I Ate My Way Through Minneapolis’ Best Pizza Places: These 16 Rival New York

To be painfully obvious, Minneapolis is not New York. It’s probably not the first city that comes to mine for an incredible slice and doesn’t have the same hearty pizza culture as fellow Midwesterners, Chicago and Detroit.

Maybe this sentiment is true, but the best pizza in Minneapolis is in a genre-bending class all of its own, from the pickles and ranch gracing the Perfect Pickle Pie at Young Joni, to the nationally-acclaimed Very Nice Breakfast Pizza at Wrecktangle Pizza, where scrambled eggs and bacon jam reign supreme.

These are the pizza places in Minneapolis you should know about:

1. Boludo

Argentine pizza is a thing, thanks to the country’s large population of Italian immigrants. Over time, pizza in Argentina has turned into a cheesy, melty spectacle, with hundreds of pizza joints littered across cities like Buenos Aires (where the locals would not let me leave without trying a slice).

Boludo elevates the country’s signature approach to pizza with uniquely rhombus-shaped pies with a focaccia-like crust and the same cheesy approach. The Peras pie (pear, gorgonzola, pine nuts, and dill) is not to be skipped, balancing sweet and savory.

Delivery: Available on DoorDash, Postmates, and Uber Eats.

Boludo El 38 (Kingfield) location: 8 W. 38th St, Minneapolis, MN  55409

Downtown Minneapolis location: 530 S 4th St, Minneapolis, MN, 55415

Como location: 1519 Como Ave SE, Minneapolis, MN  55414

Uptown Minneapolis location: 2935 Girard Ave S, Minneapolis, MN, 55408

2. Young Joni

If there’s one pizza restaurant in Minneapolis putting the city on the map, it might be Young Joni. Chef Ann Kim’s award-winning restaurant isn’t her first venture in the Twin Cities (that would be Pizzeria Lola), but it’s arguably the most impressive.

Fermented pickles, mozzarella, fontina, smoked onions, chili, ranch dressing, potato chips, and dill adorn the Perfect Pickle Pie, a salty, indulgent mess that’s always on my table when I visit the restaurant.

The rest of the menu equally keeps up Chef Kim’s spirit of culinary adventure, with pies like the Korean BBQ (beef short rib, mozzarella, scallion, arugula, sesame, and soy-chili vinaigrette) and Chicory Caesar (radicchio, endive, frisée, egg, croutons, and parmigiano-reggiano) pulling inspiration from around the world.

Tip: If reservations at Young Joni aren’t available, head to the restaurant’s speakeasy, Back Bar, which happens to be one of the best bars in Minneapolis. Located down the alleyway next to the restaurant, the bar serves Young Joni’s full pizza menu.

Reservations for Young Joni can be made on Tock.

Delivery: Young Joni does not deliver pizza.

Location: 165 13th Ave NE, Minneapolis, MN 55413

3. Good Times

Most of the best pizza in Minneapolis can be found in airy, bright industrial spaces or Italian-American-inspired haunts and for that reason, Good Times stands out. To put it bluntly, the funky pizza place in Southwest Minneapolis’ Kingfield neighborhood is a vibe. Good Times’ cozy, eclectic space filled with colorful string lights and diner stools almost looks more like a bar than a pizza restaurant (Little Tijuana on Eat Street comes to mind).

Tavern style pies, an ultra-thin crust, crispy pizza cut in squares endemic to the Midwest (Milwaukee and Chicago fight to claim its origins) is sold in personal-sized pies at a relatively affordable price. Prices range from $12 to $18 and gluten-free crust can be substituted for a small additional charge.

Delivery: Good Times does not offer delivery—dine-in or walk-up.

Location: 322 W 38th St, Minneapolis, MN 55409

4. Rosalia

Chef Daniel del Prado leans into Mediterranean cuisine at Rosalia, a wood-fired pizza restaurant tucked away in an airy industrial space in Linden Hills, where the patio is as large as the dining room (and perfect with friends on a warm summer night).

This isn’t the acclaimed chef’s only pizza venture in Minneapolis—DDP also serves pies at Sanjusan, his sleek Italian-Japanese restaurant, and Josefina, a cozy Italian haunt on Lake Minnetonka in Wayzata.

