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I'm only giving Cossetta's a four star because of their PIZZA. Some of the best pizza by the slice in the twin cities. I'd go here over Pizza Luce' for pizza "by the slice" (Usually Luce' slices are old and dried out)
Big awesome pieces of greatness for just under $4 and for their more gourmet slice its about $4.50 its totally worth it!
If I was rating this place on their pasta, I would consider maybe hmmm a one star, the pasta sucks, don't get it, don't waist your time or money. Skip the pasta and go straight to the pizza!!!
A little confusing, but definately Italian! So much going on... We found a place to sit, then got back up and stood in line. Found out it was the pizza line, not the pasta line. Whew! Then, I couldn't decide on what to get as I was ready to eat my arm off and everything looked/smelled fantastic!
I had the special of the day, with a pesto sauce, and it was pretty wonderful. The Italian sandwich was pretty freakin good too - sausage, red sauce - but the best part was the bread they used. I'd probably take a slice of that over their garlic bread. Now that I know what I'm in for, I can see how it'd be great to swing through & grab a slice.
Re: Pizza only. Didn't wander through the market and I was toofa king confused by the different lines to even consider pasta or salad after we got our order in.
This in no way should be classified as a New York slice. Sure, it's foldable and wedgy (thank god), but there's not any oil to speak of and the crust is far too thick, and the toppings are too numerous in number. The sauce is decent and the toppings at least are fresh...but all in all, I'm not a fan. This would be the kind of pizza place I'd find in Times Square, if that's what you mean by New York-style, if you know what I mean.
Fantastic Pizza. Unique, Lively Atmosphere. The Italian Market is super authentic...fun just to walk around in, but sort of spendy. Restaurant serves out big portions at small prices.
Crowded and loud. Pasta wasn't anything to brag about.
Not very wheelchair accessible . . . sort of but, just barely.
Anyone who lives in the area HAS to check this place out at least once. Big thanks to Master Barber Greg Zrust for the tip!
Well, I NEVER eat there but...... I am a major fan of:
1. Their Pizza (get it slightly undercooked and take it home, finish it till crispy) it's the closest you will get to NY pizza in MN
2. Grocery store. They carry a famous brand of ravioli from Brooklyn called "Queen Anne" They have Ravioli and Manicotti. They are the best!! Paper thin dough, excellent quality ricotta. I used to buy them back home from my local italian grocery. They are about $1 higher in MN but what the heck? He's having them trucked in. These are the real deal folks that Italian familes eat on Sunday Afternoons. In a little freezer in the hallway (not when you enter) but as you go toward the food line.
Cosetta's also has good bread and grated cheese.
What can I say about Cossetta's that hasn't already been said?! Delicious pizza, awesome downtown setting, and it's an institution. Their gorgonzola salad is awesome as well. One slice of their massive pizza can fill you up for ours. This place has history and you can tell that they pride themselves on quality food.
YUM! I have such fond memories of Cossettas! This was THE place to go in college because it is so good and CHEAP!
The pizza here is really great and most people go here just for the pizza, but for me, I'm all about the mostaccioli smothered in ricotta, butter, and garlic with a nice piece of garlic bread on the side.. yummmmmm! And if pizza and mostaccioli isn't your thing than have a big Cossettas salad, choose from the variety of pasta salads, have a sandwich, or maybe you might like lasagna... its up to you.... just make sure you leave room for dessert because their tiramisu is a chocolaty, creamy, nummy, and perfect ending to all of the garlic you just had for dinner.
I also love how there is an Italian market connected to the restaurant, so if you are wanting to create your own special Italian meal at home you can get the goods here.... including their delicious sauce!
If you have never been to Cossettas, though, it may be a bit weird to navigate. The food is served cafeteria style with the pizza line being separate from the everything but pizza line. Its also OK to cut in front of someone that is waiting for their sandwich and you just want to get to your pasta. After all, this is MN and you have all heard of Minnesota nice, right?
