At stylish Hello Pizza, the hefty, great-looking slices — built on a thin, wonderfully chewy crust — are topped with a bevy of prime goodies, including house-cured bacon, aromatic Italian anchovies and zippy house-made fennel sausage — and are supplemented by meatball subs (get the banh mi-style "Korean Cowboy"), salads and owner Ann Kim's superb soft-serve ice cream. Beer and wine, too. Tip: Dine in the off hours, because this place is crazy popular.
3904 Sunnyside Rd., Edina, 952-303-4514, www.hellopizza.com
Yes, Isles Bun & Coffee is known for its life-altering cinnamon rolls. But insiders are also aware of the shop's excellent focaccia-style pizza. It's strictly a weekday lunch phenomenon. The toppings change daily, depending upon what's on hand, but the price remains the same: $3.50 per slice. A word to the wise: Arrive early, because these slices sell fast.
1424 W. 28th St., Mpls., 612-870-4466, www.islesbun.com
The list of flavor possibilities goes on, and on, and on, at super-casual Mesa Pizza, where diners can encounter a Philly cheesesteak-inspired combo, or black beans with guacamole and other nachos fixings, or smoked ham with smoked bacon and barbecue sauce, and seemingly countless other iterations, along with straight-up cheese, pepperoni and other basics. The low prices are almost as appealing as the late-night hours.
1323 4th St. SE., Mpls., 612-436-3006, and 1440 W. Lake St., Mpls., 612-206-3026, www.mesapizzamn.com
RICK NELSON
