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.

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 wide range of local beer or rotating special cocktail.

Rafferty’s Pizza is an institution in the Brainerd Lakes area. With locations in Nisswa, Crosslake, Crosby, and Baxter, this spot has been serving slices since 1981. Find calzones, specialty pizzas like the lucky chicken topped with Cajun chicken, lingonberry sauce, green onions and parmesan or the feisty pig topped with pulled pork, smoked bacon, a bourbon molasses sauce, and more.

A pizza place with an expansive deck located on the shores of Big Pine Lake and an address of Mosquito Heights Road is as Minnesota as you can get! Find pizza pies like all meat, veggie lover, and more. For something unique, try the Spicy Earl, their take on a jalapeno popper pizza.

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.

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.

Midtown Tavern is proud to feature Duane’s House of Pizza, a Moorhead staple since 1969. 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.

With views of Lake of the Woods’ Muskeg Bay, Nomad Tavern offers signature pizzas like the spinach and garlic pie, Mediterranean, and more. For something different, try their calzone, stromboli or pepperoni rolls.

Don’t be fooled by their silly pizza names, these are seriously good pizzas. Try the pickled pizza topped with a bechemel sauce, dill pickles and fresh dill, the duck, duck, goat with roasted duck, grapes, goat cheese and candied pecans or the gnarly Charlie with pepperoni, pineapple, and jalapeño pesto. With more than 20 specialty pizzas or an option to build your own, you won’t go hungry.

Keith’s 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

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!)

Located in the popular town of Two Harbors, the Northshore Pizza Cafe serves their signature pizzas with the crust edges folded up. The dough is hand-tossed and pies are available in classic flavors and more quirky kinds like sausage sauerkraut, chicken wild rice, and the “dillicious,” topped with Canadian bacon, dill pickles, and cream cheese.

Near Canal Park in Duluth, Pizza Lucé serves award-winning pizza and offers many vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free options. Some of their post popular pies are the Luce loaded with Italian sausage, garlic, onion and extra mozzarella, the baked potato pizza with mashed potatoes, broccoli, cheddar cheese, tomatoes and bacon or the wild mushroom with a delicious mushroom blend.

On the Iron Range, Sunrise Bakery serve fresh wood-fired pizzas, calzones, and more. Available for dine in, takeout or delivery, their specialty pizzas run the gamut from buffalo chicken, balsamic goat, mac and cheese, and more. For a taste of the range, try the porketta pepper topped with mozzarella cheese, porketta, and pepperoncini.

This crisp, square-cut pizza has been a favorite in northern Minnesota for decades. Sammy’s can be found in Cloquet, Duluth, 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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.  

Locally owned since 1969, Pagliai’s Pizza is one of the oldest restaurants in Mankato. Using their specialty blended cheese, their pizza uses only the freshest of ingredients. Find classics like the garden, loaded with mushrooms, green peppers, black and green olives, onions, and tomatoes or the “B” special, topped with sausage, salami, Canadian bacon and onions. Their pizzas are available in their classic crust or deep-dish style.