Great. So now I want pasta. Man, I wish I were in MN now!! Luckily, I still get back at least once a year!
The sad reason I've eaten here so many times is because when assorted elderly family members were at United for prolonged stays, this place was convenient.
But hello?! It is absolutely delicious.
I, personally am a mostaccioli sort of girl, because that in and of itself sings. But the pizza is delicious and what they're serving by the slice is always fresh. Oh, and the dressing on the Cossetta's Salad is absolutely addicting. Pretty sure they sell it by the bottle as well.
Plus, you simply cannot shake a leg at an italian restaurant that has a gelato case.
They also have this little market for all of your Italian ingredient needs. I can't recall if I or family members have ever purchased anything from it, but cool that its there.
The only scary part are the stairs you have to walk up to get to their other seating level with your overly-full tray of delicious, delicious Italian food.
The place has a great market with good salamis, ham and cheeses. Genuine Italian sweets. Yes they have great salads and dinners.
BUT WHO CARES??!! It's the PIZZA!
I'm from New York, and I can tell you Cosetta's is the only place in the Twin Cities that has genuine New York-style Pizza. This is exactly the kind of pizza I got as a kid for 15 cents/slice on Long island.
Punch is great, Luce is nice, but they're mere runners-up in Pizza. Green Mill isn't even close. Sorry, but this just has to be said.
Oh, wait. The CANNOLIS are perfect, too.
Okay, I'll put down the megaphone.
I was taking a stroll through Rice Park, enjoying a nice spring day and thought a slice of New York pizza would provide nice sustenance for the afternoon. A lot of by the slice places don't have that great of pizza, they usually have it sitting out for a while and reheat it up in the oven before you buy a slice. But at Cosetta's the place always has people inside so the pizza is always fresh out of the oven. It's also big enough that you can get a decent fold. A slice of pepperoni will cost about $4, not bad.
Their grocery store is over priced.
If you are planning to make an Italian meal anytime soon, then you NEED to stock up on goods from Cossetta's Market.
Noodles, check!
Oodles of italian sausage, yes!
Cheese, oh yeah (mozz, ricotta, parm, mascarpone, etc etc etc)
Hearty selection of bread--yes.
Olives
Olive oil
The list goes on
And the most amazing ingredient you can purchase is Cossetta's own pasta sauce. I don't know what they do to this stuff but it will turn any of your ho-hum dishes into an amazing feat!
It's the bomb! I don't know what else to say.... They've constantly got Sinatra on in the background, the staff are always dressed sharply and are knowledgable and friendly, ALL of the food is great, they have a slice line, a pasta line, as well as a full, fresh deli counter where you can buy some of their homemade stuff and bake it at home, and it's one of the few places in the TC that you can get a Moretti beer(For those of you that are fans of rare imports). I've never been to Italy, but I would say that this place is as close as it's gonna get for Minneapolis/St. Paul. If you love Italian food, then you will love Cossetta's.
I have strong pizza allegiances. You can't just go around saying "Cossetta's has the best pizza in the Twin Cities." Because it doesn't. No one place has the best pizza in the Twin Cities.
But Cossetta's does have "The Best New-York Style Pizza" in the twin cities. And the cannoli's are delish. Just never,ever, try to go there before a concert or a Wild hockey game. It's madness.
There a must if your downtown to see a show or a game at the X. There always very quick and organized. They have a really cool collection of pictures and maps on the walls. They even have a signed SInatra picture. I really like their little Italian market, they always have the best olive oil in the big jugs. I take one point off for the grease, there is alot of it. That dosent mean its bad, just, well, fattening.
I had given my fiance the job of planning rehearsal dinner and he booked Cosetta's for the catering. Dont get me wrong--I love Cosetta's--but I didnt really think of it as a good catering place and the thought of giant crusty vats of luke-warm pasta had me a little worried.
