Outstanding accessible downtown St. Paul eatery and deli. Here's where you'll find the firemen, the hockey crowd, the cops, anyone who knows really good easy food.

Outstanding accessible downtown St. Paul eatery and deli. Here's where you'll find the firemen, the hockey crowd, the cops, anyone who knows really good easy food.
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I have to agree with the throngs of other posters about Cossetta's. The food is great, the atmosphere is wonderful as well. Deli style salads, entrees, pizza, and pastas. most served with garlic... More

I have to agree with the throngs of other posters about Cossetta's. The food is great, the atmosphere is wonderful as well. Deli style salads, entrees, pizza, and pastas. most served with garlic bread. Prices range from $3 for pizza to $9+ for a lasagna or chicken marsala entree. Dirnks are extra and they serve beer and wine. There are tons of old pictures from the neighborhood as it was in the 20's, 30's and on. My grandfather is actually in a few of them because he grew up in the neighborhood. The only downsides to this 'taste of the levee' is that it has become too popular. Weekday lunches and anytime before an event at the xcel center, and lines are out the door. I guess that is the price we pay for good food at a great location. Finally, the small italian market attached to the deli is great for imported italian items that are otherwise very hard to find.
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If you love Italian food, I recommend Cossetta's Italian Market & Pizzeria. Through cafeteria-style dining, the restaurant serves a variety of traditional and authentic dishes including pizza (large... More

If you love Italian food, I recommend Cossetta's Italian Market & Pizzeria. Through cafeteria-style dining, the restaurant serves a variety of traditional and authentic dishes including pizza (large slices and many toppings to choose from), pastas, sandwiches, salads, lasagna, etc. The food is excellent! Also, there is a small market offering fresh imported Italian goods so that you can whip up your own dishes. The atmosphere has a true Italian vibe to it. Due to the restaurants popularity, however, parking and dealing with large crowds can be a real pain. The employees do all they can to make sure the lines move along in a timely manner. Minus the crowds, Cossetta’s is an asset to the Twin Cities and makes for a great dining experience.
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I have never had the pizza, but all the other foods are great. You get a huge portion. They allow you to order a "kids' size" pasta if you have little ones, and it is enough for three meals for... More

I have never had the pizza, but all the other foods are great. You get a huge portion. They allow you to order a "kids' size" pasta if you have little ones, and it is enough for three meals for them. The only drawback is it can have very long lines on the weekends, especially if there is something going on at the Rivercenter. They do have their own parking lot, which is free if it isn't full.
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Cossetta family recipes from southern Italy intoxicate with their robust flavors and fresh ingredients. The pizzas--made and thrown by hand for the entertainment of all--is famous, served in huge... More

Cossetta family recipes from southern Italy intoxicate with their robust flavors and fresh ingredients. The pizzas--made and thrown by hand for the entertainment of all--is famous, served in huge slices, piled with toppings and covered in just enough cheese. Mostaccioli in the tongue-tingling marinara and ricotta sauce has its own legion of followers. Other options include salads with imported ingredients, a lovely veal parmigiana; near-perfect lasagna and a saucy meatball sandwich. For those with room for more, try the rich cannoli.
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Cassettas is simply the BEST! You can buy pizza by the slice for CHEAP! They also have a wide variety of other italian food items, those tend to be more expensive, so I stick with the over-sized... More

Cassettas is simply the BEST! You can buy pizza by the slice for CHEAP! They also have a wide variety of other italian food items, those tend to be more expensive, so I stick with the over-sized slices of pizza. Located on west 7th St in Saint Paul, it is a wonderful, local place with lots of atmosphere. They also have a deli store where you can buy lots of authentic ingredients. I can't say it enough, I LOVE CASSETTAS! The ONLY drawback I could possibly find is that the parking is difficult at times. They have a parking lot that gets full because it is soooooo good! You won't be sorry you tried it!
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Cosetta's is by far the best Italian deli in the Twin Cities. They sell frozen versions of many of their popular restaurant pasta entrées, as well as refrigerated containers of their delicious pasta... More

Cosetta's is by far the best Italian deli in the Twin Cities. They sell frozen versions of many of their popular restaurant pasta entrées, as well as refrigerated containers of their delicious pasta sauce. There are wooden racks filled with different varieties of bread that are made fresh on the premises everyday, and deli cases full of prosciutto and Italian deli meats and cheeses. Plus there are plenty of packaged Italian goods (pastas, crackers, etc) as well as cookies, candies, coffee and bottled sodas--which are great for making gift baskets, or just to have on hand in the pantry.
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All pizzeria's fall into category by style of pie and Cassetta's is the New York style. The New York style is round pizza, with a fairly thin crust made from elastic flour dough, cut into wedges... More

All pizzeria's fall into category by style of pie and Cassetta's is the New York style. The New York style is round pizza, with a fairly thin crust made from elastic flour dough, cut into wedges with a puffy ring handle by which to grab your slice and eat it. And technically, while it may be controversial for me to suggest, there is an offical New York way to eat this slice also: You must grab your slice firmly by the thick doughy handle, crease it down the middle, fold it so that the bottom crust is on the outside and then begin eating at the tip until you reach the handle. You then have to option to make a personal call -- you can either eat the crust or throw it out. You won't be penalized for either option. In the old days when santization conditions were different in New York City, you were suppose to throw the crust because of the germs you carried on your hands. Cassetta's makes very good pizza and probably, along with Fat Lorenzo's in Minneapolis, the best in this category of pie. And, don't let people tell you that you have to go to New York for good pizza -- amoung the top five pizza makers in the Twin Cities, we rival anything made in New York. [Take that b*t#ch!] As for Chicago, well, I hate to say it but the style called "deep dish" Chicago-style pizza is not pizza -- here in Minnesota we call that casserole. Or hot dish. Not pizza. Don't overlook the market here at Cassetta's because they have very good sausage, cheese, and pastas to take home and make for your family and guests. And, absolutely be sure to save room for a chocolate chip canolli and Italian Ice Cream. Outta this world! But sure to check out the cozy upper dining areas in the upstairs portion of the shop. while this place hops and feels crowded, the best place to get away from the long lines is upstairs. Cassetta's is as good as it gets in Saint Paul.
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There are so many things to say about Cossetta's. First of all they have the best pizza ever. The restaurant is in a two story building and they feature a buffet style line up. The lines are... More

There are so many things to say about Cossetta's. First of all they have the best pizza ever. The restaurant is in a two story building and they feature a buffet style line up. The lines are sometimes rather long, but it is definitely worth the wait. You can choose from a wide variety of Italian dishes from a huge piece of pizza to lasagna. The atmosphere is really fun and upbeat with great Italian music playing around you. The price is right and the food is terrific!
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