Harry’s Bishop’s Corner

Connecticut is packed with Roadfood-worthy pizzerias. The bar has been set awfully high. Can it be possible that Harry’s Bishop’s Corner clears that bar? With room to spare, based on the Fra Diavolo pie we recently enjoyed.

The Fra Diavolo is a premium-priced seasonal white pie topped with caramelized onions, intensely sweet roasted tomatoes, chopped shrimp, tiny bay scallops, and pancetta. This is a well-thought-out and perfectly constructed pie. White pies can often be dry, but the caramelized onions and roasted tomatoes provide just the right amount of moisture, and plenty of flavor. The generously applied shellfish are cooked not a second too long. The salty wisps of pancetta play off the sweet seafood beautifully. And, in a final stroke of brilliance, the whole is sprinkled with a scattering of fresh tarragon leaves, an unexpected yet perfectly appropriate flavor accent. The nip from the advertised drizzle of pepper-infused oil was not detectable, and not missed.

The thin, well-seasoned crust is worthy in its own right; there will be no leftover pizza bones. But this particular pie is more about toppings than crust. A large Fra Diavolo is large indeed, and currently will run you about $28. We think it’s worth every penny.

The menu lists pies under a bewildering assortment of headings: there are Seasonal Pies, Classic Neapolitan Style Pies, Pizza Napoletana, Specialty Pies, and even Gluten Free Pies. But pie is all, other than a few salads, garlic bread, and beverages. Meals conclude with small complimentary cups of house-made slushy lemon sorbet, and the intense and refreshing ice is available by the pint to go.