After reading about a new pizza place which opened where Ted’s Pizza once stood in an article which appeared in Thisweek, I asked Mrs. Marcos if her and her husband would want to join us for lunch. Being that it wasn’t a Chili’s, she reluctantly agreed and we hooked up with them for lunch at Pilot Knob Pizzeria in Farmington this afternoon.
We arrived at about 12:30 and found one other table occupied inside. The place is nicely decorated and has seating for 20 to 25. There’s a large flat-screen TV on one wall and a regular TV in another corner. There are many booths and a few tables. While there is nothing fancy, this is a step above your typical hole in the wall pizza place.
After we sat down we were handed a simple one page menu (front and 1/4 of the back) which was printed on plain paper. I called yesterday to verify that they’d be open for lunch and to inquire as to what else they had on the menu other than pizza. I was told appetizers, spaghetti, salads, and calzones and that’s exactly what we saw today. I also inquired about the type of crust they made and was told, “thin crust but we can make it thicker if you’d like.” The pizzas were reasonably priced and started at $9.25 for a small (10″) cheese and went up from there. They had plenty of specialty pizzas which had varying degrees of ingredients but none of which I could recall at this point in time other than one that had sausage and sauerkraut. Kim and I decided on a medium (12″) mushroom with a thicker crust, cut properly, and set us back about $12.25. Kim also decided to order of onion rings for $4 with a side of ranch dressing for dipping. The Marcos family ordered a salad and a sausage, peppers, and onion calzone both of which would be shared.
After a short time the Marcos’ large salad came out and our hearty order of onion rings did as well. The onion rings were tasty, didn’t seem to be frozen, and came with a good sized cup of ranch. I am not usually an onion ring fan but these were damn good. Kim, who is an onion ring fan, enjoyed them immensely and later told me that she’d definitely return just for those.
Eventually our entrees were delivered and Mr. Marcos was happy with the size and thickness of the calzone and when they cut it open, I was surprised to see the size of the pieces of sausage. While the onions and green peppers looked as if they had been diced into oblivion, the sausage bits were still of a decent size. Our pizza was ok. It definitely wasn’t thick and when I folded it in half the crust broke into pieces letting me know that it was a little on the dry side for my tastes. The sauce was nothing special and there was enough, but not too much cheese, and while I could taste the mushrooms they definitely could have piled some more on IMHO.
Our bill came to about $18.50 before tip and seemed appropriate for what we ate today. While I’d like to see more menu items, if you’re into Midwestern pizza, I’m sure that Pilot Knob Pizzeria will be just fine for you. If you’re looking for something a little more authentic and with options other than pizza, a few appetizers, and calzones, you might want to try somewhere else.
Have you eaten at Pilot Knob Pizzeria? If so, what did you think? Comment on, I’d love to hear what you have to say.
Address:
Pilot Knob Pizzeria
18500 Pilot Knob Rd
Farmington, MN 55024
Phone:
651-332-2163
See all the photos from Pilot Knob Pizzeria on Flickr here.
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February 21st, 2009 at 6:54 pm
wherezit?? is it around that strip stuff by quik trip, anchor bank, booze store, vet place and such??
we’re done with the chicago tommies ‘za place on main ave in igh. tooooo expensive for what you get.
bb
February 21st, 2009 at 6:56 pm
Yeah, right across from The Ugly Mug. There’s a map link in the address section.
February 21st, 2009 at 7:07 pm
Just a couple comments:
1. They serve PEPSI products. UGH! Who drinks that stuff?!
2. I thought the server was nice and attentive…and good natured about my hatred of PEPSI products. She also kept the water glasses full and was thoughtful enough to bring extra plates etc to accommodate our meal sharing. She was also nice enough to hand us the remote to one of the big televisions after I suggested an exercise video infommercial followed by the “Dual Action Cleanse” infommercial might not be the best choice for lunch entertainment.
3. The food was good but probably not something we would drive to Farmington to eat again (maybe if we had a reason to be out that way we would stop in for a bite).
February 22nd, 2009 at 2:37 pm
Pepsi/Mountain Dew!!!! I would eat there just for that. I really hate Coke.
February 22nd, 2009 at 5:29 pm
I agree. Pepsi is the drink of the new generation. And I ain’t talking about the Obama congregation either. Coke is ALWAYS last resort.
February 22nd, 2009 at 8:27 pm
No way – Coke is IT! (Diet Coke, that is). I sense a new poll idea coming on!
