Despite the temptation to take a break from a late night study session and indulge in comfort foods, the allure of warm pizza is often thwarted by the thought of having to face rigid winds and slushy sidewalks on the walk to a restaurant. Luckily, several locally owned pizzerias offer convenient pizza delivery to campus residents. The Cardinal Food staff has reviewed them for your viewing pleasure.
Pizza di Roma
313 State St.
(608) 268-0900
Pizza di Roma may not be the classiest dining establishment in Madison, but fortunately, that matters little in the realm of delivery pizza.
Madison's lesser-known establishment for drunk, pizza-craving students does not disappoint in this regard. While the estimated delivery time of an hour was average for 8:15 p.m. on a Friday, it was to their credit that the delivery man was not just on time, but five minutes early, and that the pizza was piping hot.
What few students may also know about Pizza di Roma is that it, like its rival Ian's, offers a variety of specialty pizzas as well as classic toppings. All of their pizzas come oozing with grease and extra cheese, and when ordering, it's good to know that a large is approximately twice the size of most chain restaurants' larges.
In particular, the Spinach and Feta pizza (20"" for $16.85) was outstanding, with the perfect amount of grease (for those who like a lot of grease anyway), an abundance of spinach, and an interesting creamy sauce instead of the traditional tomato-based pizza sauce. Two minor complaints were a relative lack of feta and a tendency for the pizza to get soggy, but overall, di Roma's pizza and delivery service was a pleasant surprise.
—Kristin Czubkowski
The Roman Candle
1054 Williamson St.
(608) 258-2000
The Roman Candle is a little pizzeria tucked amongst the cozy looking coffeeshops and funky storefronts of Willy Street. For most, romping through the snow all the way out to the east side is completely out of the question. Thankfully, they deliver.
The menu is a bit more unique than the average pizza joint. There are a plethora of zesty sauces and interesting cheeses and toppings to choose from. Some of the more distinct toppings include pine nuts, roasted asparagus, walnuts, cream cheese and beets. For the less adventurous, they have the traditional toppings, as well.
Their phone service was extremely helpful and patient, offering many suggestions and even tipping me off about a $2-off coupon. The delivery guy took exactly 51 minutes to arrive. It was a little pricier than typical pizza places. A small pizza, side salad and order of cheesy breadsticks set me back $25 (even after the $2 coupon!). However, it was well worth the price. The pizza tasted great, due to the extraordinarily fresh ingredients and fabulous flavor combinations. The toppings complimented each other wonderfully, and the salad was crisp and refreshing. The cheesy breadsticks sported sharp Wisconsin cheddar—tasty, yet a little intense. Overall, the meal was excellent, but somewhat expensive.
—Laura Shumow
Gino's
540 State St.
(608) 257-9022
Gino's offers an array of ingredients and choices for different appetites. The menu is long and offers some unique variations from the traditional Italian ingredients of mozzarella, marinara, sausage, and garlic.
To start, the garlic bread ($4.95) met expectations, simple and tasty.
The typical sausage or pepperoni pizza (14"" for $13.95) was better than a typical at-home frozen pizza, but for restaurant quality, I've tasted better versions of these classic pizzas. There was however plenty of cheese on the pizza which is always appreciated. Yet I found there was too little sauce on the pizza and a lot of extra crust on the outside.
The deluxe pie (14"" for $17.95) includes more than 20 ingredients. The toppings are bigger than what's commonly seen at chain pizza restaurants. Some of the specialty ingredients include artichoke hearts, pineapple and eggplant. For this pizza, I chose to add all the vegetables and the pineapple, and this pizza was fantastic.
Overall, the pizza was very good but not extraordinary. The pricing was moderate. I would recommend Gino's to anyone who is looking for a pizza with a variety of toppings.
—Jeff Grimyser
Ian's Pizza By the Slice
319 N. Frances St.
(608) 257-9248
Arguably Madison's premiere pizzeria for both all-nighters and the munchies, Ian's Pizza is best known for offering supremely delicious, if not off-kilter, specialty pizzas.
However, for those who can't brave the sub-zero windchill to buy a slice, Ian's serves up fast delivery services.
An order placed at 6:49 p.m. on a Saturday night was given a maximum of 45 minutes to make it the one block to my apartment. Settling in for a game of Trivial Pursuit, imagine the surprise coming over the room a scant 19 minutes later when an Ian's delivery worker knocked at the door with a 20"" Chicken Penne Alfredo.
The pizza, like most of Ian's specialties, cost $20, without the tax or the tip, which, combined came to $24. A little steep, but the convenience, taste and variety are worth it.
Those screaming blasphemy at the idea of being so far removed from Ian's piping hot ovens and the freshness bequeathed on their gooey, near-scalding slices, would be happy to know the pizza's journey leaves the flavor perfectly intact. Losing nothing during its tenure in the delivery bag, Ian's is just as fresh delivered as it is on Frances Street.
—Andrew Peck
