Punch Neapolitan Pizza – Grand Ave

After previously reading good reviews I was excited at the chance to enjoy some really good pizza. My husband and I each ordered a different pizza and after tasting each others we both came to the same conclusion.
The good, the waiting line goes fast and the pizza comes fast and the staff seemed nice.
The meh, the pizza taste was okay but nothing real memorable. Toppings are sparse and the outside edge crust was 2″-3″ of just crust with nothing on it.
The not so good, the pizza crust in the center was soggy on both of our pizzas and I mean really soggy. We both like a thin crust and have at other places has a thin ones that aren’t soggy. After reading another person’s review apparently this is the norm.

No doubt, the best pizza in the twin cities. And the best pizza I have ever had in my life. I have came here a couple times, always very friendly staff, the pizza is always amazing. I think what stands out is that their pizza is not oily. It’s thin and light, and the sauce is very on point. Absolutely in love with Punch.

I live across the street and will be sad to leave. 1 pizza feeds 1 hungry human, their Margherita is under $ 6 and the wine they serve is nice. I had the Italian salad the other day and it was great! Always cozy in the winter and the patio is so nice when it’s warm. Great, fast service every time

GREAT Pizza! Sauce was simple and delicious, topping were great and very well prepared. My pizza was a little undercooked, but considering the great reviews this place gets, I’m gonna give them the benefit of the doubt here. They were very accommodating to my Vegan bestfriend, so that’s a plus. Not really a fan of servers in yoga pants, but it goes with the casual vibe of the place so I’m not complaining. The core of what most of my reviews are about is the food, and the food was GREAT! Some of the best pizza I’ve had. Just the combination of flavors was outstanding. Trying to make a tour of the «Best Pizza in Minnesota» so I’ve still got at least 3 places to go. I’m gonna shamelessly plug another business in this review when I say that Pizzeria Lola is still in the lead. By a lot!

We’ll have to get back here again. The next time I’m ordering less food! But it was all good.

Always a great time at the punch pizza. 4 pizzas will run you about $ 46 bucks so yes it’s spendy and I’m talking about 4 kids 1 adult and 4 pizzas gone no left overs.
It’s really good pizza though and the wait is very minimal once you place your order. It may take you 25mins to place your order depending on the rush. They don’t take reservations or take out orders and there is ample parking… Free!

Margherita w/​prosciutto for $ 9.xx. First bite was salty. Burnt edges and a little burned at the bottom (I could taste the burnt-​ness). Ok/​not bad for $ 9.xx. Super fast service!
Don’t buy the Izzy’s Ice Cream. 4.7oz (super small) for $ 3.25 is way overpriced.

First time here in years and I must say it was amazing just like the first go around like years prior. I had the toto without the meat and unfortunately when I got my order it had meat on it. I brought this to my servers attention to which she apologized deeply and replaced my order. I swear in a blink of an eye my order was out fresh and hot just in time to still eat with my friends. In stead of being the last to eat talk about awkward moments. Anyways the overall experience was amazing with fast friendly services and get this the pizza that was a mistake we got to take with us for free. To which my carnivore friends were more then happy to eat.

General conclusion: pizza tastes good if you eat the part with sauce and toppings. However, half of your «pizza» will come as is, as in pizza dough with nothing on it.
I am still thinking that they are trying to cut cost without increasing the price and compromising on the input. I’d prefer if they increased their price and kept its quality instead of decreasing quality while keeping the price at the same level and selling inferior product than they used to provide.
It was our 5^th time eating here. It was quite crowded when we arrived. There was no empty table. For the first time ever I’ve seen Someone from the staff actually organizing and telling people where to sit. It was Thursday around 6 pm.
Service: it was slower than usual, but it’s understandable considering how crowded it was.
Salad: I like all their salads. I still prefer chopped Italian though. Was good as usual. The focaccia was same size but less flavored than usual.
Pizza: parts that it had sauce and everything was indeed good. I always liked their pizza. However, their pizza size and actual toppings including the sauce had significantly decreased. Half of the pizza has absolutely nothing on it. You’re literally buying pizza dough where half of it is flavored.
Hazelnut panini: I think this was the only item that hadn’t changed dramatically in quality and taste.
I like this place a lot and I want to give 5 stars but their quality is decreasing way too fast within the last year or two.

This place is the real deal for some real Neapolitan pizza! The place is very trendy and busy – the line was almost to the door! The line brings you right up to the kitchen where you can see the pizzas being handmade from the dough to the toppings, which is very unique. I ordered a margherita pizza to-​go, and within 10 – 15 minutes, my pizza was cooked right in front of me in their special wood-​fire oven and ready. The ingredients are so fresh, and it really shows with each bite. Punch has made me into a Neapolitan pizza lover!

