Ian's Pizza: Difference between revisions

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Add the pandemic years and the 2020 stores (2020–2022 research); earlier text kept
Add the 2015–2019 years: the Sal's sausage, Garver, and the Thanksgiving slice (2015–2019 research)
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==History==
==History==
In 2015 Ian's teamed up with its ostensible competitor [[Salvatore’s Tomato Pies|Salvatore's Tomato Pies]] to make its own sausage — about 400 pounds a week, of Uphoff kurobota pork — and was planning its sixth store, in Seattle<ref name="mc-2015-07-16-ians-sals-sausage">Christians, L. (2015, July 16). [https://madison.com/life-entertainment/local/food-drink/article_28262af3-5725-55a5-b1ff-0abe7234fa4e.html "Ian's Pizza and Sal's Tomato Pies team up to make their own sausage."] ''madison.com''.</ref>. Ian's signed a lease for the Garver Feed Mill by December 2017, two years before the renovated building opened<ref name="ct-2017-12-13-pO11">(2017, December 13). "Construction on Garver facility begins." ''The Capital Times''. p. O11. Newspapers.com image [https://www.newspapers.com/image/516779328/ 516779328].</ref>; the Garver store's first week in July 2019 was so busy the ovens failed — "It broke us" — and it closed briefly, reopening July 30<ref name="ct-2019-11-06-pO13">(2019, November 6). Garver Feed Mill opening, with Ian's Pizza among the tenants. ''The Capital Times''. p. O13. Newspapers.com image [https://www.newspapers.com/image/613239930/ 613239930].</ref>.
On State Street, owner Nick Martin spoke up in the debates of 2017 and 2018 about conditions at the top of State Street, and the store's Tuesday night open mics were held up as programming "inclusive to the homeless"<ref name="ct-2018-07-25-pO12">Pasque, L. S. (2018, July 25). "State Street crime at a high." ''The Capital Times''. p. O12. Newspapers.com image [https://www.newspapers.com/image/508043289/ 508043289].</ref>.
In January 2026 Ian's had three stores in Madison, among them State Street and the Garver Feed Mill (opened 2019), three in Milwaukee, and one in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, opened in July 2025, with a commercial kitchen at 802 Walsh Rd. Each store has its own group of owners drawn from its employees, friends and family; Nick Martin is managing partner of the Madison stores<ref name="mc-2026-01-19-ians-verona" />.
In January 2026 Ian's had three stores in Madison, among them State Street and the Garver Feed Mill (opened 2019), three in Milwaukee, and one in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, opened in July 2025, with a commercial kitchen at 802 Walsh Rd. Each store has its own group of owners drawn from its employees, friends and family; Nick Martin is managing partner of the Madison stores<ref name="mc-2026-01-19-ians-verona" />.


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==Pizza==
==Pizza==
* Seasonal specials include a Thanksgiving pizza: mozzarella, mushroom cream, mushrooms, green beans, stuffing, cranberry sauce and fried onions<ref name="ct-2023-11-15-pO44">(2023, November 15). Thanksgiving takeout roundup: Ian's Pizza Thanksgiving pizza. ''The Capital Times''. p. O44. Newspapers.com image [https://www.newspapers.com/image/1019208710/ 1019208710].</ref>.
* Seasonal specials include a Thanksgiving pizza: mozzarella, mushroom cream, mushrooms, green beans, stuffing, cranberry sauce and fried onions<ref name="ct-2023-11-15-pO44">(2023, November 15). Thanksgiving takeout roundup: Ian's Pizza Thanksgiving pizza. ''The Capital Times''. p. O44. Newspapers.com image [https://www.newspapers.com/image/1019208710/ 1019208710].</ref>. The "seasonal stunt pie" has been on the November menu in some form since at least 2007, when it was paired with a dessert pie of sweet potato, caramelized pecans and mini marshmallows; Jeff Bach overhauled the modern turkey-and-stuffing slice at the commissary around 2010, replacing a version held together by mashed potatoes and gravy<ref name="mc-2018-11-22-ians-thanksgiving">Lay, C. (2018, November 22). [https://madison.com/life-entertainment/local/food-drink/restaurants/article_55c2f7d5-143b-55d1-97f8-87490277446b.html "Let's Eat: Give thanks for Ian's Pizza's tasty turkey-and-stuffing stunt slice."] ''madison.com''.</ref>.
* "As far as the pizza world is concerned, tavern-style pizza is definitely having a moment," Gurfield said in 2026<ref name="ct-2026-01-14-pO30">Rodriguez, A. (2026, January 14). "Kebabs and coffee: 2026 culinary trends." ''The Capital Times''. p. O30. Newspapers.com image [https://www.newspapers.com/image/1291918101/ 1291918101].</ref>.
* "As far as the pizza world is concerned, tavern-style pizza is definitely having a moment," Gurfield said in 2026<ref name="ct-2026-01-14-pO30">Rodriguez, A. (2026, January 14). "Kebabs and coffee: 2026 culinary trends." ''The Capital Times''. p. O30. Newspapers.com image [https://www.newspapers.com/image/1291918101/ 1291918101].</ref>.


Revision as of 13:51, 21 October 2026

Ian's Pizza was cofounded by Ian Gurfield. It opened on October 31, 2001, and is known for selling pizza by the slice, especially its mac 'n cheese pizza[1].