Yet, despite his other pizza ventures, something about the pies at Rosalia reign supreme. The Bianca (mozzarella, lemon ricotta, garlic, arugula, pecorino, and chile flake), one of the restaurant’s signature pies is surprisingly bright despite its white base thanks to the presence of lemon, arriving to tables piled high with arugula.

The pie is nearly a salad and pizza in one, though those who want an actual bowl of greens should try the toppling caesar salad (romaine, lola rosa, croutons, parmesan, and chive).

Rosalia reservations can be made on Resy.

Delivery: Available on DoorDash, Grubhub, and Uber Eats.

Location: 2811 W 43rd St, Minneapolis, MN 55410

5. Wrecktangle Pizza

Pizza for breakfast usually means a cold hungover slice leftover from the night before. At Wrecktangle Pizza, pizza for breakfast is an intentional culinary experience, rather than an act of more than acceptable laziness on Saturday morning. The pizzeria’s Very Nice Breakfast Pizza (cheddar jack, sausage gravy, scrambled egg, bacon jam, and fried sage) was a winner of  Good Morning America’s United States of Pizza.

Wrecktangle’s other pizza combinations are just as imaginative (though the classics are also on the menu), with toppings that play off elote (Mexican street corn), tailgating favorites such as artichoke dip and buffalo wings, and Burger King’s Whopper Jr. (yes, really).

Wrecktangle is an ideal option for diners with dietary restrictions. Gluten-free crust and dairy-free cheese can be used for an additional $4 each, and all vegetarian options are clearly marked on the menu.

Delivery: Available on DoorDash.

Lynlake location: 703 W Lake St, Minneapolis, MN 55408

Market at Malcolm Yards location: 501 30th Ave SE, Minneapolis, MN 55414

North Loop Galley location: 729 N Washington Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55401

6. Punch Neapolitan Pizza

Even when I’m in New York City, I find myself missing Punch Neapolitan Pizza, the Twin Cities’ locally and family-owned, fast-casual, wood-fired Neapolitan pizza chain. There’s a lot to love about Punch Pizza—the affordable pricing (pies as low as $9.25), high-quality execution, fresh ingredients, and even its treatment of staff, who are provided with benefits not often found in the food and beverage industry.

Inspired by Milan’s Pizzeria da Gino, Punch opened in 1996, making it far from the new kid on the block in Minneapolis’ pizza scene. While it shies away from the unconventional ingredients newcomers like Young Joni and Wrecktangle Pizza champion (you won’t find kimchi on the build-your-own menu), Punch’s classic approach to Neapolitan pies remains unparalleled in the Twin Cities nearly 30 years later, as seen through each location’s frequent lines that I’ll brave time and time again for an Adriatico (feta, caper, onion, saracene olive, and oregano).

Delivery: Punch Pizza does not offer delivery.

Lake Street location: 3226 W Lake St Minneapolis MN 55416

Northeast Minneapolis location: 210 E Hennepin Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55414

Additional Punch Pizza locations near Minneapolis include St. Paul, Maple Grove, Vadnais Heights, Eden Prairie, Woodbury, Roseville, and Apple Valley.

7. Parkway Pizza

Touting its “Minneapolis-style pizza” (which I’m still awaiting definition on ) as the “best pizza ever” on its menu, Parkway Pizza is a growing local chain of pizzerias rising as one of the best alternatives to large national chains like Domino’s and Pizza Hut in Minneapolis.

The small-but-mighty chain of pizza spots does it right: dough made daily in the morning, a signature red sauce recipe lathered over pies, and sausage grinded and seasoned in-house. And when your friends can’t decide on which toppings to get, Parkway puts the debate to rest with 10-inch personal-sized pizzas (12-inch, 14-inch, and 16-inch also available).

Common dietary restrictions are largely a non-issue. Parkway Pizza has three different vegan house specials available, and also offers gluten-free crust for an extra charge. Picky pizza eaters can opt to build their own or go for something else entirely, like a hoagie or pasta.

Delivery: Available on DoorDash.

Longfellow location: 4359 Minnehaha Ave Minneapolis, MN 55406

Northeast Minneapolis location: 2851 Johnson Street NE Minneapolis, MN 55418

Additional locations in St. Louis Park and Roseville.

