DiSalvo’s Casa di Pizza

From Madison Pizza Wiki

DiSalvo’s Casa di Pizza, "The House of Pizza", was a restaurant at 306 State St. that Sam DiSalvo ran from 1961 to 1968. It served pizza, spaghetti and seafood, and delivered fried chicken anywhere in the city under the name Chicken on Wheels[1][2]. In 1968 DiSalvo remodeled it and reopened it as DiSalvo's Villa Tap, a bar that the family ran into the late 1970s[3][4].

History

Before DiSalvo, 306 State St. was Stephen Carvello's Chicken on Wheels restaurant. In 1960 it merged with the Coney Island restaurant at 314 State St. as Caranotes, Inc., and the Coney Island's beer license moved to 306 State[5][6]. In June 1961 the Capital Times reported that Sam DiSalvo planned to buy the restaurant if the Council approved the transfer of its beer license[7]. By November 17 "Casa Di Pizza, 306 State St." was hiring waitresses[8].

A December 1961 ad called it "Di Salvo's Famous Casa di Pizza (The House of Pizza)." It featured spaghetti and French fried shrimp "since 1941," along with a regular menu of pizza, steaks, sandwiches, lasagna and seafood. "Chicken on Wheels" was "our Specialty," with free delivery anywhere in the city. It was open until 2 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays and until 1:30 a.m. on weekdays, and closed on Tuesdays[1]. The "since 1941" points to the DiSalvo family's older restaurant at 810 Regent St., which was licensed in 1941[9][10]. Sam DiSalvo's obituary calls it the DiSalvo Spaghetti House[4]. In December 1941 that restaurant, managed by Cosmo DiSalvo, installed a deep fryer and added French fried shrimp to its menu[11]. No pizza has been found in that restaurant's ads.

The ads ran until May 31, 1968. By then the menu was perch, chicken, shrimp, pizza, sirloin steak and spaghetti, and both the deliveries and the restaurant opened daily at 5 p.m.[2]

Villa Tap

The Villa Tap was the same business under a new name: same owner, same address, same building. On September 7, 1968, it advertised that it was "now open after complete remodeling" as DiSalvo's Villa Tap, a bar with pizza, sandwiches and carryouts. It served food daily from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. and from 5:30 p.m. until closing, and it had a new telephone number, 257-0300[3]. In September 1969 the Capital Times listed it among the places open to 18-year-olds, with Sam DiSalvo serving beer and spaghetti at "his DiSalvo's Villa Tap"[12].

By October 1970 it had become a student bar. A Capital Times nightlife column said the Villa Tap "was once DiSalvo's Restaurant, featuring pizzas and other Italian specialties." Sam DiSalvo and his wife had turned it over to their son, a student at Madison Business College. He simplified the decor, and students from the college and the nearby vocational school made it their hangout[13]. The family still held the Villa Tap's liquor license in 1973[14]. Sam DiSalvo died on December 31, 1976; his obituary called him the owner of the Villa Tap, 306 State St.[4] The license was renewed again in 1977[15]. When the Villa Tap closed has not been found.

Pizza

  • 1961: pizza on the "regular menu," next to steaks, sandwiches, lasagna and seafood[1].
  • 1968: pizza is listed with perch, chicken, shrimp, sirloin steak and spaghetti, for delivery or in the restaurant[2].
  • 1968: as the Villa Tap, "Bar • Pizza • Your Favorite Sandwiches," with carryouts[3].

Trivia

  • A 2020 State Journal photo caption calls it one of the first restaurants to deliver, bringing chicken to the customer's door[1]. The Chicken on Wheels name was older than DiSalvo's: it belonged to the restaurant he bought[5].

Locations

  • 306 State St. (1961–1968; as the Villa Tap from September 1968 to at least 1977).

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 (2020, June 28). "Throwback photos: Madison-area restaurants you'll never eat at again, part 4." madison.com.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 (1968, May 31). DiSalvo's Casa di Pizza, Chicken on Wheels, We Deliver: perch, chicken, shrimp, pizza, sirloin steak, spaghetti; deliveries and restaurant open daily at 5 p.m., closed Sundays and holidays; 255-7249, 306 State St. Wisconsin State Journal. p. 14. Newspapers.com image 404631945.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 (1968, September 7). Now open after complete remodeling: DiSalvo's Villa Tap, 306 State St., 257-0300: bar, pizza, your favorite sandwiches; food service daily 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. to closing; carryouts. Wisconsin State Journal. p. 15. Newspapers.com image 404587596.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 (1977, January 3). Sam DiSalvo, 63, died Dec. 31, 1976: one of the owners of the DiSalvo Spaghetti House on Regent St. for many years; also owner of the Villa Tap, 306 State St. The Capital Times. p. 3. Newspapers.com image 519817707.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 (1960, July 27). Council business: the Coney Island restaurant, 314 State St., and the Chicken on Wheels restaurant, 306 State St., merge as Caranotes, Inc. (Thomas G. Notes, president; Stephen Carvello, secretary and agent); beer license mo…. The Capital Times. p. 4. Newspapers.com image 521638428.
  6. ↑ (1960, September 2). Common Council proceedings: the Coney Island class B beer license is cancelled and the same type of license granted to Caranotes, Inc., Stephen J. Carvello, agent, 306 State St. Wisconsin State Journal. p. 12. Newspapers.com image 401166493.
  7. ↑ (1961, June 6). Council agenda: Sam DiSalvo plans to buy the restaurant at 306 State St. if the Council approves transfer of its beer license; it is owned by Caranotes, Inc., Stephen J. Caravello, agent. The Capital Times. p. 4. Newspapers.com image 519284761.
  8. ↑ (1961, November 17). Help wanted: waitress, part time or steady, apply in person after 5, Casa Di Pizza, 306 State St. Wisconsin State Journal. p. 34. Newspapers.com image 398358369.
  9. ↑ (1941, June 3). Liquor license applications: class B combination restaurant beer and liquor, Disalvo, Cosmo, 810 Regent. Wisconsin State Journal. p. 18. Newspapers.com image 405493436.
  10. ↑ (1956, September 6). Restaurant ads welcoming the Shriners: DiSalvo's, 810 Regent St. (Friday specials); Amato's Holiday House; Troia's Steak House. The Capital Times. p. 50. Newspapers.com image 522548854.
  11. ↑ (1941, December 6). "Di Salvo's Offers New Food Treat." Wisconsin State Journal. p. 14. Newspapers.com image 405262823.
  12. ↑ (1969, September 18). Nightlife roundup of places open to 18-year-olds: Sam DiSalvo serves beer and spaghetti at his DiSalvo's Villa Tap, 306 State St., remodeled last year. The Capital Times. p. 57. Newspapers.com image 519313906.
  13. ↑ Rettgen, G. (1970, October 8). State Street night life: Paco's, 100 block, owned by Bill Louther and run by veteran restaurateur Joe Troia (Mexican and some Italian food); the Villa Tap at 306 State was once DiSalvo's Restaurant, featuring pizzas and othe…. The Capital Times. p. 49. Newspapers.com image 519326278.
  14. ↑ (1973, May 22). Liquor license applications: the DiSalvo family's Villa Tap, 306 State St. Wisconsin State Journal. p. 3. Newspapers.com image 405773863.
  15. ↑ (1977, May 25). City of Madison license list, May 1977. Wisconsin State Journal. p. 38.
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