Parella

I had the sausage pasta and goat cheese dip, were both delicious. Service was good, ambiance was good. Really sad that this place is closing though as I definitely see myself dining here again

After a big shared success, I had the joy of dining here with the love of my life. She treated me to a celebratory dinner that was as delicious as any I can remember. The service was excellent, well-​timed, considerate, and the staff were warm and welcoming.
We had antipasti that were, on their own, a welcome surprise for the subtle complexity of flavor and for their overall quality. The entrees were the best we had in months, despite travel to many cities where great restaurants are commonplace. We added a crisp prosecco to make sure it was the kind of evening we were needing after many weeks of nonstop work.
Since then, I have taken friends and colleagues for lunch, and we have had a few more great evenings as a couple. The value is always more than you would expect from any restaurant.
If you want rich flavors, best-​quality preparation, and brilliant wines to go with it, and you are in the Twin Cities, Parella has to be one of your top choices.

I was pleasantly pleased when I wandered in this place on a Saturday afternoon. I sat at the bar and enjoyed my female bartender and had a nice glass of wine. I am sure it was an oversight but it would have been great if she would have shared the happy hour menu and prices right away with me as I was not aware until I heard two people at the end of the bar ordering from it and realized that I probably did not need to spend 12.00 on my first glass of wine and would have indulged in a happy hour special. So once I asked about that I ended up ordering two food items and a bottle of wine. The pizza was absolutely delicious loved the crust — -AND…I highly recommend the goat cheese with olive bread toast. There was just something so nostalgic in the taste of that dish —it was warm and yummy and tasted like home for some reason. I cannot wait to go back and have more items on the menu.

I order the cast iron egg for brunch, I wish I had asked for it to be sunny side up but nonetheless it was delicious. The bottomless bloody was delicious, loved the cucumber vodka. Service was spot on, not overbearing not lacklustered. Definitely returning for lunch/​dinner.

Brunch is Nice. Service was a little slow. The food was very good and imaginative. Prices were fair with entrees $ 9-​$ 12 and portions were the right size. I was really happy with it. Also, bottomless mimosas here for a fair price ($ 13)!!! What more can you want for brunch!!! Ambiance is very upscale with modern art on the walls.

I’ve been reviewing what I wrote this past year and I really don’t like giving a restaurant one star because I personally did not like all of the food that I ordered. I’m sure there are many diners who would love the food here. And I did really like the lambrusco flight (I think that’s what I had ordered), the charcuterie and the awesome salad. Maybe it was the very long explanations of the food — I’ll ask a question about the food but I don’t necessarily want everything explained before I order… So in retrospect, I would rate Parella somewhere between a 2 to 3 stars. I like «traditional» italian food and pizza from Pizzeria Lola — so I love kimchi on pizza but not the spicy sauces here? Maybe it was an off night for my taste buds. I do think it’s worth a try, you might like their modern italian style — and you will love their salad!

Another addition to the Italian cuisine scene in Minneapolis. This one is a winner — great pastas and mains, great wine selection, and service that is getting up to speed as they get more experience (Parella has only been open since Summer of 2015). I had the tuna crudo — very good… and the bucatini that is winning raves and deservedly so.
The space is very open and airy, with white décor in the dining room and large windows off the bar facing Lake St.
They made good cocktails and there is a solid wine list. The housemade limoncello wasn’t available when we were there so we’ll have to go back to give it a try!

Went for brunch on Sunday, the pancakes were EXCEPTIONAL!!! It’s definitely a must try.
Spinach Gnudi (full portion) was a bit steep for 5 pieces. However, we had leftovers. It’s a really classy place with a little show service. Overall, the experience was very enjoyable to have a nice Sunday brunch.

