Dulono's Pizza

Dulono's Pizza
(612) 827-1726

607 W. Lake St.
Uptown, Minneapolis
55408

The other day my friend Jester told me that Dulono's was her favorite pizza in the Twin Cities. We weren't in a confessional or anything, and it only came up because she mentioned she was going to have left-over pizza for dinner that evening. I asked her were the pizza was from, and then history was made. Or something. Anyway, all of this is my roundabout way of saying a new pizza place was recommended to me by a source I trust, which was very exciting for me because I love pizza and thought I'd already tried it all, or, at least, all that mattered.

Dulano's has no website, so I wasn't able to study a menu before I ordered. This was slightly frustrating because I didn't know all that they had to offer, nor did I know how much anything was going to cost. On the other hand, not having a website does make a pizza parlor feel that much more authentic, as though maybe it's run by an old Italian couple who don't even own a computer.  But, whatever, I was ordering pizza, so it's not like I needed the Rosetta Stone in order to decipher the riddle of Dulono's cuisine. I found the number on some website (maybe Yelp or Urbanspoon, or some other such place. Hey, maybe somebody just found their phone number here!) where they have those pointless reviews that are all written either by somebody who loves it and says it's the best place in the Twin Cities or by somebody who hates it and says their food is pure, unadulterated crap. I just ignored the reviews, found the number, and ordered my standard pie: sausage, mushroom, and onion. That's about as perfect as pizza gets, in my opinion, and usually good enough to be edible even if the pizza is mediocre, but refined enough to be close to a religious experience when knocked out of the park.

Dulono's wasn't quite a religious experience, but they definitely knocked it out of the park. I can't concur with Jester that this is the best pizza in the Twin Cities, but even after one time I'd definitely put it in my top ten and absolutely everybody to give it a try. Dulonos is damn good pizza.

I got delivery, and judging by the time log on my phone, I called at 6:22pm and it arrived at 6:59pm. I know the time it arrived because the delivery guy called me as he pulled up out front of my apartment. I'm not sure why he called since I have a buzzer that's clearly labeled in the front of my apartment building, but maybe it's just a policy they have to avoid any confusion. Either way, it seemed like a courtesy to me, so I give them props for that. So... 37 minutes for delivery isn't fantastic, but since it was Friday night, it's not bad either. I'd say their speed is about average, but I'm willing to say that anything under an hour on a Friday night in Uptown is on the good side of average. The delivery guy himself was very pleasant and nice, but it's not like I stood an chatted with him very long.

The pizza cost... I don't know, to be perfectly honest. They told me over the phone, but I immediately forgot right after I hung up. The delivery guy said it would be "nineteen dollars and some change," so I just gave him the 23 bucks I had in my pocket. He said thank you, wished me a good night, then left. That was the full extent of our relationship, but I wish him well in all his future endeavors.

The pizza looked like typical Minnesota thin crust pizza, with the pie cut in a grid instead of in slices. Having grown up on the East Coast, this was one of the most difficult things to which I had to acclimate myself when I moved to the Midwest about 8 years ago, but I've since learned to appreciate this style. Every slice starts to feel a little different, since some have crust, some are from the middle, and some are those itty bitty corner pieces that everybody fights over because they're so cute. To be overly critical, Dulono's pizza cutter was maybe in a rush that night, since my grid was really off center, so half of the slices were bigger than the other half, and they were all a bit crooked since the lines were slightly askew. But, again, this isn't a huge deal since it also makes the place feel more authentic.

But who cares about their lack of a website, the personality of the deliver driver, and the style they used to slice the pizza? How does it taste already?!

Well... it tasted great. I'm not the world's biggest fan of thin crust pizza, but this was quite good, and still soft enough that it didn't feel or taste like that cardboard-style lots of places have out here. The sausage was tasty and the veggies seemed fresh. The cheese was cheesy and not overly greasy. But the best part was the sauce, which was sweet and tangy and definitely one of the best sauces I've ever had. One of the reviews I read recommended some pizza that comes with extra sauce, and I definitely would consider that next time... if I ever learn the name of it because I still haven't seen a menu. Anyway... great pizza.

If it's not my pick for the best pizza in town, that's only because Luce and Parkway are just so damn great. But this is very close and well worth 19 dollars and some change. Just go give it a try. Jester wouldn't steer you wrong.