Punch Pizza Eden Prairie — Restaurant in Eden Prairie

I've been a fan of Punch Pizza since first going to the original Highland Park location many years ago. It was cramped, but charming and delicious.

The first thing I noticed when arriving at the Eden Prairie location was a lack of ambiance. The entry is narrow and cramped with the queue to order / check-in having to press against the wall & kitchen barrier whenever someone was leaving or going to the bathroom or if someone had a takeout order and didn't use the other door (the signage on the doors wasn't exactly clear).

The vibe is definitely chain stripmall restaurant. The oven is gorgeous and that's about it. The tables and chairs are all heavily worn and poorly maintained (possibly poorly cleaned - I didn't see anyone wiping them down thoroughly when people left). The pop machine station dominates the scenery as much as you'd see in a Panda Express or a similar restaurant. It was fairly noisy and chaotic between loud coworker groups and parents with children; not to mention the kitchen staff (though they were very reasonable considering that they're working, it's just an open space so the sound travels freely).

I oredered wine and water. The disposable water cup was given to me unceremoniously by the host (why are we wasting plastic for dine in customers instead of using the reusable cups or at least paper?). The wine took a while to arrive at my table and the guy who dropped it off was similarly non-challant. Imagine the table side manners of a SNL Sbarro parody. It's not exactly date night material, but if you want some wine with your pizza, the Sangiovese hits the spot.

Thankfully the food was still fantastic. I ordered the artichoke dip, which I emphatically recommend. Trust me. The rich creamy flavor is to die for.

I also got a Margherita Extra. If you're doing a Margherita of any kind, do yourself a favor and make it this one - especially if it's your first time visiting, this is the best type of pizza to appreciate and assess a Neapolitan pizza place like Punch. If you're in a group and sharing then obviously go ahesd and mix it up.

Overall, I left happy to have Punch again for the first time in years. It tasted exactly like I remembered and instantly improved my mood. My advice to the management is that this location is overdue for a remodel or a new location in EP to replace it. It's just not keeping up with the times and is missing the opportunity to be a good date night location. Still, I can comfortably recommend Punch for very...

So, this place, to be honest, is how I judge every other dining experience. I just want to come out and say that at the beginning. I have had so many wonderful meals over the years at Punch, that I am forever grateful. When i say I judge every other restaurant by Punch I mean that if my normal Margarita Pizza with sausage is $7.50 and I eat out at, oh say, the Bachelor Farmer and my meal there costs $75, was that meal worth 10 Punch pizzas? Most likely not, and in the case of the Bachelor Farmer it wasn't even worth 1 Punch Pizza, but alas, I'm turning negative. Punch Pizza is incredibly fresh, impossibly crisp and chewy at the same time. There's just the right amount of sauce and toppings and the fresh mozzarella is to die for. They cook it in a wood fired oven for just 30 seconds at 850 degrees (Try doing that at home) which renders a crust unlike any that I can recreate. They take their pizza really seriously and even monitor barometric pressure for dough rising. We normally go and get the large Punch salad and one pizza and split it. I don't know much about the rest of the menu as I normally get the same thing every time. My kids like the Mimi pizza, but you'll have to take their word on that. Punch was co-founded by John Puckett who started Caribou Coffee, so he knows his way around the business. Go and try Punch pizza and be ready to judge everyone...

Like many people, I'm a huge pizza lover, but I was reaching the point where I thought I had tried it all and it didn't excite me anymore.. Boy, was I WRONG! This place has the most amazing pizza and I was seriously blown away by all the flavors incorporated with such simplicity. My boyfriend, his sister and I each chose a pizza so we could all share and taste a few different ones. We ended up choosing the Margherita Extra (mozzarella di bufala, Mt. Vesuvio tomatoes, basil) the Maximus (pepperoni, mushroom, saracene olives, cracked red pepper, oregano) and the Toscano (sausage, roasted red pepper, cracked red pepper, and basil). All were mind-blowing, but I think my favorite was the Maximus. I could have easily eaten that whole thing myself! 😁 The restaurant is on the smaller side, but who cares? I'd go anywhere for pizza this good. Seriously. Plus, it's fun to be able to see them prepare and cook all of the pizzas. (The oven is impressive!) We will all be returning here for more of this glorious pie! I honestly hope they open even MORE locations. People need this kind of pizza in...