Greenbush Bar
The Greenbush Bar is a basement bar and pizza restaurant at 914 Regent St., under the Italian Workmen's Club. Anna Alberici opened it in 1993, and it became known for its cracker-thin pizza, made with her sauce recipe[1], and for Christmas lights that stay up all year[2].
History
Before 1993 the basement was the Cellar Bar, owned by Gino Baldarotta, an early craft-beer bar[2]. Alberici ran the Greenbush Bar for 31 years, with Gretchen Hils as co-owner[3], and closed it on Saturday, June 15, 2024[1].
In 2006 a Capital Times feature called it a secret its friends begged her not to share. Alberici had meant to run a bar with light snacks, but after six months the customers were "crazy for her cooking". The pizza, "like a floppy New York slice", was baked in the old brick oven from Amato's restaurant, which her mother had cooked with in her twenties; the kitchen stayed open until midnight[4]. Samara Kalk Derby ranked it with Paisan's just behind Pizza Di Roma among her favorite pizzas in 2008[5].
During the COVID-19 pandemic the bar closed from March to early August 2020, then sold pizza by curbside pickup only, Wednesday to Saturday; the basement was too small and hard to ventilate for dine-in[6].
The buyer was Sam Brown, son of Roger Brown of Rocky Rococo, who also owns Fabiola's Spaghetti House & Deli and Leopold's Books Bar Caffe a few blocks down Regent Street. His managing partner is Adam Benedetto. Brown promised to keep the name, the pizza and its Wisconsin cheese[1], and the bar reopened on August 14, 2024[2].
Pizza
- In 2006 customers chose a 12-inch ($10) or 16-inch ($12) thin crust or an 8-inch thick ($8), a tomato or olive-oil base, and classic toppings priced by size — no "goofy selections like Pad Thai"[4].
- Thin, crisp, cracker-style crust[1]. After the reopening the pizzas were 16 inches, with mozzarella and fresh basil: three house specialties, or build your own[3].
- The new owner planned to serve pizza until midnight from Thursday to Saturday[1].
Trivia
- The Italian Workmen's Club, founded in 1912, put up the building in 1922; it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in August 2024[2].
- In 2012 the Capital Times called it a bar "better known for its pizza"[7]; its sausage, green pepper and goat cheese pizza was among the paper's candidates for the area's best in November 2013[8].
- Alberici also ran The Wild Iris Cafe on Regent Street from 1990 to 2001[1].
Locations
- 914 Regent St. (1993 to present; closed March to August 2020 and June 15 to August 14, 2024).
See also
Notes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Kalk Derby, S. (2024, June 19). "Greenbush Bar in Madison being sold after 30 years." madison.com.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Adams, B. (2024, August 3). "Historic Greenbush neighborhood building gets national recognition." madison.com.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Haase, N. (2024, December 18). "Reopened Regent Street icon Greenbush Bar embraces nostalgia." The Capital Times. p. O36. Newspapers.com image 1150668262.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Evans, G. (2006, August 10). "Secret's out: Greenbush Bar is worth a visit." madison.com.
- ↑ Kalk Derby, S. (2008, January 31). "Pizza Di Roma good spot to dive into slices, pasta." madison.com.
- ↑ Kalk Derby, S. (2021, April 2). "Curbside review: Greenbush Bar will win you with Sicilian salad, antipasto, pizza." madison.com.
- ↑ (2012, August 9). Greenbush Bar, "better known for its pizza". The Capital Times. p. 7. Newspapers.com image 522559028.
- ↑ (2013, November 20). Best-pizza poll photo page: Porta Alba's Alpina, Greenbush Bar, Glass Nickel's Fetalicious, Grampa's Barberini, Paisan's Super Hot and Salvatore's Fig and Bacon. The Capital Times. p. 13. Newspapers.com image 520984544.
