Feast On Scrumptious Minnesota Pizza That Has Won Many Awards And National Acclaim

When folks think about pizza in the United States, New York, Chicago, and even Detroit enter the conversation. It wasn’t until the last decade or so that Minnesota pizza earned its seat at the table, thanks largely to Ann Kim: a James Beard Award-winning chef who came to the U.S. as a Korean immigrant, majored in English, and spent several years as a working actress before turning her attention to pizza. We’re all just thankful she made the shift, because we Minnesotans get enjoy the considerable fruits of her award-winning talent - and even entertain the idea that Minnesota pizza may actually be the best pizza there is. So, visit one of Kim’s pizza restaurants and judge for yourself. (Hint: You won’t be disappointed!)

Award-winning chef Ann Kim co-owns four restaurants in the Twin Cities. Her first three all focus on pizza.

And thanks largely to Kim’s talent and vision, the Land of 10,000 Lakes has a seat at the national pizza table.

After spending eight years in the acting profession, Ann Kim turned her talents to the culinary arts.

And in 2011, she, along with her partner and future husband, Conrad Leifur, opened Pizzeria Lola.

The cozy space in the Armatage neighborhood of south Minneapolis was an immediate smash.

Lines out the door, snaking along the Xerxes Avenue sidewalk were commonplace.

In response to Pizzeria Lola, food writer and chef Andrew Zimmern announced in Food & Wine magazine that Minnesota was now home to the country’s best pizza.

Riding the success of Pizzeria Lola, Kim and Leifur opened a second restaurant in nearby Edina in 2012.

Hello Pizza is a counter-service pizzeria that specializes in New York style pies and slices.

Kim’s burgeoning pizza empire arguably reached its pinnacle with the 2016 opening of Young Joni.

This hip Northeast Minneapolis eatery offered up the pizza that Kim’s fan base expects.

But it also represented an expansion of her talents with the addition of Korean and Korean-inspired dishes.

This fusion of her passion and her roots resulted in astounding acclaim. Young Joni made best-restaurant lists all over the United States.

The Star Tribune named ​​Young Joni “Restaurant of the Year” in 2017, and after having been nominated previously, in 2019, Ann Kim won the James Beard Award for Best Chef - Midwest.

You don’t usually get this kind of national attention and acclaim around pizza. So, as you can probably surmise, there’s something really special about the Minnesota pizza that Ann Kim has introduced to us - and we’re lucky to be able to enjoy it! I personally love to grab a couple of slices - or even a whole pie - from Hello Pizza and take it over to nearby Lake Harriet and enjoy the day. It’s like a staycation in the city!

Have you dined at one of Ann Kim’s pizza restaurants? Tell us about your experience in the comments!