A big ol’ meh.
Back story– I had a Groupon for brunch and while I know Anthony Bourdain says brunch is the worst meal to dine out for, I just can’t help my desires.
So, we each got an entrée and an adult beverage with the deal. The housemade Bloody Mary left me wanting more… More salt, flavor and «snacks» on the rim. Its VERY cumin heavy as well.
For $ 5 more (with the Groupon) you get bottomless drinks, but we opted out. They also have happy all Sunday though, which may lure me back in.
Anyway, I had this bake egg, sausage, green onion skillet which was desperately in need of toast or something on the side. My husband had the breakfast pizza which was plenty of food but not good. It had a red sauce. WTF. Its a breakfast pizza. It came with one egg on it and was $ 14. Yeesh.
The server was nice but very unattentive to us, even though they did not have many tables. I won’t be back for brunch if I’m paying full price, that’s for sure. Not a good deal.
But I’d be willing to check out their cocktails or mayyyyybe dinner?

I have been curious about Parella ever since the construction started. I often go to LA Fitness which is right about the restaurant and there is always a smell of something amazing roasting in the gym.
My roommate and I stopped in for brunch on Sunday. They have $ 14 unlimited bloodies or mimosas. We went for the mimosas and they were incredible. Next time I’m in for brunch I want to try the bloodies, they looked so good!
Food:
+I had the Suckling Pig and Egg Pizza. It was amazing. I have never had suckling pig before, but it was so good. It was unlike anything else I’ve ever had. It was crisp, but tender. I’m kinda a freak and hate it when eggs are runny but I was brave and broke the egg and spread it all over the pizza. It really added extra flavor.
+My roommate had the traditional Eggs Americano. Pretty basic but everything was delicious. The sausage and the toast was my favorite part!
Service:
Our server was excellent. We were there right when the doors opened at 11. Our food took a while to come out, however us and 10 other tables all walked in at the same time and slammed the kitchen. Our server kept the mimosas flowing and apologized for the wait, which we totally understood why our food wasn’t immediately at our table!
The only downfall is that they only serve brunch on Sundays. My group of friends and I typically brunch on Saturday’s so I was really thrown off when they only offered it on Sundays. However, I am making plans for a trip back to try their lunch/​dinner menu.

Overall I’d say decent (first time dining here). Similar to some of the other reviews:
1. We had to request bread, a table that sat down after us actually got theirs first (we were also sitting right next to the bread station?). Cold bread, not heated up.
2. Do not expect bar la grassa type Italian food. Much simpler here (not necessarily a bad thing, but just manage your expectations for what you’re getting).
3. The overall vibe I’m still unsure of. The restaurant was decently packed (good to see for this location that has gone through so many restaurants) but very white walls, etc.
4. Service when we first sat down was phenomenal and the waitress offered up many suggestions (which I love). I’m not sure if she just got busy or after seeing we were only doing one course it seemed as though she wasn’t as attentive.
5. The two pasta dishes that we had were decent. If you like spinach, the spinach stuffed pasta is a good one to try!

Great spot in uptown for dinner and drinks. Came here with my dad on a Tuesday night and it was unfortunately a bit dead inside but that didn’t stop us.
I started off with an IPA then switched to the Syrah ($ 4 during happy hour!!!). Delicious wine, I was in shock that the Syrah was on the happy hour menu, and it did not disappoint.
My dad and I split multiple dishes (except the white anchovies… that was ALL him and he loved it). We got the yellow tail crudo which is basically just raw fish with melons and balsamic I believe. It was yummy but a little too fishy for me — i am pretty sensitive to fishy fish.
The wood baked goat cheese was TO DIE FOR. it was a marinara spread with goat cheese in the middle, served on olive toast. yum yum yum. i highly recommend this app.
We also got the Cappelini pasta. I love that they have two sizes for each of the pastas… we ordered the small one and it was soooo good! angel hair pasta with eggplant, basil, and a red sauce. so yummy.
For dessert, we ordered the Affogata and it was unreal. Basically a chocolate sundae with fudge, almonds, served with biscotti and espresso. we dumped the espresso on the sundae and dipped the biscotti in the ice cream/​espresso. let me tell you, this was the perfect way to end a perfect meal.