Excellent!
These guys know what good food & fast service means; the front side of the house is quick and efficient; getting tables cleared, seating people quickly, and checking in to see how things are going. The food? Delicious pizza ! Like craft beer? (if you like craft beer — I’m not trying to be a pretentious ass, but I like my locally produced brews) — they have regular craft brews on tap; the one I selected went great with the feta/​eggplant pizza.
So, back to the food — I ordered my pizza, it arrived quickly and it was damned good ! On a cold winters day — THIS would be a great spot to spend an hour — sipping beers, eating great pizza (the kind that reminds me of the pizzas I USED to eat back in Massachusetts when I was a kid) and hanging out with friends… maybe talking about pizza. Enjoy!

Delicious salads and pizzas, service is fast, atmosphere is cozy. Every time I come here with friends or family it’s enjoyable. Try not coming in during dinner hour on a weekend as it will be busy and loud inside. :p

Punch Pizza is the gold standard for wood-​fired pizza in the Twin Cities. It’s the yard stick by which all other wood-​fired pizza restaurants are judged. With that in mind, you’re unlikely to be disappointed. For less than $ 7, you can get a Neapolitan-​style (with oregano) or Margherita-​style pizza (with fresh basil). It’s a bargain — although less so once you begin piling on the $ 1.50 toppings.
A warning to pizza lovers unfamiliar with wood-​fired results: Your thin focaccia-​style crust will be limp in the middle and the outer edges may be burned, but the flavor profile is fresh, herby, and lighter than traditional, cheese-​piled alternatives. Punch give’s going out for pizza a fresh.
I’m a fan of their classic Neapolitan pizza, finished with a pile of mixed green salad. The salads here are better piled piled on your pizza than as a stand alone.

Excellent service, taste, and prices.
The margarita pizza is my favorite, but sometimes the pizza comes very wet considering they use olive oil on the top of the pizza. My tip would be to order the pizza «punch dry» so you don’t have to worry about wetness of the pizza.
Staff is very friendly and super speedy!

I truly love this pizza. If I had a spare 1000 calories i’d eat here daily. Hardest is to stop eating and take remaining home or to share. Will be back next week.

In one word… Fabulous! Great atmosphere, feels very old European university style, and great pizza which tastes like a little slice of Italy :)

When we visit Minneapolis we love to stop by for pizza. The atmosphere is comfortable and friendly. I ask the staff for «that pizza stuffed with salad» and they ring me up with no fuss. 15 minutes later I’m eating something quite delicious!
I was also interested to hear they offer their employees a better wage than many companies do in the current economy

I always thought «wood fired» pizza was some kind of deceptive gimmick, like «liquid smoke» or «chicken in a biscuit.»
Nope. They have piles of wood that they throw into a brick oven. Neapolitan pizza has a great crust and Punch uses high quality ingredients for its sauce and toppings, including liberal amounts of fresh basil.
It’s called Punch because after eating here, your belly will be so full that you will beg someone to punch you so that you can throw up and eat another pizza.
Free condiments include fruit-​flavored olive oil and rosemary crusted, wood-​fired bread. Salads there are excellent, including the Gorgonzola.
Dining is casual, with order at the counter service
Because it is a chain, elitists may look down there nose at it, but this is my favorite pizza anywhere until I can find another place that does Neapolitan better.

I can’t believe i’ve never gotten on here to repeat what so many others have already said.
Now’s my chance…
I have a strong love for fresh flavors and especially fresh herbs. I’d marry the bitches if I wouldn’t get side eyed for it. Haters.
I also have a strong dislike for the very average, excessively greasy and salty delivery or fast food style pizzas like Papa Johns or I dunno. pick one. They’re all pretty much the same. I hate thick crust, I have a distaste for grease laden piles of cheese and meat (on my pizza anyway) and I get a nauseated knot in my gut from 90% of the mystery sauces they use.
Punch fulfills my cravings for things rich and flavorful without clogging my arteries. The herbs are always fresh and bright. The sauce is great in its simplicity and the cheese is so light it won’t weigh you down after eating a whole pizza. Because you will eat a whole pizza.
No, really.
They aren’t that big.
The service has always been outstanding. They stand by their policy of replacing anything you don’t like with no questions asked. I know this from experience because I sent back the Caesar salad I ordered tonight and replaced it with a Margherita pizza. The guy at the register was so cool about it that I felt like a VIP. Couldn’t ask for more than that, right?
As Sam W. said, the place gets swamped. I prefer to sit at the window bar so I can people watch like a creeper but I’ve been banished to the community table and to the bruise your butt bone booths. The community table is fun if you don’t care about privacy because someone will inevitably ask you what you ordered and strike up a conversation. I half enjoy that.
So, all this fine recommendation but only 4 stars?
The crust does get soggy and it doesn’t bother me. to a point. The Margherita Extra, while still one of my favorites, can be like sucking on a drenched low quality napkin that disintegrates when you touch it. That’s a little too soggy.
The caesar salad I ordered tonight was unlike any caesar I have ever had. It was extremely tart, not even the slightest bit creamy, over dressed with dry cheese and no real dressing to moisten the bite. I don’t mind being sparse on the dressing but this is more like lemony romaine with cheese… Which is why I sent it back.
The artichoke dip was a surprise. There was no mention of any kind of spice on the menu so getting a spicy dish was off-​putting and it honestly would have been better without the red pepper or whatever got dumped in there. We left it on the table with only a few bites taken.
So what’s good? Start fresh with a margherita pizza and a side of focaccia dipped in the balsamic/​oil. You’ll leave satisfied if you’re looking for something simple.
Need the man hairs to start shooting out of your chest like a porcupine with a boner? Try the Vesuvio and the Bruni. You’ll get those strong manly flavors and still keep your girlish figure.
You sexy beast, you.

