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20 Places to Feed Your Pizza Craving in Minnesota

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The wood-fired pizza oven at Ursa Minor Brewing in Duluth / Pinkbike
Food & Drink // List

20 Places to Feed Your Pizza Craving in Minnesota

By Caitlin Hannah

Few things in life are better than a piping hot slice of cheesy, saucy, perfectly crusted pizza. From the square cut slices to delicious deep dish, you can find all styles of pizza in Minnesota. While we can’t name every pizza spot across the state, here are a few worth checking out next time the craving hits.

Central Minnesota

  1. Jake's Pizza (Willmar)
    Exterior of Jake's Pizza

    Jake's Pizza in downtown Willmar has been making square-cut, thin crust pizzas since 1972 / Jessica Brouillette

    Jake's Pizza (Willmar)

    Located in downtown Willmar, Jake’s Pizza has been making pizzas, salads, sandwiches and more since 1972. Jake’s pizza is thin, crispy  and cut square. Order the Jake’s Special, topped with sausage, pepperoni and green olives, or the Willmar Special, with hamburger, mushrooms and onions. Get your daily dose of veggies at the salad bar or indulge in a side of mozzarella cheese toast.

  2. Union Avenue Pizza & Brewing Co. (Fergus Falls)
    Union Avenue Pizza & Brewing Co. (Fergus Falls)

    This wood-fired pizza joint in downtown Fergus Falls also brews its own beer. The unique pizzas include chicken artichoke, steakhouse pizza, roasted winter veggie, hot dish pizza and more. Wash it down with a selection of 12 local and house-made beers.

  3. Boomer Pizza (Baxter)
    Boomer Pizza (Baxter)

    If you’re a fan of wood-fired pizzas, make sure to visit Boomer Pizza in the Brainerd Lakes area. The pizzas are cooked in a wood-fired oven using dry oak wood from Minnesota. The ceiling of the oven can get up to 1,000 degrees! The menu includes 20 kinds of pizza, including a Thai pizza, prosciutto and fig, and classics like pepperoni and sausage. OK, Boomer!

  4. House of Pizza (St. Cloud)
    House of Pizza (St. Cloud)

    If you are craving pizza, order a pie at House of Pizza in downtown St. Cloud. This spot has been a go-to for St. Cloud State University fans before or after a game and hungry travelers love to customize their pizzas with a variety of crusts, sauces and toppings. Some favorites are the garlic roasted potato pizza or the spinach and artichoke pizza. Don't forget to snap your photo outside the iconic HOP mural on the side of the building.  

    Northwest Minnesota

  5. Zorbaz (Multiple Locations)
    Man holding cheezy pizza slice at Zorbaz

    Zorbaz is known for its pizza and lakeside location

    Zorbaz (Multiple Locations)

    The iconic pizza and Mexican joint has been serving tasty pizzas since 1969. Zorbaz is a staple in Minnesota lakes country, and is a great place to grab a bite during the summer. Some of the most popular pies include the Mexican pizza, barbecue chicken pizza and the Zorbaz Zuper. For something truly unique, plan a visit during October or November for the pilgrim pizza, topped with your Thanksgiving favorites like turkey, stuffing and cranberry sauce.

  6. The Hotel Shoreham (Detroit Lakes)
    The Hotel Shoreham (Detroit Lakes)

    This seasonal favorite has been welcoming diners in the Detroit Lakes area since 1910. Summer is not complete without a visit to “The Shoreham” for pizza or dinner in the dining room. Featuring a thin, crispy crust, the delicious pizzas come in two sizes and can be enjoyed on the outdoor deck or to-go. Try the store special with pepperoni, beef, sausage, smoked salami, green peppers, onions and mushrooms. The weekends are always popular and feature live music outside.

