Cafe La Bellitalia
From Madison Pizza Wiki
Cafe La Bellitalia was an Italian restaurant and pizzeria at 1026 N. Sherman Ave., on Madison's North Side. Pietro Pipitone opened it in 2006, and it closed in 2025[1][2].
History
In August 2006 the Capital Times reported that Pipitone, who was born in Sicily, and his family were converting the former Ole & Rick's Northside Tap into an Italian restaurant and pizzeria. He already owned a pizzeria in Beaver Dam and had run two others, in Sun Prairie and Columbus[1]. In 2008 he was a co-founder of Trapani[3].
In the 1970s the same address was one of the stores of Luigi’s Pizza & Subs[4]. The State Journal's list of 2025 closings called Cafe La Bellitalia a long-standing Italian American restaurant[2].
Pizza
- Pan-style, stuffed, thin-crust and deep-dish pizzas were planned when it opened[1].
- In 2016 its pizza came thin-crust, pan-style or stuffed, with a choice of three sauces and 20 toppings[5].
- The "Pietro Special" pizza was Isthmus's One Dish in December 2023[6].
Locations
- 1026 N. Sherman Ave. (2006–2025).
See also
Notes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 (2006, August 18). "Northside goes Sicilian": Pietro Pipitone converting 1026 N. Sherman Ave. into an Italian restaurant and pizzeria. The Capital Times. p. 3. Newspapers.com image 522523052.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Kalk Derby, S. (2026, January 16). "32 restaurants, bars and cafes that closed in the Madison area in 2025." madison.com.
- ↑ Martell, C. (2008, May 4). "Good pizza, big portions at Trapani." madison.com.
- ↑ (1973, June 7). Luigi's Pizza & Subs advertisement listing three locations. The Capital Times. p. 74. Newspapers.com image 519687182.
- ↑ Curd, D. (2016, August 20). "11 classic Italian eateries in Madison." Madison Magazine.
- ↑ (2023, December 7). One Dish: the "Pietro Special" pizza at Cafe La Bellitalia, 1026 N. Sherman Ave. (photo by Bob Koch); read through BadgerLink. Isthmus. p. 22.
