*** Abetto’s Deli is closed as of 10/14/11***
Cuisine: Deli, Italian, Pizza
Restaurant Features: Banquet, Catering, Counter-Service, On-Site Parking
Location: St Paul, MN
Address: 560 Como Ave St Paul, MN 55103 651-488-4040
Hours: Mon-Thurs 11am-8pm Fri-Sat 11am-10pm
Links: Abetto’s Website * Abetto’s on Facebook * Google Map
Atmosphere: Abetto’s Deli is located on Como Ave in St Paul ( at Kent St) with an attached liquor store. There is a counter to order at when you first walk in, with the food preparation area just behind the safety glass. The dining room in back is nothing fancy, but it is spacious and has wooden floors. There are several red & white-checkered banquet tables spread throughout.
Menu: Appetizers at Abetto’s include Garlic Toast, Garlic Cheese Toast, Italian Fries, and Chicken Wings.
Salad options include Chef, Garden and Italian.
Subs and Sandwiches include Cheese or Veggie, Corned Beef, Smoked Turkey, Roast Beef, Ham, Pepperoni, Tuna, Italian Salami and Meatball. Hot Sandwiches include Pizza Sub, Hail the Vulc, North of the Border, Meathead, Heartburn, Tuna Fetish, Mr Magoo, The Titan, Lunch Box 360, The In’Vince”ible,
Hot entrees include Baked Rigatoni, Hot Dago, Mostaccioli, Reuben, and Spaghetti & Meatballs.
Pizzas come in either 6″, 10″,12″ 14″. Build-your-own or choose from one of the following specialty pizzas: Canadian Bacon/Pineapple, Veggie, Reuben, House Special, Taco and Super Works.
Price guide: Appetizers $1-6 Salads $4-5 Subs $4-7 Hot Entrees $6-7 Pizza $4-18
Weekly Specials:
What I ordered: On my first visit to Abetto’s, I wasn’t sure what to try so I asked for a recommendation. The cook immediately replied with “Hot Dago” so the Hot Dago is what I got! My order came with a thick patty of Italian sausage sitting atop a fresh hoagie roll, then smothered in red sauce and mozzarella and baked until the cheese and bread were golden and toasty. This was pretty good; there was a substantial amount of all ingredients. I would get this again but next time I would see if I could get sauteed peppers and onions added to it to spice it up a little, I would also probably add crushed red pepper and parmesan.
One solo tasting of Abetto’s was not enough for me, so a few days after I ate the Hot Dago above, I went back and ordered a sub to-go. There were many appealing options but I ended up getting the Heartburn Sub. It wasn’t much more money to get a 12″ vs a 6″, so I went with the larger sub. Totally unnecessary, 6″ was almost too much for me! The heartburn sub has pepperoni and cheddar as well as roast beef and pepper jack, both of which are toasted along with the bread. There was a significant amount of both meats; this sandwich was seriously Stacked. The pepperoni was great but I didn’t care as much for the roast beef, it seemed too processed for me but I still ate it and enjoyed the sandwich. The sandwich also had plenty of shredded lettuce, tomatoes, and banana peppers, and then was drizzled with mayo and oil. Potentially a very very messy sandwich, which is why it is smartly cut in half and wrapped tightly in paper.
Service: I visited Abetto’s over the lunch hour on two separate occasions within one week and had consistent, friendly service on both visits. Toasted Specialty Subs are ready in 5-10 minutes, depending on how busy it is.
Overall Impression: I am glad to have discovered Abetto’s Deli after a reader recommended it, it is very close to where I work which makes it very convenient to stop to pick up a sandwich. They also have a great Pizza Special on Wednesday nights where a large 1-item pizza is only $5.60. That’s cheaper than DiGiorno!
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Cuisine: American, Deli, Italian, Pizza
Restaurant Features: Bar, Market, On-Site Parking
Location: Willernie, MN (Mahtomedi)
Address: 460 Stillwater Road Willernie, MN 55090 (651) 653-4733
Hours: Mon-Thurs 11am-9pm Fri-Sat 11-am-10pm Sun 11am-8pm
Links: Roma Website * Roma Facebook Page * Google Map
Atmosphere: Roma is located in downtown Willernie in a space that used to occupy a laundromat. They did a spectacular job with their remodeling, as the new space is a very fresh and cute. A majority of the space is used by the dining room, which has a mix of both tables and booths. There is also a bar area that offers seating at the bar as well as at a handful of bistro tables. There are many windows, giving plenty of beautiful natural light during the day. I sat at a booth by the window and discovered that it can also be cool and drafty during winter months. I can only assume that the lights are dim at night to offer more of a romantic and relaxing atmosphere.
