Jacques: Add the 2005–2009 years from the newspaper research recorded in the database; earlier text kept

2026-10-22T03:37:32Z

Add the 2005–2009 years from the newspaper research recorded in the database; earlier text kept

← Older revision		Revision as of 03:37, 22 October 2026
Line 2:		Line 2:

	==History==		==History==
	Bruce Hink opened the ~~restaurant~~ in March 2007 ~~and~~ closed it in February 2017, saying he could no longer afford the rent on the prime State Street corner — about $200,000 a year<ref name="mc-2017-02-09-mia-zas-closing" />.		Bruce Hink, who had opened Za's in Champaign, Illinois, and Ann Arbor, Michigan, and whose grandparents ran a general store in Jump River, Wisconsin, opened Za's Italian Cafe on Friday, March 2, 2007, in the former Blockbuster Video at 515 State St. His idea was to turn "fast casual" on its head: 30 to 40 ingredients that worked across pizzas, panini, salads and pastas, chosen on an order form filled in like a test; 9-inch personal pizzas cooked in just over a minute in an infrared oven; real plates; everything about $5; 150 seats; and no listed phone number, so that nothing was made before the customer arrived<ref name="mc-2007-03-01-zas-opening">Kalk Derby, S. (2007, March 1). [https://madison.com/entertainment/article_18878204-071c-5fd3-930b-4709ae584ea6.html "Za's aims to please with low-maintenance approach."] ''madison.com''.</ref>. The Capital Times' review that June gave it two and a half stars and found the pizzas like the John's frozen pizza of the reviewer's Chicago childhood, "only John's pizzas ... were unusually tasty"<ref name="mc-2007-06-07-zas-review">Kalk Derby, S. (2007, June 7). [https://madison.com/entertainment/article_9338801e-0915-59dd-b451-77a3446b6bea.html "Price is right, but Za's food leaves something to be desired."] ''madison.com''.</ref>. Hink closed it in February 2017, saying he could no longer afford the rent on the prime State Street corner — about $200,000 a year<ref name="mc-2017-02-09-mia-zas-closing" />.

	==Former Locations==		==Former Locations==
	* 515 State St. (March 2007 to February 2017).		* 515 State St. (March 2, 2007, to February 2017)<ref name="mc-2007-03-01-zas-opening" />.

	==See also==		==See also==

Jacques: New article from the 2015–2019 newspaper research recorded in the database

2026-10-21T13:52:21Z

New article from the 2015–2019 newspaper research recorded in the database

New page

'''Mia Za's''' (at first '''Za's Italian Cafe''') was a fast-casual Italian and pizza restaurant at 515 State St. from March 2007 to February 2017<ref name="mc-2017-02-09-mia-zas-closing">Kalk Derby, S. (2017, February 9). [https://madison.com/life-entertainment/local/food-drink/restaurants/article_9a7cd88a-9942-5a43-9e1f-e3508972e6fd.html "State Street restaurant can no longer afford $200,000-a-year rent."] ''madison.com''.</ref>.

==History==
Bruce Hink opened the restaurant in March 2007 and closed it in February 2017, saying he could no longer afford the rent on the prime State Street corner — about $200,000 a year<ref name="mc-2017-02-09-mia-zas-closing" />.

==Former Locations==
* 515 State St. (March 2007 to February 2017).

==See also==
* [[Item:Q1575|Mia Za's in the Madison Pizza Wiki database]]

==Notes==
<references />

Mia Za’s - Revision history

Jacques: Add the 2005–2009 years from the newspaper research recorded in the database; earlier text kept

Jacques: New article from the 2015–2019 newspaper research recorded in the database