The Buzz: Wildflower Pizzeria opens

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Wildflower Pizzeria holds its soft opening Friday and Saturday. Its regular hours start Monday.(Photo: Dan Powers/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin)Buy Photo

Pizza can be topped with cheese and pepperoni.

Or it can be topped with andouille sausage, ricotta, seasoned arugula, marinated cipollini onions and a robust sauce that deliver enough heat to make your lips burn.

The new Wildflower Pizzeria opening Monday at 555 N. Casaloma Drive in Grand Chute isn’t going to tell anyone what to order, but has enough interesting choices to make diners think twice before ordering the usual.

Its wood-fired Valoriani pizza oven imported from Tuscany gives its Neapolitan-style crusts some smokiness and chew.

From there it encourages adventurous eating.

Wildflower is a collaborative effort by a group of creative restaurateurs.

Rusty Leary, the red-bearded owner, spent six years working at Carmella’s and Sap before starting the new venture. While he put thought into assembling the team, menu and environment, he says hospitality is what will make the restaurant succeed.

“Hospitality is without question the most important piece,” he said. “If you don’t leave feeling appreciative of the way you were treated, we’ve lost you. If you don’t have a good time, you won’t think about coming back.”

His partner, artist Brooke Young, decorated the basic white box room with both masculine and feminine details. That includes some hand-painted walls using oxidized metal paint for a feel of “decaying grandeur,” unusual light fixtures and artwork, warm woods and a polished concrete floor. “It’s a 1970’s rock star’s Parisian apartment,” she said. “It has a livingroom-y feel.”

Executive chef Megan Martzahl grew up “running around in my grandparents’ garden” and contributes her love of whole foods and sourcing from local farms. She creates entrees and dishes to share, like charred heirloom vegetables or her take on cheese bread, for food that’s both “interesting and accessible.”

Bar manager Meghan Heft said classic cocktails “follow the Wildflower heart” with simple syrups made with hibiscus, rosemary, cilantro or chamomile honey. “We have a freshly made Bloody Mary mix made in-house with San Marzano tomato juice.”

Besides regular table seating, Wildflower has a communal table that seats 14 and a warm maple and black wood bar. The music is eclectic, from Ray Charles to Fleet Foxes to My Morning Jacket. They have a record player to spin some vinyl.

Pizzas are $12 to $18. Shareable sides are $6 to $12. Entrees are $16 to $29. Kids can get their own pizzas or macaroni and cheese made in-house.

Wildflower holds a soft opening Friday and Saturday from 6 to 9 p.m. with a limited menu.

It’s closed Easter, then begins regular hours, from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. for Sunday brunch. Reservations are only taken for large parties.

More information: Facebook, or 920-815-3038. The coming website is wildflowerpizzeria.com.

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