February 22nd, 2009 at 8:51 pm
Whit,
My fondness of you grows with every comment.
bf,
I rolled my eyes so hard at “the Obama congregation” that I think they might be permanently stuck that way. Seriously.
Chad,
I’ll forgive you this one transgression. The waitress did say Mountain Dew is their best seller.
February 23rd, 2009 at 8:10 am
Hey Mrs. Marcos, there may be a surgical procedure available to fix that stuck eye roll. In any event, I wanted to clarify that Diet Pepsi is the drink of the new generation. Not regular Pepsi and definately not Coke products.
February 23rd, 2009 at 9:42 am
My mom will be thrilled to hear they have Pepsi, because of the Mountain Dew. Maybe we’ll be able to get her to try a new restaurant.
Diet Pepsi is nothing but carbonation! I get super annoyed when I want a Diet Coke and they say “Is Diet Pepsi ok?” no! If I wanted Diet Pepsi, I’d order Diet Pepsi! Just water for me then. *grumble*
February 23rd, 2009 at 9:58 am
Haha Dawnmarie, my mom is the exact same way. When they come to visit, if we go someplace with pepsi products, she orders a diet coke, they ask if diet pepsi is ok, and I just cringe. I feel so bad for the waiter/waitress, you would really think they just spilled hot coffee on her. “Errrr, No, iiiiiiiiiiiffffffffff you for some reason do not have diet COKE, I will JUST have a water.” GRumble Grumble Grumble!
It would be hilarious if it wasnt somewhat mortifying.
February 23rd, 2009 at 11:20 am
Just so everyone (namely freaks that like PEPSI products) is aware, Ihop has PEPSI products…and last time I was there I did the “no, I’ll just have water” after being offered PEPSI instead of the COKE I ordered. That is like asking for a knife and the waitress saying “Is a spoon ok?”
February 23rd, 2009 at 11:23 am
I think it’s a nice addition to our neighborhood. I wouldn’t say the Pizza is fantastic, but still good. It’s a giant step above what Ted’s Pizza was before that. Having a place that’s 2 minutes from our house is wonderful, instead of having to drive 15-20 minutes to get anywhere else that’s worth going to.
Regarding the comments of Pepsi vs. Coke, that’s a pretty superficial reason to give any place a good or bad review.
February 23rd, 2009 at 11:27 am
Nils, what was Ted’s like?
February 23rd, 2009 at 11:33 am
Bill,
It had no flavor at all, and the thin crust was much too chewy/moist for my taste. The interior was run down and not very inviting at all. The only complaint I have about this place is that the sausage could stand to have a little more spice.
February 23rd, 2009 at 11:34 am
Freaks? We’re name calling now? You’d fit in well in most online forums.
I fully understand having a preference to Coke or Pepsi. But to actually get offended is pretty childish. I KNOW EVERYONE here expressing their opinion is ALWAYS kind and polite to their server, right? Hmm.. Just skip the damn cola and order a beer. Anything but Bud or Coors is good. Lighter imports are even better.
Bill, when you going to rate Reno’s pizza in Rosemount? If you’ve done that already, send me a link. It’s pretty good unless you despise too much cheese. Sometimes they tend to go overboard.
February 23rd, 2009 at 11:48 am
Nils, thanks for the background on Ted’s. Spicy sausage? In Minnesota? You’re nuts!
bf, never been to Reno’s. They sit down or just carryout?
February 23rd, 2009 at 12:51 pm
RENO’s.. they do both. Oddly closed on Sundays and Mondays. They’re located a block south of highway 3 and 145th, hidden in that nasty old mall behind Shenanigan’s.
February 23rd, 2009 at 12:54 pm
bf, thanks, I’ll add it to the list.
February 23rd, 2009 at 2:26 pm
pepsi, coke, come on folks, how ’bout a tall, frosty beverage of an adult nature!!
bb
February 23rd, 2009 at 2:27 pm
bb, they didn’t appear to serve beer there :(
February 24th, 2009 at 1:30 pm
Bill – you should add Tops Pizza and Hoagies in Rosemount to your list too.
Ted’s Pizza wasn’t bad, wasn’t great. The gyros were pretty good (for Farmington). The prices seemed too high to me though.
February 24th, 2009 at 1:32 pm
jf,
been there and done that. It was one of the worst experiences (especially after the fact) that I have had since starting this website.
February 24th, 2009 at 1:36 pm
Geez, now I’m really scared of that place. You’re the second person that’s said the aftermath is horrible.
