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Carini's 12-inch pies
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Papa Luigi's cracker-thin crust
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Classic Slice pizza
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Calderone Club pizza
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13-inch, wood-fired pizza from DiModa Pizza
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Alphonso's pizza
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Mulligans Irish Pub & Grill Reuben Pizza
From Oct. 16-22, locals and visitors alike can sample some of the best pizzas Milwaukee has to offer as part of a citywide celebration: the Shepherd Express’ first-ever Milwaukee Pizza Week!
Whether you’re a carnivore, vegetarian or vegan, a fan of Margherita or pepperoni, or lover of gluten-free crust or deep dish with everything on it, this is a tasty celebration you won’t want to miss.
Did we mention there will be prizes?
To play in our Milwaukee Pizza Week social media promotion and photo contest, snap a photo of the pizza you are about to devour at a participating Pizza Week restaurant, post the photo on your Instagram or Twitter account, tag @shepherdexpress and use #mkepizzaweek, and your photo will be automatically entered to win prizes—including gift cards from the many participating pizzerias listed below. If you don't have Instagram or Twitter account, you can also post your photo directly here. Then, every day, our staff will pick the best pizza picture for prizes. Every customer post will count towards the contest to decide which participating restaurant serves Milwaukee’s best pizza!
Each Pizza Week restaurant will donate a portion of its proceeds from slices and pies sold throughout the week to the Hunger Task Force.
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Alphonso's
1119 S 108th St, City of West Allis, Wisconsin 53214Alphonso’s pumps out some delicious Milwaukee-style pizza. The crust always stays crunchy in the middle slices, even on the monster Heavy Chevy that includes just about every topping on the menu. If you’re not into the cracker-style crust, you can get a New York-style pie, or spice things up with a flavored crust with herbs or scorpion peppers. Toasted sandwiches like meatballs and marinara or the El Diablo with grilled habanero buffalo chicken are also available. Garlic bread fans will love their version. It’s baked until crisp in the pizza oven and injected with garlic butter from a squeeze bottle. (Lacey Muszynski)
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Calderone Club (Old World Third Street)
One of Downtown Milwaukee’s most reliable Italian dining options—and in the running for Milwaukee’s oldest pizza place—the Calderone Club on Old World Third Street serves thoughtfully plated Italian cuisine with keen attention to details. The bread served before meals is warm and fragrant, and the red sauce at the heart of most entrées is thin, silky and heavenly. Served on a simple crust that’s not too thick and not too thin, their Neapolitan pizzas let the fresh ingredients and generous selection of toppings carry most of the flavor. Calderone Club’s full bar, large wine selection, snappy service and upscale but not too formal environment make this a smart date destination. (Evan Rytlewski)
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Calderone Club (Fox Point)
Recent years have also seen the opening of a second Calderone Club in Fox Point.
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Capri di Nuovo
8340 W. Beloit Rd., West Allis, Wisconsin 53219A restaurant called Capri has sat on the corner of 84th and Beloit for decades. The restaurant was sold a few years ago and has become one of West Allis’ best places for dinner. Capri di Nuovo has been completely remodeled (though the old sign was kept for history’s sake) and it’s a breath of fresh air for anyone who remembers the old place. Pizzas come in Milwaukee, Chicago or pan styles, with hand-tossed crust in a wide variety of sizes and toppings. You can even pick up a take-and-bake pizza to go. Lasagna is also a house specialty, made with meat sauce and then baked in individual dishes with a blanket of mozzarella on top. The brick-surrounded patio is a nice spot in summer. (Lacey Muszynski)
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Carini's Southern Italian Restaurant
Carini’s prepares Neapolitan pizzas in a wood-fired pizza oven. Diners sitting nearby can watch as the chef inserts their pizza pie into the hot oven on a long-handled implement. The intense heat does the trick quickly. The crust on Carini’s 12-inch pies is slightly crisp at the edges but soft as pastry inside—neither thin nor thick—and the charring on top from the intense fire adds a touch of smoky flavor to the toppings. A dozen varieties are featured, with or without sauce, with many additional toppings available. (David Luhrssen)
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Classic Slice
Toppings available at Classic Slice include everything from fresh, locally grown veggies and vegan cheeses to Usinger’s pepperoni and house-made meatballs. Their pizza is also available gluten-free in a 12-inch size with no upcharge. The house-made dough is stretched, rolled and cooled each night to solidify its shape and is available every day. Comprised of sorghum and chickpea flour, the gluten-free crust boasts great flavor, chewiness and a unique moisture content giving it the character of a medium-to-thick-crust pizza rather than the usual thin crust. $1 from every “Specialty of the Week” slice will be donated to Hunger Task Force. (Selena Milewski)
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DiModa Pizza & Hot Spot
The old Trocadero building now houses DiModa Pizza, offering truly excellent Roman-style pizza. At 13-inches, the wood-fired pizzas are ideally made for sharing. A standout is the Spicy Pep ($15), which features Ghost Pepperoni (dry-cured with ghost peppers) from Madison’s Underground Meats, caramelized cipollini onions, mozzarella and an arrabiata-type tomato sauce. While ghost peppers may conjure up images of red-faced folks gasping for air and begging for milk, the spice is pleasantly manageable—just enough to have kick, but quelled by the salty mozzarella and the sweet onions. The crust is awesome: thick but not overly chewy. (Franklin K.R. Cline)
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Mulligan's Irish Pub & Grill
The historical dynamic between Italians and the Irish in the United States is often referred to as a love-hate relationship. You wouldn’t be able to tell by the way Mulligans Irish Pub & Grill merges the two cultures on their signature Reuben Pizza—shredded corned beef and cabbage top a thin crust with Thousand Island sauce. Mulligans also serves a classic Margherita pizza with fresh basil, mozzarella cheese and roasted garlic olive oil for the traditionalists out there. All of this, plus a build-your-own option, gives a little something for everyone. $1 from every Specialty Pizza on the menu will go to Hunger Task Force. (Rob Hullum)
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Papa Luigi's
The star of the show here is pizza; it’s Milwaukee style, meaning a cracker-thin crust cut into squares. Toppings are generously applied. Edge pieces are crunchy, while middles are easily foldable to prevent flopping. You can create your own pizza (including unusual toppings like broccoli, shrimp and pepperoncini), or try a specialty pizza in sizes from eight to 16 inches. Chicken Parmigiana, seafood with crab and shrimp and chicken alfredo are just some of the options. If you can’t decide, stick with the Papa’s Special Pizza, topped with the MKE favorite combo of sausage, mushrooms and onions. (Lacey Muszynski)
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