Also, I didnt think it was that impressive. Spaghetti and garlic bread? Whoop-de-doo. I eat that every Tuesday night.
Although I was worried and expecting the worst (sorry hubby), I was surprised and impressed with how it turned out. There was a delicious bread variety of at least 5 kinds with 3 kinds of spread including some olive tapenade and some artichoke dip of some sort. There were 2 types of pasta and 2 types of salad to choose from. The tortellini in white sauce were incredible and we had some tube pasta with red sauce that people were all over. They also stuck in little decorative touches on the platters so it felt a little fancier than I expected.
They even sent along decent serving spoons and forks for tossing the salads and dishing the pasta. It didnt look all cheap and aluminum foil and plastic forks, which I was really glad about. Like I said, people loved the food. I would definitely cater from Cosetta's again.
Been here may times over the years, never disappointed! Their pizza is tasty. I'm not a big pasta fan, they do an adequate job with it. It's a buzz with lots of commotion and don't overlook take out from the market. They do have some very good cold pasta salads to choose from. A great place to take the kids!
Always good here. The cafeteria style ordering is fun. Just a warning it can be a bit overwhelming for the first timer. There are tons of options to choose from. I dont think i've ever been here when it wasn't busy. Plus they're is a market connected to them. All kinds of meat choices plus other kinds of foods. There isn't much more to say about Cossetta's other than you will love your time there. Go check it out. It's an actually reason to go to St. Paul.
I can't think of a better spot to get a slice of pie in the twin citys!:))
Great and reasonably priced Italian food.
This cafeteria style restaurant features larges slices of pizza, many different pastas, salads and sandwiches to feast upon. I really like the mostaccioli. The sauce may be a little rich for some, but to me it's delicious.
The line can get a little long before events at the Xcel, but it usually moves pretty fast.
This pizza actually tastes exactly like NYC pizza. It is really really good-but the mostacoli with the breadstick is also, quite delish. I would get the Farfelle pasta salad, the pasta, and a cherry coke. Then other times I would get the pizza. The Gelato is brilliant, the cannolis are great, and the fact that you can get anything they serve in the freezer and bring it home is kickass. They even sell their sauce, dough, and cheese.
The Italian market place is one of my favs; I would get meatballs for the boy, spices, bread, Lavazza coffee, sweets, and other fun items.
I miss it. So you should go. For me.
I find this place to be entirely overrated - I just don't get the fascination.
The building is cozy and the upstairs seating is nice and out of the whirlwind going on below, but the food just isn't that good. The sauce is no great shakes, and the pizza is uneven - fair at its best and awful at its worst. They do make a couple of great salads though. The gorgonzola salad is the best thing I've had there, actually. The salads are tossed to order, which means you can customize them to your liking.
The adjoining shop is way overpriced. Please, please don't buy your Italian foodstuffs there. It's a joke.
Also, it does get busy, particularly when there are events going on at the X. I'd definitely avoid this place for a few days on either side of the RNC invasion.
This another childhood favorite of mine. The pizza and atmosphere have always remained consistent at Cosetta's. It's different than any other Italian restaurant that I've been to. It has an À la carte line with plenty of pasta dishes and the like, and an area where you can order pizza by the slice. They also have a wonderful case with a selection of irresistible deserts, including Tiramisu that is a MUST have.
The pizza is wonderful, not to mention fun to watch when it's being made. I always enjoyed watching the pizza dough being spun around in the air from the second floor as a kid. Cosetta's also has a little market area where you can pick up various Italian staples.
Overall, this place is a classic location that has never and probably will never lose it's charm.
If I could issue one warning to you, it would be to choose the time of your visit wisely. If there's an event going on downtown, especially at the Xcel, you're going to be waiting a long time. I don't mean a little line, I mean out the door.
The pizza is good here. Pasta was ok. I like the little market as well but haven't really bought anything here.
Nice place to eat in St. Paul for a good price.
