Pizza Di Roma

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Pizza di Roma (also spelled Pizza Di Roma and Pizza de Roma) was a pizza shop at 313 State St. for about 18 years, with a second store on the West Side. Both closed in 2020–2021[1][2].

History

The State Street shop was once Sal's Pizzeria, opened about 1997, which the Elmazi brothers took over and renamed Casa Bianca before turning it over to Pizza Di Roma[3]. Nafi Elmazi had bought Sal's in 1999 and sold the store to Jimmy Pashaj in the spring of 2002; on September 17, 2002, a temporary "Pizza di Roma" banner went up, the new name meant to set it apart from the Bassett Street Casa Bianca and "evoke the food's Italian roots". The New York-style pizza stayed, with more vegetable and fine-cheese slices[4]. The city first licensed it under the new name, to Pizza Di Roma LLC with Shkelqim Pashaj as agent, in June 2003[5]; that spring two men were charged with hate crimes for incidents at the restaurant in February[6]. By April 2005 it was "the only real pizza place" on State Street[7]. Its classic New York slices — "soft, floppy and huge, big enough to fold over" — made it Samara Kalk Derby's favorite pizza in town in 2008, ahead of Paisan's and the Greenbush, though "the restaurant is a bit of a dive"; it was open from 10 a.m. to 3 a.m. with free delivery and 20 pasta dishes[8][9]. Student reviewers in 2006 found the delivery early and the pizza hot, and the hour's wait typical for a Friday night[10].

The West Side store opened on June 15, 2017, at 439 Grand Canyon Dr., in the former Legends sports bar. The owners, Jimmy Pashaj and Marinela Manastirli, had then run the State Street shop for 14 years[11].

During the protests of late May and early June 2020, looters smashed the State Street store's windows and destroyed its phone and sales systems. The owner, Marinela Manastirli, moved its business to the West Side store on Grand Canyon Drive, and the State Street space was put up for lease[1]. The State Journal called it "a State Street staple for 18 years"[12].

The West Side store, at 439 Grand Canyon Dr., was "temporarily closed" by March 2021[13] and did not reopen. Mirch Masala, an Indian and Nepali restaurant, moved into the building in 2022 and took out the pizza ovens[2][14]. Little Sweet, a bakery and café, opened at 313 State St. in 2025[15].

Pizza

  • The white spinach slice — spinach and feta on a creamy sauce — was the signature: "enough to make him want to live," a friend told the Capital Times reviewer. Other slices in 2008: BBQ chicken and bacon, Supreme, Capriciossio and Presto; whole pies were $10.55 for 14 inches to $16.85 for 20[8][10].

Locations

  • 313 State St. (September 17, 2002[4] to June 2020). Before Pizza Di Roma the space was Sal's Pizzeria and then Casa Bianca[3].
  • 439 Grand Canyon Dr. (June 15, 2017, to about 2021)[11]. Before Pizza di Roma it was Legend's Sports Bar[2].

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Adams, B. (2020, June 21). "A changed landscape, worry and hope on State Street in wake of protests, amid COVID-19 pandemic." madison.com.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Kalk Derby, S. (2022, April 29). "Indian-Nepali restaurant on State Street finds new home on West Side." madison.com.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Kalk Derby, S. (2005, December 15). "Sal's Pizzeria helps a family tradition grow." madison.com.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 (2002, September 18). "Casa now to be 'Pizza di Roma'." The Badger Herald.
  5. ↑ (2003, June 10). City of Madison license renewal applications, 2003–04 (pages 4–5). The Capital Times. p. 4. Newspapers.com images 526281260, 526281260, 526281267.
  6. ↑ (2003, May 9). "Two men charged with hate crimes in incidents at Pizza di Roma." Wisconsin State Journal. p. 3. Newspapers.com image 406335588.
  7. ↑ Kalk Derby, S. (2005, April 14). "Ian's Pizza brings its slices to upper State Street." madison.com.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Kalk Derby, S. (2008, January 31). "Pizza Di Roma good spot to dive into slices, pasta." madison.com.
  9. ↑ (2008, October 16). Pizza Di Roma ad: New York style pizza, 11 a.m.–3 a.m. seven days, 313 State St. The Capital Times. p. 11. Newspapers.com image 522451175.
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 (2006, December 6). "How local pizza deliveries stack up." The Daily Cardinal.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 Kalk Derby, S. (2017, June 27). "State Street pizza place opens West Side location in former Legends." madison.com.
  12. ↑ Adams, B. (2020, August 23). "Fund launched to aid State Street businesses but challenges persist." madison.com.
  13. ↑ Kalk Derby, S. (2021, March 2). "'Community over competition': One pizzeria helps another after Sun Prairie crash." madison.com.
  14. ↑ (2022, December 7). Mirch Masala review: the former Pizza di Roma on Grand Canyon Drive. The Capital Times. p. O37. Newspapers.com image 902934910.
  15. ↑ Kalk Derby, S. (2026, January 16). "46 restaurant, bar and cafe openings in the Madison area in 2025." madison.com.
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