Perhaps the United Nations should find out what’s in the sauce here. Pizza Lucé brings together vegans and omnivores, singles and families, early-lunch eaters and late-night noshers. An offbeat, tattooed and pierced waitstaff works in elegant, old-oak surroundings. Something about the clash of styles creates harmonious success, as Pizza Lucé is consistently voted best pizza in local media polls. The restaurant opened in 1993 in the city’s downtown Warehouse District. Today, five locations offer the same 50-topping menu, a list that includes categories that keep the vegetarians coming back: Unmeat and Uncheese. (Mock duck and soy cheese, anyone?) For the gourmand, there’s smoked Gouda, roasted eggplant, salami and basil pesto. And for the kids, there’s good old pepperoni. The baked potato pizza is the most popular pie. Made with garlic red mashed potatoes instead of tomato sauce and topped with broccoli, fresh tomatoes, cheddar and smoked apple-hickory bacon, it’s the kind of thing you may crave at 2 in the morning. Luckily, Pizza Lucé is still open at that hour. And it’s not just the pizza that keeps the devoted coming back. The artichoke dip is addictive, the lasagna flavorful, and the Big Ol’ Brownies are sinfully topped with chocolate peanut butter.
The full bar emphasizes microbrews, with lots of beers on tap. Delivery available. Serving lunch, dinner and late-night daily. Sat–Sun brunch 10 am–2 pm.
"What makes a city cosmopolitan? Ever-ready midnight—or
late-breakfast—pizza slices with artichokes next to a good beer is as
good a definition as any, so hallelujah for these beloved Minneapolis
gems."
— City Pages