The parking lot, while nice (because street parking blows wieners behind Wal*Mart and everyone knows it), requires a tad bit of fancy maneuvering. It’s tighter than a camel’s asshole in a sandstorm, people.
After having been here a few times, I can honestly say that I believe a lot of people get their pizza to go. There’s simply no room for the interior to sustain the amount of pizza seekers that end up pouring in.
It gets nothing short of maddening in here around dinner time, so if you’re lucky enough to secure a booth, make sure you savor every moment of your triumph.
I’ve had many different pizzas here so I’m just going to break it down in a list.
— Bruni (sausage, spiced salami, onion and oregano): I love this one. It’s rich, meaty and satisfying. I like ordering it D.O.C. style because the extra cheese does something magical to it. I’m obsessed with their salami; you can taste how fresh it is. The oregano gives this particular pizza that touch of herby goodness but I actually prefer the fresh torn basil instead.
— Salame E Funghi (salami, mushroom, garlic, fontina and oregano): Another solid offering. The garlic packs a pronounced punch and complements the spice coating on the salami very well. The mushrooms don’t come out all watery and disgusting and instead develop a deeper, roasted profile. The oregano works better on this pizza than on the Bruni, in my opinion.
— Palermo (spiced salami, sun dried tomato, saracene olive, oregano): This one has been the least outstanding flavor combination I’ve tried. I had high hopes as I love olives on pizza but something about them seemed awry here. The sun dried tomatoes are very much in the forefront but they compete with the equally strong taste of the olives and it ends up tasting like a food fight in your mouth. I wouldn’t order this one again.
— Vesuvio (spiced salami, saracene olive, cracked red pepper, piparras pepper and basil): This is the most visually satisfying pizza I’ve had thus far. The whole piparras peppers add a nice pop of color and heat. I have a relatively high spice tolerance and was not, at all, put off by the heat levels but my two dining companions were. If you’re into spice, this one comes highly recommended. Again… I gots me some love for that salami. The olives aren’t clamoring for attention here and end up becoming a pleasant background saltiness.
— Mushroom and Pepperoni (just a specially ordered pizza): My mom ordered this because she tends to puss out when it comes to interesting flavors. I figured it was going to be pretty dull but the quality of the ingredients really made it delicious. The pepperoni – a surprisingly not greasy variety – had a great texture. She went with the D.O.C style and, as a cheese hound, was very happy with the dairy level.
The dough they use here has a great chew to it but I will admit that the pizzas themselves are incredibly thin (and, thus, can become a little ‘soggy’ as others have stated). Nonetheless, they’re delivered to your table hot and fresh straight from their eight hundred degree cremated fate.
The have large bottles of olive oil and balsamic vinegar for dipping as well as small spice grinders that you can bring to your table. Put them back when you’re done. Don’t be a bastard.
In addition to their pizzas, I’ve also had their Caesar salad and was very underwhelmed. The dressing just seemed oily to me and didn’t have that rich flavor I crave when looking for a Caesar salad that probably isn’t authentic at all.
But the rosemary bread they serve it with (or independently, too) is fucking amazing. It’s… stupid amazing.
How the hell is it so damn good? It’s some dough with fresh rosemary and sea salt with only one single downside: sometimes the rosemary stabs you in the gums.
I like a little pain with my love, though, so I’ll keep coming back. Hit me again, Rosemary. Do it.
If you’re tired of spray on cheese, horse meat pepperoni and ‘butter flavored a little’ aerosol spray on your crusts, come to Punch. You may be surprised.