I've noticed that pizza in Madison is honestly not that good in my opinion...but Grampa's is definitely one of the best, if not the best! It's a little bit of a nicer place, which I did not expect! Definitely more of a sit down place, but I saw a few people grab pizza for takeout. Good place for a small group, but given that it's a very small place, I wouldn't go with more than a group of 5. My friends and I had been trying to go to this place for a while - since it's so small, the wait gets incredibly long around peak dinner times. Try going at 5-5:30 if you want to go on weekends - shouldn't have to wait then! So onto the pizza - it's thin crust and a little pricier than other pizza places. My friends and I got two appetizers and 3 pizzas for a group of 4, and it was a perfect amount. The Duck Confit appetizer was fairly impressive, and a standout pizza was the Brassacre. I personally think Grampa's was better than Salvatore's Tomato Pies, which is often regarded as the best pizza place in Madison. If you want a fancier pizza, I would highly recommend this place! read more

LOVE GRAMPA'S! Came here last Sunday night for dinner, after getting whiffs of their delicious pizza from Gibs next door. What a great meal we had! Drinks - Their menu is impressive. Wine and beer alike! I enjoyed a great stout :). Apps - If you love olives, get them here! Also, the dumplings were amazing. Highly recommend those! Pizza - We shared the Jabroni. We wanted something nice and light. It was great, the crust was perfect. We wished we would have added the sausage after the waiter recommended doing this. Still was fabulous!! Next time, i will be more adventurous. All this together, cost under $60. I thought this was a steal. We will be back soon, period. read more

Okay, I decided not to take off stars for coming here three other times on a Friday night (varying times of the evening) and having AT LEAST an hour wait. We weren't into waiting that long, especially when so many other great restaurants are in the area. This time, it was only 30 minutes (so we were told), and we weren't starving. So we put in our names and headed next door to Gib's for a few cocktails. After 40 minutes, we checked back at the Grampa's hostess station, and nothing was yet available. The small bar inside was also full, so the hostess suggested we stand by the wall and get a beer. After another 20 minutes, our table was ready. The hostess comped our beers, which is the only reason this is keeping a 5 star rating. Classy move. The rest of the service was great, as was the Finnochio pizza. We substituted calabrians for the anaheim's and it was a good move. Pizza was perfectly thin and cooked well. No burned edges that are common with pizza that thin, and the squares in the very center were still reasonably crisp. A perfect size for two hungry people. Looking forward to eating there again when I'm up for a wait. :-) We are lucky to have so many great pizza joints in Madison. read more

GET HERE EARLY if you want to actually eat here for the night. Luckily, they send people over to Gib's while you wait, which is a fancy house dressed up as a bar. So it's not too bad while you're waiting... check out my review from Gibs if you want to read more! Gourmet appetizers and pizzas here! The hostess was on top of things even though there were so many people trying to get a table. They serve thin crust pizzas here. All and Every decision is the right decision. You just honestly can't go wrong here! Happy Munching! read more

Thin for the win. I love Grampa's thin crust za's more than any other pie place in town. This place is quant, and gets pretty crowded on a weekend; I would recommend popping over to Gibs next door for a drink while you wait. And trust me, the wait is worth it. My friends and I all opted for veg-friendly options, but for the meat-eaters out there, there are plenty of pork topping options to go around. We started with the olives and eggplant tapenade (two separate apps); the server happily brought out more crostini to finish off our eggplant spread. YUM to the apps. Light, not overbearing. Just what you need to complement the main. We shared two pizzas between four of us, which seemed to be the perfect portion. The Jabroni - Pedro/tomato sauce, fresh basil, mozzarella, and chiles...it had a kick! The Goomba was our second za with garlic cream sauce and mushrooms atop. Ask for extra cream sauce, it's oh so worth it. I can't even choose a favorite, because I spent too much time being impressed with the thin crust. I will say that the small menu does favor the meat eaters of this world, but I'm still nonetheless fond of and attached to their crispy, crusty, creative pies. read more

I've never had a worse experience. They told us it was a two hour wait when we put our names on the list. Two and a half hours later we went to check in and see what was going on and she said it was still going to be another half hour. Everyone on the list before us was crossed off including four names after us. At that point we just ordered to go but that was after wasting two and a half hours of our night. It was extremely disappointing to come all the way from out of town to experience such poor customer service. I will not be coming back. read more

Setting = A Pork Confit = A+ Cheese Board = A Pizza = A+ Wine = A Service = A- Get there early or wait a long time. read more