February 24th, 2009 at 1:37 pm
I agree, TOPS is terrible pizza. Even worse is the fat in their Philly sandwiches.
February 24th, 2009 at 1:43 pm
jf, I wasn’t talking about that. I was talking about legal threats.
February 24th, 2009 at 1:49 pm
Oh, wow. Astroturfers have lawyers?
February 25th, 2009 at 10:02 am
Known fact – astroturf lawyers drink PEPSI.
February 25th, 2009 at 12:19 pm
Diet Pepsi always tasted salty to me. I usually order iced tea if it’s a pepsi joint.
Full disclosure: I hardly ever ate at Burger King when they were in the Pepsi game.
February 25th, 2009 at 12:27 pm
Amen, Aliecat! I boycotted Burger King as well when they served PEPSI. I also avoid ordering beverages at Applebees. Oh, and I also avoided eating at Ruby Tuesdays when they served HUNTS CATSUP. ISH!!!!!!!!
February 27th, 2009 at 11:39 am
Apparently President Obama prefers Coca Cola products!
http://news.yahoo.com/s/time/20090227/us_time/08599188216700
From the article:
“In another part of the building, I asked one White House official, who had a can of Diet Coke sitting on his desk, if the Obama Administration had a clear bias for Coke over Pepsi. “I think that’s true,” the official responded, with a smile. “Don’t most Americans?”
To a certain degree, yes. Nationwide, Coke is more popular that Pepsi, but not by the same margin seen among White House staff. Beverage Digest, a trade publication, reported that Coke and Diet Coke had a 27.2% market share of the carbonated beverage market in 2007, compared with a 16.7% share for Pepsi and Diet Pepsi.”
Who knew?! Oh wait, I did! :)
February 27th, 2009 at 11:53 am
I don’t know if I can hold liking Coke against Obama. He’s got enough issues..
February 28th, 2009 at 9:23 pm
Coke/Pepsi – All pop is disgusting. It will make you fat if it doesn’t kill you first (although, if it’s diet it WILL kill you first). Kind of interesting to read about people squabbling over crappy food and worried about how dry or moist it is and how large/generous it is. Have any of you ever eaten in a real restaurant???? Sorry to sound insulting, but this really flabbergasts me!
February 28th, 2009 at 9:27 pm
No, never. What’s it like? Is it flabbergasting to eat in a real restaurant????
February 28th, 2009 at 9:29 pm
Hey Sandy, are you one of those fucking fruitcakes that things just because pop is bad for you, it should be banned? Ban everything.. big tobacco, big fat, big alcohol, ban everything except UNban dope. Pretty soon we’ll all be mindless robots. Uh hem, almost like being a lib.
February 28th, 2009 at 9:48 pm
No, I just like real food that tastes good – not chemical crap that has been pushed off on us. Well spoken of you, BTW. You guys get touchy when poked a bit. I like a good debate.
And, no, I’m very much in favor of LESS legislation, thanks. My family will have a laugh if they hear you’ve called me a liberal!
Hm-mm…I wonder if chemical-infused non-food turns you into a mindless robot???? Wouldn’t that be a bite.
March 1st, 2009 at 3:26 am
I heart mindless robots…oh, and chemical-infused non-food! Yummy!
March 1st, 2009 at 8:29 am
Still waiting to hear what a “real restaurant” is from Sandy. And what food tastes good to (presumably) her.
March 1st, 2009 at 8:55 am
Just a side note on the Coke vs. Pepsi debate/poll. In Belfast, that question has an entirely different meaning: http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/news/story?page=espnmag_peaceplayers&lpos=spotlight&lid=tab5pos2
March 1st, 2009 at 2:50 pm
Let’s recap:
I said: “Just so everyone (namely freaks that like PEPSI products) is aware, Ihop has PEPSI products…”
bf said: “Freaks? We’re name calling now? You’d fit in well in most online forums.
But then later bf said to Sandy: “Hey Sandy, are you one of those fucking fruitcakes that things (sic) just because pop is bad for you, it should be banned?
Gosh, seems like bf fits right in online forums!
Love,
Flabbergasted in Lakeville
March 1st, 2009 at 2:53 pm
Enough.
March 1st, 2009 at 3:02 pm
Of course. My only goal is to get Bill’s comment count up.
March 1st, 2009 at 10:31 pm
Since you asked….I love cream and butter and fruits and vegetables and meats and poultry and grains…..and I hate mon- di- and triglycerides, polysorbate 60 and 80, high fructose corn syrup, natamycin, artificial colors, artificial sweeteners, dextrose, preservatives, sulfites, nitrites and nitrates, propylene glycol (aka windshield washer fluid), etc etc etc.
