We were dubious about trying pizza from a shack. However, we were pleasantly surprised by how all around terrific Mary’s Pizza Shack in Rohnert Park, California, is. The decor was vintage kitchen, our waiter was a half-empty-time-for-a-refill optimist, the food was delicious and the prices just right. Our only regret was we didn’t get to go again and try the meatballs that we heard were also great. When do we get one in Wisconsin? View photos…

It’s girl’s night out and Bessie knows what this crowd likes – Pizza! We went to a favorite local place, Marty’s Pizza, for their delicious cheesy garlic bread. Also, we had a wonderful pepperoni and sausage pizza teaming with toppings. We rounded off the evening with Beatles’ Rock Band – too bad you missed it! View photos…

Bessie and the pizza-eating gang headed out to a Milwaukee favorite, Balisteri’s Italian American Ristorante. The restaurant is in a quaint old building with tin ceiling and all. It’s also smoke-free, which is a big plus for me. The most important part, of course, is the food. The garlic bread was wonderfully cheesy and balances the garlic and butter perfectly. The pizza is a wonderful value, very delicious and just the right size for four hungry people. Afterwards, we took a quick drive down to Gilles for our now traditional ice cream dessert. View photos…

There’s nothing like circling blocks and relearning parallel parking to remind you why you live in the ‘burbs. All that was forgotten after a bite of delicious Zaffiro’s pizza. It left us wanting more, even after we were full and all traces of pizza were gone. The cheesy garlic bread was also a delight and the staff was friendly. It’s places like this that make me wish I wasn’t on a quest to try a new place every time we go out. That was some good pizza!

Afterwards, we found ourselves at Kopp’s for custard. A wonderful ending to a wonderful evening. See photos…

Ah, snow. There’s nothing like a good snowstorm to put the damper on one’s adventuresome spirit. Instead of trekking through the back roads to an obscure pizza joint, we decided to stay on the main road about 8 minutes, or two road accidents, from my house. Rosati’s Pizza served up a hot dinner to make us forget the raging storm outside. We enjoyed a plate of cheesy garlic bread and sauce followed by a pepperoni and sausage deep dish pizza. Rosati’s has long been a favorite pizza joint for those of us living in the Oconomowoc area. They always have wonderful and consistent quality and flavor. View photos…

Hungry yet? I know I am! Thank goodness this new find is just a quick motoring trip away in Delafield, Wisconsin. Bennolli’s Hand-Made Pizza makes an instant impression when you see actual dough being thrown in the air. The goodness doesn’t stop there. Everything we tried was marvelous and the staff was wonderful. View Photos…

It’s been a busy month! Finally we have photos of the Fall Drive for your perusal. It was a day of back and forths for us. Sunny, then rainy, then sunny, repeat. Downtown Monroe, outskirts Monroe, repeat. Walk to one side of New Glarus, walk to the other, repeat. In between all the back and forth, we saw some lovely things, bought some lovely pantry accessories, ate some ever so lovely food and had a great time. Thank you Chicago MINI Motoring Club for setting up a fantastic drive! View photos…

We had started the day at 7 am. After arriving in Rapid City, we went to the hotel, ran to the airport, picked up our fourth and got back to the hotel. It was now nearly 9 pm and, gosh, were we hungry and tired! “No more driving!” I demanded. And so, we took the green route and walked to Boston’s for pizza. We devoured the Chicken Parmesan pizza and enjoyed the evening on their patio. View photos…

Our adventures the next day took us to Custer, South Dakota, where we were entertained by two very unique attractions. First, the Flintstones Bedrock City theme park and camp ground. We didn’t venture into the theme park, but we took a walk through the gift shop. For kids or reminiscing about Saturday morning cartoons, this is the place to be.

Just down the street is a must-stop for anyone taking in the sites of South Dakota – The Purple Pie Place. Not only for the delicious pies and ice cream chaser, but for the wonderful atmosphere and delightful company. Our troupe often thought longingly of going back for more pie on the trip. Just an excuse to go back some day. View photos…

Bessie and the crew were served up a cheap dinner on the advice of a coupon. Salad, dessert and a delicious personal pizza, all for the low price of $10 at Uno’s Chicago Grill! It pays to sign-up for restaurant emails. If you like deep dish pizza, I definitely recommend giving Uno’s a try. View photos…

As winter wears, we’ve decided to add a new adventure series to the website. Get ready for Pizza Excursions! If you have any suggestions, such as a better name or some great pizza places, drop us an email at bessie@cpilgrim.com.

Our first pizza pie comes from Park Avenue Pizza in Pewaukee, Wisconsin. We shared cheesy garlic bread and a large sausage and pepperoni pizza. Both were delicious and filled the four of us up. A nice hot pizza is great on these cold winter nights!

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