By Molly Snyder Senior Writer Published Sep 02, 2016 at 9:06 AM

Ten years ago, StoneFire Pizza Co. opened at 5320 S. Moorland Rd. in New Berlin as an upscale alternative to family-friendly restaurant and game centers like Chuck E. Cheese’s. 

During the past five years, StoneFire underwent a significant growth spurt after Carl Tomic bought the building and took over the business. Tomic expanded the rock wall to include four different climbing adventures, purchased more interactive games, revamped the dining areas, added a bar and a candy store, and replaced the three-story "BalloCity" structure with the aesthetically-more-appealing and physically-more-demanding Ninja Warrior Course.

The Ninja Warrior Course joins the climbing wall as an option for kids to exert themselves in between playing video games and stuffing their mouths with pizza. The eight station obstacle course challenges kids – who are at least six or seven depending on height and ability – to swing, balance, run and climb. The "warp wall" at the end of the course seems to be the fan favorite.

Tomic bought the Warrior Course after seeing a prototype at a trade show in Florida. "It’s been going over very well," says Karen Hubbard, StoneFire's sales and marketing manager. "A great combination of fun and exercise."

StoneFire also offers bumper cars, mini bowing, a hydraulic "Froghopper" ride, Skeeball, an inflatable jump yard in the summer and roughly 150 games. It is also a popular birthday party destination with eight private rooms and a variety of different options from magic to games to face painting.

"Carl’s keeping everything up to date and really with the times," says Hubbard.

To celebrate a decade of business, StoneFire is offering an anniversary special for the entire month of September. If guests purchase a $10 gift card, they can buy the buffet for 10 cents. Unlimited attraction wristbands and three runs on the warrior course (normally $3.50 each) are also available for $10.

The dining areas range depending on the age of the children. The Discovery area features a water and train table, building blocks and a climbing area for younger guests. The sports-themed dining area is for grown-ups and older children, with a full bar and more ambient lighting. There are also numerous televisions that will screen Packers games and other sporting events.

StoneFire has, not surprisingly, one of the largest stone-fired pizza ovens in the state. The medium-crust pizza – available veggie or meaty or more adventuresome options like Hawaiian – is the strongest menu item on the buffet, which also includes a large salad bar, pasta bar, taco bar, chicken wings or nuggets, soups and chili, macaroni and cheese and a build-your-own sundae station with frozen "slushie" drinks and homemade chocolate chip cookies.

"Every thing on the buffet is made from scratch," says Hubbard.

The food is good – or good enough – but StoneFire isn’t going to be your go-to for date night and no one's going to rave about the cuisine because that's not really the point. It’s a place kids love that's palatable for parents. Best of all, parents witness their kids having a great time, which is nourishing for the heart.

Here are 10 more photos of the 10-year-old StoneFire:

1. Climbers

2. Pizza

3. Not pizza

4. Skee!

5. Bumpin'

6. Games and games and games

7. New candy shop

8. Swinger

9. Prize bears

10. 10!


Molly Snyder started writing and publishing her work at the age 10, when her community newspaper printed her poem, "The Unicorn.” Since then, she's expanded beyond the subject of mythical creatures and written in many different mediums but, nearest and dearest to her heart, thousands of articles for OnMilwaukee.

Molly is a regular contributor to FOX6 News and numerous radio stations as well as the co-host of "Dandelions: A Podcast For Women.” She's received five Milwaukee Press Club Awards, served as the Pfister Narrator and is the Wisconsin State Fair’s Celebrity Cream Puff Eating Champion of 2019.