Grampa's Pizzeria — Restaurant in Madison

I usually don't write restaurant reviews, but I had to say something about Grampa’s Pizzeria, certainly one of the best restaurants in Madison. The ambiance there is intimate, warm, dark (but not too dark), and relaxing -- perfect for a date night or an after-work drink. Grampa’s wine selection really shines, but my wife and I (both borderline beer snobs) had no problem finding something we liked from Grampa’s unique tap selection – she ordered something with chili and chocolate in it, and I had a Belgian PA. We started with the pate and crostini, which was exactly what we had envisioned, before moving onto the Jabroni pizza – smoked mozzarella and fresh basil over a tomato-pesto sauce. This was spicier than we assumed, but not hot – perfect, really. All the while, our (three!) servers were polite, genuine, and eager to please, without badgering us every few minutes. Our bill came with two blueberry macaroons (also delicious). We happily plunked down $40 in total for the experience.

Grampa’s Pizza excels at finding the right ‘balance’ of elements in everything they do. Look elsewhere for boring, unoriginal ingredient combinations (e.g., meat lovers, veggie supreme) and laundry lists of every possible ingredient, but instead enjoy the homemade touches and complex flavors their in-house pies provide. As I mentioned earlier, Grampa’s doesn’t have a huge tap selection, but what they have is certainly enough to leave craft lovers satisfied. With everything they offer, I expect Grampa’s to catch on very quickly in the Near East Side. We will definitely be back soon – and...

Last week I had friends from out of town visiting Madison and I suggested we go to my favorite local pizza place : Grampa’s .

Cannot believe I had not left a review as I have been coming here for years and they have been my go to take out pizza place . I have brought friends , family and business colleagues here .

This is not your traditional pizza place . It is not thick crust , it’s not deep dish and it’s not Neapolitan . All of which I enjoy , but this place is unique . Not only is the crust thin but the toppings are specially crafted to create a memorable combination of flavors .

From their menu I have had every pizza flavor . Each topping has been selected and all go so well together . Seasonally (depending on what’s in season) they offer a unique flavor , like summer corn or fall turnip .

Tonight we chose Jambroni which I always add their chicken sausage and the Barbarini with extra watercress on top . Best part about the offering here is the availability of gluten free crust on the menu .

When dining in the staff is exceptionally friendly and know all about the flavor combinations. When doing take out the service is fast and I have never experienced any delay .

On occasion they have a shortbread rosemary butter cookie which is given at the end of the meal and it’s so tasty .

Five stars to this institution of specialty non traditional pizza...

I feel bad it took me so long to write a review, but my husband and I had an incredible experience at Grandpa’s Pizzeria for our anniversary! It happened to fall on a Tuesday, so we were able to take advantage of their date night special. You get to share an appetizer/salad, pizza, dessert, AND a bottle of wine. It’s a great value and a wonderful option for us first-timers that wanted to experience a range of options. Everything was delicious, but the Goomba pie (mushroom) and the chocolate mousse were definitely the stand-outs. The ambiance of the small place is also cozy and cute, perfect for a chilly winter evening.

The dinner was made extra special when our anniversary was acknowledged! I made the reservation with the Resy platform on their website, and selected the anniversary option for the occasion. I usually don’t hold any expectations when doing that, restaurants and their staff are busy, and it’s understandable they don’t always notice! That was not the case here! They added a cute little candle to our desert and brought us complementary champagne flutes. It felt really special and made the night so memorable.

I highly recommend stopping by for the excellent service and delicious food! It’s quickly rocketed to the top of our list of...