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Pizza was covered in arugula, the peppers made it unpleasantly spicy, & the cheese almost non-existent. Not what I had hoped for at all. I mean, I expect pizza to have cheese. Chocolate mousse was quite good. read more

This place is dope! I came here on Valentine's day and was blown away by the food as well as the service. The night started out a little slow as our table wasn't ready yet so we had to wait about 20 minutes (I can understand since it was one of the busiest days of the year). After we were seated, we chose the valentines date night menu which started out with a charcuterie board. (A bottle of wine is also included in every meal for date night). This is definitely an acquired taste. I could tell that all the cheese/meats were high quality but they were definitely intense in flavor. If you haven't had cheese/meats like this, I would probably hesitate to recommend this. Then came the lobster which was amazing. It's a little on the raw side (artistic touch), but was perfectly seasoned and super fresh. The vanilla bean risotto that came with is was also amazing! Even better, my SO didn't quite like the slightly raw lobster so they were kind enough to bring us a new lobster that was well-cooked. Amazing service! I can't rave enough about this fact. For pizza we had the brassacre which was a decadent hodgepodge of different ingredients. Who'd have known bacon and brussel sprouts would go together well on a pizza? The thin crust was perfectly crispy and amazing! One of the best pizzas I've had in a long time and definitely the best one in Madison by far. The ginger cake to end was also not too sweet and just perfect. All in all, this was a perfect meal from the service, to the food, to the ambience. We will definitely be coming back for their regular date nights. read more

After our meal last night, my girlfriend and I probably asked the same question to each other, "Why don't we come here more often?" to which we have no good reason. What I do know is that we will be back (and back again and back again) in the future. On Tuesdays, they offer date night-Shared appetizer, dessert, pizza and a bottle of wine for $45. Not only is that a great deal by itself but the food was amazing. We opted for the beet salad for our appetizer and it was great. Beets, truffle goat cheese, pea shoots. Perfectly balanced and delightful. Pizza was we excellent as well. We went with the finnochio and didn't leave a piece behind. For dessert, we selected the spiced ginger cake. Although we were already full, the lightness of the cake and the flavor was something we couldn't put down. Wash it down with a bottle of wine and call us very satisfied customers. A great restaurant in a great neighborhood in a great city. You can't beat that! read more

The ambiance is calm and relaxing. The wait can be a bit long and the bar only has a few spots to belly up to but the addition of Gib's Bar just Nextdoor makes the wait go quickly. The cheeseboard is ever changing and the wine selection is simple but gives enough great options. Pizza is a crispy thin crust and not a single pizza is disappointing. Go on a Tuesday night with someone you want to impress because their date night special is perfect. The garden is pretty to look at but some outdoor seating is severely lacking. Add that and it's a 5 every time. read more

Grampa's Pizzeria - Cheese board - Pizza Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

I moved to the US 5 years ago from Italy. I was before in NY and moved to Chicago almost 2 years ago. My girlfriend booked a place in Madison, Wisconsin for the weekend. Behind suggestion of a acquaintance we came here for dinner. This was the best dinner I've ever had since i moved to the US. Finally a place where you pay (below average) for great food (way above expectations)! On top of that, like it happens in Italy, the restaurant does not "exploit" the customer but they make you feel appreciated and they give you a treat (in our case we were given cookies for breakfast). I wish most of the restaurants in the US would be like this one. I can't thank you enough for the great experience, from the small plates, to the appetizers,the pizza and the dessert. I'll come back again from Chicago to eat at this gem! Thank you read more

The wait was LOOONG, but definitely worth it. We put our name on the list, then went down a few streets to State Line distillery, then wandered back to Gibs before finally being called back to Gampa's. But the food was delicious and I love the cozy ambiance of the restaurant. We tried a couple of the vegetarian pizzas and were not disappointed! The beet salad was also delicious. We'll be back!! read more

Grampa's Pizzeria - Pizza Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Finally, finally got to this place with my husband after hearing a lot of people talk about how fantastic it is. We were pleasantly surprised with the atmosphere and the vibe; it was much better than we were expecting. Lights were dimmed perfect and it had a nice cozy feel. The tables seemed really close together, but I suppose that comes with being a tiny place. Shockingly it never got too loud which we both really appreciated. We shared a delicious tomato salad as an appetizer which was a nice non-classic salad (no lettuce or spinach or anything) and the Pinocchio pizza. I can't say we were absolutely blown away by the pizza, but it was very, very good. And different! That was the best part. You won't find pizzas like theirs anywhere else. We're definitely fans and would come back - it would be a nice spot to bring out of town guests too I think! read more

