Greenbush Bar: Difference between revisions
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==History== | ==History== | ||
Before 1993 the basement was the Cellar Bar, owned by Gino Baldarotta, an early craft-beer bar<ref name="mc-2024-08-03-workmens-club" />. Alberici ran the Greenbush Bar for 31 years, with Gretchen Hils as co-owner<ref name="ct-2024-12-18-pO36">Haase, N. (2024, December 18). "Reopened Regent Street icon Greenbush Bar embraces nostalgia." ''The Capital Times''. p. O36. Newspapers.com image [https://www.newspapers.com/image/1150668262/ 1150668262].</ref>, and closed it on Saturday, June 15, 2024<ref name="mc-2024-06-19-greenbush-sold" />. | Before 1993 the basement was the Cellar Bar, owned by Gino Baldarotta, an early craft-beer bar<ref name="mc-2024-08-03-workmens-club" />. Alberici ran the Greenbush Bar for 31 years, with Gretchen Hils as co-owner<ref name="ct-2024-12-18-pO36">Haase, N. (2024, December 18). "Reopened Regent Street icon Greenbush Bar embraces nostalgia." ''The Capital Times''. p. O36. Newspapers.com image [https://www.newspapers.com/image/1150668262/ 1150668262].</ref>, and closed it on Saturday, June 15, 2024<ref name="mc-2024-06-19-greenbush-sold" />. | ||
In 2006 a Capital Times feature called it a secret its friends begged her not to share. Alberici had meant to run a bar with light snacks, but after six months the customers were "crazy for her cooking". The pizza, "like a floppy New York slice", was baked in the old brick oven from Amato's restaurant, which her mother had cooked with in her twenties; the kitchen stayed open until midnight<ref name="mc-2006-08-10-greenbush-secret">Evans, G. (2006, August 10). [https://madison.com/entertainment/article_3b42ba0a-203d-5dc8-827a-7f0c5ab6303d.html "Secret's out: Greenbush Bar is worth a visit."] ''madison.com''.</ref>. Samara Kalk Derby ranked it with Paisan's just behind Pizza Di Roma among her favorite pizzas in 2008<ref name="mc-2008-01-31-pizza-di-roma-review">Kalk Derby, S. (2008, January 31). [https://madison.com/entertainment/article_6a65596c-b9d0-5e96-b50d-efce65c38b17.html "Pizza Di Roma good spot to dive into slices, pasta."] ''madison.com''.</ref>. | |||
During the COVID-19 pandemic the bar closed from March to early August 2020, then sold pizza by curbside pickup only, Wednesday to Saturday; the basement was too small and hard to ventilate for dine-in<ref name="mc-2021-04-02-greenbush">Kalk Derby, S. (2021, April 2). [https://madison.com/entertainment/dining/reviews/article_22280779-fcd4-5ee5-af6c-1ed05d5af8f1.html "Curbside review: Greenbush Bar will win you with Sicilian salad, antipasto, pizza."] ''madison.com''.</ref>. | |||
The buyer was Sam Brown, son of [[Roger Brown]] of [[Rocky Rococo]], who also owns Fabiola's Spaghetti House & Deli and Leopold's Books Bar Caffe a few blocks down Regent Street. His managing partner is Adam Benedetto. Brown promised to keep the name, the pizza and its Wisconsin cheese<ref name="mc-2024-06-19-greenbush-sold" />, and the bar reopened on August 14, 2024<ref name="mc-2024-08-03-workmens-club" />. | The buyer was Sam Brown, son of [[Roger Brown]] of [[Rocky Rococo]], who also owns Fabiola's Spaghetti House & Deli and Leopold's Books Bar Caffe a few blocks down Regent Street. His managing partner is Adam Benedetto. Brown promised to keep the name, the pizza and its Wisconsin cheese<ref name="mc-2024-06-19-greenbush-sold" />, and the bar reopened on August 14, 2024<ref name="mc-2024-08-03-workmens-club" />. | ||
==Pizza== | ==Pizza== | ||
* In 2006 customers chose a 12-inch ($10) or 16-inch ($12) thin crust or an 8-inch thick ($8), a tomato or olive-oil base, and classic toppings priced by size — no "goofy selections like Pad Thai"<ref name="mc-2006-08-10-greenbush-secret" />. | |||
* Thin, crisp, cracker-style crust<ref name="mc-2024-06-19-greenbush-sold" />. After the reopening the pizzas were 16 inches, with mozzarella and fresh basil: three house specialties, or build your own<ref name="ct-2024-12-18-pO36" />. | * Thin, crisp, cracker-style crust<ref name="mc-2024-06-19-greenbush-sold" />. After the reopening the pizzas were 16 inches, with mozzarella and fresh basil: three house specialties, or build your own<ref name="ct-2024-12-18-pO36" />. | ||
* The new owner planned to serve pizza until midnight from Thursday to Saturday<ref name="mc-2024-06-19-greenbush-sold" />. | * The new owner planned to serve pizza until midnight from Thursday to Saturday<ref name="mc-2024-06-19-greenbush-sold" />. | ||
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==Trivia== | ==Trivia== | ||
* The Italian Workmen's Club, founded in 1912, put up the building in 1922; it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in August 2024<ref name="mc-2024-08-03-workmens-club" />. | * The Italian Workmen's Club, founded in 1912, put up the building in 1922; it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in August 2024<ref name="mc-2024-08-03-workmens-club" />. | ||
