October is Dining Month on OnMilwaukee.com. All month, we're stuffed with restaurant reviews, special features, chef profiles and unique articles on everything food. Bon appetit!
Yes, during dining month at OnMilwaukee.com, we do find ourselves talking about food way more often than normal. Discussions of favorite restaurants, special recipes and to die for entrees take place on a regular basis. So, whether I was looking for it or not, another crucial culinary conversation found me at dinner last night.
I just can’t get over how good Transfer Pizzeria Cafe is.
And I'm not the only one.
Despite having previously dined there, I’m pretty sure most of last night's dinner conversation surrounded obsessively commenting on the insatiable delight of every single item we ordered.
Located on 1st and Mitchell Streets, Transfer remodeled a former pharmacy and utilized refurbished doors, countertops and machinery in the design. The trendy look mixes 1950s diner with old school Italian. The menu lists dozens of meat, garlic, veggie and specialty pizzas as well as pastas, salads and starters.
We started with the Principessa salad. A standard combination of mixed greens, cucumbers, tomatoes and black olives, the secret of the Principessa resides in added texture. Huge chunks of fresh sliced Asiago cheese and thick authentic balsamic vinegar finish off this basic salad.
Despite our carnivorous group, we decided to try two pizzas from far ends of the spectrum; the meat-free Bob’s Special and the meat plentiful Deluxe.
Bob’s Special is the vegan offering; a cheese-less pizza with a combination of garlic sauce, onions, avocado, mushrooms and spinach. I pressured my friends to order this meatless option (for my own selfish reasons) but luckily they absolutely loved it.
Impossible to describe, Transfer’s list of garlic sauce pizzas go sans tomato sauce in favor of a homemade garlic sauce. Of course they wouldn’t reveal the secret, but the whipped, roasted garlic sauce is rich and creamy. You could seriously get addicted to this stuff.
The Deluxe was equally delicious. A classic choice, the Deluxe layers tomato sauce, cheese, onions, peppers, mushrooms and your choice of pepperoni or sausage. The made-from-scratch, hand-tossed crust is the perfect intermediate degree of thin and thick. The crisp edges occasionally rise into hollow bubbles; perfect for tearing and dipping into left over garlic sauce or balsamic vinegar.
Our server was impeccably gracious and supplied us with plenty of recommendations and explanations. The wine list mixes regional specialties and traditional Italian varietals perfect for the casual nature of a pizza joint.
And then there was the tiramisu. Unable to ever say no to dessert, I ordered tiramisu. Moist and light, the locally made tiramisu layered chocolate cakes and fresh cream, served with chocolate sauce and a dollop of whip cream.
The food is incredible, atmosphere inviting and staff welcoming. I highly, highly recommend a visit.
OnMilwaukee.com staff writer Maureen Post grew up in Wauwatosa. A lover of international and urban culture, Maureen received a bachelor’s degree in sociology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
After living on the east side of Madison for several years, Maureen returned to Milwaukee in 2006.
After a brief stint of travel, Maureen joined OnMilwaukee.com as the city’s oldest intern and has been hooked ever since. Combining her three key infatuations, Milwaukee’s great music, incredible food and inspiring art (and yes, in that order), Maureen’s job just about fits her perfectly.
Residing in Bay View, Maureen vehemently believes the city can become fresh and new with a simple move across town.
