Ian's Pizza

Ian's newest location. 7/3/26 dwm

The first time I heard about Ian's Pizza was during large demonstrations around Wisconsin's state capitol in 2011. 

Supporters called Ian's Pizza on the square to send food to the people protesting.

Ian's opened on State Street in 2001 featuring mac n' cheese pizza. In 2026 they have eight locations, with the latest opening recently in Verona.

We had lunch there Friday, I ordered a slice of mac n' cheese.

The restaurant is on the first floor of a new apartment building at 303 West Verona Avenue. There is plenty of room inside and a spacious patio that borders Verona's Century School Park.

That park is a new community space with a band shell for summer performances and an area for ice skating in winter designed with refrigeration to maximize usage of the 'pond.'

Ian's Mac n' Cheese. 7/3/26 dwm

 According to Google, the pizza joint's founder, Ian Gurfield invented the Mac n' Cheese pie on Halloween night at his shop. He thought it would be a great late-night snack for University of Wisconsin students. It quickly became a cult favorite and Ian's best-seller.

 They did more than open a box of Kraft Mac n Cheese and throw it on a pizza crust. It's made with fresh cream instead of tomato sauce, layered with Wisconsin mozzarella and freshly cooked elbow macaroni, according to Ian's website.

 I'm a big fan of mac n' cheese but wondered what it might taste like on a pizza. One bite was all it took for me to give it two thumbs up. The bread sticks are hearty, an order of three was more than enough for two of us.

The Bacon Cheeseburger. 7/3/26 dwm

Ian's has a featured pie every couple of weeks and the one this go-round was a bacon cheeseburger pie complete with pickles, chopped onions, ketchup, and mustard. 

My wife ordered a slice and was willing to share a few bites. It tastes better than you might think as the flavors blend together in each bite. 

Ian's has signature pizzas, including mac n' cheese; classics, including pepperoni and sausage pies; and vegan pizza. 

A slice is a generous serving size, roughly half of a 12-inch pizza, so everyone can get what they want, or order pies in 12-, 16-, and 20-inches.

I was glad to hear Ian's plans to open a shop here because we never got down to the shop on State Street or one of their other locations. 

Milwaukee and Madison have three locations, with a new one opening in Milwaukee in August, the new location in Verona, and a shop in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. 

Now that we know what we've been missing, we'll come back soon.

Plenty of slices to choose from on long counter at Ian's Pizza. 7/3/2026 dwm