Red's Savoy Pizza

Red’s Savoy inspires love and devotion among its many long-time fans, some of whom have been coming here for the Minnesota-style pizza (cut into squares, not wedges) since the place opened in 1965. On weekends, these folks line up for tables and then wait up to an hour for their pizzas to come out of the oven. What they are waiting for is the pizza they remember from their childhoods—cracker thin-crusts with a smooth red sauce and a liberal layer of gooey cheese. Toppings (sauerkraut, anyone?) are applied with an equally generous hand, and the grease that coats the waxed paper under the pizza? To hardcore fans, that’s just proof of how good it is.

Not everyone agrees, unfortunately. These days, Red’s is too heavy-handed with the salt in most dishes. And the higher-quality dough, sauce and cheese available at other pizza places means it’s easy to feel like Red’s hasn’t kept up with the times. The dim interior is retro, too, dominated by a long bar and rows of low red-leather booths. For a trip back in time, Red’s can’t be beat, but the decor and the menu could definitely use some updating. Pizzas range from $7.50 and up for the small; $10.50 and up for large.