Photo courtesy of Calderone Club Facebook Page
If you’re looking for authentic, Italian fare in downtown Milwaukee, Calderone Club is a must for dining. From pizza and gnocchi to chicken marsala and eggplant parmigiana, this extensive menu takes you through the cuisine of Italy, no matter where your taste buds want to go.
A warm and cozy atmosphere, Calderone Club’s surroundings pay homage to its Italian heritage with murals of the old country, Sinatra on the sound system and a signed photograph of Tony Soprano himself, James Gandolfini, hanging above the doorway.
On any given night, you’ll find a packed dining room filled with regulars and out-of-town guests. Chef and owner Gino Fazzari is often spotted outside the kitchen in his signature tomato chef’s pants, talking and mingling with friends and guests around the bar.
Menu starters are abundant and include classics like toasted ravioli ($10.95), bruschetta al pomodoro ($9.95) and insalate caprese ($12.95). If you’re dining with a group, order the antipasto di montagna ($16.95). This generous platter includes four kinds of Italian meat (sliced to order), aged Provolone, Kalamata olives and assorted accoutrements. If that’s not enough to get you started, throw in an order of melanzane fritte ($11.95). This fried eggplant is crispy and light, paired with a side of their delicious marinara sauce. If there’s any sauce left, keep it on the table to indulge in with the warm sourdough bread basket brought out with entrées.
The Neapolitan, thin-crust pizza is among the best in the city and might be the oldest pizza recipe in Wisconsin. Make your own or choose from house selections like the Margherita and Calderone Works. Please the crowd and order the Calderone Special, their take on the SMO. This pizza is topped with sauce, mozzarella cheese, Italian sausage, mushrooms, black olives and onions.
The pasta choices are plentiful and made in-house daily. Signature items include rigatoni alla bolognese ($17.95), linguine alla pescatora ($21.95) and penne con salsiccia ($17.95). Number one pick is the classic spaghetti al filetto di pomodoro con polpette ($16.95). A mountain of spaghetti is topped with their famous tomato-basil sauce and two award-winning, baseball-sized meatballs—Gino’s mother’s recipe. If you can’t stand to share, meatballs come two to an order, so order a round for the table.
Find protein options on the entrée menu such as chicken marsala ($21.95), veal rib chop ($38.95) and braised branzino ($32.95). For a little protein and a little pasta, go for the chicken piccata ($32.95). Pan-seared chicken breast is covered in lemon, white wine and caper sauce perched atop a bed of angel hair pasta. Juicy, salty, lemony and delightful. All dinner entrées come with a side salad and choice of potato or pasta.
House desserts are a plenty and include such items as turtle cheesecake, Italian gelato, lemon sorbetto and carrot cake. Tiramisu is, of course, the signature dessert here. Layers of ladyfingers soaked in espresso, topped with mascarpone and sweetened whipped cream, dusted in cocoa powder. Pair it with an espresso to top off the night. Like the meatballs, order a piece of tiramisu for the table and one for yourself.
Calderone Club is open for lunch Monday-Friday, 11 a.m.-3 p.m., and Saturday, 12 p.m.-3 p.m.; dinner is served Monday-Thursday, 5 p.m.-11 p.m., and Friday-Saturday, 3 p.m.-12 a.m.
