Frozen pizza

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Frozen pizza has been sold in Madison since at least the 1950s, when grocery ads offered "frozen pizza pies"[1]. Wisconsin became one of the centers of the industry. Several of the brands in Madison freezer cases were started in the state in the 1960s, often from a tavern or pizzeria kitchen, and later bought by national food companies[2][3]. Some Madison restaurants have also sold their own pizzas frozen, and some bars and taprooms bake frozen pizzas made by local kitchens.

Wisconsin brands in Madison stores

Brand Where it began Earliest Madison ad found
Roma Davis Donnelly's Roman Inn, Eau Claire (1960s); a plant at Black River Falls from 1965[2][4] December 1964, probably this brand[5]
Tombstone the Tombstone Tap, Medford (1962)[3] December 1973[6]
Jack's Toby Elrick's garage, Little Chute (1960)[2] November 1977[7]
Palermo's a bakery on Milwaukee's East Side (1964)[8] October 1979[9]
Emil's Emil Caplene's pizza place, Watertown (1961)[2] 2017 (a sales route in the Madison market)[10]
  • Tombstone took its name from the Simek brothers' tavern in Medford, which stood across from a cemetery. In 1985 the Tombstone Pizza Corporation had a route-sales office in Sun Prairie[3][11]. Tombstone and Jack's are now Nestlé brands[3][2].
  • Roma grew out of the Eau Claire restaurant of Davis Donnelly, an attorney, who first made pizzas for local grocery stores. In 1965 he set up a large frozen pizza plant in Black River Falls; the company, Dadco Food Products, was sold to Bernatello's in 2000[2][4].
  • Palermo's was started as a bakery by Jack and Zina Fallucca and also makes Screamin' Sicilian[8].

Made in Madison

  • Bunky’s: the Capadona family were said to be the first to sell frozen pizzas to local grocery stores. In 2008 Bunky's Cafe and Silly Yak Bakery sold frozen gluten-free pizzas at Woodman's and Sentry Hilldale[12].
  • Paisan’s: in 1985 its Delitalia deli on University Avenue sold Paisan's pizza "frozen or hot," $4.75 for a 12-inch[13].
  • Gino’s: the Garganos' Gino's deli, open from 1982, kept a freezer of frozen Gino's stuffed pizzas[14].
  • Fraboni’s, the Italian deli in Monona, makes its own 12-inch frozen pizzas, with a Pizza of the Month[15][16].
  • Uncle E’s Pizza sold frozen pizzas from a charity food trailer in 2015[17].
  • Off the Block, made by teens in the Mentoring Positives youth program since 2016[18][19].
  • Salvatore's Tomato Pies developed frozen 10-inch pizzas at its Monona commissary in 2020–21[20].

Pizzas baked at bars

  • In 2013 One Barrel Brewing, 2001 Atwood Ave., served "a locally made 12-inch Fraboni's pizza"[21].
  • By 2021 Salvatore's frozen pizzas were sold at I/O Arcade Bar and at Lark Market in Janesville[22].

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ (1957, September 12). National Food Stores ad: "Grazianos Frozen Pizza Pies", 12-oz. package 67 cents (also CT 1958-01-02 p17). Wisconsin State Journal. p. 20. Newspapers.com image 402097958.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 Simonson, R. (2024, October 7). "The Frozen Pizza Cradle." The Mix with Robert Simonson.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 "Tombstone (pizza)." Wikipedia. Retrieved October 28, 2026.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 (1965, June 6). "Lawyer To Establish Pizza Plant at Falls." Wisconsin State Journal. p. 25. Newspapers.com image 397377200.
  5. ↑ (1964, December 17). New-store opening ad: "FREE! Roma Pizza", with cold meats, Pepsi, Thiele sausage and ice cream cones. Wisconsin State Journal. p. 9. Newspapers.com image 397608798.
  6. ↑ (1973, December 26). C&P Foods coupon: a free quart of Pepsi with any variety of Tombstone Pizza, good through Dec. 31, 1973. Wisconsin State Journal. p. 45. Newspapers.com image 402482685.
  7. ↑ (1977, November 30). Grocery ad: frozen sausage Jack's Pizza, 16 oz., $1.39. Wisconsin State Journal. p. 13. Newspapers.com image 405514101.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 "Palermo's Pizza." Wikipedia. Retrieved October 28, 2026.
  9. ↑ (1979, October 9). Grocery ad: Palermo sausage pizza $1.99, beside Jeno's pizza. The Capital Times. p. 51. Newspapers.com image 520975168.
  10. ↑ (2017, December 13). Emil's Pizza classified ad for a Madison-area sales route driver. The Capital Times. p. O17. Newspapers.com image 516779297.
  11. ↑ (1985, April 13). Classified: Route Sales — Tombstone Pizza Corporation, P.O. Box 104, Sun Prairie. The Capital Times. p. 22. Newspapers.com image 519917370.
  12. ↑ Wegner, A. N. (2008, May 28). "No glut for gluten-free 'za." madison.com.
  13. ↑ Campbell, G. (1985, May 5). Review of Paisan's Delitalia, 3313 University Ave. (University Hill Plaza): Paisan's pizza frozen or hot, $4.75 for a 12-inch; 'some people swear by Paisan's thin-crust pizza'. Wisconsin State Journal. p. 103. Newspapers.com image 401487720.
  14. ↑ Smith, S. L. (1986, March 30). Review of Gino's deli, open since 1982, with a freezer of frozen Gino's stuffed pizzas; owned by Kathy and Gino Gargano, 'who also own Gino's at 540 State St.'. Wisconsin State Journal. p. 86. Newspapers.com image 402304070.
  15. ↑ (2012, January 11). Fraboni's playoff ad: "All Large Fraboni's Frozen Pizzas $5.49 each". The Capital Times. p. 3.
  16. ↑ (2019, February 13). Fraboni's ad: "February Pizza of the Month: our Delicious C.P.W. pizza — VOTED BEST FROZEN PIZZA IN WISCONSIN" (by Garry Fraboni), Cheese Parsley and Wine sausage 12-inch pizza $6.49. The Capital Times. p. O18. Newspapers.com image 592862863.
  17. ↑ Christians, L. (2015, July 31). "Uncle E's Pizza sells dinner with a side of philanthropy." madison.com.
  18. ↑ (2017, January 4). Year in food events: at Goodman Community Center, teens in the Mentoring Positives and PEOPLE programs developed a frozen pizza prototype in 2016, to be marketed as Off the Block pizza. The Capital Times. p. O30. Newspapers.com image 516779207.
  19. ↑ (2019, October 23). Mentoring Positives' 15th anniversary: it has created two products, salsa and frozen pizza, under the Off The Block brand. The Capital Times. p. O19. Newspapers.com image 610763848.
  20. ↑ Kalk Derby, S. (2021, August 20). "Dark Horse rides again: New gallery and music space taking shape in former Star Bar." madison.com.
  21. ↑ Bedford, S. (2013, April 18). Let's Eat: One Barrel Brewing, 2001 Atwood Ave., serves "a locally made 12-inch Fraboni's pizza, usually $10, only $7 before 5 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays"; cheese, pepperoni, sausage, veggie, and sausage and giardiniera. The Capital Times. p. 5. Newspapers.com image 521039603.
  22. ↑ Christians, L. (2021, August 30). "Salvatore's Tomato Pies swims through the pandemic, picking up speed." madison.com.
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