Roma also has a “Roman Market” which offers Premium Meats and European Deli items.
Menu: Appetizers include Antipasto Classico (meat & cheese tray), Cheese & Fruit Plate, Spinach Artichoke Dip, Spirito (Flatbread and three dips/spreads), Mussels ala Romana, Caprese, Italian Wings, Hummus, Bruschetta, Gelee (fruits and cheeses on crustini bread), Fonduta, and Italian Fries.
Salad options are the Gorgonzola, Greek, Caesar, Bistecca (steak with caramelized onions), Chicken with Apple and Walnuts, Rucola (arugula, bacon, egg, tomato), and Spinach Salad.
Sandwiches at Roma are served with kettle chips and include Greek Gyro, Italian Sub, Reuben, Rachel, French Dip, Turkey Melt, Hot Dago, Italian Beef, and Trojan Tenderloin. Flatbread wraps include Turkey, Chicken Caesar, Garlic Steak, Italian Combo, Diavlo Shrimp and Stromboli. Additional sandwiches served on the lunch menu include Porketta, BBQ Meatloaf, Grinder, Sausalito Turkey, Meatball Hoagie, Pastrami, Walleye, Margherita, and the Gladiator Melt (roast beef and cheddar).
Roma’s Pasta menu consists of Spaghetti, Gnocchi Bolognese, Lasagna Classico, Lasagna Blanco, Fettuccine Alfredo, Sausage Arabiatta, Chicken and Shrimp Linguini, and Squash Ravioli. Additional Pastas and Entrees served at dinner include Lobster Canneloni, Shrimp Pomodoro, Gorgonzola Filet, Sacchetti (pasta filled with truffle and ricotta in fontina cream sauce), Scallops Puttanesca, Chicken Saltimbocca, and Walleye in a Remoulade Sauce.
Roma has quickly become known for its wood-fired pizzas (10″& 14″) with options such as the Cheese, Margherita, Succo (cinnamon cream, squash, gorgonzola and caramelized onions with maple syrup), Garden, Balsalmico, Vesuvio (pepperoni, sausage, ham, mushroom, onion and peppers), Pesto Shrimp, Greek Gyro, Chicken Alfredo or Build-Your-Own.
Price guide: Appetizers $4-12 Salads $8-12 Sandwiches $8-12 Pastas/Entrees $12-22 Specialty Pizzas 10″ $9+ 14″ $14
Happy Hour:
- Daily 3-5pm
- 2-for-1 Tap & Bottled Beer, Mixed Drinks and Wine-by-the-Glass
- Cash Bar Only
What we ordered: The Italian Wings sounded good so we started with an order of those. The wings were loosely coated with Italian bread crumbs and then fried to a golden brown. The breading was only slightly crispy and was flaking off the wings in the usual way of bread crumbs, but they tasted delicious nonetheless! They were served with both bleu cheese and marinara.
Our server highly recommended the Spinach Artichoke Dip so we also had an order of that. It took some time to arrive because the flatbread was made to order, but we both liked it quite a bit. The flatbread was baked with parmesan cheese until the perfect texture of soft and crispy. The dip was very cream-cheese dominant with subtle pieces of artichoke and spinach blended in. We liked it but both agreed we prefer artichoke dip with a blend of cheeses and seasonings.
There was a very nice selection of sandwiches on the lunch menu and after asking for a recommendation, I ordered the Gladiator Melt. This sandwich was very good! The thinly-sliced roast beef was very tender and flavorful and had the cheddar cheese melted right into the layers. It was served on a soft yet slightly crusty ciabatta bread with a wine vinaigrette and aoili sauce. The textures and flavors of this sandwich went really well together. It was served with seasoned kettle chips and red grapes.
The Porketta was another recommendation of the server’s that my companion decided to try. I had been really enjoying my Gladiator Melt but then I tried a bite of the Porketta and I forgot all about the sandwich i ordered. This was one of the best new sandwiches I have tried in quite some time! The base of the sandwich was moist, tender pulled pork flavored with Italian seasonings then topped with melted pepperjack and sauteed peppers and onions. Seriously awesome, can’t figure out why this sandwich is not included on the dinner menu!?
Service: Our visit was mid-afternoon on a weekday so we had no problem getting a parking spot and we had our pick of tables as well. We were promptly greeted by our friendly server, who seemed to be the only person working in front. She made some great recommendations from the menu and brought us drinks and refills as needed. The timing of the food wasn’t the best; it took nearly 20 minutes for our appetizers since they were both made-to-order and even though we ordered our sandwiches later than we ordered the apps, our sandwiches came out less than five minutes after the apps. That is kind of a pet-peeve of mine but I didn’t sweat it since we were practically the only people in the restaurant.
