everyone knows the rules
Charity the stripper?
If you are new to the davey page views reviews a 9+ is extremely rare & this was a nonchalant drop
Been waiting for this day with sadness because I knew the score would be astronomical. When I go out to CT and visit my best friend in Meriden, this has always been the go to (red pie + a pepperoni). Didn't want to share this with the world and the guy making the pizza might legit drop dead trying to keep up with the orders - he has heart problems - but here we are.
If he's this good he should hire a couple people & train them well so he has help and the tradition of making 9+ pies can continue in CT. Sad to hear this will likely negatively impact him though 😞
@@dhLotan There's a nobility to discovery but it was nice to know that there was an unknown, unheralded pizza place I could always count on for elite level pizza. Nothing beats that walk into the backroom where the oven is and seeing the "CASH ONLY" signs all over. Whole place is coated in flour.
I think he's tried apprentices but none of them have his dedication and honestly no one will. It's him. He lives for this. It's his pride and joy and what he contributes to his community.
@@zorndeslammes and he can keep it. That pie looks terrible, both top and bottom. cooked so much the tomato turned to paste. no thanks.
Well, considering this is America, so he's going to need the extra money from all the new customers to afford the healthcare bill for when he ultimately does have heart problems. So it kinda works out, I guess?
@@PlainVidz go eat domino's you amateur , leave the real pizza for the grownups
That pie looks phenomenal
You need to get out more. there is a WHOLE world out there.
Been going to Little Rendezvous since school days in the 50's. Things have changed a little since then. Missing the pin ball machine and the wall mounted juke boxes. The owner has changed but the pizza always the same. Always delicious 😋
Wow school in the 50's? that would mean you are atleast 85-90 now?
@@BG1435q going on 82
I live 5 minutes from here and have eaten here for 30 years. It’s amazing!!!
I live 20 mins away. Never been.
Is it always this burnt?
Sally's is my favorite and they are charred.
But this is burnt.
It’s so worth the trip. The crispiness can be a little high for some but If you like sausage, you MUST get the plain sausage it’s sooo good and simple.
Imagine if this was your local pizza place and now you’ve got to deal with all the pizza tourists. Looked amazing.
I live near delucias and yeah the line was crazy for a long time after Dave’s review
Is pizza tourism a thing now? If not, it may need to be. The tourism industry should start offering "pizza tours" for their cities and counties.
Live right down the steeet from it
@@AlokSomani definitely is. I've made detours to New Haven a few times. Went to Italy recently and made several stops that were worth it.
It is my local pizza place 😅
I visited Little Rendezvous in the late 1930's and the owner was stood in the same exact pose even then. And, he didn't give a flying fuck!"
I don't care about the char or the burnt edges, I think being able to use a coal fire oven/wood fire oven without burning anything is the mark of a true artist. I am all about how the cheese fuses with the sauce. I want to travel out there to find out what the crust is like.
This guy pizzas.
Average pizzas are cheese ON sauce. Great pizzas are cheese IN sauce.
I live in the UK and I want to travel there for that pie. Looks incredible!
Let's roll!
Haha in Preston mate, small world
same here bruv
I see a UK barstool pizza tour coming up! 😂
I don't blame you, not going to find ANYTHING like this in the UK.
Watch all your reviews from here in the UK, love what you do great to watch, have a great Christmas
Update via the local news, dude did his friday night business in 3 hours the next day, ran out of pizza, and still doesn't give a fu**
This score makes me happy as hell not gonna lie. Seems like its been ages since weve seen a pie look that great!
I used to live in Meriden off Wall St, Little Rendezvous was my favorite in that area by far!
Feels like witnessing a miracle when Dave scores in the 9s. Especially today, after all those low to mid 8s in New Haven!
One chef who doesn’t give a sh*t, one legendary review, everyone knows the rules.
Been going there for 10+ years. All these comments about it being "burnt" need to try it. No burnt taste at all. It's my favorite pizza and I'm glad they got a great score!
I actually choked on my drink when he said 9.1
Very rare score. I was shocked!
Ha! Redemption! I commented on the Sally's pizza video that people sleep on Little Rendezvous and i was scoffed at. Redemption!
the same posture as in the article had my rolllliiinnnnnnggggggg, great camera work!
when i saw the top of the pizza i thought ''dave is gonna like this''
then i saw the underside of the pizza and thought ''ok maybe not''
mind blown with a 9.1
what a rollercoaster of a score 😂
Dave, you've stirred the CT pizza community up with this score! We are polarized by your review. I've never been to this one, but Fuoco is really good. Glad you liked it.
Good way to put it. I still am trying to wrap my head around that score. I'm a NH pizza diehard, and that pie just does not look like anything I've ever seen. TBH, it looks more like a frozen pizza than a fresh brick oven pie. I am going to have to get up there and try it, obviously it's one of the rare pies that you can't score just by looking at it in a video. 9.1 is a HOF score, he hands out 8's like sewer caps, so he was obviously blown away by this pie. Crazy.
The only people not surprised by this score are the ones who have been coming here for decades. There is a flavor that cannot be duplicated.