The other reviews pretty much covered Cossetta's, so I don't have much to add. Their parking lot can be a bit tight and their food is good. I'd hesitate to call it fantastic.
But the thing I love about Cossetta's is their market, specifically their meat department. I come here a few times a year and I always make sure I walk out with some spicy Italian Sausage and meatball mix. Those are both very good and very tasty.
Their Artesian-type breads also look good, but I've never bought one. I'm going to have to one of these days.
They cater our office Christmas party every year. Great main course selections, excellent salads, breads and awesome dessert and hors d'eouvre platters. Their delivery staff is competent and friendly. They are pros and that is not always the case with catering.
One of these days I'll try something from Cosetta's that isn't pizza. Probably not anytime soon, but someday.
The reasons I love coming here aren't just because the food is good, but it's because of the character and atmosphere. It's surprising to me, but I actually like the thought of standing in line and deciding what looks or sounds good (and it helps that the line usually moves pretty quickly). And I love all the different nooks and crannies for tables. There is a ton of seating but I've never felt like I was too crowded into any one space that I felt distracted by the conversation happening at the table next to me.
But one of my favorite things about coming here is the Italian market. I love specialty grocery stores that sell specific types of ethnic foods that you can bring home and try to make on your own (try definitely being the operative word for me because I've only been cooking for about 2 years). Every time I've been here has been a real treat!
One of my favorite pizza places. I only get the pizza, so this review is for pizza and ambiance only.
The decor is cute, old-world Italian. There's two lines - one for the humongous pizza slices, one for the pastas / salads / etc., plus a little Italian market.
It definitely gets crowded when there's an event at the arena (last time I went, the line was out the door due to High School Musical on ice, I believe).
There is a small parking lot with an attendant, but there can be a wait during peak hours.
Walking distance from United / Children's / Nasseff hospital, if you're spending time at the hospital and sick of the cafe or want a tasty treat after a procedure.
Checkered tablecloth tables and Italian musical notes exclaim Italian as you walk into this gem in St Paul. More often than not Cossetta's is crowded, and the line will wrap around the stairway for the pasta selections, but it's worth the wait. Cossetta's has their own parking lot which they validate.
The Mostacholi is al dente and blanketed a layer of cheese and marinara. The garlic bread is moist, crunchy, and worthy of an after dinner mint. The slices of pie are New York style; perfect for folding in half. No fancy toppings, just the basics that we adore. Every time I visit I have my "usual" : slice of pizza (pepperoni or cheese), mostacholi to share with company, and a bottle of beer.
They have a market area so patrons may take items home and venture to be Italian chefs themselves. Take out service is available too.
Being half Italian from NY, a place like this was an absolute necessity .When the boys were younger, we ate in a lot. The pizza is good, but not to go. Grease right out of the oven is good. Not when you get it home, and the bottom is like cardboard. Now that I think of it it was second hand from my son after at least an hour. Lesson here is eat it while it's hot. My love is the import store. It has everything I need to make my own sauce. Including spices for spaghetti sauce. I've gone nuts just picking off the shelves. What I rely on the most is the DiNapoli brand of canned clams for making my own linguini and clam sauce. I've tried other canned ones and they were awful. They took away a couple of items that I really miss. The powdered cookies up front at the deli. Lemon and anise varieties. The huge jar of octopus salad. I love chewy things. Good salads for when you don't feel like cooking. My favorite is chicken with celery and capers in cream or mayo. Stromboli is a must since not many of us ever get around to making it on our own. The sauce is a little salty, so I started making my own, and it's a lot cheaper. Great cheese selection, even a good package of grated. There is something in each aisle and section, too much to list. But as you walk in the side, start with the tirimisu.
I sometimes dream of Cossetta's and ponder moving back to my hometown in good ole Minnesooooooota! Yeah, you betcha! Whenever I'm home, my bro cooks up the most DELICIOUS pasta concoction with their homemade marina and ricotta sauces. TO DIE FOR! We're both lactose intolerant but its TOTALLY worth it! You're darned tootin'!