Overall Impression: This is a lovely little gem in Willernie, near Mahtomedi. The sandwiches are excellent and the pastas and pizzas are rumored to be pretty awesome as well. The prices seemed very reasonable for the amount of food you get. Can’t wait to go back and try dinner very soon! One thing I think is great about Roma is that they always have some kind of printable coupon on their website. The current coupon for January 2011 is for Buy-One-Get-One Half Off . Now print yourselves a coupon, try Roma and let me know what you think!
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Price guide: Appetizers $5-9 Poppers $10 Panino $10 Salads $6-11 Pasta $8-12 What we ordered: Our party started with a couple of orders of the Panino Poppers. The first one we tried was the Ham and Pickle. These are a tasty little creation of bread dough rolled up around cream cheese mixed with tiny pieces of pickle and ham, then baked until golden brown. These were good but there was so much cream cheese in each little popper that it was almost overwhelming, especially since the pieces of pickle and ham were so miniscule that they were they were barely noticeable. If there were only half the cream cheese and double the ham and pickle, these would be exceptional little snacks. They was served with Thousand Island and ranch dressings, I especially liked the Thousand Island with them.
We also tried the Pizza Poppers to start, made with cream cheese and marinara. I liked these better than the ham & pickle, especially when dipped in more marinara, but there was still more cream cheese than necessary. A mix of Italian cheese with the cream cheese would’ve been ideal.
One of my companions and I split the Chicken Artichoke Panino, made on whole wheat pizza dough. This half of a sandwich was plenty big for me, especially after eating a few poppers. We each had our choice of a side and I chose the seasoned kettle chips. The Panino was filled with small bites of white meat chicken, bacon, a few artichokes, and lettuce. The sandwich was good but a little boring for my taste. I asked for a side of marinara to go with it to give it a little more flavor. The Buffalo Chicken would be more up my alley, I will try that one next time.
Another companion ordered the Chicken Gyro Panino with a side salad. This panino was stuffed with lettuce, chunks of chicken, swiss cheese, onion, tomato, and cucumber dressing.
We also ordered a 14″ Cheese Pizza for the younger ones in our party. I did not try this pizza but the kids loved it! It had a lot of cheese, toasted golden brown and a thin crust.
Service: The service at Panino’s was very good. We were promptly greeted and only had to wait a few minutes for our party of 8 to be accommodated. The server was attentive to the needs of the children in our group and brought drinks and most anything else we asked for in a timely manner. Overall Impression: We had very good service at Panino’s and the food was also pretty good.
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Cuisine: American, Breakfast, Delicatessan, Healthy Eating, Ice Cream
Restaurant Features: Bar (beer & wine only), Catering, Counter Service (in addition to table service), Free Wi-Fi, Patio Dining
Location: Minneapolis, MN
Address: 3019 Minnehaha Ave So. Minneapolis, MN 55406 (Mosaic Building) 612-746-1504
Hours: Mon-Thurs 8am-9pm Fri-Sat 8am-10pm Sun 8am-7pm
Links: Glaciers Cafe Website * Glaciers Cafe * Google Map
Atmosphere: Glaciers Cafe is conveniently located on Minnehaha Ave at East Lake St in the beautiful Mosaic Building, just a couple of blocks from the Light-Rail Line. The inside of the cafe is somewhat small but modern and trendy with a variety of seating arrangements including wooden tables, an over-sized booth, and bar-height seating that looks outward along the wall of windows. There is also small counter where guests can order or pick up coffee, food or frozen custard to-go. The lighting at night is just right, not too dim and not too bright.
One thing that I think is really cool about Glaciers Cafe is that it is an eco-friendly restaurant. All fruits and vegetables are organic, they serve fair trade organic coffee, meats are vegetarian fed and antibiotic free, and all to-go items are served in biodegradable disposables. Save the Glaciers!
Menu: Breakfast is served all day and includes Fresh Fruit, Granola, Breakfast Burrito (eggs, meat, peppers, cheddar, salsa, and sour cream served with cumin dusted potatoes), Three Egg Omelet, Muffins and Scones.
Appetizers at Glaciers Cafe include Mini Burger Sliders, Buffalo or
Sesame Teriyaki Wings, Bruschetta, Mozzarella Sticks, House Salsa &
Chips, and French Fries. There is also Homemade Chili and a Soup du Jour served every day.
Salads are served with breadsticks and include Greek, Buffalo Chicken, Albacore Tuna, or Classic Caesar. Side green salad also available. Add chicken to any salad for $1.75.
