Eagan Magazine June/July 2007 –
"Best Pizza Place"

Deep dish or thin crust, meat covered or spotted with olives, pizzas can be as different as the people who eat them. Yet, good pizza is often hard to find. That's why Eagan Magazine readers chose the Italian Pie Shoppe's classic pizza styles. No cheese stuffed crusts here; just basic, old-fashioned pizza. For 30 years this family-owned establishment has prided itself on using the best ingredients and hand-making every part of every pizza–and it's become a family tradition for many diners as well.

The Where Guide –
"Best Casual Dining-2006" & "Best Family Oriented Dining-2005"

There are three locations of this well-known pizzeria throughout the Twin Cities; a favorite is that on St. Paul's Grand Avenue. There's nothing fancy here: old wooden tables and chairs, checkered tablecloths, beer out of a jar. If you go during a weekend evening, you can listen to tunes hammered on an old organ. It's not hip or cool, but that's what makes it a favorite. The prices are right, and the kids (and adults) will just love the pizza.

Mpls/St Paul Magazine – Editor's Choice
"Best Pizza-2003 / Best Deep Dish-1999 / Best White Pizza-1999, 2003, 2006 "

Tucked onto the east end of Grand Avenue, the St. Paul Pie Shoppe is long on charm. Soda is served in Mason jars while old-fashioned treadle sewing machines form the table legs. We chose a deep-dish Canadian bacon and pineapple pizza, plus the menu's recommended spinach deep dish that our server said was her favorite. When then piping-hot pizzas arrived, we dove in. The crusts were crunchy on the outside and doughy on the inside, similar to a bagel; neither pizza was overloaded with cheese or toppings and had just enough per bite to satisfy. Both came generously sauced with a savory marinara, and chunks of tomato sprinkled the top of the spinach pizza. When the phone rang our waitress yelled, "Dad!" and a white-aproned chef sauntered out to answer the call. Families make up most of the patrons as well.

From the Twin Cities Reader Pizza Poll, 1993 - "GRADE: A"

The Pie Shoppe was our winner last year, and still is the one to beat. It's hard not to be impressed by the heavenly pies that arrive at your table here. Brimming with veggies and flecked with herbs, these were the most visually appealing pizzas we sampled. Our veggie pie, a succulent cornucopia with more veggie-volume than any of its competitors, was, as one happy pollster put it, "gardenesque." The fresh-cut goodies rested atop a layer of chunky sauce that was rich with the flavor of marinated tomatoes. The pan-style crust, lighter and crisper than any we tried, had just the right chew factor. Whereas other pizza joints layer their cheeses on top, the Pie Shoppe sandwiches it between toppings and crust; the pies hold together beautifully ad don't have that "smothered" taste.

From the Twin Cities Reader Pizza Poll, 1992 - "GRADE: A+"

Last year's co-winner takes top honors this time around. The place doesn't look like much from the street, but step inside and it's all pizza joint. Dark booths, wood tables, beer on tap- the quintessential pizzeria with the pie to match. Loftier than most, and served in a cast iron skillet, the vegetarian special is chock full of broccoli, zucchini, and other assorted veggies. Truth be known, it looks a little too healthy at first, but it only takes one bite to realize the combination is a winner. It was the only pie we tasted that had a harmonious balance between cheese, sauce, ingedients, and crust. "Gestalt comes to mind" was the definitive comment from one judge. Buttressed by a light, crunchy crust, this pizza approaches perfection. Our meat pizza was just as impressive, with the zestiest sausage we tried and garden crisp green peppers and onions. These pies were also easiest to stomach - no cases of pizza gut were reported.

From the Twin Cities Reader Pizza Poll, 1978 - "#1 Thin Crust Pizza"

The I.P.S.& W. finished second in this category last year, and ran away with the honors this time. Our panelists praised it for the ample quantity and quality of cheese and sauce. The liked the atmosphere - the tables are made from old sewing machines, and the beer is served ice cold in Mason jars. Sample comments: "Very crisp crust… lotsasauce… a very juicy pizza," "Best atmosphere of all… wish they had one in St. Paul."

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