After 18 years in the Madison community, The Roman Candle will close its Middleton location on Feb. 4. Once four locations strong around the Madison area, including a pizzerias on Monroe Street, Williamson Street, and in Fitchburg, the Middleton location will be the final Roman Candle spot to close doors.
The pizzeria posted a heartfelt message on Facebook announcing the closure with a word of gratitude to the Middleton community, staff and patronage.
Although a reason for the closure was not provided, the owners included a note about the difficulty of restaurant work in the announcement: “Restaurant work is not easy – it takes a load of determination, an extra dose of thick skin and a raging sense of humor. Please keep supporting your local restaurants and businesses – they need your patronage now more than ever.”
In 2019, owner Brewer Stouffer closed the Monroe Street and Fitchburg locations, citing staffing concerns. The reconstruction of Monroe Street in 2018 further factored into the Monroe Street location closure. The original Williamson Street location closed in May 2022 due to “lack of staff, rising food prices, and a general decrease in customer traffic” according to the company’s Facebook page.
The Roman Candle in Middleton invites patrons to visit and use gift certificates between now and Feb. 4.
Emma Waldinger is associate editor for Madison Magazine.
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Emma Waldinger (she/her) is an associate editor at Madison Magazine. She started her role in September 2022. Along with managing web and social media content, Emma writes and oversees food and dining coverage for Madison Magazine, including a monthly print column called “Back of House” and the digital BITE newsletter.
Emma graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in December 2020 with degrees in English (creative writing) and Environmental Studies and a certificate in Food Systems. At UW-Madison, she spent a year each leading art and design direction for Alt Magazine and the Wisconsin Union Directorate’s Art Committee. Her first published writing was featured in Edible Madison magazine where she also filled in as guest editor for their Spring 2022 issue.
Emma’s life-long experiences with food and gardening have been the catalyst for her fascination with the intersections between art, ecology, agriculture, and good food. She lives on Madison’s near west side with her two cats, Sybil and Elio, and spends her time reading memoirs, baking elaborate cakes, and stewarding her little garden plot at Eagle Heights Community Garden.
