Pizza Madness: Dulono’s Pizza

As one of 32 pizza participants, Dulono’s Pizza battles it out in Minnesota Monthly’s Pizza Madness Bracket Challenge
Photo by Ava Diaz or Dulono's Pizza.
All photos by Ava Diaz

Established in 1957, Dulono’s Pizza operated for 60 years out of its original Uptown storefront before relocating to downtown Minneapolis. (For those on the east side of the Twin Cities, check out its Woodbury location.) While its downtown Minneapolis location only opened in 2017, it has its own lived-in personality with vintage metal beer signs, battered wood floors, exposed brick, and church pew seating. A full bar, pool tables, and foosball complete the fun and relaxed atmosphere that local pizza lovers have come to expect from the local chain.

People come for more than the environment, though: This legendary pizza joint has made its name providing each customer with a modern twist on classic, old-time flavor. Recognized as one of the best pizza hotspots in the Twin cities and one of Pizza Today’s Top 100 Independent Pizzerias in the United States in 2016, Dulono’s takes pride in their delicious pizza and their array of chicken wings, hoagies, burgers, salads, and pastas. Everything there is fresh—they make their pizza dough and sausage in-house daily, and they never use frozen ingredients.

With in-house and delivery service until 3 a.m., Dulono’s never fails to satisfy every craving. Aside from their normal menu, you can also score the greatest bang for your buck with the lunch buffet every Monday through Friday from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. for $9.99. The buffet features a variety of pizzas, a salad bar, and of course brownies. In addition to the all-you-can-eat buffet, you can stop in daily from 3 to 7 p.m. for additional deals on appetizers and craft beers or house wines.

As a part of the Minnesota Monthly’s Pizza Madness Bracket Challenge, an online competition to choose the most popular pizza restaurant out of 32 Minnesota participants, Dulono’s is dueling Fat Lorenzo’s in the first round of the monthlong challenge.

“I think we should win because we have a history,” Marius Herta, the general manager of the Minneapolis location said. “People love our pizza, and we have some of the best in the U.S.”

Cast your vote daily to advance your favorite pizzeria through each round, and give it the recognition it deserves. Round One voting ends Sunday, July 1.