Glaciers Cafe also makes Flat Bread Pizzas. Build your own starting with either the House Marinara or Roasted Garlic Olive Oil and then top with ingredients such as the standard pepperoni, sausage, or go with chicken, bacon, pepper mix, roasted veggies or kalamata olives. The “Glacier Goodie” Flatbread is the house specialty with BBQ Chicken, Caramelized Red Onions, Cheese Blend, Chiffonade Basil, and Applewood Smoked Bacon.
There are a handful of really delicious sandwiches and burgers at Glaciers Cafe, all made with lean, hormone-free meats. Sandwiches are served with pickle, and choice of kettle chips, roasted veggies or upgrade to french fries (trans fat free!) for just $.75 more. Options include Marinated Char Broiled Chicken on Ciabatta served either: California Style (cheddar avocado, lettuce, tomato, roasted garlic mayo), Buffalo Style (buffalo sauce, lettuce, tomato, caramelized red onions and bleu cheese dressing), or the Glacier House Chicken (melted cheddar, smoked bacon, lettuce, tomato, caramelized red onions and roasted garlic mayo). Burgers are char grilled and served on a multigrain bun, either Buffalo style or the Glaciers House Burger (melted cheddar, smoked bacon, lettuce, tomato, caramelized red onions and roasted garlic mayo).
Other sandwich options include All Beef Vienna Hot Dog (plain, Chicago-style, or chili-cheese), Turkey/BLT/Swiss, Roasted Vegetarian Wrap, Toasty Cheese (grilled cheese with cheddar, swiss and tomato), or the Mexi-Cali Burrito (jalapeno cheddar tortilla stuffed with beans, rice, cheeses, lettuce, tomato and avocado. Chicken additional. Served with choice of cumin dusted potatoes, roasted veggies or chips and salsa).
One of the best reasons to visit Glaciers Cafe is for the Frozen Custard. You will always find chocolate, vanilla, and a Flavor of the Day or you can create a custom flavor by adding “mix ins”. Frozen custard can be served in a cake cone or cup, or buy a quart or pint to-go. Other options include Malts, Shakes, Floats, Smoothies and Sundaes.
Mix in and topping options include Gummy Worms, Heath Bar, Marshmallow, M&Ms, Oreos, Reeses, Snickers, Sprinkles, Butterfinger, Chocolate Chips, Whoppers, Butterscotch, Caramel, Chocolate Sauce, Hot Fudge, Hard-Shell, Marshmallow Sauce, Peanut Butter, Blueberries, Bananas, Pineapple, Strawberries, Raspberries, Pineapple, Almonds, Chopped Peanuts, Coconut, Pecans and Spanish Peanuts.
Glaciers Cafe is also a great stop for coffee and espresso. Drinks include Dark & Light Roast Coffee, Latte, Cappuchino, Chai Tea, Iced Latte, Mocha or Caramel, and Coffee Coolers.
Price guide: Appetizers $2-6 Flatbread $9 Sandwiches/Burgers $6-8 Salads $7-8 Frozen Custard $2.75-4.75 Coffee Drinks $1.50-$3.50
What We Ordered: My companion and I started with an order of Buffalo Wings. The order came with eight very large chicken wings and a generous coating of Buffalo sauce. The sauce was thin and mildly spicy with just a hint of sweetness. The portion size is just right for two people if you plan to have a meal as well.
For my dinner I ordered the Glaciers House Chicken sandwich served on a ciabatta roll. Great choice! The main star of this huge layered sandwich was a large breast of chicken marinated in a blend of fresh herbs and spices, then char broiled. The meat was wonderful- very tender and flavorful. I enjoyed it even more knowing it was hormone and antibiotic free! The chicken sat atop lettuce and tomato and was then topped with melted cheddar, thick applewood smoked bacon, and caramelized red onions. The sweet, soft caramelized onions provided a sweetness that perfectly complimented the smokey flavor of the applewood bacon and the zesty herbs of the chicken. The roasted garlic mayo was delicious as well and added to the party of flavors. I upgraded to the trans-fat free fries for $.75 more (what a deal!). The golden fries were hot and crispy.
My companion ordered the Glaciers House Burger, the ground beef version of the chicken sandwich I had with melted cheddar, thick applewood smoked bacon, and caramelized red onions. The burger was served on a multi-grain bun. The patty was 1/3- 1/2 lb of lean, vegetarian-fed beef, that was still slightly juicy but not at all greasy. The toppings on the burger were enjoyed every bit as much as on the chicken, as were the fries.