This is as good as it gets for excellent Italian food. I met a friend for lunch. The service was professional, helpful, attentive but not intrusive. Wine choices were broad, all Italian. I had an excellent Barello. I ordered one of the two soups. A classic Italian bread soup which came hot, flavorful, just the right amount of salt, with a little heat and topped with fresh torn basil leaves and drizzle of olive oil. I had the smaller of the two choices of strozzapretti, which is a long hand rolled pasta strand, tossed with fennel flavored sausage, olive oil and a very nice light sauce. There are two sizes of the entrée, I chose the smaller since it was a lunch. It was generous, I could not finish it. It too was excellent. I cannot wait to go back.

Oh boy where do I start. First of all the restaurant is a great space with no atmosphere. I came here once again with my boyfriend and we ordered a few dishes. One being the meat and cheese plate –which came without bread. That’s fine — so we asked for bread.
The service at the bar wasn’t exactly «welcoming». All customers should be treated as though they are the only ones there. (yes this can be hard when you’re busy).
We ordered a few other dishes and they weren’t exactly «exciting to my pallet».
I would never wish negative upon any place of business especially restaurants — Parella. I hope you make it.

Came here for dinner with a couple friends during restaurant week and we each took advantage of the 3 course special. The restaurant itself is cute, and the servers seem friendly and knowledgeable, but the open kitchen probably contributes to how loud it is. The food was a bit different than I expected — tomato and bread soup was just soup with soggy bread in it, bread pudding was just cake really, but the main course roasted chicken with squash purée was actually quite delicious. Checking the regular menu, I was surprised how expensive it is normally. Between that and the Calhoun Square location where parking is aggravatingly limited and pricey, I don’t expect to be back.

I know how long it takes to cook gnocchi (particularly when your restaurant is half empty). It is not 75 minutes. Might want to figure this out.
UPDATE: even better! After a 2 – 3 min. Q&A with our server about what he might or might not recommend (after the first round of drinks) we placed our order. After waiting 75 we asked that he cancel the order due to the wait. His response «oh, did you want to order something»? As in no recollection whatsoever of the initial discussion/​order. Wow.

I chose Parella for my birthday dinner with my boyfriend and initially felt bad for cheating on Broder’s, but it proved to be well worth the guilt.
First of all, the space is gorgeous. Modern, romantic, elegant and fun. The wood-​fired oven makes the whole place smell amazing and kind of campfire-​y, which we loved. Come here to make your date think you’re classy and rich but also hip and trendy.
We started with their mojito and gimlet, both of which were tasty. They came out a little longer than we’re used to but the bartender was new, not a big deal. The beer list was good with lots of local brews. We started with the goat cheese appetizer, which I had been thinking about all day after seeing a photo of it in a previous review. It was incredible. The bread it came with was downright outrageous and was the perfect vessel for spooning copious amounts of creamy goat cheese into your mouth.
The great thing about Parella’s menu is how shareable the entrees are. We got the strozapretti, the gnocchi and the orecchette. SO. GOOD. ALL OF IT. My favorite was the orrecchete, the little bits of heavenly bacon-​y meat and the fact that it was actually spicy enough for my taste set it apart for me. The gnocchi was perfect and pillowy and the red sauce it came swimming in blended perfectly with the cheese melted on top. It wasn’t my favorite purely because I wanted more and there wasn’t enough. The strozapretti was my boyfriend’s favorite, he loved the hunks of sweet sausage.
The service was also great; our server was friendly, attentive but not intrusive, and really helpful and knowledgable with recommendations.
I intended to try a dessert but was too stuffed full of carby goodness that I just couldn’t make it happen this time. But you better believe there will be a next time.

