Angelo’s Pizzeria

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Angelo's Pizzeria, later simply Angelo's restaurant and bar, was a pizza restaurant at 5801 Monona Dr. in Monona from September 1990 to December 19, 2020. Angelo Fraboni, founder of the Fraboni's Italian delicatessens, opened it in his former supper club, the Colonial Inn[1][2].

History

Fraboni ran the Colonial Inn at 5801 Monona Dr. from 1969 to 1987, sold it, and bought it back in July 1990. He closed it, remodeled it and reopened it as a pizza parlor "to fill what he considered a void in the neighborhood"[1][3]. Help-wanted advertisements for a pizza maker, salad person and waitstaff at "Angelo's Pizzeria / Colonial Inn" ran from August 7, 1990[4], and the restaurant was two months old when Jay Rath reviewed it for the Capital Times on November 3[1]. The State Journal's reviewer that month called it "great": hand-tossed pizza, spaghetti and cannoli, open 4:30 to 11 p.m. Monday to Saturday, with a no-smoking dining room[3]. In 1991 the Capital Times noted that Wisconsin Bell was removing the pay phone that had been in the building for 30 years[5]. In February 1995 Fraboni told the Capital Times that Monona's plan for a turn lane on Monona Drive would cost the restaurant 11 of its 36 parking stalls[6], and that June the Capitol Chordsmen barbershop chorus was singing there after its Thursday rehearsals[7]. Angelo Fraboni died of respiratory failure on October 4, 1995, aged 69. His State Journal obituary recalled that he had bought the old Colonial Inn in 1969 and "later turned it into Angelo's Pizzaria", that two of his sons ran the Fraboni's delicatessens, and that he was best known for the Dickens Village in the pizzeria basement[8][9]. The family kept the restaurant going; in June 1996 "Angelo Pizzaria" was hiring a full-time cook[10].

Patrick Augustine bought Angelo's from the Fraboni family in 1997 and kept the name[2]. In 1998 the restaurant hosted the Dairyland Walkers' April dinner meeting and took part in Food Share Day on May 5, when a tenth of the tab went to Dane County food pantries[11][12]. By 2000 he and co-owner Karl Krug had added pasta dishes, a Thursday Cajun night and a Friday fish fry that filled both floors; Kathy Foster's takeout column that September found the white pizza and the spaghetti pie "great as leftovers too"[13]. The Fraboni's East delicatessen stood behind the restaurant at 108 Owen Rd.[14]

Travis McGuigan, who had grown up in Monona and tended bar at Angelo's for 16 years, bought it from Augustine in 2017. In November 2020 he announced that it would close on December 19, after 30 years: its older clientele had stayed home during the COVID-19 pandemic, carry-out business had "trickled off", and the lease was up at the end of the year. "It's always been just a wonderful neighborhood bar," he said. He added that the restaurant was not affiliated with the Angelo's in McFarland[2]. Fratelli's Trattoria, an Italian restaurant, opened in the building on May 22, 2023[15].

Trivia

  • Fraboni kept a model-railroad village in the restaurant: a Dickens-era HO layout was on view in September 1992[16], and at Christmas 1994 "people are flocking to the place" to see his Dickens Village collection, with its train and an entrance lined with decorated trees, in the basement, with Fraboni giving the tours himself[17]. He never charged admission, but collected nearly $900 a year in donations and gave it all to charity[8].

Pizza

  • Angelo's Favorite, the house pizza of 1990: Italian sausage, onion, spiced beef, black olives, green peppers and chopped fresh tomato, $9.95 for a 12-inch and $12.95 for a 16-inch. Plain cheese pizzas started at $6.95; the crust was "crisp and bubbled at the edges"[1].
  • The 1995 Yellow Pages ad for "Angelo's Pizzaria & Pasta" called hand-tossed pizzas the specialty and the White Pizza a "new sensation", and promised a no-smoking dining room and a children's library[18].
  • In November 1994 a 12-inch Angelo's Favorite with five toppings was $8.95 and the spaghetti and meatball dinner $4.95[19].
  • The white pizza (mushrooms, black olives, artichoke hearts, onion, Italian sausage, Parmesan and Alfredo sauce) and the spaghetti pie (spaghetti, Alfredo sauce, mushrooms, onions, green peppers and Italian sausage on a pizza crust) were the most popular items in 2000, at $7.20 and $8.95 for an individual size[13].