* In 2012 the Capital Times called it a bar "better known for its pizza"<ref name="ct-2012-08-09-p7">(2012, August 9). Greenbush Bar, "better known for its pizza". ''The Capital Times''. p. 7. Newspapers.com image [https://www.newspapers.com/image/522559028/ 522559028].</ref>; its sausage, green pepper and goat cheese pizza was among the paper's candidates for the area's best in November 2013<ref name="ct-2013-11-20-p13">(2013, November 20). Best-pizza poll photo page: Porta Alba's Alpina, Greenbush Bar, Glass Nickel's Fetalicious, Grampa's Barberini, Paisan's Super Hot and Salvatore's Fig and Bacon. ''The Capital Times''. p. 13. Newspapers.com image [https://www.newspapers.com/image/520984544/ 520984544].</ref>. | |||
* Alberici also ran The Wild Iris Cafe on Regent Street from 1990 to 2001<ref name="mc-2024-06-19-greenbush-sold" />. | * Alberici also ran The Wild Iris Cafe on Regent Street from 1990 to 2001<ref name="mc-2024-06-19-greenbush-sold" />. | ||
==Locations== | ==Locations== | ||
* [[914 Regent Street|914 Regent St.]] (1993 to present; closed June 15 to August 14, 2024). | * [[914 Regent Street|914 Regent St.]] (1993 to present; closed March to August 2020 and June 15 to August 14, 2024). | ||
==See also== | ==See also== | ||
Latest revision as of 03:29, 24 October 2026
The Greenbush Bar is a basement bar and pizza restaurant at 914 Regent St., under the Italian Workmen's Club. Anna Alberici opened it in 1993, and it became known for its cracker-thin pizza, made with her sauce recipe[1], and for Christmas lights that stay up all year[2].
History
Before 1993 the basement was the Cellar Bar, owned by Gino Baldarotta, an early craft-beer bar[2]. Alberici ran the Greenbush Bar for 31 years, with Gretchen Hils as co-owner[3], and closed it on Saturday, June 15, 2024[1].
In 2006 a Capital Times feature called it a secret its friends begged her not to share. Alberici had meant to run a bar with light snacks, but after six months the customers were "crazy for her cooking". The pizza, "like a floppy New York slice", was baked in the old brick oven from Amato's restaurant, which her mother had cooked with in her twenties; the kitchen stayed open until midnight[4]. Samara Kalk Derby ranked it with Paisan's just behind Pizza Di Roma among her favorite pizzas in 2008[5].
During the COVID-19 pandemic the bar closed from March to early August 2020, then sold pizza by curbside pickup only, Wednesday to Saturday; the basement was too small and hard to ventilate for dine-in[6].
The buyer was Sam Brown, son of Roger Brown of Rocky Rococo, who also owns Fabiola's Spaghetti House & Deli and Leopold's Books Bar Caffe a few blocks down Regent Street. His managing partner is Adam Benedetto. Brown promised to keep the name, the pizza and its Wisconsin cheese[1], and the bar reopened on August 14, 2024[2].
Pizza
- In 2006 customers chose a 12-inch ($10) or 16-inch ($12) thin crust or an 8-inch thick ($8), a tomato or olive-oil base, and classic toppings priced by size — no "goofy selections like Pad Thai"[4].
- Thin, crisp, cracker-style crust[1]. After the reopening the pizzas were 16 inches, with mozzarella and fresh basil: three house specialties, or build your own[3].
- The new owner planned to serve pizza until midnight from Thursday to Saturday[1].
Trivia
- The Italian Workmen's Club, founded in 1912, put up the building in 1922; it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in August 2024[2].
- In 2012 the Capital Times called it a bar "better known for its pizza"[7]; its sausage, green pepper and goat cheese pizza was among the paper's candidates for the area's best in November 2013[8].
- Alberici also ran The Wild Iris Cafe on Regent Street from 1990 to 2001[1].
Locations
- 914 Regent St. (1993 to present; closed March to August 2020 and June 15 to August 14, 2024).
See also
Notes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Kalk Derby, S. (2024, June 19). "Greenbush Bar in Madison being sold after 30 years." madison.com.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Adams, B. (2024, August 3). "Historic Greenbush neighborhood building gets national recognition." madison.com.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Haase, N. (2024, December 18). "Reopened Regent Street icon Greenbush Bar embraces nostalgia." The Capital Times. p. O36. Newspapers.com image 1150668262.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Evans, G. (2006, August 10). "Secret's out: Greenbush Bar is worth a visit." madison.com.
- ↑ Kalk Derby, S. (2008, January 31). "Pizza Di Roma good spot to dive into slices, pasta." madison.com.
- ↑ Kalk Derby, S. (2021, April 2). "Curbside review: Greenbush Bar will win you with Sicilian salad, antipasto, pizza." madison.com.
- ↑ (2012, August 9). Greenbush Bar, "better known for its pizza". The Capital Times. p. 7. Newspapers.com image 522559028.
- ↑ (2013, November 20). Best-pizza poll photo page: Porta Alba's Alpina, Greenbush Bar, Glass Nickel's Fetalicious, Grampa's Barberini, Paisan's Super Hot and Salvatore's Fig and Bacon. The Capital Times. p. 13. Newspapers.com image 520984544.