History

In 2015 Ian's teamed up with its ostensible competitor Salvatore's Tomato Pies to make its own sausage — about 400 pounds a week, of Uphoff kurobota pork — and was planning its sixth store, in Seattle[2]. Ian's signed a lease for the Garver Feed Mill by December 2017, two years before the renovated building opened[3]; the Garver store's first week in July 2019 was so busy the ovens failed — "It broke us" — and it closed briefly, reopening July 30[4].

On State Street, owner Nick Martin spoke up in the debates of 2017 and 2018 about conditions at the top of State Street, and the store's Tuesday night open mics were held up as programming "inclusive to the homeless"[5].

In January 2026 Ian's had three stores in Madison, among them State Street and the Garver Feed Mill (opened 2019), three in Milwaukee, and one in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, opened in July 2025, with a commercial kitchen at 802 Walsh Rd. Each store has its own group of owners drawn from its employees, friends and family; Nick Martin is managing partner of the Madison stores[1].

During the COVID-19 pandemic all three Madison stores of 2020, on State Street, on North Frances Street and at Garver, kept up carryout and delivery[6]. A fund called "Stay home! Send pizza!" sent Ian's pizzas to hospital workers in the spring of 2020[7], and Ian's gave pizza to the protesters of 2020, as it had to the Act 10 protesters of 2011, when it delivered up to 1,200 pizzas a day to the Capitol with orders from all 50 states and 72 countries[8][9]. Only three of its seven restaurants got federal Restaurant Revitalization Fund grants in 2021[10]. To keep staff, it guaranteed tipped workers $15 an hour and paid $2 more after 10 p.m.[11]

The largest store yet, 8,000 square feet at 303 W. Verona Ave. in Verona's Mill District, broke ground in early January 2026 and was due to open by midsummer. It is the first Ian's to sell liquor, and has its own Calliope Ice Cream counter[1].

Pizza

  • Seasonal specials include a Thanksgiving pizza: mozzarella, mushroom cream, mushrooms, green beans, stuffing, cranberry sauce and fried onions[12]. The "seasonal stunt pie" has been on the November menu in some form since at least 2007, when it was paired with a dessert pie of sweet potato, caramelized pecans and mini marshmallows; Jeff Bach overhauled the modern turkey-and-stuffing slice at the commissary around 2010, replacing a version held together by mashed potatoes and gravy[13].
  • "As far as the pizza world is concerned, tavern-style pizza is definitely having a moment," Gurfield said in 2026[14].

Locations

  • 100 State St.[8]
  • 319 N. Frances St. (open in 2020)[15][16].
  • Garver Feed Mill, 3241 Garver Green (2019 to present)[12][1].
  • 303 W. Verona Ave., Verona (due to open in summer 2026).

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Kalk Derby, S. (2026, January 19). "Ian's Pizza is coming to Verona, its 'biggest undertaking yet'." madison.com.
  2. ↑ Christians, L. (2015, July 16). "Ian's Pizza and Sal's Tomato Pies team up to make their own sausage." madison.com.
  3. ↑ (2017, December 13). "Construction on Garver facility begins." The Capital Times. p. O11. Newspapers.com image 516779328.
  4. ↑ (2019, November 6). Garver Feed Mill opening, with Ian's Pizza among the tenants. The Capital Times. p. O13. Newspapers.com image 613239930.
  5. ↑ Pasque, L. S. (2018, July 25). "State Street crime at a high." The Capital Times. p. O12. Newspapers.com image 508043289.
  6. ↑ Christians, L. (2020, March 17). "UPDATED: Some restaurants close, others shift to low-contact take-out in wake of COVID-19." madison.com.
  7. ↑ Christians, L. (2020, April 6). "Stay home, send pizza: Efforts to 'feed the frontlines' of coronavirus fight gain traction." madison.com.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Christians, L. (2020, June 12). "Restaurants say #blacklivesmatter with posts, pizza." madison.com.
  9. ↑ Vetterkind, R. (2021, February 7). "Act 10 helped put Ian's Pizza on the map." madison.com.
  10. ↑ Schmidt, M. (2021, July 31). "Only 1 in 3 Wisconsin restaurant applicants got COVID relief grant, leaving room for worry." madison.com.
  11. ↑ Christians, L. (2021, September 29). "Out of service: What will it take to bring back Madison's restaurant workers?" madison.com.
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 (2023, November 15). Thanksgiving takeout roundup: Ian's Pizza Thanksgiving pizza. The Capital Times. p. O44. Newspapers.com image 1019208710.
  13. ↑ Lay, C. (2018, November 22). "Let's Eat: Give thanks for Ian's Pizza's tasty turkey-and-stuffing stunt slice." madison.com.
  14. ↑ Rodriguez, A. (2026, January 14). "Kebabs and coffee: 2026 culinary trends." The Capital Times. p. O30. Newspapers.com image 1291918101.
  15. ↑ Kalk Derby, S. (2020, January 9). "New Novanta restaurant is quick, dependable and spirited." madison.com.
  16. ↑ Christians, L. (2020, November 7). "Cold comfort: With winter on its way, Madison restaurants scramble to stay alive." madison.com.
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