Wise Guys Marinara Sauce: Locally Made and Distinctively Delicious

Ah, red sauce…most Italian families have their own recipe, and they generally keep that recipe close to their hearts, fiercely guarded. It’s part of the ancestral family lineage, and while there are shared characteristics based on region, each recipe is unique.

We first met the folks from Wise Guys Sauce close to 7 years ago during their stint at The Sono Marketplace. They debuted the Wise Guys Sauce product line for use in their retail pizza shop, called, not surprisingly, Wise Guys Pizza. Sadly the Sono Marketplace/food court was slightly ahead if its time, and they closed the complex, but Co-owner, Chris Polidoro, decided to keep the sauce alive. Guests were such fans of the tomato sauce, they made the decision to keep on making it. They grabbed some mason jars, slapped a label on, and started selling…and boy did they. Manufactured out of New Haven, Wise Guys Sauce can now be found in local grocery shops both large (Shop Rite) and small (see list below) as well as specialty food stores throughout the state of CT. They even made it onto the TODAY Show with Kathy Lee.

P.S. CTbites readers get $10 OFF with Code: ctbites through January 30th.

Wise Guys Sauce is the product of years of Sunday night suppers, cooking and perfecting Polidoro’s father’s family recipe. The secret to this well balanced, lightly sweet sauce is the Sausalito tomatoes brought in from CA. Most makers of tomato sauce favor the more commonly used San Marzano, but Polidoro felt the Sausalito was just a step above the San Marzano, giving the sauce a somewhat sweeter, more wholesome flavor. Palidoro says, ”The reaction has been that the Sausalitos are just ten-fold better than other tomatoes.” Period…full stop.  

Ed Mailhot, Co-owner and long time friend of Polidoro’s, describes the sauce as “more of a chunky tomato sauce. It’s not a standard paste. The thickness and chunkiness was deliberate, and we liked the generous use of fresh garlic,” which can be seen dotted throughout the sauce. He continues, “It’s less acidic than standard sauce, has no added sugar, is all natural, and has zero preservatives.” After tasting and cooking with this sauce for a few weeks, I can vouch for all of the above.

Wise Guys Sauce looks forward to getting past the pandemic so they can get back to the festival circuit, as they enjoy interacting with customers and getting the chance to have people sample the product. In the meantime, you can find Wise Guys Sauce at your local Shop Rite, Grade A’s, Fresh Market, Gaetano’s Deli, Walter Stewarts, The Pantry, Palmer’s Market, Mystic Market, Double L, and Village Market in Wilton.

If you are reading this and you live in the Westchester area, you can score yourself some Wise Guys Sauce in Katonah & Scaglio’s Market, Katonah Pasta, and the Market at Pound Ridge Square.

Wise Guys Sauce is also sold on Amazon and, of course, their web site.

What’s next for Wise Guys? They are contemplating going back to their restaurant roots down the line…We shall see. In the meantime, grab a bottle or two and have a taste.

P.S. CTbites readers get $10 OFF with Code: ctbites through January 30th.

Wise Guys Sauce