Former Locations

  • 5801 Monona Dr., Monona (September 1990 to December 19, 2020)[1][2]. Before Angelo's the building was Fraboni's Colonial Inn (1969–1987) and, after it, Fratelli's Trattoria (2023)[2][15].

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Rath, J. (1990, November 3). "Pizza place true to family tradition." The Capital Times. p. 39. Newspapers.com image 520343685.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Kalk Derby, S. (2020, November 13). "Angelo's in Monona closing after carryout 'trickled off'; older clientele stayed away." madison.com.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 (1990, November 25). "Angelo's Pizzeria is — great!" Wisconsin State Journal. p. 86. Newspapers.com image 404465000.
  4. ↑ (1990, August 7). 'Pizza maker, salad person, dishwasher, waitperson' wanted at Angelo's Pizzeria / Colonial Inn, 5801 Monona Drive, 222-1464 (ran in both papers Aug. 7–16, 1990; a 'pizza & pasta cooks' ad followed Sept. 27–Oct. 6). Wisconsin State Journal. p. 28. Newspapers.com images 405357101, 521656396.
  5. ↑ (1991, July 30). "Ma Bell pulls pizzeria's plug." The Capital Times. p. 63. Newspapers.com image 521668067.
  6. ↑ Weier, A. (1995, February 6). "Monona frets." The Capital Times. p. 4. Newspapers.com image 521459556.
  7. ↑ (1995, June 7). "Capitol Chordsmen mark 50 years." Wisconsin State Journal. p. 23. Newspapers.com image 404150914.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Morgan, H. (1995, October 5). "Monona's Fraboni dies." Wisconsin State Journal. p. 17. Newspapers.com image 404149642.
  9. ↑ (1995, October 6). "Death notice: Fraboni, Angelo Domenic (1926–1995)." The Capital Times. p. 28. Newspapers.com image 521768078.
  10. ↑ (1996, June 30). 'COOK WANTED: 40 hrs./wk. Pizza experience helpful. Must be 18 yrs. old. Apply in person at: Angelo Pizzaria, 5801 Monona Dr., Monona'; Pizzeria Uno hiring delivery drivers ('earn $12/hr & more, car insurance allowance') a…. Wisconsin State Journal. p. 74. Newspapers.com image 398440151.
  11. ↑ (1998, April 6). "Neighbors: club notes." Wisconsin State Journal. p. 13. Newspapers.com image 404499621.
  12. ↑ (1998, April 30). "Food Share 1998: dine out Tuesday, May 5." The Capital Times. p. 61. Newspapers.com image 523391830.
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 Foster, K. (2000, September 19). "Angelo's pizza, spaghetti are great as leftovers too." The Capital Times. p. 27. Newspapers.com image 522185503.
  14. ↑ (1999, December 9). Fraboni's Italian Specialties ad: 'EAST 108 Owen Road (behind Angelo's Pizzeria) 222-6632' (also CT Dec. 9 p92, WSJ Dec. 16 p86, CT Dec. 16 p85). Wisconsin State Journal. p. 65. Newspapers.com images 398400028, 521911033, 397353918, 521922528.
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 Kalk Derby, S. (2023, October 19). "Restaurant review: Fratelli's Trattoria has great pizza and a whole lot more." madison.com.
  16. ↑ (1992, September 24). "Model railroading." Wisconsin State Journal. p. 20. Newspapers.com image 406186382.
  17. ↑ (1994, December 13). "Pssssst!" The Capital Times. p. 3. Newspapers.com image 521490612.
  18. ↑ (1995). Ameritech PagesPlus Yellow Pages, Madison, 1995 edition, 'Pizza' classification, p. 641: display ads — Gumby's Pizza, 2433 University Av. (fast free delivery Sun–Wed 11–2 a.m., Thu–Sat 11–3:30 a.m.; wholewheat crust and e…. Madison telephone directory. p. 641.
  19. ↑ (1994, November 2). Angelo's Pizzeria 'Daily Prices': spaghetti and meatball dinner with salad, bread and butter $4.95; 12-inch Angelo's Favorite pizza with five toppings $8.95; 5801 Monona Dr., 222-1464 (ran in both papers Nov. 2–9, 1994). The Capital Times. p. 29. Newspapers.com images 521467280, 406058276.
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