What a treat! First, the ambience is just lovely. Cozy, intimate, and simple! We had our dinner by candlelight. The 30 minute wait (typical for a Saturday night) was worth it! First, we had the Calamari appetizer (calamari stuffed with chorizo, tomato purée) was interesting! It was different and flavorful - I don't know if we'd order it again but it was a nice introduction to our wonderful meal. We, then, had the market salad with seasonal veggies from their garden (out in the back). It was so refreshing! Finally, we had the Barberini Pizza (check out their website for ingredient deets)! At first I wasn't sure about the pizza because of the drizzled honey but it was GREAT! Just the perfect mix of a variety of flavors (sweetness and spiciness)! As we paid the check, they handed us complimentary homemade Macaroons! The service was also WARM AND FRIENDLY! I highly recommend this for a romantic, date night or a fun night out with close friends or family! read more

Grampa's Pizzeria - Complimentary homemade Macaroons! A perfect way to end our night at Grampa's Pizzeria! - Pizza Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

This was my second time eating here and I can't rave enough. They have an amazing Tuesday date night deal that I highly recommend. Even without the deal though, their prices are quite reasonable. My date and I had the pork belly risotto for a small plate, and it was delightful! The pork belly was incredibly tender and the risotto was very flavorful. We had the goomba pizza which was also delicious. It was nice thin crust with ample toppings. The service and ambiance of the restaurant was also very impressive. They had an amazing playlist the night I was there, my date and I were serenading each other between bites! Our server was very attentive to our needs and was very helpful in explaining some of the menu items. This is definitely one of my favorite sit-down restaurants in Madison. read more

This place is impressive. I split a pizza (Finnocchio) with my friend so I could try the soup (Soupe au Pistau). Everything was so good. It is worth a trip out to explore this place. The building is interesting. I don't know if I would come here if it was really busy. Lucky the night I went is was quiet. read more

Most definitely one of the top 3 restaurants in Madison. The chef-owner, Gil, is truly gifted and you should try his small plates. His dishes are conceived with taste and freshness and beauty in mind. The seasonal "Charred ramps" was FANTASTIC. (Ramps are wild spring onions.) Ramps with slight char, served on a board with fried anchovies, a fried egg and a few cherry tomatoes. It was sort of like a deconstructed Caesar salad, but made with sweet charred onions. Amazing. The beet salad - well-described in other reviews was stunning and Delish. The dumplings, stuffed with chicken, were topped with a round of fois gras! Served with a light broth and a sprinkle of watercress. Oh yum. The pork confit was served in a smokin' hot cast-iron skillet, so that the roasted pork got slightly crispy on the bottom. This came with stone-ground mustard, crusty bread and a jalapeno pickle salad. Heaven. The chocolate mousse, with coffee and cardamom was the lightest I have had in many years. Served with caramel tuilles - a gorgeous presentation. They have a great wine list- too - with CMS as their house wine. You could go here for beer and pizza - but why? The service was perfect. Serious, well-timed and impeccable. Grampa's is very small. Therefore, you have to go early to get a table or be prepared to wait next door at Gib's (the house bar next door). read more

This was one of the best meals I've had in Madison hands down. The ambiance, food, and drink were just delightful! There was no wait on a Monday night and we were seated in the main room which was pleasantly busy, though still quiet enough to chat. So it was perfect for a date night or catch up. The food was bomb dot com. The pork confit lived up to the hype, cooked to tender perfection and served in the cutest mini cast iron skillet. The pizza was amazing--perfect blend of pesto and tomato sauce with super delicious cheese and meats. I'm pretty picky about pizza, but the thin crust here was awesome. The food is reasonably priced given quality and spectacular mouth-exploding taste. The wine menu is definitely a bit pricey, but worth it. Even the lower priced bottles still pair really well with their food. All in all a great meal that I would absolutely recommend. read more

