Some of the best pizza in the Twin Cities hides just off a quiet St. Paul avenue, easy to drive past and even easier to fall for once you find it. Regulars talk about a thick, rectangular Sicilian pan pizza with a focaccia-style crust that comes out crispy on the edges and airy in the middle.
There is a real Super Mario Bros video game console inside, a graffiti wall out front made for photos, and staff who greet newcomers like family. Word has spread mostly through social media and quiet recommendations, which is exactly how a place like this earns loyal fans.
What makes this spot worth the trip, and why do locals keep coming back for more? Keep reading to find out.
A Corner Pizzeria Off Cleveland Avenue
Tucked at 232 Cleveland Ave N in St. Paul, Minnesota, this pizzeria sits far enough off the busy roads that plenty of people find it only after a quick online search. That backstory comes up again and again from folks who stumbled onto it and immediately wished they had known sooner.
The setup is refreshingly simple. It is a pizza restaurant with a casual counter, plenty of seating, and a menu built around a style you do not see on every Twin Cities block.
Prices land in the friendly $10 to $20 range, which keeps it approachable for a solo lunch or a family dinner. You can call ahead, order online, or just walk in and figure it out at the counter.
What really sets the tone is how unassuming the whole place feels. There are no gimmicks pulling you off the highway, just a solid corner spot doing one thing very well.
Finding it feels a little like being let in on a secret the neighborhood has quietly kept for years.
The Sicilian Pan Pizza That Started the Buzz
The signature draw here is a thick, rectangular Sicilian-style pan pizza that fans describe as East Coast-style, often compared to Detroit style. The crust is a focaccia bread base, airy in the center and crisp along the outside.
Regulars call it the best in the metro for this particular style, and several say it is the reason they keep coming back month after month. One order of the supreme reportedly arrived with eight large slices, so it easily feeds a group.
That crust does the heavy lifting. Done right, the edges turn crunchy and buttery while the middle stays soft, and people rave about that contrast.
Not every pie lands identically. A few mention the center can run a touch doughy or the sauce can be light, though the kitchen is quick to offer extra house-made red sauce when asked.
For anyone curious about pan pizza that leans away from the classic Minnesota tavern cut, this is the reason the place has quietly built a following.
Original Saint Paul Butter Crust, Reinvented
Beyond the thick stuff, the kitchen has its own take on thin crust called the Original Saint Paul Butter Crust, billed as a reinvented tavern-style pizza. It is a different animal from the Sicilian pan, and plenty of people show up specifically to try it.
Folks who order it point to a nicely crispy crust, a savory tomato sauce, and those little cupped pepperoni slices that crisp up at the edges. The butter crust often gets named as a personal favorite even among people who came in for the deep dish.
What makes it clever is the balance. The crust stays light and crunchy without overpowering the toppings, so each bite reads as pizza rather than bread with cheese on top.
Repeat guests frequently say the same thing: they came for one style and left promising to return for the other. That kind of back-and-forth loyalty says a lot.
If you can only pick one on a first visit, this is the crust that turns curious newcomers into regulars.
Heroes Worth Skipping the Pizza For
Here is a plot twist for a pizza spot: the sandwiches almost steal the show. The heroes, known elsewhere as hoagies or grinders, draw their own devoted crowd.
The Italian Combo earns particular praise, with fans describing bread that tastes fresh and flavorful without crowding out the fillings. Some people order the hero and finish it even while saving room for pizza, which tells you how good it is.
The kitchen also runs a hot sandwich lineup, including a Hot Chicago Beef the owner proudly stands behind. The bread itself gets called dreamy by more than a few loyal customers.
Not every order goes perfectly. One person hoping for an Italian Beef with peppers on the side ran into a mix-up, a reminder that busy days can trip up special requests.
Still, the sandwich side of the menu is no afterthought. Regulars practically beg newcomers not to leave without trying one.
Cheesy Garlic Bread Donuts and Other Curiosities
Few items get name-dropped more often than the cheesy garlic bread donuts. Light, cheesy, and served with a garlic dipping sauce, they have earned near-legendary status among regulars.
One fan joked they belong at the State Fair, which in Minnesota is about the highest compliment a fried snack can receive. Others simply order them every single visit alongside their usual pie.
These are not the same as mozzarella sticks, which surprises some first-timers. They are soft, gooey, and a little different, sold sometimes as zeppole or garlic balls depending on the day.
The appetizer menu rewards the adventurous. It is the kind of add-on that starts as a maybe and quickly becomes a must-order.
Come hungry enough to leave room, because skipping the garlic donuts is the one regret people mention most.
Hot Honey Pepperoni for the Bold
Craving a little heat with your slice? The hot honey pepperoni has become a fan favorite that people describe in almost dramatic terms.
Built on the Sicilian style, one popular version adds jalapeno and a drizzle of hot honey that ties the whole thing together. The crust reportedly hits that sweet spot of crunchy, soft, and full of flavor, while the pepperoni crisps up nicely.
The honey is the star move here. It brings sweetness against the savory sauce and the gentle kick, and regulars keep circling back for exactly that combination.
Even the base sauce carries a bit of warmth, described as just enough to bring the pizza to life without scaring off a mild palate. That balance seems to win over both spice lovers and the heat-shy.
For anyone who likes their pizza with a personality, this is the order that keeps showing up on repeat.
Four Cheese, Supreme, and the Classics
Beyond the headline hits, the standard lineup holds its own. The four cheese pizza gets called delicious and, by at least one loyal fan, better than the sausage version they compared it against.
