Barstool Sports Reviews – And Dismisses – Beloved Minnesota Pizza Places
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – Minnesotans are proud of the Bold North, and they're also proud of their favorite pizza spots – whether it's Red Savoy's 'Sota-style or Punch's Neapolitan.
But how do Twin Cities pizza shops compare to those on the East Coast?
Providing some context – as well as cause for Midwestern indignation – is Dave Portnoy, the founder of Barstool Sports, who does by-the-slice pizza reviews, among other sports blogger things.
While in town for the Super Bowl, Portnoy – aka Davey Pageviews – tried several Minnesota spots as requested of his audience. All places were critiqued on their cheese slice and off Portnoy's first bite.
Here's how they fared:
Black Sheep Coal Fired Pizza (Score: 8.3)
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Portnoy actually critiqued Black Sheep's pizza over the summer, while in town for a Kyle Rudolph charity event. It earned a respectable score of 8.3, with its "cheese drippin' like a glacier." No other Minnesota slice earned a higher score. Portnoy really like Black Sheep.
Pizza Lucé (Score: 5:3)
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The beloved late-night pizza spot – known for crazy toppings – didn't do much at all for Portnoy.
"People said Pizza Lucé is good pizza, shame on them," Portnoy said. "This pizza is like a 5.3. This isn't good pizza."
Cossetta (Score: 6.8)
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The St. Paul Italian staple fared better than Lucé, but that bite from Black Sheep still looms large.
"It's a Minnesota mush, bobsled slice," Portnoy said. "Very cheesy…but Black Sheep puts the beat-down on this."
Young Joni (Score: 7.6)
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Don't let that "official" score fool you. Portnoy admits that his first bite – the bite of judgement – was taken while the slice from the hip, Northeast Minneapolis pizza joint was still a bit too hot. He suggests, toward the end of his review that his real score for Young Joni was approaching the Black Sheep benchmark.
Football Pizza (Score: 6.8)
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For the renamed Crescent Moon Bakery, the response was lukewarm. While Portnoy said the football-shaped pizza was good, it didn't stop him from smearing it all over his shirt as some sort of joke.
"Football Pizza, it's actually not a bad description for it," Portnoy said. "It's just basic pizza."