Frozen Custard is a specialty of Glaciers Cafe, so I made sure to save room for a Turtle Sundae. This sundae was bigger than I expected, served parfait-style in a large glass. The sweet, creamy vanilla custard was layered with caramel, hot fudge and pecans then topped with whipped cream and a cherry. So heavenly! Have I mentioned that ice cream/frozen custard is probably my favorite dessert?!
My companion ordered the Banana Supreme Sundae, a parfait of frozen vanilla custard, chocolate sauce, slices of banana, and Spanish peanuts, then topped with whipped cream and a cherry. The custard is so creamy and smooth! Yummy.
Service: I had no problem whatsoever in finding a place to park during my dinner-time visit, but please note the only nearby parking is metered so bring your quarters! A sign greeted us at the door to ” Please Seat Yourself” and since the restaurant had only a few other diners at that time of the night, my companion and I chose the large, over-sized booth. Our server was very nice and admitted right away that she was a new employee, but she did great! Our drinks were filled in a timely manner and we were given plenty of time to look over the menu before ordering.
Overall Impression: Glaciers Cafe is a great place to stop at any time of the day, whether you want a coffee, an appetizer, salad, sandwich or the delicious frozen custard. The prices are extremely affordable for the portion sizes you get and the food is prepared with only quality ingredients. Quick and friendly service.
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Davanni’s Pizza ~ Arden Hills, Bloomington, Brooklyn Center, Burnsville, Coon Rapids, Eagan, Eden Prairie, Edina, Golden Valley, Minneapolis, Minnetonka, Plymouth, Richfield, Rogers, Roseville, Savage, St Paul, Woodbury
Cuisine: Pizza, Delicatessen (hoagies)
Restaurant Features: Catering, Counter-Service, Delivery, Kids Menu, On-Site Parking (at many locations)
Locations: Arden Hills, Bloomington, Brooklyn Center, Burnsville, Coon Rapids, Eagan, Eden Prairie, Edina, Golden Valley, Minneapolis, Minnetonka, Plymouth, Richfield, Rogers, Roseville, Savage, St Paul, Woodbury
Addresses: (Click here for Maps of Davanni’s Locations)
Arden Hills: 3673 Lexington Ave N Arden Hills, MN 55126 651-481-7100
Bloomington:
8605 Lyndale Ave S Bloomington, MN 55420 952-888-6232
Brooklyn Center:
5937 Summit Dr Brooklyn Center, MN 55430 763-566-8220
Burnsville: 14639 CR 11 Burnsville, MN 55337 952-431-1500
Coon Rapids: 3430 129th Ave NW Coon Rapids, MN 55448 763-712-1000
Eagan:
1960 Cliff Lake Rd Eagan, MN 55123 651-688-6111
Eden
Prairie: 8061 Flying Cloud Dr Eden Prairie, MN 55344 952-941-4444
Edina: 5124 Gus Young Ln Edina, MN 55436 952-920-9090
Golden Valley:
663 Winnetka Ave N Golden Valley, Mn 55427 763-398-0303
Minneapolis: 1242 Hennepin Ave Minneapolis, MN 55403 612-338-0000
Minnetonka: 15200 Highway 7 Minnetonka, MN 55345 952-938-4243
Plymouth:
3015 Harbor Ln N Plymouth, MN 55447 763-550-0003
Richfield:
2312 W 66th St Richfield, MN 55423 612-866-3324
Rogers:
14165 James Road Rogers, Mn 55374 763-428-2990
Roseville, 1905 W Perimeter Dr Roseville, MN 55113 651-636-3411
Savage: 14125 Highway 13 Savage, MN 55378 952-440-1200
St Paul:
310 White Bear AveSt. Paul, MN 55106 651-738-6992
St Paul:
41 Cleveland Ave S St. Paul, MN 55105 651-690-4848
Uptown Mpls: 1414 W Lake St Minneapolis, MN 55408 612-822-3111
Woodbury: 1905 Donegal Dr Woodbury, MN 55125 651-739-1010
Links: Davanni’s Website
Atmosphere: The East St Paul Davanni’s location is just off I-94 and White Bear Ave. Like all other Davanni’s location, customers order at a counter and then wait for their name to be called when order is ready.
There are several different seating areas, each with booths that can accommodate up to four people. There are also a couple of tables in the very back section of the dining room. There are many windows throughout the restaurant, leaving it very well lit during the day.
Menu: Appetizers include Potato Chips, Breadsticks and Garlic Cheese Bread.
Salads at Davanni’s are the Garden Salad, Side Garden, Chicken Cobb, Italian Chef, Oriental Chicken, Southwestern Chicken, Spinach Chicken, Chicken Caesar, and Side Caesar.