  7. Duane's House of Pizza (Moorhead)
    Duane's House of Pizza (Moorhead)

    Duane’s has been serving its signature square-cut pizzas since 1959. The staff grinds their own sausage and makes batches of sauce daily. A local favorite is the house special, which is a once-around-the-kitchen pizza with sausage, pepperoni, beef, salami, mushrooms, onions and green pepper.

  8. Keith's Old River Pizza (Bemidji)
    Keith's Old River Pizza (Bemidji)

    Keith’s Old River Pizza has been in business for four generations and prides itself on using fresh and local ingredients. The sauce is cooked for two hours to build a bold and zesty flavor; they have used the same mozzarella cheese for more than 20 years; and the beef and pork are sourced from a local farm. Some local favorites are the Italian, Maui BBQ chicken, chicken fajita, and the Mexican Grande, featuring a salsa-infused pizza sauce.

    Northeast Minnesota

  9. Sven & Ole's (Grand Marais)
    Sven and Ole's Pizzaria exterior

    Sven & Ole's Pizza is a North Shore in Grand Marais / Jim Hoffman

    Sven & Ole's (Grand Marais)

    A trip up the North Shore is made even better with a stop at Sven and Ole’s in Grand Marais. For a true taste of the north, order a Vild Vun pizza topped with wild rice, Canadian bacon, mushrooms, black olives, green peppers and onions. Sip a local Minnesota beer in The Pickled Herring Pub, where you can sign up for the World Beer Tour or United States Beer Tour. Once you complete the “tour,” your name will be added to “The Pickled Herring Pub Hall of Foam.”. (Each tour includes 80-95 beers, so it may take several years of repeat visits to complete!)

  10. Sammy's Pizza & Restaurant (Multiple Locations)
    Sammy's Pizza & Restaurant (Multiple Locations)

    This crisp, square-cut pizza has been a favorite in northern Minnesota for decades. Sammy’s can be found in Cloquet, Duluth, Hermantown, Hibbing and Grand Rapids. The pizzas are topped with classic and fresh ingredients; meat lovers should try the Lumberjack with pepperoni, Canadian bacon, sausage and fresh ground beef.

  11. Vermilion Club (Tower)
    Vermilion Club (Tower)

    Adventurous and hungry diners will want to order the Bamboozeler, a pizza clocking in at 24 inches. Bring a group of friends and enjoy 3 square feet of delicious toppings. The restaurant says the pie feeds six to nine adults, but if you can finish it by yourself it’s free! The Vermilion Club has been around since 1926, so you know they are doing something right.

    Southern Minnesota

  12. Jake's Stadium Pizza (Mankato & St. Peter)
    Pizza being cut

    Jake's Stadium Pizza is topped with local mozzarella cheese made exclusively for their restaurants / Jessica Brouillette

    Jake's Stadium Pizza (Mankato & St. Peter)

    The first Jake’s Stadium Pizza opened in 1964 in Albert Lea and has since expanded to Mankato and St. Peter. The recipes have been passed down from generation to generation and use mozzarella cheese exclusively made for the chain in Wisconsin. One of the most popular pies is the Sarge’s special, topped with Canadian bacon, fresh onions, ground beef and mushrooms.

  13. Happy Joe's (New Ulm)
    Happy Joe's (New Ulm)

    Only in Minnesota will you find a pizza place that also serves tater tot hot dish. Happy Joe’s was recently awarded “Best Hotdish in Minnesota” by WCCO viewers, but it’s also known for its taco pizza and even sells bottles of the taco sauce. Happy Joe’s also serves up unique concoctions like chicken hot wing pizza and a German-inspired pizza topped with Canadian bacon and sauerkraut.

  14. Pasquale's (Rochester)
    Pasquale's (Rochester)

    If you’re craving New York-style pizza, Pasquale’s in Rochester is your place. Serving pizza by the slice, the whole pie, or Sicilian-style stuffed pizzas, Pasquale’s also offers gluten-free pies. Order a side of garlic knots and save room for something sweet: Next door at La Dolce Vita, you will find house-made gelato, cannoli, tiramisu and more.

