Minneapolis' Young Joni among New York Times' 22 "Best Pizza Places in the United States"
MINNEAPOLIS — The New York Times is praising the "freewheeling creative spirit" of the Twin Cities pizza scene, singling out one place in particular as "one of the region's most excellent restaurants."
In its "22 of the Best Pizza Places in the United States" piece published on Wednesday, Times Food Desk contributor Brett Anderson shines a spotlight on chef Ann Kim's Young Joni in northeast Minneapolis.
"The menu is filled with not only wood-fired pizzas but also many other non-pizza dishes, many of which draw on the Korean American childhood of Ann Kim, Young Joni's chef and co-owner," Anderson writes. "A typical spread here includes galbi-style short rib pizza, chili-glazed prawns and a trio of housemade kimchis."
While Young Joni is the only Minnesota restaurant to make the list, and one of only five from the Upper Midwest, Anderson also non-name-drops four other metro marvels: the "Argentine pizza" of Minneapolis' two Boludo locations; the "Japanese-Italian pizza" of North Loop's Sanjusan; the "Indian pizza" from Eden Prairie's Bombay Pizza Kitchen; and the "Spiffed-up Midwestern tavern pizza" of south Minneapolis' Good Times.
In 2019, Kim became the first woman and person of color from the metro to win the prestigious James Beard award for Best Chef: Midwest.
Recently featured in the Netflix series "Chef's Table: Pizza," Kim is also the force behind Minneapolis' Pizzeria Lola and Kim's, and Edina's Hello Pizza.
Last year, Kim transformed her former Uptown haunt Sooki & Mimi into Kim's, a pizza-free venture described as "a unique blend of bold Korean flavors with nods to the Midwest.
"Korean food was something that was a real source of shame for me growing up, and now sharing this food is a real full-circle moment for me," Kim told WCCO in 2023.
Earlier this month, 50-plus members of the staff at Kim's formally announced their intention to join local hospitality union Unite Here Local 17, citing their struggles with wages and scheduling. Kim spoke out against the move.
"As an immigrant and minority, I believe in fighting for what is right and working together to make a positive impact for everyone who walks through our doors," Kim wrote in a statement. "What I am most proud of over the past 15 years is our ability to build strong communities within our restaurants and in the neighborhoods we serve. I wholeheartedly believe we can do this together without a union."
Days after the staff announcement, a vandal threw a large piece of cement and a can of paint through one of the restaurant's windows.
"While we believe in Uptown, our team, and our guests, we are shaken," Kim wrote on Instagram. "We ask you all to continue to support the small businesses in our community."
Here are the Times' other 21 best pizza picks:
- Amar Pizza: Hamtramck, Mich.
- Bird Pizzeria: Charlotte, N.C.
- Bungalow by Middle Brow: Chicago
- City House: Nashville
- Hapa Pizza: Beaverton, Ore.
- In Bocca al Lupo: Juneau, Alaska
- Leña Pizza & Bagel: Cleveland, Miss.
- The Lincoln Winebar: Mount Vernon, Iowa
- Little Donna's: Baltimore
- Pizzeria Bianco: Phoenix
- Pizzeria Sei: Los Angeles
- Post Office Pies: Mountain Brook, Ala.
- Razza: Jersey City, N.J.
- Roberta's: Brooklyn
- Rose Pizzeria: Berkeley, Calif.
- St. Pizza: New Orleans
- San Lucas Pizzeria: Philadelphia
- Scratch Brewing: Ava, Ill.
- Short & Main: Gloucester, Mass.
- The Tillerman: Bristol, Vt.
- Yellow: Washington, D.C.