I lived in New Haven as a kid so Ive had Moderns, Pepe's and Sally's. Then my parents moved us to Meriden, lived on Center Street for years right across from Saint Rose's church and right up the street from Rendezvous. Hands down its the best.
I just got pizza here on this recommendation, it is the smallest little hole in the wall place and it’s amazing pizza. This place is no frills, it’s not fancy, it’s about one thing and that’s excellent pies. They make only pizza, No grinders, wings, salads. Just pizza. 🍕
He has that oven cooking about 550-600 on top and 450 on bottom looks freaking delicious
For those old timers out there, wonder how that pie compares with when Lou Bertagna owned it and made all the pies. What a character he was.
What made Lou a character? Did he make a good pizza?
@@phillipedwardness9591 He was Italian. Nuff said.
@@gfriedman99 with all due respect, I’d love to hear Bob’s experience
Just went tonight, called ahead at 3:30 to get a pie at 5:30. Got there and they were slammed! While I was there they declared that they were taking no more order for the night. It was 5:38PM on a Wednesday. But I got mine almost on time. The pizza was great, not a 9.1 for me on pizza alone, maybe an 8.4. But it was a cool place for sure, glad I went.
Incredible, I'm tearing up being so close to seeing such a historic moment!
Calm down!
@@fitzy28101 I'm trying!
That's why this channel is fun to watch. The scores mean something. Actually mean something. And will bring in patrons for the business.
Simp
Little overdramatic kinda person eh?
Having been to a few places that Dave ranked 9+ I really must say that pizza must have been GREAT. It’s always awesome to see a place get a 9+ score, definitely a place to try if you can
Dave
Sam’s Pizza, Ogelsby Illinois
Hurry up before Sam is no longer around. Been making pies for 70 years. Same oven, same price, hand made cheese, dough, sauce etc
Been trying to get your attention for years abiut this
I love that Dave never changed over the years. He’s still the outgoing extroverted, super confident outspoken dude that’s down to earth despite having a great job and earning shit tons of money
Pretty sure every single characteristic you just listed is more common in super rich ppl than not, lmao
not liking this comment which is at 69 likes out of respect
Dave doesn’t realize that the bitter char underneath means the place rarely cleans their brick oven.
you dont clean brick ovens…
Voldemort working a straight 9-5 after Harry Potter
That's it, I'm flying for it
dave’s been doing it so long that i thought he would have done all the 9’s already. crazy that he found a new one
how is a 8.3 a 9
@@jamiemoore1989An 8.3 is a 9 because the owner doesn’t take bullshit from people who think they know pizza better and think they can make 100 special requests on their order. Entitled brats bring the score down, not the pizza. The pizza is amazing (I grew up in Meriden, this restaurant is the only thing I miss about CT).
It’s clearly a 9 pizza. It’s literally cooked to perfection, and when a pizza is in the 9’s it’s in the conversation for best pizza, what a spot.
I grew up eating Little Rendezvous and it's def always been my favorite place to eat. My parents would get a couple pies on Friday night and I'd be eating it for breakfast lunch and dinner all weekend.
I knew it was gonna be a high score. That's a great looking pie!
it's not
it looked terrible and burnt
@@bevrosityyou probably have no friends
@@Lucasar You are so cool and def have more friends than everyone else on youtube, obviously. Your comments are dope.
@@Lucasar Agree looked over cooked on top
I've only seen 9s given in older episodes. Not sure I've seen one given ever since I started following. Great to see good pizza still being made.
He's given out 10s.
@@gfriedman99 link?
@@dhLotan ruclips.net/video/FuQYU2u6Aqo/видео.html
@1:42 "The owner don't give a fucc" 😂
I worked at Rendezvous as a teen in the 1990s and have been there throughout my life. It is the best pizza on earth and a well-deserved score!
Despite ownership changes from Paul to Steve the product remains epic. FYI guess how the coal gets to the oven… kids like I was haul it up from the basement in 120 degree heat! 😅
Born in Meriden in 94
Child labor is essential for any world-class product
@@Spliffler413 stop bragging lol , i like how you made this whole conversation about you lmao
@@Spliffler413Cool! Born and raised here too
Some people say a man is made out of mud. A poor man's made out of muscle and blood. Muscle and blood, and skin and bones... A mind that's weak and a back that's strong.
It was on the news that this place is blowing up now... and still... the owner is in the back making pizza, not giving two @%@!$ lol
Exactly at 2:35 it's just a pizza you can't make if you don't have that kind of oven. Can't wait for that spot in Eliz NJ to reopen. And dang, more places in Connecticut aside from New Haven that actually have that oven, and make it that good. Who knew 🤯🤤🤤🙌🔥
The look of the pizza immediately reminded me of De Lucia's. Would love to try it.
The glance over to the picture of the owner in the same exact place and pose was classic 😂
Dave was like can you believe that the owner doesn’t give a fuck about who I am can you believe it.
OMG I’ve been there many times. Yeah one of the very best pizzas! 9.1 is a correct score BTW Meriden is pronounced MER- IT- DEN