Good reading:
“Ominivore’s Dilemma” and “In Defense of Food”, both by Michael Pollan, who just received the Humanitarian Award from the 28th best university in the world, Washington University in St. Louis.
Very eye-opening and real. If people read these books and then used their brains, I wouldn’t be so disgusted by what they put into their carts at the grocery store.
Real food is so very satisfying and lovely. So there.
Many restaurants in the twin cities offer the good stuff. Not south of the river yet, unfortunately.
Does that answer your question, BF?
And Bill, you have a great thing here; I’m sorry if I offered a sour note – Just feisty last night, I guess.
March 2nd, 2009 at 10:37 am
I wish high fructose corn syrup wasn’t so delicious! :(
March 2nd, 2009 at 10:44 am
Hey Sandy, you originally said that you liked to eat in a “REAL RESTAURANT”, whatever those are. You didn’t say anything about eating healthy. I think it’s safe to say, anyone here, probably already knows what’s in a good slice of pizza. We just try not to think about it.
March 2nd, 2009 at 6:22 pm
Hey Mrs. M, haven’t you seen those tv commercials?, high fructose corn syrup isn’t bad for you at all – its just got a bad rap, that’s all. lol
March 2nd, 2009 at 6:26 pm
I love those commercials, Whit! I mean seriously, corn syrup?! It is practically a vegetable!
March 3rd, 2009 at 7:59 pm
The eating healthfully thing is going through an interesting time. For example, the whole low-fat thing was pretty much a hoax. Cutting out fat, which is a necessary nutrient, has caused our country to help themselves to white carbs and sugar, which shoots up insulin levels, which caused obesity and heart trouble, not to mention diabetes. So eat your butter (NOT margarine!!). In moderation.
Beef: If the cows weren’t sick from being fed an unnatural diet and hurried to market with growth hormones so that they don’t die first, beef would be a health food. In a nutshell: If the cow eats grass, then the human eats the cow and gets the nutrients from the grass. Healthy.
“Wheat bread”. Gorcery store breads, for the most part, have a spec of whole wheat and a pile of unhealthy garbage in them (and they don’t taste very good, either). Even many of the 100% whole wheat breads have bad
stuff.
Gourmet and healthy are one and the same to me; whole, real foods made from scratch. We love Lucia’s Restaurant and Brasa Rotisserie (for casual), and Rustica Bakery, to name a a few.
I’ll get off the soapbox now. Sorry. I think you asked, though.
March 3rd, 2009 at 8:04 pm
So Lucia’s Restaurant, Brasa Rotisserie (for casual), and Rustica Bakery are real restaurants and the rest are complete crap?? I doubt that’s what you really mean but that’s the picture you’re painting.
I’d be willing to bet you can get wholesome or gourmet foods at just about any restaurant (excluding fastfood) if you just look hard enough.
March 3rd, 2009 at 8:05 pm
gotta love those gorcery store. oops
March 3rd, 2009 at 9:14 pm
I’d say that there are definately more bad restaurants then good – I’m not alone in thinking that most chain restaurants are to be avoided. That said, the Twin Cities are rich in owner- and chef-run restaurants that are very exciting. The ones I listed are just examples.
As far as finding good food anywhere (excluding fastood), the shame is that many, many restaurants do not make their food (or very much of it) from scratch. They use mixes, frozen products, cans, and jars. And most of these products are not very good or of very high quality. But can it be done? Maybe…but I’d rather spend my precious dollars at a restaurant that used fresh food. I will enjoy it more and also feel better afterwards.
April 2nd, 2009 at 10:38 am
Personally, I was not a fan of this place. I would not go to a pizzeria just for onion rings (which by the way were extremely greasy – looks like they probably did not change the deep fryer oil), and the place was dirty, especially for being newer. Pizza was below average – did not have much taste. I would highly recommend to everyone Basil’s in Northfield which is amazing, and worth the drive, and TOPS Pizza in Rosemount is also very delicious (LOVE their gyros, cheese-steaks, and Grecian Style pizzas – they even sell their dressing – I also love the handmade sausage on their pizza – very flavorful and plenty of substance). Sorry to hear about your experience based on the the thead above, but all of my experiences there have been consistent, which is why I always go back, but that’s the beauty of differences of opinion! :) Both are simple places, but very CLEAN with nice service, and would rather have that than the corporate-backed fake ambience with sub-par food. I would recommend to anyone else to give either place a try before any judgement is made! Thanks, and have a great day!