8. Mesa Pizza

The best time to order Mesa Pizza is after midnight. The Dinkytown darling is synonymous with late-night food in the city, welcoming tipsy University of Minnesota students as surrounding bars fill up for the night and tired concertgoers post-Varsity Theater, one of the best concert venues in Minneapolis. In a similar strategic move, the pizzeria’s other location is in Uptown Minneapolis, another nightlife hotspot in the area.

Mesa is a slice shop through-and-through, but it doesn’t rely on the classics to maintain its long late-night lines. Instead, it’s the pizza joint’s less conventional creations, such as the Taco (spicy ground beef, pico de gallo, tomatoes, and cheddar cheese on marinara sauce) and Southwest Beans (black beans, guacamole, cheddar cheese, peppers, onions, cilantro, lime juice, and southwest sauce) that make Mesa such a success.

The pizzeria’s crown jewel—the one that will make any of my friends light up at mention—is Mesa’s Macaroni and Cheese pizza, which is exactly as it sounds. A layer of cheesy, creamy macaroni and cheese is spread over a bed of white sauce on crust and fired.

Delivery: Available on DoorDash, Grubhub, Uber Eats, and ezCater (corporate accounts only).

Dinkytown location: 1323 4th St SE, Minneapolis, MN 55414

Uptown Minneapolis location: 1440 W Lake St, Minneapolis, MN 55408

9. Red Wagon Pizza Company

A neighborhood spot just as suitable for a casual date night as it is a family-friendly dinner, Red Wagon Pizza Company makes thin-crust pizza—with love. Owners Jacquie and Peter Campbell made pizzas out of their married home in South Minneapolis weekly, keeping up a longstanding tradition set by Peter’s grandfather, before opening Red Wagon Pizza Company just down the street.

The pizzeria was a hit, earning it a feature on “Diners, Drive-ins and Dives”—twice—during which Guy Fieri praised Red Wagon’s pizza as “dynamite.” Among the most unusual of these dynamite pies is the Banh Mi (sweet soy-glazed pulled pork, house cheese, ginger-pickled carrots, radishes, julienne cucumber, jalapeño, cilantro, and Sriracha aioli). The surprising homage to Vietnam’s most popular sandwich is a local hit.

Not straying too far from their family-forward, home pizzeria roots, Red Wagon Pizza Company offers “Pizza with Pete” classes monthly, where guests can learn how to make their own pies at home with Peter himself.

Reservations for Red Wagon Pizza Company can be made on Tock.

Delivery: Available on DoorDash.

Location: 5416 Penn Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55419

10. Fat Lorenzo’s

To be dramatic, Fat Lorenzo’s unabashedly Italian-American offering is legendary in Minneapolis. Few classic pizzerias in the Twin Cities rival the nostalgia of this one.

Fat Lorenzo’s lives up to its names with generously sized slices, hoagies, and pasta. While the restaurants four variations on fettuccine alfredo and stromboli might have you fooled into thinking that this joint sticks to the classics, Fat’s isn’t without its surprises. Featured in the “Best Pizza” edition of Minnesota Monthly, the restaurant’s Pizza New Haven (baby clams, herb sauce, asiago) breaks with its more typical combo pies, by bringing New Haven’s unusual clam pizza to Minneapolis.

Whatever you order, don’t leave without a stop by the gelato counter.

Delivery: Available on BiteSquad, DoorDash, and by calling the restaurant directly.

Location: 5600 Cedar Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55417

11. Pizzeria Lola

Young Joni, or Pizzeria Lola? Chances are, if you live in the Twin Cities you fall into one camp or another. Avid followers of chef Ann Kim can’t agree on which of her pizza ventures is better, but can agree that both restaurants hold their own as some of the best pizza in Minneapolis. National media agrees—Pizzeria Lola has received television features on “Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives” and “Chef’s Table: Pizza,” in addition to receiving praise from food critic Andrew Zimmern in Food & Wine.

Without missing a beat, Pizzeria Lola remains a pizza powerhouse in South Minneapolis where several options touch on chef Kim’s Korean heritage, ranging from as approachable as the Korean BBQ (beef short ribs, mozzarella, scallion, arugula, soy-chili vinaigrette, and sesame) to as imaginative as the Lady Zaza (plum tomato sauce, korean sausage, napa kimchi, gochujang, scallion, and sesame).