The supreme is the crowd-pleaser for groups, arriving loaded and generously sliced. People describe fresh toppings and a hearty build that easily splits among a few hungry folks.
Then there is the sausage pie, which fans say comes out crispy and tasty, though a couple wish it packed a little more zip. Personal preference plays a role there.
What ties the classics together is generosity. The kitchen is known to pile on the pepperoni, sometimes with those signature little cups scattered across the top.
Even the straightforward orders feel like they got extra attention, which is why the plain pepperoni tends to disappear fast at the table.
Wings Done Without a Soggy Bite
Chicken wings can be an afterthought at pizza joints, but here they get real praise. Fans single out wings that come out crisp with not a single soggy bite, a tricky feat for anything tossed in sauce.
Options like Buffalo and Alabama White let you split an order and sample two styles at once. That kind of variety keeps the appetizer table interesting.
Getting tossed wings to stay crunchy takes care in the kitchen, and the consistency here has clearly caught attention. It is the sort of detail that turns a side dish into a talking point.
They pair naturally with a pie for a bigger spread, especially when a group wants more than just pizza on the table. A half-and-half order stretches the fun.
Order them alongside a Sicilian slice and you have got yourself a complete lineup with almost nothing left to wish for.
Zeppole Oreo Dessert to Close the Meal
Dessert here leans playful, and the zeppole Oreo donuts are the sweet finish people keep mentioning. Fried, sugary, and served with a frosting dip, they land somewhere between carnival treat and comfort food.
One fan called them dynamite, and others describe a sweet, crunchy bite that caps the meal on a high note. They arrive after the pizza like a little reward for making it that far.
The frosting dip splits opinion just slightly. A few find it a touch unusual, but most treat it as part of the fun.
What makes them work is the contrast with everything savory that came before. After a thick, cheesy pan pizza, a sweet fried donut feels like exactly the right move.
Save a corner of your appetite, because the zeppole are the kind of ending that sends people out grinning.
A Super Mario Bros Kind of Vibe
The name is not just for show. Inside sits a real Super Mario Bros video game console, and the staff have been spotted in Mario Bros video game shirts, leaning into the whimsy with a wink.
The room reads as a proper pizza joint with personality. It is clean, casual, and decorated with plants that give the space a calm, relaxed feel.
Out front, a pizza guy graffiti wall has become a favorite backdrop for photos. It is a small touch that makes the place feel memorable before you even order.
People describe the whole atmosphere as fun and easygoing, the sort of spot where nobody feels out of place. The humor in the branding matches the laid-back energy.
All of it adds up to a spot that takes its pizza seriously while refusing to take itself too seriously.
Service That Treats You Like Family
Warm, personal service comes up in nearly every glowing account of this place. First-timers often mention feeling welcomed the moment they walk up to the counter.
Staff are known to walk newcomers through the menu, share their own favorites, and check back in after guests sit down. Names like Em pop up as counter helpers who turned a routine order into a genuinely fun visit.
People describe the vibe as casual and caring, the kind of spot where the team treats you like a longtime regular even on a first visit. That family feeling clearly leaves an impression.
The kitchen is also happy to accommodate. Ask for an extra cup of house-made red sauce and it arrives with a smile rather than a sigh.
When busy days cause a hiccup, the owner tends to respond directly and offer to make things right. That follow-through says plenty about how much they care.
Dining In or Grabbing It To Go
Flexibility is part of the appeal. Some people settle in for a calm dine-in meal, while others call ahead and grab takeout in a hurry.
Pickup orders reportedly come together quickly, with a supreme Detroit-style pie ready in under 25 minutes on at least one occasion. Fresh pizzas can take around 30 minutes, and fans say the wait is worth it.
Slices are available too, which makes it an easy solo lunch stop without committing to a whole pie. That option opens the door for a quick midday bite.
The leftovers earn their own fan club. People happily reheat the pizza the next day and find it tastes just as good, which is high praise for any pie.
Whichever way you go, the food seems built to travel and hold up, so a to-go box is never a downgrade.
Hours, Prices, and Getting There
Planning a visit is straightforward. The kitchen runs 11 am to 9 pm Monday through Thursday and on Sunday, staying open later until 10 pm on Friday and Saturday.
The address is 232 Cleveland Ave N in St. Paul, Minnesota, on a corner that sits just off the main drag. It is the kind of location you might miss unless you are looking for it, which is half its charm.
Prices generally fall between $10 and $20, keeping the whole experience wallet-friendly for most orders. One small gripe that surfaces now and then is a $3 charge for a can of soda.
A weeknight around dinner can be quiet with plenty of open seating, while weekends draw a livelier crowd. There is also a craft beverage selection for those dining in.
You can order by phone at 651-207-5252 or online through the restaurant’s website, whichever fits your evening better.
Why Locals Keep Coming Back
Loyalty is the throughline in everything people say about this spot. Some talk about a weekly pie, others about a standing monthly visit, and more than a few admit they have a permanent go-to order.
The pull is a mix of things: a distinctive Sicilian pan pizza, an inventive butter crust, standout heroes, and those garlic bread donuts nobody can resist. Layer in friendly service and a fun room, and the appeal is easy to understand.
It carries a real hidden-spot reputation, the kind of place people feel proud to have discovered. With a strong 4.6 rating across hundreds of accounts, the affection clearly runs deep.
No spot is flawless, and the occasional off day or mixed-up order does happen. The kitchen’s habit of owning mistakes and offering to fix them keeps trust intact.
For pan pizza fans in the Twin Cities looking for something a little different, this quiet St. Paul corner makes a strong case for becoming a regular stop.
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