Round these parts, Chicago’s influence seems to hold the most sway over our pizza tastes. Deep dish, or at least thick crust, rules the land. For those of us whose bowels quiver in fear at the very thought of deep dish, this has been a hard state of affairs to bear. But no more! In just the last year, two new pizza joints have opened their doors and begun offering Neapolitan style, wood-fired oven cooked, deliciously thin-crusted pies.

I was turned onto the magnificent glory that is the Neapolitan pizza only a couple of years ago, when I had the great fortune to find myself in Naples, Italy. I had heard legends about their pizzas being the best in the world, and I was determined to try one for myself. My fellow travelers and I set out on foot, naively and blissfully unaware of the dangers that Naples’ streets apparently hold, and asked locals for directions to a pizzeria multo bene (very good pizzeria)—and they didn’t disappoint. What looked like a tiny hole in the wall on a cobbled side street turned out to be il Presidente, a famous pizza shop with a gigantic wood-fired oven at its center.

There are several varieties of Neapolitan pizza to be had, but the most traditional and, I believe, most delicious is the simple margherita: a thin, chewy-crunchy crust with homemade tomato sauce, fresh melted balls of mozzarella, bits of basil and a sprinkling of olive oil.

I almost cried, it was so good.

So it was with some sadness that I returned to the Midwest knowing that it was nearly impossible to find anything that even approached Naples’ level of awesome pizza. And yet, just a short while later, not one but two pizza places opened that boasted the closest approximation of Neapolitan style pizza I’ve yet to find stateside.

Pizza Brutta was the first place I tried. Located on Madison’s near west side, between the shops that line Monroe Street, it features a large wood-fired oven, fresh and often local ingredients, and a hip but comfortably well-designed interior. They also offer homemade gelato, several microbrews, and salads.

I’ve been to Pizza Brutta several times now, and have never been disappointed. The staff is very friendly and helpful, the prices reasonable for what you’re getting, and the food delicious. As always, I stick with the margherita, which they do quite well. It’s prepared fresh and then cooked for something like 5 minutes in the wood-fired oven. The crust is an amazing combination of chewy and crispy, and is worthy of being a meal or snack all by itself. The tomato sauce is also quite tasty—light and fresh, with a hint of sweetness. Fresh balls of mozzarella are melted on top of it all, with a few leafs of basil.

If you’re hungry, one pie is perfect to eat on your own. But be sure to finish your meal there, as this thin-crusted style of pizza doesn’t re-heat terribly well later on. It’s meant to be enjoyed fresh out of the oven.

Over on the near east side, closer to the capitol, residents also have the option of a slightly more fine-dining experience with their pie. Porta Alba is almost hidden over on Butler St., located in a building that also houses condos, a salon, and a fitness center. Their dining room is a little more low-key than Pizza Brutta, and perfectly comfortable. There is a slight difference in the pies at both of these places, but nothing I could specifically put my finger on: they’re both delicious. One thing Porta Alba has a leg up on Pizza Brutta with, though, is that they offer the traditional margherita pizza with buffalo mozzarella, which is, quite simply, one of the best things in the whole world.

Made from buffalo milk (think water buffalo, not prairie bison), this cheese has a slightly more smoky, earthy flavor to it, and adds a whole other level of flavor to the pie. When available, I always opt for it. At Porta Alba, this pizza is called the Regina. I highly recommend it.

Both restaurants are certified by the Verace Pizza Napoletana Americas, the US chapter of the organization that trains pizza makers in the official art of Neapolitan style pie creation. So while it’s not the exact same, heavenly sort of creation that you’ll find along the side streets of Naples, it’s pretty damn close.

Regardless of if you were a thick crust, deep dish aficionado before or not, you owe it to yourself to give this style of pizza a try. With two different places in Madison to get it, you pretty much don’t have an excuse not to.

Pizza Brutta is located at 1805 Monroe St., and is open Tuesdays through Sundays for lunch and dinner. Porta Alba is located at 15 N. Butler St., and is open 11:30 am-2 pm and 5-9 pm Tuesdays through Fridays, 5-9 pm Saturdays and Sundays.

Photo by ammanteufel.