  15. Red Wing Brewery (Red Wing)
    Red Wing Brewery (Red Wing)

    Red Wing Brewery is the first brewery in Red Wing in more than 60 years. Pizza and beer are always a great combination, especially when the handmade crust incorporates spent grains from the brewing process. The pizzas are available in personal size or large and offer a wide variety of fresh toppings. If you’re looking for something spicy, order the buffalo chicken pizza, made with buffalo sauce, mozzarella, diced chicken and crumbled Amablu cheese from Faribault. The beers are named for the area and include the Stoneware Stout, Barn Bluff Brown Ale and Jordan Creek IPA.  

    Minneapolis-St. Paul Area

  16. Pizzeria Lola (Minneapolis)
    Pizzeria Lola pizza

    Pizza from Pizzeria Lola / Nicholas Kolnik

    Pizzeria Lola (Minneapolis)

    Don’t be intimidated by the crowds at Pizzeria Lola. Belly up to the bar for a local brew, snap a photo in the photo booth and patiently wait for a table while you watch the piping hot pizzas baking in the large copper oven. Pizzeria Lola was featured on “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives” and has a legion of fans that adore its artisan pizzas. Some of the most popular pies are the Korean BBQ with short ribs, the My Sha-Roni! with pepperoni and house-made fennel sausage, and the Sunnyside with an organic sunny side-up egg.

  17. QC Pizza (Mahtomedi & Minneapolis)
    QC Pizza (Mahtomedi & Minneapolis)

    Dill pickle pizza? You betcha! At QC Pizza in Mahtomedi and Minneapolis, the Kinda Big Dill pizza went viral on the internet and has been satisfying customers ever since. This unique pizza features a homemade garlic dill sauce, Canadian bacon that has been smoked for 48 hours, thinly sliced dill pickles and mozzarella cheese. If pickles are not your thing, try the Minnesota Masher baked potato pizza, jerk chicken pizza, sour pig topped with sauerkraut and other unique menu options.

  18. Cosetta's (St. Paul)
    Cosetta's (St. Paul)

    The first Cosetta’s opened in 1911 as a tiny food market before moving to its current location in 1984 near downtown St. Paul. Visitors can order a slice of pizza or an entire pie. Cosetta’s takes pride in its ingredients, like the select California tomatoes, artisan cheese and house-made sausage. Diners often have trouble deciding between pizza or the delicious pastas, sandwiches and salads.

  19. Fat Lorenzo's (Multiple Locations)
    Fat Lorenzo's (Multiple Locations)

    With locations in both Minneapolis and Bloomington, Fat Lorenzo’s is known for its hearty, New York-style pies and colorful murals by Twin Cities artist Ed Charbonneau. Diners can build their own pizza or enjoy one of the house-made combinations like the Carne Pazza, topped with pepperoni, Canadian bacon, sausage and sliced meatballs, or the Alfrenzo, with Alfredo sauce, chicken, artichokes, roasted red peppers, spinach, ricotta, mozzarella and provolone. It’s also one of the only places in the Twin Cities where you can order a New Haven-style pizza, topped with baby clams in a rich herb sauce with asiago cheese.

  20. Mama's Pizza (St. Paul)
    Mama's Pizza (St. Paul)

    Located in the North End of St. Paul, Mama’s serves pizzas, pastas, sandwiches and more. Try the Flavor Explosion, topped with sausage, pepperoni, bacon, pineapple and banana peppers, or the veggie combo with mushroom, green pepper, onion, and black and green olives. 

Caitlin Hannah

Caitlin Hannah is Explore Minnesota's social media strategist and resident Disney expert. She grew up spending summer weekends at her family's lake cabin in Detroit Lakes, and brings that "up north" attitude to everything she does. When traveling around the state, she likes trying new restaurants and taprooms, or watching Minnesota hockey.