Reservations for Pizzeria Lola can be made on Tock.

Delivery: Pizzeria Lola does not currently offer delivery.

Location: 5557 Xerxes Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55410

12. Black Sheep Coal Fired Pizza

Honoring American pizza-making tradition, Black Sheep Coal Fired Pizza is Minneapolis’ first coal-fired pizza place, using Anthracite coal to fuel the fire and create dough that is both soft and crunchy.

Numbering its pizza menu sub shop-style, Black Sheep Pizza offers 14 housemade creations and the option to build-your-own as either a 12” or 16” pie. If you’re stumped, go for the #7 (oyster mushroom, smoked mozzarella, rosemary, and garlic). 

Delivery: Available on DoorDash.

North Loop location: 600 N Washington Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55401

Eat Street location: 2550 Nicollet Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55404

13. Element Wood Fire Pizza

Element Pizza is an oxymoron. The pizzeria is one of Minneapolis’ most popular-yet-underrated spots for Neapolitan-style pies. Bring your stomach—as Element describes, “All pizzas are roughly 12″ and typically feed one hungry adult.”

On the menu are six different plays on a traditional Margherita pizza, most named after the elements. The Water pie (anchovies, red onions, basil, mozzarella, and tomato sauce) is “salty and intense,” while the Earth (artichokes, salami, garlic, basil, mozzarella, and tomato sauce) is “hearty and robust.” Also available are a few Napoli-style pizzas with dried oregano, and bianca pies which swap tomato sauce for alternate options like olive oil or alfredo sauce.

Delivery: Available through BiteSquad and the restaurant’s website.

Location: 96 Broadway St NE, Minneapolis, MN 55413

14. Pizza Lucé

Most Minnesotans have memories of Pizza Lucé in one form or another. For me, it’s grabbing a veggie slice weekly after hours of ballet classes at the pizzeria’s original downtown location—ballerina bun and all—and eating it in the car on the drive back home.

The local pizza chain has come a long way since opening its doors in 1993. Now with nine locations across the Twin Cities and Duluth, Pizza Lucé remains one of the most reliable pizza spots in town, creating pies out of locally-sourced ingredients available late night—even in the suburbs.

Pizza Lucé reservations can be made directly with the restaurant through its website.

Delivery: Available through the Pizza Lucé website. Not available through any major third-party delivery platform.

Downtown Minneapolis: 119 N 4th St, Minneapolis, MN 55401

Uptown Minneapolis: 3200 Lyndale Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55408

Several additional locations across the Twin Cities area and Duluth.

15. Northern Fires Pizza

Northern Fires Pizza is the definition of a neighborhood pizza joint. The small spot specializes in 12” wood-fired pizzas made of dough using locally-sourced wheat, topped with cheese, meat, and vegetables that also aren’t found too far from home. At lunch, square pan pizza slices are available for $4 to $5 each.

If you’re lucky, ordering ahead might earn you a discount. In the past, pizzas online have been marked down to just $10.

Northern Fires is solidly a takeout spot. A couple of picnic tables sit outside of the restaurant for warmer months, but given Minnesota’s harsh weather, you’re best taking it home for most of the year.

Delivery: Northern Fires Pizza does not currently offer delivery.

Location: 1839 E 42nd St, Minneapolis, MN 55407

16. Football Pizza

Football Pizza has little to do with the sport. Though pizza and football might be one of the great American couples, Football Pizza’s name reflects the shape of their pies. Instead of opting for a traditional round pie or a Detroit-style rectangular pan pizza, Football Pizza throws their dough into an oblong shape instead.

Accompanying pizza on the menu isn’t wings or pasta, but Middle Eastern favorites with Afghan flair, representing owner Meerwais Azizi’s heritage. Crossing cuisines, Football Pizza’s Meat Lovers pizza is topped with gyro meat and pepperoni on all pies is notably halal.

Delivery: Available on BiteSquad, DoorDash, Grubhub, Postmates, Slice, and Uber Eats.

Northeast Minneapolis location: 2339 Central Ave NE, Minneapolis, MN 55418

Football Pizza has one additional location in Eagan.