April 2nd, 2009 at 10:52 am
Ana,
I don’t know how you managed to vote for your own comment (anyone else able to do this?!) but it’s a little unfair to rate a bunch of comments 1* and then your own 5* just because you don’t happen to agree that TOPS isn’t very good.
If anyone else can rate their own comments, let me know so I can try and fix that.
April 2nd, 2009 at 11:09 am
Bill,
I can’t rate my own comments. I think with the comment rating you’ll mostly see 1 or 5 stars based on whether someone agrees or disagrees with the general opinion of the comment.
April 2nd, 2009 at 11:46 am
I balanced out her self-vote with a “1″.
April 2nd, 2009 at 11:47 am
And yes, I just tested “self-rating” on the comment just above and it worked. Of course, I gave myself a 5.
April 2nd, 2009 at 11:55 am
Ah, looks like you can do it in IE but not Firefox.
April 2nd, 2009 at 6:05 pm
How can I vote negative stars?
April 2nd, 2009 at 7:53 pm
I can’t rate any comments. My computer is approximately 4 hours old. I’m not sure if this is a factor.
April 2nd, 2009 at 8:05 pm
It doesn’t seem to be working on Firefox. I even tried downgrading to the version that I originally installed (before it was “upgraded”) and it’s not helping anything. IE is working fine. Fucking thing.
April 3rd, 2009 at 8:28 am
IMHO if a site is run based on opinions and reviews, then it is completely fair to allow those to rate comments as they deem appropriate. If I believe in my own comment and want to rate it, then I will because that is my opinion otherwise, with all due respect, remove the rating functionality entirely. :)
I gave the prior comments one star because it is unfair to other consumers that have never been to a certain place and would like to try it so that they can have their own opinion, which was the case in the aforementioned comment. That is completely fair to have your opinion, Bill, and I will not be the one to change that by any means (nor would I ever try), but then at the same time, you cannot go and try to change my opinion either if you want to discuss fairness.
Thanks, and Happy Friday!
April 3rd, 2009 at 8:39 am
Ana, I’m confused by your comment but I suspect I know what you’re trying to say. This just reinforces my earlier comment to Bill. People are going to highly rate the comments they agree with and poorly rate the comments they disagree with.
By the way, I tried Pilot Knob Pizzeria last week and it defines mediocrity.
April 3rd, 2009 at 1:15 pm
Now that it’s not working for IE either, I think you should pitch the whole thing and introduce the “Mrs. Marcos Seal of Approval” and have her assign 1 to 5 little Chili’s logos. (Or even take them away if she’s so hell bent on negativity)
April 3rd, 2009 at 1:20 pm
I went back for a second go round, because I liked the pizza the first time. After having a second visit with different toppings, I’m going to have to agree with jf as far as the definition of mediocrity goes. Disappointing if anything, a shame for me since it’s in a decent location for me. Back to driving for 15-20 minutes to get a decent pizza somewhere.
April 3rd, 2009 at 1:24 pm
I hear ya Nils. By the way, if anyone knows of a deep dish in the twin cities that kills Green Mill, I’d love to hear about it.
April 3rd, 2009 at 2:50 pm
I like the way you think, MSPD.
January 10th, 2010 at 7:58 am
[...] one was suggested by bb stacker even though it’s not only available in the South Metro), and Pilot Knob Pizzeria in Farmington. While we certainly did not even come close to hitting all of the local places around [...]
April 25th, 2011 at 6:44 pm
Someone upthread suggested Bill rate Reno’s Pizza in Rosemount. We ordered it for the first time the other night and it was disgusting! I don’t understand all the good reviews. The crust was burnt around the rim, dark brown on the bottom and the middle was undercooked, white, doughy and floppy. I have never had a pizza that I actually disliked. I really disliked the pizza from Renos. Maybe it was a bad night, but they didn’t seem to take care in cooking it for it to be overcooked around the perimeter and undercooked in the center.
November 5th, 2011 at 10:30 pm
home sick, needed somewhere close that would deliver so i chose PKP.
the sauce is pretty good, but something in the pepperoni does not mix well with it. the sauce could use a little more tomato flavor or some parmesan, but that’s my opinion. i think the pepperoni had too much pork and it just changed the whole flavor of the pizza, and not for the better! i would have preferred a frozen jack’s over what i got from PKP. also, probably an oversight, it was not cut. might try another dish from this restaurant but won’t go for anything with pepperoni on it again. blech.