Welcome to Food/Drink Week at Milwaukee Record, brought to you by Woodman’s Markets. From May 11 through May 18, belly up and enjoy adventurous, odd, and elaborate coverage of all things edible and drinkable in Milwaukee and beyond.
It’s 20 minutes past noon when I walk through the doors of Clarke Foods (832 E. Clarke St.). As I look around the Riverwest corner market I’ve driven past dozens of times but never actually visited until that Friday afternoon, the clerk asks me a question he’s likely already asked a number of times since the clock struck 12. “Are you here for the pizza?” Yes, I am there for the pizza.
The pizza in question is Ferney’s Pizza, a pizzeria pop-up that quietly debuted in the back corner of the neighborhood market on Friday, May 1 and served slices there through Sunday, May 3. After a week away, Ferney’s is now in its second weekend of operation at Clarke Foods and people are already lined up for it.
Less than half an hour after it opened up shop on Friday afternoon, I’m tenth in a line that occupies a store aisle flanked by shelves stocked with potato chips, pretzels, and Takis on one side and coolers filled with iced tea, energy drinks, Gatorade, and glass bottle Mexican soft drinks on the other.
Excitement for Ferney’s is high for a few reasons. For one, it’s a brand new by-the-slice pizza option tucked away in an unexpected location in Riverwest. Oh, and it has already been called “a hidden gem” by a popular Milwaukee food influencer in a video released mere hours before my visit (as was referenced by a few people in line who instantly answered the social media siren call). However, the most compelling aspect is the person behind the counter—and the person behind the concept—at Ferney’s Pizza.
As a few people ahead of me got their pizza and cleared out of the convenience store, I got a better look behind the counter, where I saw Brian Cripps. Prior to becoming the purveyor at Ferney’s, Cripps worked at a Michelin-star restaurant in San Francisco. He’s prepared food for the likes of Anthony Bourdain, Tom Colicchio, and José Andrés. He’s traveled to kitchens across the country to assist restaurants as part of Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants and the Task Force Program. After coming to Milwaukee for a temporary acting chef position at The Outsider in 2021, Cripps “fell in love with the city” and decided to stay, eventually becoming Executive Chef at Tre Rivali. In 2023, he put his skills to the test against Bobby Flay on the Food Network series Beat Bobby Flay.
Now, in something resembling a Cream City-themed and pizza-focused take on the film Chef, Cripps is running the show solo at Ferney’s. He’s taking orders, prepping new pies to replace those eagerly ordered the instant noon struck, removing gloves to run cards and take cash, and putting gloves back on to start the process again. He’s methodical, focused, smiling, and—no doubt the byproduct of decades of kitchen experience—seems absolutely unfazed by the ever-replenishing line that now stretches past the snack cakes situated near the front door of Clarke Foods.
Every few minutes, Cripps says “sorry for the wait, everyone,” despite nobody seeming to mind all that much. By 12:40 p.m., he tells a customer he’s already sold 60 slices. Some varietals have already sold out, though Cripps does his best to replenish pizzas amid the unexpected rush during his new venture’s fourth day of service.
To help the time fly for customers, Cripps plays Goodfellas on a laptop balanced precariously atop a sack of flour. Try getting that at Il Cervo!
Though I’ve been studying the screen shot I’ve had saved on my phone since May 3, I took a last glance at the physical menu on the counter before it was my turn to order around 12:45 p.m. That morning’s unexpected MKEEEEEATS bump forced a few pivots, as folks ahead of me were happy to wait for a restock of the Cream City Brick—featured on the video in all its decadent, Burrata-piled glory—that was long gone.
Instead, I opted for a simple slice of pepperoni to see how Ferney’s fared in a stripped-down context. And I was fortunate to get one of the last slices in the first run of Brew Crew, a bratwurst- and giardiniera-topped offering. Both slices were given a dusting of fresh basil—like, “still on the branch” fresh—and Parmesan by Cripps with a level of attention and care of someone who wasn’t looking at an endless string of pizza-curious Riverwesters.
By the time I paid, picked up my slices, and left Clarke Foods, a dozen more people spawned in the line where I just spent the last 20 minutes (including Patrick from X-Ray Arcade and Blackbird. Hi, Patrick!). I held tight to my slices and carefully walked back to my car to give Ferney’s a try. So how was the pizza?
Though simple, the pepperoni slice was liberally loaded with meat and a pile of shredded mozzarella cheese. The red sauce was packed with Italian herbs and seasonings. The crust was buttered and browned, offering a crunch on the outside and giving way to a fluffy interior. It was also pretty sizable, especially for only costing $6.
The same can be said for the sauce, crust, and cheese on the Brew Crew. The bratwurst medallions, the thin strips of diced red onion, and the heaps of giardiniera make this one the standout. My only regret was not ordered nut free pesto dipping sauce, which would’ve made both slices undeniably great.
While I need to try more of the bodega-based eatery’s offerings before I can comfortably make any bold declarations, I think Ferney’s Pizza absolutely holds its own in the local by-the-slice pizza category. Pizza is subjective and prone to inspiring debates, but I can confidently say you’re not going to find a better slice of pizza made by a more accomplished chef in the back corner of a Milwaukee convenience store than Ferney’s Pizza. Go to Clarke Foods between 12-8 p.m. (or until sold out) Fridays, Saturday, and Sundays to get in line and give it a try.
