St. Paul's pizza map runs east side red sauce joints to strip mall counters that have not changed a sign in decades. This list stays on this side of the river: the East Side, the West Side, Frogtown and the neighborhood corners in between, where the pizzaburger and the garlic cheese donut matter as much as the pie.
№ 01
Mama's Pizza
St. Paul $
961 Rice St, Saint Paul, MN 55117 · +16514892005
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The everything pizza has anchored this East Side room for over four decades, red sauce first and toppings piled without apology. The baked mostaccioli, loaded and cheese heavy, runs alongside it as the other order regulars default to. The room could use an update, but the kitchen has not drifted from what built the following.
What to orderPizza with everything, Mostaccioli, Flavor Explosion Pizza
№ 02
Little Oven
St. Paul $$
1786 Minnehaha Ave E, Saint Paul, MN 55119 · +16517354944
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Garbage pizza loaded with everything and a lasagna thick enough with cheese to peel a layer off the top are the two reasons this St. Paul room keeps a following that stretches back to office lunch orders from years ago. Casual and group friendly, it runs best for a table that wants to split more than one dish. Service can lag when the room fills.
What to ordergarbage pizza, lasagna, margherita pizza
№ 03
Carbones Pizza
St. Paul $$
1698 Randolph Ave, Saint Paul, MN 55105 · +16516980721
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A lunch special under ten dollars and a salad with Italian dressing draw the pre-show crowd near St. Kate's, and the dining room surprises people who only knew the counter. The margherita reads thin, more cheese bread than pizza to some, but the thin crust Italian sausage pie and the hustle at the register keep the lunch rush moving.
What to orderMargarita pizza, Italian sausage pizza, salad with Italian dressing
№ 04
Randy's Gluten Free
St. Paul $$
6030 50th St N, Oakdale, MN 55128 · +16517774848
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Gluten free and dairy free pizza built for diners who cannot eat the standard crust anywhere else in the metro, and the reputation runs on people who say it beats the dairy version too. The cheese pizza is the benchmark order. A niche room, but one that has earned loyalty precisely because it treats the allergy menu as the whole menu, not an afterthought.
What to orderGluten free pizza, Dairy free pizza, Cheese pizza
№ 05
John's Pizza Café
St. Paul $$
616 Como Ave, Saint Paul, MN 55103 · +16514881922
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The El Bandito and the California Dreamer split a table of carnivores and vegetarians without complaint, and the Philly cheesesteak pulls its own crowd of regulars who are not there for pizza at all. Quick service and a large ready menu make this the default order for a weeknight in St. Paul when nobody wants to decide for long.
What to orderEl Bandito, California Dreamer, Philly cheesesteak
№ 06
Eastside Pizzeria
St. Paul $
1050 Payne Ave, Saint Paul, MN 55130 · +16517767499
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A pepperoni and mushroom fourteen inch thin crust holds its shape and its flavor better than most in this price range, and the garlic and pepper pie gives the room its signature order. The feel stays warm and neighborhood first. Cleanliness complaints surface often enough to mention, so this is a pick for the pizza, not the dining room.
What to orderPepperoni pizza, Mushroom pizza, Garlic and pepper pizza
№ 07
Village Pizza
St. Paul $
2565 7th Ave E, North Saint Paul, MN 55109 · +16517775440
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The pizzaburger, a patty dressed like a pizza slice with fries on the side, has been the order since the 1970s and the room still looks the part, strip mall entrance, booths, a television on the wall. Sausage pizza loaded with cheese is the other standing order. This is a St. Paul institution running almost entirely on memory and habit.
What to orderpizzaburger, sausage pizza, cheese pizza
№ 08
Michael's Pizza
St. Paul $
441 Robert St S, Saint Paul, MN 55107 · +16512225252
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The burger draws people in before the pizza does, and word of mouth near the office corridor backs that up. Old wallpaper with newspaper cutouts gives the room its character. The pizza itself splits opinion hard: some call it a fan favorite, others find the sauce and crust flat, so approach it as a burger stop first.
What to orderburger, pizza, cheese pizza
№ 09
Skinner’s
St. Paul $
919 Randolph Ave, Saint Paul, MN 55102 · +16512910146
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An all you can eat spaghetti night with toast anchors the week, but the wings, pizza, and potato skins are the trio that gets ordered together on a normal visit. Dark lighting and a dive bar aesthetic set the tone. Regulars call the crispy buffalo wings the standout on a menu that some rank as their favorite in the metro.
What to orderwings, pizza, potato skins
№ 10
Tommie's Pizza
St. Paul
1556 Selby Ave, Saint Paul, MN 55104 · +16514324743
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New York style pizza by the slice is the draw, though the slice case does not always have what the sign promises. The sauce runs thick for some tastes, but the small shop earns credit for making pies to order rather than holding them, and both indoor and outdoor seating extend the room past its footprint.
What to orderNew York style pizza, pizza by the slice, pepperoni pizza
№ 11
The French Hen Cafe & Moonflower Pizza
St. Paul $$
518 Selby Ave, Saint Paul, MN 55102 · +16512226201
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Eggs benedict and pancakes anchor a brunch room that doubles as a flower shop, plants and blooms visible from the entryway before the coffee arrives. Families use it for milestone mornings, birthdays and holidays especially. The pairing of cafe and florist is unusual for St. Paul, and the room leans into that rather than hiding it.
What to ordereggs benedict, pancakes, coffee
№ 12
Mario's
St. Paul $$
232 Cleveland Ave N, Saint Paul, MN 55104 · +16512075252
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Garlic cheese donuts and a hot honey pepperoni pizza make this a neighborhood date spot as much as a lunch counter, with a deep dish lunch special that regulars call the best value on the menu. Prosecco on tap and a rotating IPA round out a room built for a casual date more than a quick slice.
What to orderpepperoni pizza, garlic cheese donuts, hot honey pepperoni pizza
Frequently asked
What is the best pizza restaurant in St. Paul right now?
Based on the Insider Score, Mario's and Randy's Gluten Free stand out for very different reasons: one for a neighborhood date night pie and garlic cheese donuts, the other for gluten free and dairy free pizza done with real care. No restaurant on this list paid to be included; the Insider Score is built from the review record alone.
Where can I find good pizza near me in St. Paul?
This guide covers rooms across St. Paul, from the East Side (Eastside Pizzeria, Mama's Pizza, Skinner's) to spots near the West Seventh corridor and beyond. Check the neighborhood listed for each entry and the Insider Score attached to find the closest strong option for pizza near you.
Which St. Paul pizza spot is best for a casual group dinner?
Skinner's and Little Oven both handle groups well: Skinner's for a dive bar night with wings and pizza to share, Little Oven for a table that wants garbage pizza and lasagna passed around. Both carry solid Insider Scores for group friendly dining.
Is there a good gluten free pizza option in St. Paul?
Randy's Gluten Free is the clear answer, built specifically around gluten and dairy allergy accommodation rather than treating it as a side menu. Its Insider Score reflects consistent praise from diners with dietary restrictions, and again, no restaurant here paid for placement.
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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 →
Kou Thao
Staff Writer · Top of Minneapolis
Kou Thao is the St. Paul & Corridors Editor at Top of Minneapolis. Born in St. Paul and raised in Frogtown, he grew up working the family egg-roll stand at Hmongtown Marketplace. He covers the marketplaces, University Avenue, the East Side and West Side, and every corridor counter worth the trip across the river.