The folks at Grand Ole Creamery, taking a page out of my five-year-old’s Pre-K playbook were so outraged that Punch was selling Izzy’s product just a stone’s throw from the Creamery’s front door that they decided to sell pizza from a space next to the scoop shop. Vengeance!!!!
I don’t have the kinds of sources that Zimmern has, but I asked three different people at Grand Ole Creamery on two different days why they started the pizzeria. All the answers were different but had a common theme: they wanted to diversify their business. “Ice cream sells better in the summer, pizza in the winter,” a girl behind the counter explained, also noting the tanning beds they own upstairs. I was also told they had considered creating a bakery and thought of focusing on cupcakes before deciding on pizza. Robert Lampe noted his history in bread making and he simply wanted to start a pizzeria. Those familiar with Peter Reinhart or are into making pizza know this is an ideal transition.
Regardless of what side of the story you believe, the pizza here stands on its own and I don’t see it as a direct head-to-head competition with Punch. While Punch arguably creates the most authentic Neapolitan-style pies in the state, Pizzeria at the Creamery sells American-style slices and 16″ pizzas. Punch sells beer and wine and is open for lunch, Pizzeria at the Creamery stays open much late to cater those that are done drinking, even until 2:30am on Fridays and Saturdays.
One very late weekday evening, a friend and I stopped by to find a very long line out the door. They were waiting for ice cream, not pizza, and seemingly most of the people there were unaware that a slice shop opened up under the same roof. We ordered the “Cheese Pizza,” which is a poor name due to its understatement: homemade mozzarella, aged mozzarella and parmesan make up the cheeses, San Marzano tomatoes create the sauce, and it’s topped with fresh basil and oregano.
The crust was a little bit puffy, a little airy, chewy and had a solid, crispy edge. It’s nicely charred on the bottom and the sauce is notably sweet. The cheeses tasted very fresh and were even a bit stringy. The balance of flavors was good and it’s surprising what good basil will do to pizza sometimes. Slices could be held with one hand and a fork is unneeded. It’s filling: a whole pizza would reasonably feed three to four people. It’s light enough, however, where two hungry people could plow through the entire thing — which I’m almost ashamed to admit my friend and I did. It’s flavorful and difficult to not keep eating. Great ingredients for a “Cheese Pizza,” and this pizza is balanced. Quite satisfying.
As we left, there were still a line out the door waiting for ice cream and the Punch Pizza across the street had its lights dimmed, doors locked, and chairs on the tables. While I don’t see myself going to Punch any less, I’ll certainly be stopping by Pizzaria at the Creamery again soon. A slice shop has been needed around here for awhile and this one fits the bill quite well.
Pizzeria at the Creamery
at Grand Ole Creamery
750 Grand Ave
Saint Paul, MN 55105
651-291-8931