Hoagie sandwiches are served on either white, whole grain, or ciabatta roll with lettuce, tomato, onion and mayo. Options include Southwestern Chicken, Chicken Bacon Honey Mustard, Chicken Breast, Turkey/Bacon/Cheddar, Turkey, BLT w/ Cheddar, Club, Roast Beef, Pastrami, Ham, Salami, Tuna Melt, Veggie, and Three Cheese. Hot subs made with meat, marinara and cheese only include Chicken Parmigiano, Meatball, Sausage, and Pizza.
Davanni’s Pizza can be ordered with a choice of three different crusts (thin, traditional and deep dish) and two sauces (red and white). Sizes pizzas come in are Solo, Medium and Laqrge. Toppings choices are Pepperoni, Italian Sausage, Sliced Chicken Breast, Canadian Bacon, Hamburger, Red Onion, Green Pepper, Garlic, Mushrooms, Hot Peppers, Green Olive, Black Olive, Pineapple, Bacon, Gorgonzola Cheese, Anchovies, Roma Tomatoes, Cheddar Cheese, and Jalapeños.
Davanni’s also has Penne Pasta (with chicken, meatballs or sausage), Lasagna and Stuffed Calzones.
Kids menu items include Hlaf Pasta, Solo Cheese Pizza, or Half Ham Hoagy.
Desserts include Brownies, Rice Crispy Treats, and Chocolate Chunk Cookies.
Price guide: Hoagies $3.25-7 Salads $4-7 Pizzas $5-20 Calzones $5.50+
What We ordered: My companions and I ordered a variety of pizzas, including this large Chicago-style deep dish pizza with pepperoni and sausage. Davanni’s deep dish is a treat for those who like real Chicago-style pizza and has been my one of family’s favorites for many years. The buttery brown crust is at least 1″ deep yet it is light. The lightness of the crust is deceiving because the pizza is actually very filling. The cheese and meats were baked directly on top of the crust with pizza sauce spread out on the very top to prevent the crust from getting soggy. The large pizza had 10-12 wedges.
Our party also ordered a Large Thin Crust Pepperoni Pizza. The crust on the thin crust pizza was also pretty good, crispy but slightly chewy. It was loaded with melted mozzarella and a fair amount of pepperoni (although I personally like more).
c and olive oil)
This is a solo deep dish pizza with pepperoni, mushrooms and “pink” sauce. Pink sauce simply means that it has both white sauce (garlic and olive oil) and red sauce. If you like garlic, you would love either the white or the pink sauce. This pizza was also very good, the mushrooms were fresh and there was a lot of pepperoni. The light and buttery deep dish crust practically melts in your mouth.
One of my companions ordered a half pizza hoagy on whole grain with a special request for the sauce to be served on side. This is a good sandwich but it doesn’t have much substance, just a thin layer of pepperoni and a thin layer of melted cheese on one half of the bread. You better order the whole sandwich if you’re hungry!
Another companion ordered a pepperoni and veggie calzone to-go. Safe to say that this thing was loaded with melted cheese, meat and veggies.
Service: You can call ahead for pick up or delicery, otherwise Davanni’s offers standard counter-service. There are typically 2-3 cashiers taking orders during the lunch and dinner rush but you can still expect to wait a few minutes before placing your order. It was fairly busy during my visit and it took about 30-40 minutes for our pizzas, which seems a reasonable amount of time for the deep dish pizzas to bake.
Overall Impression: Davanni’s has excellent deep dish pizza and is conveniently located in several places around the Twin Cities. Service is reasonably fast and menu prices aren’t going to break the bank.
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Cuisine: Delicatessan, Pizza
Restaurant Features: Counter Service, On-Site Parking
Locations: St Paul, Woodbury, MN
Addresses & Maps:
St Paul- 619 Selby Ave St Paul, MN 55102 (651) 224-3350
Woodbury- 803 Bielenberg Dr, Woodbury, MN – (651) 702-5544
Hours: Sun-Thurs 11am-10pm Fri-Sat 11am-11pm
Links: Paisanos Website
Atmosphere: The St Paul location of Paisanos Pizza & Hot Hoagies is located at the intersection of Selby & Dale, in the same building as The Louisiana Cafe. Menu boards are hung on the walls when you first walk in, so you can decide what you want while waiting in line. You place your order at one end of the counter and then pick it up at the other end when it is ready. Paisanos Pizza has tables spread out in front of several big windows that look out to Selby Ave, as well as a long bar-height table with stools that all face the windows. Decor is contemporary.
Menu: Salads at Paisanos include House, Classic Caesar, Mediterranean and Italian Chef’s Salad.
