Spend any amount of time on Instagram (don’t forget to check out the official Discover The Cities Instagram page!) and you’ll have a hard time ignoring one of the hottest new spots in Minneapolis – Rosalia Pizza.
This trendy pizza joint opened to an explosion of interest from all the local celebs, at least as much as our modest Midwestern city can have celebrities.
Either way, color me interested…
Is Rosalia all hype, or does it deserve a rightful spot on our list of best pizza restaurants in Minneapolis? We decided to check it out and let you know.
Rosalia Pizza – Background
Rosalia Pizza opened in September 2020, but this isn’t the team’s first rodeo… culinary speaking.
It’s a new project from the popular Minneapolis chef Daniel Del Prado. If that name doesn’t ring a bell, then his other restaurants certainly will – Rosalia is the newest addition to a portfolio of popular Minneapolis restaurants that include:
- Martina
- Colita
- Sanjusan
- And Cafe Ceres
The new space promises Sicilian style pizza, but there’s also an always-interesting appetizer menu. (I can’t say hummus or baba ganoush are the first things that come to mind when I think of a pizza spot, but who am I to argue with a little adventure!)
Rosalia Pizza – Location
Rosalia Pizza sits right in the heart of Minneapolis’s always popular Linden Hills neighborhood, right off Upton Ave and 43rd street.
Interstingly, there’s not really any signage for the place. In fact, we actually had a tough time finding it on our visit and showed up few minutes late to our reservation! 😳
Pro tip: Your maps will probably bring you to Rosalia’s sister restaurant, Martina. Don’t worry though, you’re in the right spot. Rosalia’s entrance sits tucked away, right behind Martina. To get there, just take the sidewalk to the right of Martina.
The Vibe and Atmosphere
Our first visit was a nice sunny day, and we immediately realized how perfectly Rosalia’s design takes advantage of that sort of weather.
The first thing you notice is the outdoor space, which features one of the biggest patios around. Table after table soaks up the sun in what can only be described as the classiest back-alley in the cities.
That patio comes to a stop at a massive wall of windows marking the dining room entrance, but the bright airy vibe continues inside. A towering ceiling allows a balcony dining space to sneak in above the bar, and an endless collection of plants catches all of the room’s bright natural light. (The plants also serve as a nice contrast to the clean white walls.)
The whole thing gives off a very obvious warehouse-loft vibe, and it’s all fueled by an enormous brick oven in the center of the dining space. A massive team of staff hustles around that oven, tossing pizza after pizza into the thing like a railroad crew keeping a steam locomotive running at top speed.
Drinks
I’m not sure why, but I was surprised by Rosalia’s lengthy drink menu. It’s filled with plenty of tap beers, a lengthy wine list, and some delicious sounding cocktails.
On that note, I grabbed one of those delicious sounding cocktails – a rum/pineapple mixture whose exact name escapes me. But what doesn’t escape me is the delicious taste. The drink balanced the powerful rum with just enough sweetness of from the pineapple, and the rare ras-al-hanout spice brought a taste I definitely wasn’t used to in a cocktail, but I loved it!
Bonus points for including a giant whiskey-style ice cube. Little touches like that show they’re serious about their menu.
The Food and Menu
I get excited whenever a place has a short menu, because it usually means they’ve perfected their choices. Rosalia’s takes this approach – their menu is short and sweet.
We’d heard good things about their appetizer dips, so we jumped in with those…
Appetizers – Carrot Tahina and Burrata
Both of these appetizers are just begging for some dipping, and Rosalia obliges with a hefty hunk of bread and plenty of sauce for smothering. The bread itself is basically a giant chunk of pizza crust, which Rosalia naturally warms up in their giant brick oven.
The result is wonderful. Bread that’s somehow perfectly chewy, crunchy, and soft at the same time.
I realized halfway through that the carrot tahina was essentially a unique take on hummus, which made me wonder what the hummus on the menu was like.
Pizza – Salsiccia and Bianca
I know, I know…
Two full appetizers and two full pizzas is about twice as much food as any sane couple ever needs.
But to that I’ll ask you… how am I supposed to try a white pizza without trying a corresponding red?
I just can’t. So as I sit here absolutely stuffed and reminiscing about eating way too much food, just remember that I did it for you.
Salsiccia
The menu describes this one as “tomato, fresh mozerrela, sausage, serrano, and cilantro”
It’s a brilliant mix, and we both commented that the cilantro was an especially nice touch. The bites with serrano were especially amazing, and I actually found myself wanting more of those. (Then again, I can understand why they were a little reserved with this, given the average Minnesotan’s avoidance of spice…)
Bianca
“Fresh mozzerrella, lemon ricotta, arugula, pecorino, chilli flake”
Delicious… we both agreed the star of the show was the pecorino, which we watched the pizza chefs just absolutely make rain on every order of this pizza. The subtle chilli flake added just the perfect hint of spice, too.
Final Thoughts: Rosalia is a strong challenger in Minneapolis’s hyper-competitive pizza scene
Minneapolis has long had an amazing pizza scene, especially of the wood-fired variety. We admire the gusto of Rosalia to enter such a tough space, especially just down the street from the long time fan-favorite Pizzeria Lola.
Thankfully, Rosalia brings something interesting to the space. With a classy atmosphere, a great drink menu, and pizza that can hold its own among the many heavyweights in Minneapolis, Rosalia’s a welcome addition to the neighborhood!
Misc FAQs:
What’s the service like?
On our May 2021 COVID visit, you ordered everything through a QR code in the interest of server safety. It’s somewhere between fast-casual and counter service.
In light of this, I’d recommend ordering in batches. We placed the entire order at once and were surprised to see it all show up in one huge delivery.
Parking
Rosalia is street parking in the Linden Hills neighborhood. We didn’t have trouble finding a spot, but it’s worth noting there’s no private lot nor valet.
Do you need a reservation to visit Rosalia?
We set up reservations for a Friday night. When we arrived the restaurant was plenty busy, so I’d recommend going the reservation route.
Hours
At the time of this writing, Rosalia’s is open for lunch and dinner Thursday – Sunday and dinner only Monday through Wednesday. You can find the most updates hours on their homepage.
Location
2811 W 43rd St Minneapolis, MN 55401