Ok, wow. First, I am confused that I have never written a review for Grampa's - I can't begin to figure out how many times I've eaten here! It's definitely in my top 5 of Madison restaurants. The pizza is incredible, the cocktails are delightful, and they have really tasty gluten free pizza crust. BUT - now they've gone and upped the ante by offering BRUNCH. Madison, I love you, but your brunch game is "off point". (Is that a thing? It should be). Just about every weekend that I'm in town, we have an endless discussion called "where can we get breakfast?". We first went to brunch at Grampa's for Mother's Day - and not only was there NO WAIT, the food was amazingly amazing. I had the butcher's breakfast, which had perfectly cooked beef tenderloin, among many other lovely things. I had a cocktail that was wine and coffee together, that I didn't love but my mom really liked, so I'll still say it was great, just not to my taste. It was a pretty good brunch. We came back this past Sunday, and WOW. As good as it was six weeks ago, they are hitting their stride now. My mom had the eggs benedict with pork confit, and could not stop talking about how it was made of "all the best parts of the pork roast". I had a bunch of sides as a meal. The bacon, Nueske's, was thick cut and incredible, melt in your mouth fantastic. The best bacon I have ever eaten, ever - and it's an incredibly generous portion, enough to share. I also had the pommes Anna, which is about 30,000 paper thin potato layers, slathered in butter and topped with parmesan cheese. Incredible. Somehow they take everything that is excellent about potatoes, butter, and cheese and amplify it. I love this place, and it never fails to please, hence the 5 stars. However, in the spirit of constructive feedback, here are a few missteps from this weekend - 1) Our waitress was a little bit difficult to track down - we had to ask the hostess for water, and to go find the server when we needed a new drink order. 2) The Bloody Mary was too spicy to drink, and we heard another table say the same thing - my mom said it tasted like straight sriracha (and we love spicy). 3) Though there were corn tortillas on the menu, I was told that the chilaquiles, which come with flour tortillas, could not be subbed for corn because they were "all premade already". Grampa's doesn't strike me as a "premade" sort of spot, so this confused me, hence the meal of sides. It was no big deal, but sort of surprising as they are always super accommodating of all the things. We love you! We'll be back! read more

Trendy, warm little pizza place on a cold-ass night? Yes please. They specialize in authentic style pizzas with an innovative flare, to elevate pizza up a step from your average pizza joint. And they served it elevated too, on a little metal stand so that we could double-tier our pizzas all over the table. My dinner companions were visible above the landscape of lifted pizzas that overtook our table, and we tucked in with vigor. Their space is a cozy little spot in a re-purposed gun shop. They've kept the gun motif in their decorations as a nod to the previous establishment, in a very tasteful way. (Gun rack wine racks, for example.) We had a group of 7, and had 6 different pizzas. 5 of them were unmodified specialty pizzas directly off the menu, and 1 modified build-a-pizza of sorts. All were delicious, hot, crispy and well thought out. My favorite was the 'Goomba,' a mushroom and garlic based mix. But I thoroughly enjoyed the pork confit "Puerco" pizza, and the watercress and honey-touched 'Barberini' was a big hit as well. We also enjoyed an appetizer of the pork confit, which was offered to us as a gift of the house while we waited for our pizzas, since it would take a while to have all 7 pizzas ready. An unexpected and unnecessary windfall, we gobbled it all up gratefully. and ungracefully. At the end we also ordered a couple of their sticky ginger cakes, which I believe must have had a lemon cream topping, and these were also destroyed in short order. Warm, sticky, moist and creamy, they had a slight crisp to the edges in the very best sort of way. (We ordered these partly because of their open-view kitchen window, which can be viewed from the entryway and from a few of their tables. As we were all restaurant industry people, we were watching the kitchen with undisguised interest. We saw the chef plating the ginger cake, piling the whipped cream on the top artfully, after which he stuck the spoon into his mouth, cleaned it with obvious relish, and threw the spoon into the dish pit. You know when you see that, that the cream must be delicious if it's worth licking off the spoon every time. For some reason it was difficult for the waitress to do 4 separate checks, but we did our own math with a pen she provided, and lucky for her we were able to figure it out without stiffing her. A less mathematically inclined group might have accidentally stiffed her. They also offered us some mini orange macaroons at the end, which were the strangest, gooiest little macaroons I have ever had. That's not really a complaint, just an observation that they were unexpected in terms of the texture inside. Besides, who cares! Free candy! We will be back, Grandpa. read more

Great place. First time we were here for a private event and got to taste a bunch of stuff, loved it and made a point to try and get back. We tried and tried and tried but couldn't get in ... until the other night! What impressed the S.U. and I the first time was meeting Gill and Marissa, who run a fantastic operation, and the unique small plates. Try them! The pizzas are really good but, IMHO the small plates are where Gill shines so, this time we went all small plates and salads. We ordered a handful and a glass of Cava to start. Our server handled the delivery sequence to match our wine choices so we sat back and let it come. They had a fresh grilled ramps dish with fried anchovies, lemony vinaigrette topped with a fried egg. Great start! Next, meat-filled dumplings (4) topped with foie gras in a tasty broth followed by the beet salad. Not a bad bite yet. Take a breath, shift to the house red, (Hedges CMS, a hometown favorite) and bring on the Pork Confit and Stuffed Calamari. This is the "one bite, one sip" stage of the dinner. Slow down, savor, enjoy. Grampa's version of Pork Confit is served with ground mustard and giardiniera ...dee-lish. The spicy sausage ('nduja) stuffed calamari was a forceful match to the Confit. Talent and skill in the kitchen, great service on the floor. A wonderful dinner out! read more

