While out on Black Friday doing some shopping for ourselves at Half Price Books in Apple Valley, MN, I noticed that the now defunct Starbucks location across from Chipotle and next to Subway has been replaced by HomeMade Pizza Company.
HomeMade Pizza Company specializes in the recent phenomenon of “take and bake pizza” which has been popularized by Papa Murphy’s and is now opening in several locations around the metro including Apple Valley, MN.
While I haven’t been eating pizza recently, for obvious reasons, I have been known to eat pizza and do have a good handle on what makes a great pie. I have yet to eat anything in Minnesota that I can consider “great” and the closest thing I can find to a decent pizza is Punch but they are certainly not in the same genre as HomeMade Pizza Company will be.
I did some research and found a review that recently showed up in the Star Tribune (you can read about it here for now) but based on other experiences with their lame results from other glowing reviews (such as El Patio in Lakeville, MN) I will have to suggest you take it with a large grain of salt.
I have eaten take and bake pizza before from Papa Murphy’s in Apple Valley and I can’t say that I walked away with any impression that would make me understand why they were voted “Best Pizza Chain in America” 5x but based on the fact that they completely shy away from the entire East Coast, I would guess that it has a lot to do with that.
Chris and Laura (Kim’s cousin) taught us how to make an amazing roasted pear, mushroom and pesto pizza which takes two minutes to prep, ten to cook and costs far less than the average $14 pizza and fifteen minute pizza + drive pizza from HomeMade Pizza Company, I’m not sure why anyone would bother.
If Starbucks couldn’t survive in Apple Valley at that location, I can’t see HomeMade Pizza doing all that well either. Only a short time will tell.
See all the pictures from my quick photo-op with HomeMade Pizza Company here (mobile).
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November 26th, 2007 at 9:36 pm
I am not a big fan of Papa Murphy’s pizza. Actually, I can’t stand it. But I do like Nick & Willy’s take and bake pizza in Lakeville.
I’m not sure how it compares HomeMade Pizza Company, but it seems like we are pretty close to saturation on take & bake pizzas in that area, with Papa Murphy’s and Broadway within a block or two.
November 26th, 2007 at 9:41 pm
Steve,
We’re over-saturated with all chain restaurants of any kind here. What we need more of are non-chains that aren’t trying to do over-extended business from the get go in overpriced locations that the businesses can’t support — like Copper Bleu.
Kim and I have been back to Satay2Go numerous times since my first visit (including tonight) and have found the owners to be friendly, caring and really in touch with everything that’s going on in the local (metro-based) restaurant business. If only we could find more just like them.
August 10th, 2008 at 10:38 am
I agree about chain restaurants. We rarely go to the likes of TGI Fridays, Applebees or the like.
As for your comment about not finding a great pizza in Minnesota, you must be going to the wrong places. I have traveled all over the country and have found some of the best in MN. Just to name a few…. in Rochester, MN, Mr. Pizza and Billotti’s are superb. In Mankato, Gary’s Pizza and Pagliai’s are great.