Madison Restaurant Review: Pizza Brutta

The Neapolitan pizza has finally found a home in Madison. I say finally because just a few months back the idea was meeting with quite the resistance in the area. Local food reviewers greeted the first of the new comers with negative rants about lack of cheese and pies that were too small. Yes it’s true; sometimes food reviewers can become reverse snobs. Happily the initial negative response has subsided and the newest and finest example of the classic pizza, Pizza Brutta is thriving on Monroe Street.

Cozyed up to a rug shop, Brutta’s outward appearance actually resembles the wood-burning oven that cooks its pizza. The dining area looks small but is actually quite spacious thanks to the small kitchen and limited menu. Like most Neapolitan joints you order at a counter and then the staff gives you a number you take to your seat. You don’t expect much from service within those boundaries but my companions and I were pleasantly surprised by the courteous staff picked up on the cues that we were sharing our dishes and offered extra plates and silverware. And share we did.

Make no mistake when you come to Pizza Brutta you better be in the mood for pizza as that’s essentially all they offer. There are a total of 16 specialty pies, 8 tomato based and 8 white or bianco pizzas. In addition to the main attraction there are 4 salads and 3 sandwiches that are only offered at lunch. Eager to sample all my companions and I decided to share a couple of pizzas and a salad. For a red pizza we tried the salami e funghi, a combo of tomato sauce, house made mozzarella, Genoa salami, mushrooms, and kalmata olives. Usually overcrowding a Neapolitan is a huge mistake but the flavors here meshed well. The mozz is a sure fire winner and wisely used sparingly. The olives and salami were of the finest quality. On the other hand, I could have lived without the mushrooms but no harm no foul. As good as the red pizza was the Salsiccia white pizza was the star of our visit and maybe the finest pie I’ve had in a while. Homemade sausage, mozz, roasted onions, and garlic sat on a crust that was then spritzed with truffle oil for a taste that lingers even as I write this. The sausage and onions danced with each other but never dominated the plate. Finally the Vesuvio salad certainly did not wilt under the pressure from the pizzas. The salad featured prosicutto crumbles that one companion described as the best bacon bites ever. Each crisp little nugget was packed with flavor and we’d all be lucky to find them at our local salad bar. The fresh gruyere that was shaved over the top played perfectly with the greens and the smoked tomato vinaigrette that had a sweet smoky texture that hit the back of your tongue.

Brutta is an unqualified success and while most of Madison, myself included, will usually opt for a traditional “American” pizza like a thin crust from Bucks or a stuffed from Pizza Extreme, the small subtle pies from this gem of a joint will no doubt have a place in my pizza rotation from here on out.

Pizza Brutta, 1805 Monroe Street, Madison, WI 608-257-2120