**All my reviews rate my experience AS A VEGAN eating at local Madison venues.** I've eaten at Grampa's two times with a friend of mine. Both times have been for a the Tuesday night date menu. The Tuesday night date menu consists of a bottle of wine, a soup or salad, a pizza, and a dessert for a reasonable price. My date is an omnivore and I'm a vegan, and we love eating out together. With this menu, we split the wine, I get the salad, we make a half vegan/half non-vegan pizza request, and he gets the dessert since there are no vegan dessert options anyway. The first time we ate at Grampa's I loved the atmosphere right off the bat. It's dim, cozy, and intimate in there, but not so tight that you feel like your neighbors are over hearing your conversation. On our first visit the waiter was easy-going enough about our odd request to split the pizza. The wine was delicious. The market salad was easy to make vegan (just hold the yogurt balls) and was absolutely stunning in both flavor, textures, and presentation. The pizza was yummy and filling. I just got the Finnochio, hold the cheese, and add some extra veggies that I saw elsewhere on the menu. Like I said, my date got all of the desert...the ginger cake, and he loved it! i do wish that there was a vegan option for us to share. The next time we tried to go the wait was 90 minutes to two hours. Yikes! We were too hungry for that kind of wait so we had a delicious dinner across the street. A similar wait time awaited us on our next visit, but we were prepared and happy to sit at the bar and eat there. This time, our server seemed kind of irritated at our request to split and veganize the pizza. I get it...it's ordering off the menu which is never a favorite. But, I hate to feel like an annoyance when I go to eat, and I want to give my service to local places with a great atmosphere and delicious food, AND staff that are prepared to handle odd requests with a good attitude. We finally worked it out and the food was again DELICIOUS. We both feel satisfied, full, and wine-happy when we leave. Overall, we love this place. The idea of Tuesday date night is fun and gives us something to look forward to midweek. The wait time keeps us from going every Tuesday. There are easier places to get vegan pizza and there are not vegan dessert options. In the end though, you're going to be happy with the quality of the food. So if you're vegan take that all into consideration and remember that the staff might or might not know what to do with your vegan requests. read more

Unique food - worth a visit. We were swinging through town and decided to have some pizza. Fellow yelpers identified grandpas as a good place, so we went there! When we arrived at grandpas there was a 45 minute wait on a Saturday evening, so the hostess gave us another option: go next-door to Gibbs to have a drink and order grandpa pizza from there. It was a good decision! The furniture and atmosphere was very laid back, the cocktail selection was great. The pizza arrived promptly and both the pepperoni and "brassercre" were excellent (very crispy thin crust). Each piece of the brassacre had a small amount of brussel sprout on it, with generous pieces of bacon and a delicious cheese. The menu items were unique and tasty. read more

We had the Finnochio, and the Brassacre. Both of them were just OK. Nothing special. Will not return. read more

My husband and I came in for dinner, and we loved the space immediately. They've done a great job aesthetically. We were seated in the back, by a nice row of windows, where I fear that aesthetics may have trumped function, given that the noise from the few tables around us sounded like people were speaking loudly right into our ears. That wasn't a big deal, but something to note if you are more sensitive to noise. We were excited by the menu options, ordering a market salad, a homemade mozzarella plate (sprinkled with vanilla fleur de sel), and a pizza with ricotta, watercress, honey, and chilies. Everything sounded interesting, and our expectations were high for quality. The market salad was *amazing*. It was just the right balance of delicate leafy greens and crisp fresh vegetables, with beautiful shavings of unexpected root vegetables. The dressing fit the salad perfectly in terms of weight and flavor. The mozzarella, sadly, was a bit disappointing. It wasn't bad, but the description of *homemade* fresh mozzarella with fleur de sel, along with the visual cues of an upscale, foodie-focused restaurant set our expectations quite high. The flavor was good, but the texture was far too firm, which was surprising for freshly made mozzarella. Again, it was pretty good, it just fell short of our expectations. The pizza was good, and I like that it is a very different style than most pizza places in Madison. However, it fell into the same trap as the mozzarella plate: it sounded so interesting and delicious that our expectations were set too high. The crust was a bit too chewy (perhaps over-kneaded?) and a bit bland in flavor. The toppings just didn't quite mesh, like they hadn't refined the flavor profile yet. The sauce didn't match the rest of the items, and the chilies overwhelmed the other flavors (and I love spicy food). The prices seemed fair to me. We shared the three plates I've described, plus two drinks, and the bill came to $32. It felt like a nice nights out, and we were plenty full. I know this review is coming off as a bit negative. We truly thought it was pretty good, but that's the thing: it was pretty good -- not as amazing as the ambiance and menu descriptions made them sound. I will definitely give them another chance, because I think there's potential there if they can get some of these kinks worked out. read more