Individual Slices of Cheese, Pepperoni, or Sausage are sold during the lunch hours or you can choose from 8″ 12″ or 16″ pizzas with your choice of any combination of the following ingredients: Sausage, Canadian Bacon, Bacon, Hamburger, Chicken, BBQ Chicken, Artichoke Hearts, Fresh Spniach, pepperoni, Red Onion, Green Peppers, Jalapenos, Crushed Garlic, Roasted Garlic, Fresh Basil, Cheddar Cheese, Feta Cheese, Mushrooms, Black or Green Olives, Kalamata Olives, Sun-dried Tomato, Roma Tomato, Pineapple, and Banana Peppers.
Specialty pizza options include Classic, Tuscan (white sauce, Canadian bacon, sun-dried tomatoes, and fresh basil), Caribbean (canadian bacon, red onion, fresh parmesan and pineapple), Vegetarian, Margherita, Mediterranean (sun-dried tomatoes, artichoke hearts, feta cheese, kalamata olives, fresh spinach), Bacon Cheeseburger, and Taco Pizza (seasoned beef, cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomato, black olives, tortilla chips and special sauce).
Stromboli, Lasagna and Chicken Wings are also offered on Paisanos menu.
Price guide: Salads $6-7 Pizza Slice $3-4 Whole Pizzas $6-20 Hoagies $7-8
What I ordered: I ordered a single slice of Cheese Bread, which was pre-made for the lunch rush. The bread was really good, slightly crispy around the edges but still soft in the middle. It had plenty of garlic butter and melted mozzarella with oregano sprinkled on top. It came with a side of marinara for dipping, which was thick and had the distinct flavor of garlic and other Italian spices.
I also had a big piece of Pepperoni Pizza (sold by the slice). Very good! The crust was thin but not too crispy, and also not too chewy. The sauce was mild but had a decent amount of garlic and detectable oregano too. The pizza was covered with plenty of mozzarella cheese and ultra-thin pepperonis
Service: There were several customers in line to order food at Paisanos when I first arrived, so it took about five minutes before I was able to order. I was short on time and liked that they had pizza slices ready, so that is what I went with. A hot pizza was just pulled out of the oven just in time for me to get a fresh slice and I was able to walk out the door in less than ten minutes after arriving. The guys serving the pizza were really nice and patient with the customers.
Overall Impression: Pretty good pizza sold by the slice at reasonable prices. The hoagie sandwiches also looked good! Reasonably fast, depending on what you order.
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Cuisine: Deli, Coffee, Bakery
Restaurant Features: Counter-Service, Patio
Location: St Paul, MN
Address: 725 E 7th Street St Paul, MN 55106 (651) 776-8810
Hours: M-F 6:30am-3pm Sat 8am-2pm
Atmosphere: Swede Hollow Cafe is nestled into a small brick building on East 7th St, just blocks away from the St Paul campus of Metropolitan State University. The dining area holds roughly eight wooden tables placed closely together with a walkway that runs through the middle of the cafe from the door to the service counter. There is overhead track-lighting but also great natural lighting from the many windows that overlook the outdoor garden/patio area. I have been to Swede Hollow before during the summer season and the patio is very nice from what I remember. (I’ll take a photo of the gardens later this spring)
Menu: Breakfast includes a Daily Quiche, Baked French Toast, Hashbrowns with Bacon, Sausage and Ham, Breakfast Croissant. On Saturday the Breakfast menu is extended to offer Potato Cheddar Pie, three kinds of Quiches, and two kinds of Strata. All of the above come with Fresh Fruit, Crisps, Cobbler or Bread Pudding, and a Corn Muffin.
There are just a handful of sandwiches made at Swede Hollow such as the Toasted Three Cheese, Roast Beef and Provolone, Smoked Ham and Swiss, Turkey and Swiss, Turkey & Cheddar, and Mediterranean Veggie. Any sandwich can be turned into a Box Meal with Chips, Pickle Spear, and Biscotti or Shortbread for $9. Half & Half Combo also available (soup or 1/2 salad & 1/2 sandwich).
Salads are the Creamy Gorgonzola and Walnut, Spring Greens, and Italian. There are also two Soups du Jour, one meat and the other vegetarian.
Pastries include Caramel and Cinnamon Rolls, Scones, Bread Pudding, Apple Cobbler, Fruit Crisps, Tarts, Turnovers, Cookies, and Bars.
