Tipsy Tomato delivers personal, elevated pizzas in restaurant triplex

CEDAR RAPIDS — A new pizza place in Cedar Rapids is bringing an elevated type of personal pizza to town.

Tipsy Tomato, one of the latest offerings from Epic Catering’s ever-evolving portfolio of restaurants, opened Feb. 9 as the second restaurant in a planned triplex. It joins Midtown Reserve, its upscale sibling, which opened next door in October.

Separated by only a wall, Midtown’s high-end wine list bleeds over to Epic Catering’s other holding in a couple ways — in name and through recipes.

The concept started with the idea to incorporate alcohol flavor profiles into its smaller pizza recipes. While alcoholic beverage offerings remain limited as the new concept gets off the ground and the booze in recipes is burned off during the cooking process, Tipsy Tomato’s menu isn’t a buzzkill.

“We’re trying to give a lot more than what you’d think of at a pizza place,” executive chef Sam Kron said. “It’s a super-fresh, super-healthy goal.”

With a fresh and wholesome ingredient focus, Tipsy Tomato is bringing a new niche to the MedQuarter District, Oakhill Jackson neighborhood and adjacent downtown Cedar Rapids.

There, the chef with classical French training is baking Italian and American fusions inside a circular Greek-style oven, where diners can see pizzas rotate in the open-concept kitchen.

Ranging from $12 to $16, order American classics like the pepperoni; upcycled Midwestern classics like the taco pizza with arugula, cilantro and cotija cheese; or Italian classics like the margherita with fresh mozzarella, basil and garlic butter.

For something new, try intoxication-themed creations like the Drunken Neapolitan, made with fresh mozzarella, basil and pepperoni; or the Wobbly Gardener with bell peppers, mushrooms, carrots and caramelized onions.

Customizable options include cauliflower crust and less-common topping options like broccoli and sauerkraut.

Sweet housemade sauce, with San Marzano tomatoes, has very little sugar added, complementing the nature of their pizza’s thin, but pliable house crust. Standard menu pizzas include a cheese blend of provolone, Muenster and mozzarella, giving a smoother mouthfeel with softer cheese.

“The cheese lays into everything, rather than sitting up,” Kron said.

The margherita and taco pizzas have been the most popular, so far. With an ambiguous 12-inch size, you can share it with a friend or keep it all to yourself.

A focused menu of appetizers like meatball-stuffed mushrooms and pepperoni-crusted, cheese-filled breadsticks brings a fresh novelty to local pizza restaurants.

Salads and power bowls like chicken fajita, barbecue beef and roasted vegetables with pesto add a healthy yin to the yang of two hoagie options.

With warmer weather just around the corner, Tipsy Tomato plans to expand its cocktail offerings for patio season, with a score of tables that virtually doubles the small restaurant’s indoor seating.

With dine-in and carryout service, the restaurant hopes to offer delivery service soon — toying with the idea of free, in-house delivery to the downtown area.

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