Best Italian restaurant in the metro area?

Aside from the old places downtown St Paul, Buona Sera Ristorante in Champlin does a pretty good job. It is reservation only though. Plus they only open after 5pm I believe.

Perrons sul Lago – Prior Lake – Not sure if its still there since its been a few years since I last ate there. If its still there – They get my Vote – Best Bread Pudding you will ever eat – Yum !!!!

I’ll 2nd Buona Sera Ristorante – Raphael does an awesome job with his food, we had my parents 40th wedding anniversary dinner there and everything was amazing. He’s always been a great guy and makes an awesome limoncello.

I’ll throw another one out, Nona Rosa’s in Robbinsdale. Owners are great. Small family place named after grandma. I think many of the recipes have been handed down through the generations in Italy.

Al Vento’s in So Mpls, especially the Sunday Brunch. I haven’t tried the new Italian Eatery in South Minneapolis but it has good reviews.

Red Rabbit comes up in searches. Owned by the same people that own Red Cow. Red Cow is quite good. It is a burger place, and they have my favorite cheese curds in town. I did think that the St Paul location was better than Minneapolis though. I will get out and try a few of these the next couple months. Thanks for the input.

Biaggis in Maple Grove is good.

Nona Rosa is fabulous, quaint, and reasonable. Also I believe that Tina (the owner) is Raphael’s (Buona Sera) daughter so they come from a great background.

I will say Buona Sera is the best I have had in Minnesota, but while it is good it isn’t in the same league as I have experienced in big cites around the country. Always looking for something new.

Third vote for Mama Maria’s in North Hudson

mojogunter wrote:

but while it is good it isn’t in the same league as I have experienced in big cites around the country.

Have you had Carmelo’s by Macalaster or Louis above Cosetta’s? Curious to hear your opinion on how they stack up, as I’m a big fan of both, but not a great Italian restaurant mind.

Giuseppe’s Italian Ristorante.
About as authentic as it comes. The oil to dunk your bread in is fabulous.
You can barely understand the Owner through his thick Italian accent.

Minneapolis – Fat Lorenzos
NE Metro/Mahtomedi – Donatelli’s
Saint Paul – Cosettas

No offense, but olive garden makes me want to vomit.

RT wrote:

Minneapolis – Fat Lorenzos
NE Metro/Mahtomedi – Donatelli’s
Saint Paul – Cosettas

No offense, but olive garden makes me want to vomit.

X

X2, olive garden is packaged garbage. if people only new how the food was made.ish!
reds savoy in st paul is the shiznit! wont find better pies and the pastas are greta also. all homemade good stuff! Now I want to try every place ya”all have listed….except the olive garbage

Check out Luna di Luna in Bloomington.

I have had Giuseppes in burnsville and it looks to be the same setup as rosemount. It was also delicious and a good house wine and i am not a wine drinker. I will try the one in rosemount as it is only about 4 blocks from home.

I have not tried either of them. I have heard that Louis above Cosetta’s is quite good, but I figured the same guy that owns both. I have met the owner of Cosetta’s and because I can’t say anything positive about him, I will leave it at that. There is no way I would give that guy a cent of my money. If however I knew he didn’t own Louis, I would gladly try it.

BigWerm wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>mojogunter wrote:</div>
but while it is good it isn’t in the same league as I have experienced in big cites around the country.

Have you had Carmelo’s by Macalaster or Louis above Cosetta’s? Curious to hear your opinion on how they stack up, as I’m a big fan of both, but not a great Italian restaurant mind.

We eat at Donatelli’s quite a bit. I really like their pizza and Italian fries. I had them cater my son’s grad party. The pasta is fine. I agree about olive garden not a fan, but my mother in-law likes it, so I eat there more often than I care to.

rubberduck wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>RangerVMAX wrote:</div>
Minneapolis – Fat Lorenzos
NE Metro/Mahtomedi – Donatelli’s
Saint Paul – Cosettas

No offense, but olive garden makes me want to vomit.

X

X2, olive garden is packaged garbage. if people only new how the food was made.ish!
reds savoy in st paul is the shiznit! wont find better pies and the pastas are greta also. all homemade good stuff! Now I want to try every place ya”all have listed….except the olive garbage

mojogunter wrote:

We eat at Donatelli’s quite a bit. I really like their pizza and Italian fries. I had them cater my son’s grad party. The pasta is fine. I agree about olive garden not a fan, but my mother in-law likes it, so I eat there more often than I care to.

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>rubberduck wrote:</div>

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>RangerVMAX wrote:</div>
Minneapolis – Fat Lorenzos
NE Metro/Mahtomedi – Donatelli’s
Saint Paul – Cosettas

No offense, but olive garden makes me want to vomit.

X

X2, olive garden is packaged garbage. if people only new how the food was made.ish!
reds savoy in st paul is the shiznit! wont find better pies and the pastas are greta also. all homemade good stuff! Now I want to try every place ya”all have listed….except the olive garbage

I’m about two blocks from Donatellis. It’s good. I’m a big fan of their lasagna and yeah the pizza is good. Also one of the only places I’ll order a salad at. They have a BLT chicken salad that is really good.

I’ll add this too… for a chain, Buca di Beppo can cook some fine Italian cuisine.

Angelina’s Kitchen in Woodbury is also very, very good.

My wife is vegetarian so we look for places that have a variety of vegetarian options or at least one or two specialties. Fettuccine Alfredo doesn’t count, she’s spoiled by mine so usually won’t order that, not to mention it gets old if you do the same thing every time. Angelona’s Eggplant is outstanding.

https://www.angelinaskitchen.com/menu

catnip wrote:

as it is only about 4 blocks from home.

Hi neighbor!

another vote for bar la grassa. Mrs. Crappie and i just ate their last weekend. Wonderful food!

I Nonni in Mendota Hghts is really nice. Great wine selection and a wine shop. Spendy, but a treat for a special occasion.

Fancy: buona sera
Not fancy: dominicks rosemount

Meatball sandwich: yurossos have to try it!
Biaggis maple grove: always good

Italian: if you can cook you will not beat at home. Italian dinner music, good food, red wine why not be at home?

If you guys cant see the humor in naming Olive Garden, I can’t help you.

Olive garden is to Italian as red lobster is to seafood.

bigpike wrote:

If you guys cant see the humor in naming Olive Garden, I can’t help you.

We tried Giuseppes in New Brighton after the wild game. It was pretty good. On to the next one.

ClownColor wrote:

La grolla in St. Paul
Bar la grossa in Minneapolis

If u choose bar la grossa, get the lobster and eggs! AMAZING!

Thanks for this tip! Mrs. BHM and I went here last week for a special occasion and the food was very good, as was the service. Prices were very reasonable also. We can’t understand how we haven’t sniffed this out in the past.

We’re not familiar with Bar La Gross’s either so I think that one might be on our list next.

I think Bar la Grassa is better suited for a group. Most of the food is family style and they have a bunch of dishes you will want to try. If you can get 4 or 6 people it opens up more of the menu.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s good for a couple but you’ll leave wishing you had a bigger appetite to try more stuff.