Price guide: Coffee $3-4 Breakfast Salads $6 Sandwiches $7-8
What I ordered: It was on a whim that I stopped at Swede Hollow for a sandwich over my lunch break, as I was in the mood for a sandwich of some kind. I was somewhat disappointed to discover that they had just five sandwich choices and only one of which was served hot. I had really wanted Corned Beef but since they didn’t have it, I decided on the Turkey and Swiss and asked that it be served hot. It was a large sandwich, cut in half. The French bread that this sandwich is made with was quite dense and hard on the outside from being grilled. Sliced turkey, tomato, and several large leaves of romaine with a twangy honey mustard were stuffed between the bread. I liked the taste of this sandwich but between the hardness of the bread and the height of this sandwich, it was too much for my poor jaw to take.
Service: Although it was a rainy Monday, it got quite busy at Swede Hollow around noon. I was able to beat most of the rush but it still took 10-15 minutes for my sandwich. The line had grown considerably by the time my sandwich was ready and most of the tables were occupied. The gal working the counter was nice, but not overly suggestive about the menu. There seemed to be 1-2 servers/cooks who brought orders out to the tables.
Overall Impression: Swede Hollow is a cute little coffee shop/cafe, but prices seemed kind of expensive. The menu is limited but still draws a decent crowd. Nice garden patio to use during warmer weather.
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Cuisine: Delicatessan, Ice Cream, Italian
Restaurant Features: Counter-Service, On-Site Parking
Location: Vadnais Heights, MN
Address: 3435 Centerville Rd. Vadnais Heights, MN 55127
( 651)484-6656
Hours: Tues-Fri 11am-6pm Sat 11am-5pm Sun & Mon Closed
Links: Google Map
Atmosphere: Located near the intersection of Centerville Rd. & Edgerton, That’s Amore is snuggled into an antique strip mall that also holds a hardware store and possibly a service station. It is a very small restaurant but they make you feel right at home. The kitchen area and ice cream counter take up a good portion of the space, but there are three portable tables set up in little private nooks for customers to sit at. Two of those nooks are located in the front window areas, each of which have cute little curtains hung over the windows.
Menu: Appetizers include Mini Pizzas, Luigi Fries, Homemade Chili, or Soup of the Day.
Salads offered at That’s Amore’ are the Caesar, Garden, House, Italian, and Spinach Italiano.
The sandwiches include Hot Dago, Meatball, Chicken Italiano, Hot Italian Beef, Hot or Cold Subs (choice of ham, turkey, salami, and roast beef), Turkey Sandwich, Luigi’s Favorite (ham & turkey with pepperjack grilled), Grilled Ham & Cheese, Tuna Melt, Grilled Cheese, Spiedini (Italian Sausage), and Coney Island or Chicago-Dtyle Hot Dogs. Wraps include Chicken Caesar, Chicken Ranch, and Club. Broiled Cod Sandwich is offered on Fridays only. Hamburger or Italian Burger also available. All Sandwiches and Wraps are served with potato chips or substitute potato salad for $.50 extra.
The two pastas offered at That’s Amore’ are Baked Mostaccioli and Fettuccine Alfredo.
Sixteen Flavors of Old-Fashioned Ice Cream for dessert!
Price guide: Appetizers $4-6 Salad $5-8 Sandwiches $6-7 Pasta $7-8
What I ordered: I tried the meatball sub, which came with a small bag of Lays potato chips, pepperoncini peppers and cherry tomatoes. I thought the sandwich was pretty good. The meatballs were cut in half to make it a little easier to eat, as this was a good sized sandwich! The very fresh bread (baked that same day at a local bakery) was thick and soft on the inside, toasted just slightly on the outside. Snuggled between the meatballs and the bread were thick slices of cold pepperjack cheese, which I would have preferred melted. It was good nonetheless and I really liked that it came with a side of sauce for dipping, etc.
My companion ordered the Italian Beef Sandwich, which had tender, juicy and flavorful spiced roast beef piled onto thick, fresh bread that had been toasted just enough to make it golden brown. This sandwich also came with cold pepperjack and a side of warm au jus. Also served were potato chips, pickle spear and veggies.
I was also given this complimentary donut which I assume to have been baked at the same bakery where they get their fresh bread every day. The cake donut was airy and fluffy, very moist inside with just the right amount of sugar coating it on the outside. A sweet little extra after eating the meatball sub :)
Service: The people who run That’s Amore’ are very courteous, friendly and seemed appreciative of our business. We ordered our food at a counter, but they brought it out to us and seemed to go out of their way to make sure we were taken care of. I loved the gesture of offering my companion and I free fresh donuts for dessert. Stopping at That’s Amore’ can also be quite convenient if you need to buy lottery tickets, milk, eggs or fresh bread, as these things are all available.
Overall Impression: Great little deli that has both hot and cold sandwiches at reasonable prices. Great service. Disappointed that it isn’t open later than 6pm (or on Sundays or Mondays)
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