Molten Monkey

This is the best pizza in Madison, especially if Detroit style is your favorite type of pizza. Molten Monkey also won Best New Restaurant of 2025 from Madison Magazine. And yes, I went to a four year old's birthday party and got my face painted. Really good vibes.

The Lowdown

• City: Madison, WI
• Address: 912 E Johnson St, Madison, WI 53703
• Phone: (608) 709-2770 (they do not take orders over the phone, order online)
• Website: moltenmonkey.com
• Hours: Wed, Thu and Sun 4 PM to 9 PM, Fri and Sat 4 PM to 10 PM, closed Mon and Tue

The vibe

Small, cozy pizza lounge with really good energy. But there are literally only about 14 seats, so it can be really hard to get a table. You can also place an order for pickup.

What we ordered

• Devil's Dan Dan (appetizer)
• Viva La Verde (appetizer)
• Build your own pepperoni, arugula and hot honey pizza
• The Don Keon pizza

My thoughts on the food

I had no idea each appetizer was basically its own kind of breadstick. The Devil's Dan Dan is their take on dan dan noodles, but on a pizza. Spicy ground pork, chili oil, peppercorn sauce. I really enjoyed it. Very unique, just not exactly what you picture when you think breadsticks.

The Viva La Verde had salsa verde, tomatoes, goat cheese and a balsamic drizzle. I did not like it as much as the Devil's Dan Dan, but my wife said she much preferred this one. So it really just comes down to what you like. Both were good.

For our pizza, my wife and I built our own: pepperoni, arugula and hot honey. Simple and so tasty. It was cooked perfectly. The crust was crisp and a little burnt around the edges, and honestly I love that crunch. The pepperonis were perfect too. Sometimes they are overdone and too crunchy, or not cooked enough and just floppy. These were crunchy around the edges and soft in the middle. My favorite pizza I have had in the Madison area so far.

The people we were with got the Don Keon. Unbelievable. Habanero masala sauce, minced pepperoni, minced jalapeno, fennel sausage, sauteed onions, red onions, goat cheese and hot honey. A great mix of sweet and spicy. A little more spicy than sweet, but the hot honey brought a great balance to it.

Important and interesting info

• It is a very heavy meal. The appetizers are basically another pizza, so plan accordingly.
• Only about 14 seats. Go early or order pickup.
• Named Best New Restaurant of 2025 by Madison Magazine.

The verdict

Everything we had was delicious. We left miserably full. Now I completely understand why this place was named the best new restaurant of 2025. Hands down some of the best pizza you can get in Madison. Go try Molten Monkey on Johnson Street and let me know what you think.