Bunky’s
Bunky’s was the Italian restaurant of Vito "Bunky" and Ninfa Capadona at the corner of Park and Regent streets, the "Spaghetti Corner" of the old Greenbush neighborhood. It opened in the 1930s and was one of the first Madison restaurants to serve pizza[1]. The name came back from 2003 to 2016 as Bunky’s Cafe on Atwood Avenue, run by the founders' great-granddaughter[2].
History
Park and Regent
The 2008 State Journal history of Madison pizza names Bunky's as one of the first places in town to serve pizza. "Between the three there... it was a close call as to who was first," it said; another early claimant was Joe’s Pizza Pie. The Capadonas were also said to be the first to sell frozen pizzas to local grocery stores[1][3].
In 1952 Bunky's, "Corner of Park and Regent," served spaghetti "from 5 p.m. 'til past midnight" and "Pizza Pie on Fridays"[4]. In 1953, at 3 N. Park St., it had spaghetti dinners on Tuesdays and Thursdays for 75¢ and "Pizza Pie Every Wed."[5] By 1963 the family's restaurant on the corner was called Pino’s[6].
In 1971 the Capadonas put up a new building on the corner, with Pino's in the basement and the Bunky's music club upstairs. The club's debts closed both early in 1979[7]. See 3 North Park Street.
Bunky's Cafe
Teresa Pullara-Ouabel and her husband, Rachid Ouabel, opened Bunky's Cafe in 2003 at 2827 Atwood Ave., the building later used by Daisy Cafe & Cupcakery. In 2008 they moved it to 2425 Atwood Ave.[2] The cafe served Mediterranean and Italian food and was known for gluten-free and vegan dishes. Its last day as a restaurant was April 24, 2016. The business went on catering and selling hummus, falafel and other packaged foods[8].
Pizza
- 1952–53: pizza pie one night a week, Fridays in 1952 and Wednesdays in 1953[4][5].
- 2008: Bunky's Cafe made pizza from the original family recipe[1]. With Silly Yak Bakery it sold frozen gluten-free pizzas at Woodman's and Sentry Hilldale[3].
Locations
- Park and Regent streets (3 N. Park St.) (1930s to 1950s; the name was used upstairs for a music club, 1971–79).
- 2827 Atwood Ave. (Bunky's Cafe, 2003–2008).
- 2425 Atwood Ave. (Bunky's Cafe, 2008–2016).
See also
Notes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Wegner, A. N. (2008, May 28). "Through thick and thin: Madison's pizzerias have come a long way from their humble start on Spaghetti Corner." madison.com.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Everman, J. (2016, April 20). "Bunky's Cafe closes after 13 years." The Clarion.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Wegner, A. N. (2008, May 28). "No glut for gluten-free 'za." madison.com.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 (1952, March 8). Grotto and Bunky's ("Pizza Pie on Fridays") advertisements. Wisconsin State Journal. p. 7. Newspapers.com image 402633003.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 (1953, August 24). Bunky's, 3 N. Park St.: "Pizza Pie Every Wed.". Wisconsin State Journal. p. 10. Newspapers.com image 396741094.
- ↑ (1963, September 2). Police news: a burglary at Pino's restaurant, 3 N. Park St., in which $80 in rolled coins was taken. Wisconsin State Journal. p. 2. Newspapers.com image 400568046.
- ↑ Schubert, S. (1980, August 17). "Madonna's carries on tradition." Wisconsin State Journal. p. 85. Newspapers.com image 405554590.
- ↑ Brogan, D. (2016, April 14). ""We're still here": Bunky's space still open for private events, catering." Isthmus.
