By Lori Fredrich Senior Food Writer, Dining Editor, Podcast Host Published Feb 15, 2021 at 5:31 PM

Each week we are featuring a new restaurant as part of “Cash Mob MKE,” an initiative created to give Milwaukee restaurants a boost during these tough times. Click here for a delectable repast of everything we’ve ordered (maybe inspiration for your next carry-out meal) 

Transfer Pizzeria Cafe
101 W. Mitchell St., (414) 763-0438
transfermke.com

It’s been over a decade since Transfer Pizzeria Cafe opened its doors on Mitchell Street in the former Transfer Pharmacy, an historical space which housed a variety of other businesses over the years including George Webb’s and Scrambled Ed’s.

And it wasn’t just the menu of (primarily) pizzas, appetizers and salads that won over customers, but the mood in the space, which has always felt casual and welcoming with its pharmacy stained glass, horseshoe shaped diner counter and open kitchen where the pizza making process was on full  display. It’s also been a friendly place for those with Celiac, thanks to their comprehensive collection of gluten-free offerings.

Our take-out recap

Our latest take-out from Transfer included an order of spinach artichoke dip, an appetizer which always takes me back to the 90s, an era when it seems just about every restaurant had a version on their menus.

Transfer Pizzeria's spinach artichoke dipX

Transfer’s version features spinach and artichoke hearts blended in a thick Alfredo sauce with parmesan and shaved asiago ($7). It’s pretty classic in terms of its flavor and just cheesy enough to make it feel indulgent spread on top of the accompanying toasted Italian bread.

We were also pleased with the Caesar salad ($9), which was crisp and fresh (we ordered our dressing on the side and tossed it at home so the lettuce retained its crunch). A large was the perfect amount to split between two people.

Transfer Pizzeria's Caesar saladX

When it came to pizza, we opted for the large Prosciutto Fungi with tomato sauce, shredded mozzarella, mushrooms and prosciutto ($19.75). We ordered ours with garlic sauce ($+1), because THAT is always a good life choice. In this case, it complemented the ingredients beautifully, offering creaminess to the tomato sauce and somehow harnessing even more earthiness from the mushrooms.

If you are among those who appreciate the crust on a Neapolitan-style pizza, but don’t love the signature soggy middle, Transfer’s pizza is a good bet. The crust isn’t quite as airy; but it weighs in at about the same thickness, with a pleasantly chewy texture and just enough complexity in terms of flavor to make it shine.

Transfer Pizzeria's Prosciutto Fungi pizza and house wineX

Though we could have gone with a white wine for our meal, a bottle of Transfer’s House Nero d’Avola ($15) was actually quite nice alongside, with the fruit complementing the salty porkiness of the prosciutto like a charm. 

Don't forget to order dessert!

I don’t recall if I’ve ever gotten dessert from Transfer in the past; but I’m likely to remember to do it again in the future, thanks to a very memorable slice of their Limoncello cake (lemon cake layered with mascarpone cream and topped with white chocolate curls, $6), which was beautiful and light with a lemon-forward flavor profile that really captured the floral qualities of the lemon. Just lovely.

Transfer Pizzeria's limoncello cakeX

They recommend ordering a Valentine coffee to go alongside… and next time, I aspire to making that one of my good life choices.

How to order

Transfer offers curbside pick-up as well as delivery, with hours from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Order online or call ahead (414) 763-0438 to place an order.

If you choose to participate in our restaurant love bomb, bolster your support by sharing photos of your meal on social media using #CashMobMKE.

Lori Fredrich Senior Food Writer, Dining Editor, Podcast Host

Lori is an avid cook whose accrual of condiments and spices is rivaled only by her cookbook collection. Her passion for the culinary industry was birthed while balancing A&W root beer mugs as a teenage carhop, fed by insatiable curiosity and fueled by the people whose stories entwine with each and every dish. She’s had the privilege of chronicling these tales via numerous media, including OnMilwaukee and in her book “Milwaukee Food.” Her work has garnered journalism awards from entities including the Milwaukee Press Club. 

When she’s not eating, photographing food, writing or recording the FoodCrush podcast, you’ll find Lori seeking out adventures with her husband Paul, traveling, cooking, reading, learning, snuggling with her cats and looking for ways to make a difference.