Cossetta In St. Paul Opens After Impressive Remodel

Gallery: Cossetta's New Digs

ST. PAUL (WCCO) -- It's hard to talk about St. Paul restaurants without mentioning Cossetta.

Founded in 1911 by Italian immigrant Michael Cossetta, the restaurant has grown from a small store on St. Paul's upper levee, to its current location, where it has been since 1988.

Cossetta's new building has been open for less than a week. Even though construction is not complete, people are lining up at the restaurant and store.

Their new pastry shop was made in Italy, taken apart, shipped over and reassembled here – by Italian craftsmen. The baked goods will also be authentic Italian.

"One of our chefs went to Europe and studied for nine months and then did a three-month internship and then he came back," said manager Ray Vanyo.

The Italian market is in the basement for now until its new space is ready. This basement will someday be a wine shop.

The eatery and pizzeria is new, too.

"We've expanded it, we'll also have our original building as additional seating as well, they're doing construction on that," said Vanyo.

Even though Cossetta is bigger and newer, it still feels the same.

"Most of the same design, the wood floors, the wood walls, the pizza line, the salad-sandwich-pasta line, everything coming together in the middle and the cashier, and then once you get your drink, you head upstairs," said Vanyo.

The fancier restaurant on the upper level, Louie's, will have a full bar. It will open next month, with entrees priced from $8 to $39.