Although we all miss walking past Grampa's gun shop on willy st while surveying the crop of handguns that were in for cleaning, I think we can agree that the new Grampa's has filled the holster of years past with amazing food. The pork confit continues to amaze me - if I can ever make something like this at home, I will be a culinary god. Risotto was also a nice touch to start off with. The cheese plate was a bit small and underwhelming & the mozzarella app was boring. Their thin-crust pizzas are really the star of the show and is what is keeping people coming back. Really creative menu and almost all of their pizzas taste amazing, but you can build your own (with an exhaustive list of meats and toppings). After several iterations, I've mastered the ratio of humans to pizza: 0.8 pizzas per person +/-hunger factor +/- apps. My only two issues with grampa is that I can never wait until the pizzas cool down (currently recovering from a burnt mouth) and they need a more accessible wine list (it is $39 for cheapest bottle of red wine), or they should introduce a house red. read more

I've been waiting for this place to open, hoping that Madison will get a great pizza place just a few blocks from my house. Finally, the grand opening on July 10th, I popped in after Concerts on the Square to try it out. Grampa's did not disappoint! The place was packed, a great sign. We waited about 15 minutes for a table, grabbed a drink from the bar in the meantime. The entry area and bar area are pretty small...not much waiting room. They offer about 6-8 beers on tap, bottled beers, and a bunch of wines, reasonably priced. The kitchen is right near the front door and you can see the chefs prepping food while you wait. We saw some things come out of the window that looked delicious! Once seated, we ordered the pork confit, market salad, and the Finocchio pizza. The pork confit was AMAZING, served with grilled bread, mustard, and giardiniera (pepper mix). We expected the pork to be fatty, but it was super lean, tender and moist, delicious with a crispy crust. The combo with the mustard and peppers was awesome! My favorite dish of the night. The salad was a great mix of greens, olives, an edible flower, sprouted lentil, and some other delicious goodness, perfectly dressed with a light vinaigrette. Then the pizza came. The Finocchi is topped with house-made sausage, fennel, and anaheim chilis. The pizza was a little burnt around the edges, but the crust was thin with a nice crunch/firmness. The sausage had a good flavor. The pizza was the perfect size for two. Overall, Grampa's had a great grand opening and I can't wait to return to try some of their other dishes! The service was good and the place has a cool vibe. read more

This is the pizza place you'd expect to find on Willy Street. Low-lit, hip, California-style small pizzas. It's the kind of place that has a fully local tap beer list that includes their crazy names and origins but no description of the taste. The house favorites are the Brassacre (bacon chunks and brussel sprouts) and Pinnochio (sausage and fennel) pizzas. They're maybe 13" in diameter, cut grid-style. If meat pizza is your jam, you'll prefer the Brassacre. It has a variety of flavor that makes the Pinnochio bland in comparison. This said, I preferred the latter, though we're definitely going meatless next time. Reasonably friendly, helpful, attentive staff. Pricing is "fair" for Willy Street. Complimentary macarons to end the meal. The wait wasn't a big deal, but it is apparently a thing. I called ahead to get the wait time and put my name on the list. The waiting area can fit maybe six people comfortably and I imagine it spills into the subzero arctic after that. The door opens to the kitchen straight ahead, and the bar and main dining area to the right. Street parking sucks, especially depending on the time and the plow situation. Me, I'm not so into the California style. I don't fault Grampa for that, but I'm also not a convert. This said, I like their ethos and my friends were into the pizza, so I recommend it for what it is. Best pizza in town remains Sal's. read more

I love grandpa's so much!!!! And their owners are fantastic. Tip: It's all about the sticky ginger cake. read more

