This is a guide that tests its own premise, since a proper Italian sub is hard to find on menus built around pasta and risotto. What follows leans on the closest true things Minneapolis kitchens do: red sauce houses, wood fired pizza counters, and the sandwich programs hiding inside them. Know the difference between a neighborhood plate and a special occasion room before booking.
№ 01
Rinata Restaurant
$$
2451 Hennepin Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55405 · +16123748998
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Rinata trades on risotto and house pasta rather than sandwiches, and the pattern in Uptown holds steady: friendly, fast seating with no reservation needed, service that keeps tables moving even on a busy night. The bread course draws mixed marks. Go for the tiramisu and the informal pace, not for a sub.
What to orderrisotto, pasta, tiramisu
№ 02
Broders' Cucina Italiana
$$
2308 W 50th St, Minneapolis, MN 55410 · +16129253113
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Broders' Cucina Italiana runs as a Linden Hills market and deli rather than a sit down room, the kind of counter where an Italian sub actually belongs on the menu. It is the closest thing on this list to the real category: cured meats, cheese, and bread sold by people who have run an Italian kitchen in that spot for decades.
№ 03
Red Rabbit Minneapolis
$$
201 N Washington Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55401 · +16127678855
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The cavatelli is the order regulars repeat without deviation, and the garlic bread cheese curds function as the room's calling card more than any sandwich would. Red Rabbit's value plates, including a widely praised twenty dollar shareable dinner, make it a dependable casual Italian stop rather than a sub shop, but the bread course signals the kitchen knows its way around dough.
What to ordercavatelli, garlic bread cheese curds, girl dinner
800 Washington Ave N, Minneapolis, MN, 55401 · +16123333837
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Bar La Grassa built its name on pasta, gnocchi chief among them, in a North Loop room that runs no reservations and fills fast on weekends. Service pace draws complaints on busy nights, but the kitchen's pasta execution holds up regardless. Not a sandwich destination, but proof the neighborhood takes Italian cooking seriously.
What to ordergnocchi, pasta, risotto
the Cedar Avenue Burger Mile $$
5600 Cedar Ave S, Minneapolis, MN, 55417 · +16128222040
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The wood fired pizza carries a distinctive crust and a generous hand with sauce and toppings, and the sandwich program gets specific praise for fresh bread and seasoning, a rarity on this list. Fat Lorenzos pairs that with a cocktail list, which explains complaints about price alongside the compliments on food quality.
What to orderpizza, sandwich, gelato
№ 06
ie - Italian Eatery
$$
4724 Cedar Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55407 · +16122008397
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ie Italian Eatery keeps carbonara and risotto as its steady draws, with tiramisu closing the meal the way regulars expect. The room reads as a dependable group spot rather than a sandwich counter, built for repeat visits over several years rather than a single occasion. Service gets credit for keeping large tables engaged.
What to orderpasta carbonara, risotto, tiramisu
№ 07
Zelo
$$$
831 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis, MN 55402 · +16123337000
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The pesto crusted sea bass gets the strongest praise here, alongside bar service that starts strong the moment a guest arrives. Zelo positions itself for special occasion dinners downtown, with a bread course that draws its own fans, though some diners find portions small against the price. No sandwich program to speak of.
What to orderpesto crusted sea bass, risotto, pasta
5000 Penn Ave S, Minneapolis, MN, 55419 · +16129259202
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The Lemon Risotto anchors the menu, Arborio rice built for comfort rather than spectacle, and the patio in the Fulton neighborhood is the draw once weather allows outdoor seating. Broders' Pasta Bar runs its own lot, useful given street parking fills up. A neighborhood dinner room, not a sandwich stop, but a serious one.
What to orderLemon Risotto, pasta, salad
№ 09
Element Wood Fire Pizza
$$
96 Broadway St NE, Minneapolis, MN 55413 · +16123793028
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Element Wood Fire Pizza runs counter service with a wood lined room and a feta dip that gets called out repeatedly as a standout starter. The inventive seasonal pizzas draw comparisons to the best in the Twin Cities, and turnaround is quick even at a full counter. Worth a stop for pizza, not for a sub.
What to orderWood-fired pizza, feta dip, inventive seasonal pizza
№ 10
Carbone's Pizza & Pub Minneapolis
$$
4705 Cedar Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55407 · +16127240063
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Carbone's runs a patio, a happy hour built around three dollar slices, and a lunch service quick enough for a family stop between errands. The pizza program, pepperoni and cheese chief among the orders, is the reason regulars keep returning to this Minneapolis location. A slice shop with pub bones, not a sandwich counter.
What to orderpizza slice, pepperoni pizza, cheese pizza
2115 W 21st St, Minneapolis, MN, 55405 · +16123773695
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The baloney sandwich has become the answer servers give when asked what to order, an unlikely signature that keeps regulars coming back for brunch. The Kenwood pairs that with a patio near the Chain of Lakes and a non-alcoholic beverage list solid enough to anchor an after gallery stop. Reservations move fast and smooth here.
What to orderbaloney sandwich, brunch entrees, appetizers
Frequently asked
Are there any real Italian sub shops near me in Minneapolis?
Not many restaurants in this guide build their menu around a classic Italian sub. Broders' Cucina Italiana is the closest true version, a deli and market model rather than a sit down restaurant. Most of the rest lean on pasta, risotto, or wood fired pizza instead, which is worth knowing before you go looking for a sandwich.
What is the Insider Score and how is it calculated?
The Insider Score reflects a plain read of the public review record for each restaurant, weighing consistency and volume of feedback rather than a single visit or a publicist's pitch. No restaurant pays to appear in this guide or to receive a higher score.
Does any restaurant pay to be featured in this guide?
No. Placement and ranking here are independent of advertising or payment. The list is built from the review record and public facts about each restaurant's menu and operating pattern, not from a paid relationship.
Which of these Minneapolis restaurants is best for a group dinner?
Red Rabbit, ie Italian Eatery, and Broders' Pasta Bar all handle groups comfortably, with shareable plates and a casual pace built for tables of friends. Bar La Grassa is lively for groups too but runs without reservations, so a wait is likely on weekend nights.
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The data first, then the verdict
We start with the review record, not a press release. Every room here is a real kitchen with a strong rating across a meaningful number of reviews, ranked on our 10-point Insider Score. We weight consistency over time and the rooms locals return to, not the ones tourists pass through once. The list updates as the data does. How we work →
Marit Solheim
Staff Writer · Top of Minneapolis
Marit Solheim is the Food Editor at Top of Minneapolis. Born and raised in the Longfellow neighborhood of south Minneapolis, she spent six years on the line in downtown kitchens before she started writing. She covers the institutions and the chef tier in both downtowns and holds the desk to one standard: know which city you are standing in.
