Paulius Musteikis
The big game looms and you need a killer pie. Or it’s date night and you want something simple, but also special. Or you need to grab a quick slice at lunch. These five pizzerias satisfy that most American of cravings, for excellent ’za.
1. Salvatore’s Tomato Pies made its name with a classic Jersey tomato pie, assembled in reverse, with cheese next to the crust and the sauce swirled on top. But it’s Sal’s specialty pies, like the fig and bacon, with its luscious balsamic reduction, or The Woodsman, with its trio of mushrooms, Pleasant Ridge Reserve and truffle oil, that may be the most memorable. Local sourcing is a priority here. 912 E. Johnson, and 121 E. Main St., Sun Prairie
2. Glass Nickel Pizza is perhaps best known for the Fetalicious, with spinach and feta, but G.N. has never rested on its laurels. New combos keep popping up, from the vegan Daiya Delight, to the breakfast pizza, with scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage and tater tots. Delivery service ranges far and wide. 2916 Atwood Ave.; 5003 University Ave.; 3191 Muir Field Rd., Fitchburg; 815 W. Main St., Sun Prairie
3. You could say Ian’s Pizza is all about the wild toppings, if it weren’t for the excellent crust that manages to bring plenty of bready flavor yet remain crispy at the same time. Still, the endless ingenuity with topping combos — with pizzas emulating everything from corn chowder to Thanksgiving dinner — keeps every trip fresh. 319 N. Frances St., 100 State St.
4. Pizza di Roma makes a New York style pie. A simple caprese pizza underlines that, but Pizza di Roma also gets fancy with grilled eggplant, buffalo chicken, lasagna pizzas and more. 313 State St., 439 Grand Canyon Dr.
5. The Roman Candle makes a contemporary, hand-tossed pizza with Wisconsin cheese and other local ingredients. There are a lot of special touches: the spicy “fireworks” tomato sauce option, the many veggie toppings, and fun specialty creations like the Algo Malo (arugula, beets, walnuts, blue cheese and caramelized onions). 1054 Williamson St.; 1920 Parmenter St., Middleton; and 100 N. Hamilton St. in the Madison Children’s Museum