We have been making the rounds to all of the new upstart Italian offerings available in the city (Il Foro, Monello) over the past few months, and finally made our way out to Parella.
The décor is bright and spacious, with white walls and the kitchen is in plain view of the diners. An added bonus of this is the wood-​fired oven, with the scent of burning wood lightly permeating (in the best possible way) the dining room floor. It is a Jedi mind trick, because right away when we sat down I’m thinking «I’m really feeling it for something out of that wood-​fired oven.» It’s going to be amazing in the winter-​time.
We were served promptly, and I had the Negroni Jalisco, which was a delightful play on the original. My wife had the Gibson. Both delicious.
We dove into a series of shareable things, mussels (which came out of the wood-​fired oven) with a garlicky dipping oil, octopus, scallop crudo, a peach-​watermelon salad and — get ready for this — a suckling pig pizza was on special.
So, let me tell you… the cooking is legit. Everything was fantastic and went with everything else. There was a seemingly effortless movement from one dish to the next, all complimenting, no flavors competing with one another. All part of a whole experience that is a testament to how much thought must have actually gone into constructing this seasonal menu. Textures and temperatures on point. Chef Todd clearly had a vision to do food from one place, very well.
I have to take a minute about the pizza. It was on the special menu for the night, but they tell me it’s normally on the brunch menu. Instant classic. I’m a fan of pizza in this city (PAMP, Lola, et al.) and this one came out of nowhere. The pizza is greater than the sum of it’s parts: expertly thin and rich crust, gooey (sheep’s milk?) cheese, caramelized onions, suckling pig pork, and this EGG which I was sure came from some magical bird when I ate it. The egg is almost custard-​like, not just in texture but FLAVOR. It was the most remarkable hen egg (we confirmed later) I think I’ve ever eaten. He gets it locally, from a farm’s name that I can’t remember.
Happy to have gotten a chance to gush about it to Chef Todd in person for a few minutes, which he graciously obliged. He’s having fun doing this, and it shows. After a foodie chat with him, he sent us over his favorite dessert — a buttermilk panna cotta with lychee, green grapes and lemon verbena — accompanied by a glass of their house-​made limoncello.
To sum up: Absolutely dynamite. Couldn’t have predicted having that good of an overall experience. It’s a no-​brainer that we’ll be back, at least seasonally, but probably more — especially with that pizza available for brunch.

Disclaimer! We were at Parella during soft opening. This rating is for the food only. I’ll talk about service, but in no way did that factor into the rating since they were undergoing training.
In the on-​going change at Calhoun Square and in the spot that was Figlio (and other places), we have a new restaurant opening soon. Just on happenstance, we were at Calhoun Square and hungry. Without many food options there, we were heading out when we spotted a person standing near a door with no signs holding menus. She told us that they were doing a soft opening for Parella, and asked if we wanted to look over the menu.
The Italian menu looked appetizing and we figured why not give it try. Everyone with whom we interacted set the expectation that they were still undergoing training and offered apologies in advance for any service issue. So we knew what we’d be getting into ahead of time.
Our group order variations of the same things: a cold soup, Paninis, and chicken salads. All the food was seasoned well and very flavorful. I will say that the portions are what we should be eating versus what we’re accustomed to eating. That means, if you’re hungry, order extras or you’ll be stopping somewhere on the way home for a snack.
Now as I said, we knew they were still under training, so my rating has not been influenced by service. But it took a long time for us to get our food. We saw a lot of people standing around talking, and some friends of the owners and chef come in to talk to them. The chef had to repeat our orders for cold soup and salad several times. Some of the servers were very nervous, which means it was probably their first time in food service, while the veterans were naturals. I hope this will improve as they get used to their roles, because there weren’t many people in the restaurant. When it gets busy, and it will, they will need to be on their game.
Give Parella a try. We’ll for sure go back because the food was good and prices were reasonable.

Came on opening night– casually peaked in and the hostess did a great job explaining the concept of the restaurant and we went ahead and had a quick bite.
The ambiance is rustic lux. Beautifully designed, chefs table overlooks bar, and everything is made from scratch.
Great location with entrance from mall.
Bartenders were really friendly.
We ordered pappardelle — cooked al debate, great flavor in the sauce.
Great wine selection and traditional Italian cocktails-I’d recommend the negroni Classico.
Well come back for sure.