La Rocca's Restaurant & Pizzeria
La Rocca's Pizzeria is a family Italian restaurant run by Vito and Caterina La Rocca. It began as a takeout pizza place in Brooklyn, Wisconsin, in 2002, moved to Williamson Street in Madison in 2006, and early in 2012 moved again to 971 Janesville St. in Oregon[1].
History
Williamson Street, 2006 to 2012
Vito La Rocca, born and raised in Sicily, had been in the restaurant business since 1978 and ran a restaurant in Italy for nine years. For three years he and Caterina had a part-time carry-out and delivery La Rocca's in the village of Brooklyn, where they lived, when in December 2005 they announced a pizzeria at 940 Williamson St., a former used-appliance store next to Heartland Credit Union, with four kinds of pizza — thin, thick, pan and stuffed. He promised to stay away from fish ("the most popular way in Wisconsin is fish fry. There's just one way") and from heavy sauces, blaming the popularity of Ragu[2]. The council approved the licence on January 3, 2006[3], and the restaurant opened on April 4, 2006, with 10 tables for 45 people[4]. The Capital Times called it old-school Italian "in a Josie's Spaghetti House kind of way" and gave it two and a half stars, as did Michael Muckian in August[4][5]; the State Journal thought it might seem a clone of Roman Candle a block away but found it very different — "a mom-and-pop restaurant with variety, low prices and very good pizza crusts"[6]. Outdoor seating was added in October 2006[7].
Oregon
Before La Rocca's the family ran Marsala's in Stoughton. The Oregon restaurant, which shares a building with a chiropractic clinic, had been open less than three months when it was reviewed in June 2012; the menu was Sicilian, with classic Italian-American dishes and thin-crust pizza. Of the competition in Oregon Vito La Rocca said: "Maria's (Pizza) has been there for 30 years, and they're still doing a great job"[1]. The Willy Street restaurant was named among the near east side's pizza choices in 2010[8].
Pizza
- In 2006 the five combination pizzas included the namesake La Rocca's (sausage, ham, mushroom and black olives under a four-cheese blend), the Quattro Gusti and "The Great"; there were nearly 30 toppings, among them tuna, blue cheese and bresaola, and the stuffed pizza was "worth seeking out because there are so few outlets for deep dish pizza in Madison"[4][6].
- The La Rocca Style pizza carries four cheeses, sausage, ham, bacon, mushrooms and black olives; pies from 10 to 16 inches cost $12 to $18 in 2012, with an extra-thin crust on request[1].
Locations
- 971 Janesville St., Oregon (from about March 2012).
Former Locations
See also
Notes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Christians, L. (2012, June 6). "Lovable La Rocca's treats diners like family." madison.com.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Kalk Derby, S. (2005, December 22). "Willy Street to get more pizza -- but no Ragu." madison.com.
- ↑ (2006, January 4). City Council, Jan. 3, 2006: liquor licence approved for a new pizzeria at 940 Williamson St., La Rocca's Pizzeria. The Capital Times. p. 21. Newspapers.com image 525987849.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Kalk Derby, S. (2006, April 27). "La Rocca's brings old-school Italian to Willy St." madison.com.
- ↑ Muckian, M. (2006, August 5). "La Rocca's hits mark modestly." The Capital Times. p. 29. Newspapers.com image 522522703.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Martell, C. (2006, May 7). "Charming La Rocca's serves up old-school Italian." madison.com.
- ↑ (2006, October 20). Council proceedings: La Rocca's Pizzeria, 940 Williamson St., capacity 40, outdoor seating added. The Capital Times. p. 38. Newspapers.com image 522638774.
- ↑ Kalk Derby, S. (2010, May 4). "There's more to Supreme Pizza than oodles of spaghetti." madison.com.