I'm in LOVE with their deli filled with beautiful meats, cheeses and sauces plus fresh breads, pastas and my favorite... SPUMONI ICE CREAM! I seriously pack on the pounds when I'm home.
Haven't found anything like it in Cali :( Que Sura, makes my trips home that much sweeter.
If you want Pizza. This is the place to go. I should really leave the review at that. Their pizza, served NY style is out of this world phenomenal. I'm not sure about their other products because I can't get past how good the pizza is. It's served huge, big slices, great crust that's not too thin or thick with a tangy sauce and great ingredients. We've been going back for years. The only thing that's bad - the scales the next day. Oh and, if there's an event going on at the Xcel Center, Cossetta's is VERY difficult to get inside... They could totally fix this if their mgmt have half of a brain... ;)
I concurr with the other reviewers: good food, great prices, excellent Italian market store (where I've picked up frozen pizza's, noodles, chocolate, italian meats, etc.). Free parking too. In all this is probably my favorite place to eat in downtown St Paul. Probably my favorite food to eat there is the lasagna (comes with Mostaccioli too). The pizza isn't anything special in my opinion.
My favorite pizza anywhere. This the classic Italian restaurant in St. Paul where Charles Schultz lived above. The deli, grocery, dine-in, and take out services have all been pleasing. Eating pizza across the country, I am surprised that a restaurant in St. Paul has managed to meet and even exceed New York, Boston, and Chicago pie quality.
Delicious! Get the pasta with red sauce, a meatball, and a breadstick and you'll be happy for the next five hours.
I guess you could try the pizza (line up cafeteria-style according to what you'd like to order, pizza on one side, the rest on the other), but why bother when the pasta sauce is so delicious? I first heard about this place when I was in high school, and I always imagined it to be some fancy schmancy place, from the way people would talk about it. Finally, post-college I ended up here one night, and returned the next day for more. Go for lunch, go for dinner, then return soon with your friends. Downtown parking isn't an issue with the validated lot. There's also a store area where they bottle the wonderful stuff!
When I think of Saint Paul Italian, I think of Cossetta's.
Their mostacholi is legendary. It is included in every meal you order here (note. a slice is not considered a meal in this context), but ordering a big dish of it on its own is also completely acceptable.
Everything served here is fantastic. You can not go wrong with anything on the menu.
They've been serving the same food in the same way for decades. It is no wonder that the restaurant also has an imported Italian foods grocery section. It makes perfect sense given the way the food tastes as American crops have been oriented toward production and not flavor.
All of my memories of this place are good ones.
I'm not sure why some of the others complain about service. You get your food and you have a seat. What's the big deal?
Cafeteria style eatery. Great cheap eats and a pretty fun atmosphere. My wife loves to sit above the pizza makers and watch them throw the dough. Red sauce is almost addicting. We also love to get some fresh mozzarella from the deli attached.
Quite possibly the best little place for pasta, veal and pizza.
Located right across from the Excel Center Cossettas gets packed right before an event, but is well worth the wait. Service is excellent as the line moves very fast. Prices are cheap and the portions are huge! If you're not a huge eater, be sure to go with the small size of pasta.
Also a fav lunch spot for those trapped in office buildings during the week.
Cossetta's also has a little market attached to their restaurant. Staples from Italy plus a full deli including frozen pastas from the restuarant. mmmm....so good!
I've never been disappointed by this place in all the years I've been a patron. The pizza is legendary, the pasta is perfectly cooked, and the sauces are heavenly. Service? It's an Italian cafeteria, people; get a grip.
Always a YES!
Saint Paul, MN
Category: Pizza
Saint Paul, MN
Category: Stadiums & Arenas
Osseo, MN
Category: Italian
Saint Paul, MN
Category: Restaurants
Saint Paul, MN
Category: Italian
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