Grampa's Pizzeria - Dumplings - Pizza Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

We did the pork confit, the calamari and we shared a pizza (I'd say the finocchio - which should be spelled with only one n not two). The pork confit was fine, the calamari were outstanding and the pizza was delicious. Elaborating further, the pork confit was good all melty and fatty and with a nice little sauce to go with it, but did not impress me as something special. The calamari were perfect: tender and with a spicy filling that perfectly complements the delicate flavor of the calamari without overpowering them. The pizza was one of the ones I like: thin, crispy and topped with flavorful ingredients. If I have to criticize something I would say that the pizza was maybe a tad too topped for my taste, but I tend to gravitate towards simpler flavors. Anyway, I think I will go back as I would be very curious to try the Barberini and even more the Goomba. read more

Some of the best service I've ever received in Madison. Attentive yet not intrusive waiter with great suggestions for pairings, who didn't mind checking on our questions about the menu with the kitchen a couple of times. I was shocked at how beautiful the place was. Having only seen Grampa's as a gun shop, from a tiny streetside window, to walk into a warmly ambient cozy yet bright place was surprising, and we were delighted to sit next to the back window, with a view of their garden and vast green backyard. And the food. Might be the most perfect salad I've ever had in Madison- the market salad- chockful of literally every vegetable in season. Perfect tomatoes, snap peas, yellow squash, broccoli, green beans, radishes, and beautifully ribboned baby carrots. All brought together with slivers of blood oranges and plums, and plump green olives. SO good. We also had the fresh mozzarella (made inhouse daily) which was lovely, and the pork confit/gorgonzola pizza (from which I mostly abstained- tablemate loved it). Prices were totally reasonable (our total bill for a glass of wine, two salads and a pizza was $38), and I love that they're open past bartime! Will be back again and again. read more

My boyfriend took me here last night for our 2 year anniversary. We had been meaning to try it out for awhile, and I was so excited to learn that this was where we were going! He had called earlier in the day and attempted to make a reservation, and was told that he had been put on a list. However, upon arrival we were told that they don't make reservations, and his name was nowhere to be found. Thankfully the wait time was only about 15 minutes. This didn't bother me any, but because he was doing something romantic for our anniversary I can understand his frustration. We were pleasantly surprised when the waiter informed us that Tuesdays are Date Night! (He had also asked on his phone call earlier in the day if they had anything special going on that night and was told they didn't.) With a choice of a small plate or salad, pizza, dessert and a wine all to split for $40.00, you can't go wrong! We got the cheese board, the Jabroni Pizza, The Sticky Ginger cake, and a bottle of Zin. We both thoroughly enjoyed everything, and almost forgot to make room for dessert. The Ginger cake is the best thing. The BEST. Our waiter was also very informative and friendly. I have a peanut allergy, so he did his best to make sure that any and all nuts were okay. The one complaint that I did have is that it gets very noisy. It's very small and cozy and the environment is really nice, but it's very difficult to have a conversation without talking over everyone. Aside from that, it might be our new date night spot! read more

Came in the other night with a friend. Grampa's is kind of tucked away on willy street, but it's a hidden gem! The inside is very quaint and intimate. We split the Barberini pizza and although it was good, I wouldn't order it again. It was kind of bland. However there were lots of other creative pizza options that I would love to try again! Service was great, very attentive and knowledgeable. Although I wasn't impressed with the pizza we chose, it was still a great dining experience and I would return! read more

Whether dining in or doing takeout, there's never been a misstep by Grampa's Pizzeria. The light, crisp, airy crust has pretty much spoiled me for most other pizzas. The toppings are fresh and the balance of flavors is perfection. My favorite is the Brassacre, with the Finocchio coming in a close second. Love the cozy, candlelit vintage interior; the antique gilt-framed mirrors behind the bar really open up the space. The service is relaxed, knowledgeable and friendly. We only waited about fifteen minutes for a table during their busiest time. Extensive wine and craft beer list, too, including Mobcraft on tap. The finishing touch is the little amuse bouche of macarons at the end of the meal, delicious and just right for people like me who just need a little something sweet. read more

Grampa's Pizzeria - Roasted beet salad, Cellar Door Saison/Belgian Wit beer by Stillwater, on tap...yummmm - Pizza Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

I went into Grampa's Pizzeria really, really wanting to LOVE it and came out with feelings of it being just ok. I love the interior, the ambiance and the thoughtful lighting & decoration. The bar is unique & fun with an industrial-looking tile back splash & vintage gold mirrors hanging off it. The Edison light bulbs in fixtures along the wall with no shades were great & continued the vintage theme. We arrived at 5:45 so it was fairly quiet. As it got busier the noise levels were pretty significant. The tables are in close quarters so I was glad to be leaving as things were getting really busy and much louder. I started with a small plate of the brussel sprouts & bacon - great flavor & texture with just the right amount of oil served in a tiny cast iron pan. There was no salt or pepper on the table and I didn't ask for it, but in hindsight, I would have enjoyed a bit of both. I chose the basic pie with sausage. I really enjoyed the cracker thin crust with just the right amount of crunch. I didn't enjoy the sauce - it was too spicy for me & more acidic than most. I also wished there was just a bit more cheese. The sausage had great texture and flavor. My mom had a pizza with pesto instead of tomato sauce and I liked that so much I'll probably go with that the next time I'm there. I had a couple bites of my friend's sticky ginger cake. It was very tasty! The cake was light and flavorful. It was topped with a big pillow of homemade whipped cream that was just perfect. I would highly recommend trying that. We had asked our server at the start to please separate our checks. He said he would, but he just brought the one, made some excuse we couldn't hear over the din and walked away. We were a bit frustrated so when he came back later, we asked him again to please separate them out. He said of course and came back with separate checks with apologies that he'd gotten so busy and forgot to do what we'd initially asked him to do. So all was well. Overall, we had a really nice time & enjoyed the food. I will likely go back again sometime, but I can't ignore that it did fall a bit short of my expectations. read more

I came on a tuesday at 6pm. There was a 20 minute wait for a table, but the bar was empty so i sat there. This is my 4th time at Grampas. Theyre the best pizza I've had in Madison so far. I always start off my meal with the beet salad. I think their beet salad is heavenly. They follow the common base formula of cooled roasted beets, chevre (soft goat cheese), and pistachio, but I think they do it the best. The pistachios are pureed, the beets are diced on top of the puree, the goat cheese has truffle added before being dispersed in small lumps throughout the plate, and it's topped with pea shoots. Seriously, this thing is a masterpiece. The pistachio puree is creamy, smoky, and salty. The beets are cool, sweet, soft, and slightly chocolatey in my opinion. The chevre is tangy with an earthy, oily flavor (probably the truffle?). The pea shoots are like watercress that taste like pea pods with a certain crunchy sweetness. Get all of this in one bite for a flavor experience! This time around, i ordered the Brassacre and the Jabroni. The Brassacre is my favorite. Thick cube-like chunks of smoky bacon and hard italian cheese go over individual brussel sprout leaves with a drizzle of olive oil. The olive oil seems to carry the sweet flavor of the brussel sprout leaves throughout the pizza. Since the brussel sprouts are separated into individual leaves, you get some crispy burnt ones (my favorite) and some thin cabbage-like ones. These different textures really go well with the thick chunks of chewy bacon. I really cant describe why all these flavors work well together, but they do. Give it a try! I think the end pieces are the best for this one since the olive oil tastes better on the crunchy part of the crust. The Jabroni is also great. Freshly sliced basil is the first thing you taste. Its bright, volatile flavor quickly descends into a dark, mysterious flavor coming from the sauce's mixture of pesto and tomato sauce with a peppery kick at the end. For this one, i like the middle pieces the best since the soft crust seamlessly matches the texture of the sauce. I'm from Chicago, so I will always love Lou Malnati's the best, but this is excellent pizza too. Their flavors are so thought-provoking! read more

Simply the best pizza in Madison. It kinda ruins eating at other places. You can order any of the great options off the menu, and they are happy to customize if you know what you want. Esy on street parking. There is often a wait, and you can go next door to Gibs and get a drink. read more

Nice place. Food was great and service as just as good. Place is little small, so seating is troublesome. Pizzas are creative, favorable, and fresh tasting. Being small, table are very close and making the atmosphere a little loud. It is a little pricy, but it is down town madison. read more

This was our first visit here. We came after a very casual day while visiting a festival at the area park. We felt under dressed. We ordered one salad ($8.50) which we felt was very over priced for the amount you received. We also ordered two pizzas. The pizzas are very thin crust and are 12' in size. The ingredients were unique and the average cost is $13.00 a pizza. You would need to order several if you expect to get full from eating this pizza. We finished with their cake and I would say this is their best item. It was delicious. The cost per piece is $6.00 but this item is the only item we found to be a large serving. We had a nice experience but found it to be expensive for what you receive and would recommend other local establishments before suggesting coming here. read more