El Hornito Wood-Fired Pizza — Restaurant in South Saint Paul

I'm always searching for a "go-to" pizza place since moving to Minnesota from the East Coast and I think I've found it here. El Hornitos is located in a very nondescript strip mall, typically synonymous with some great food finds that aren't always trendy, and this is no exception. What I loved most...the limited menu, none of the extras and unnecessary that other pizza places try to compensate their lackluster pizza with...El Hornitos doesn't need anything to compensate...their pizza dominates every taste bud and then some. I had the #10, Carne Asada and Onion and my, what a euphoric culinary experience. The crust was perfect chewy and crunchy....cheese melted to a perfection, carne asada that exploded with flavor and just right cooked white onion. They offered a side of spicy ranch which I tried and thought it was delicious, but I opted to eat my pizza ranch free...I'm East Coast and we find ranch and pizza together, again to be there to cover up the taste of subpar pizza...which El Hornitos is not. The staff is fantastic and attentive, lovely people. I can't wait to share this place with my family...thank you for bringing this to our community. Only one request...if you ever decide to relocate, please...

Nestled in an unsuspecting strip mall, El Hornito might go unnoticed to many that pass by. Don’t be deterred as this is some of the best pizza in the Twin Cities.

Yes, I will admit, it’s really hard to find decent pizza in the Twin Cities. This place stands amongst some of my favorite spots in the metro area.

The pizza was cooked to order and it is not your traditional Neapolitan style pizza that you can seem to find at any pizzeria. This is something different. Something a bit more firm. More crunchy and way less flop. A bit more unique. And absolutely incredible to consume.

I ordered my pizza well done for extra crunch, and the pepperoni was charred to perfection along with the crust.

The Caesar salad was made to order and even had fresh pecorino Romano cheese—a standout addition to any Caesar.

I’m only disappointed in myself for not stopping by sooner to grab a pie and enjoy. I will be back and would even consider making this a weekly stop with the family.

Thank you all for bringing great pizza to the area and giving me hope for another family run restaurant that is...

This is a MUST TRY! MY First visit for a pickup order. I was not disappointed. This maybe the highest quality wood fired pizza I've had yet! Everything is as fresh as you could desire. It was piping hot and ready to go when I walked in.

The margarita pizza was over the top! They took the simple ingredients and created a masterpiece! Pepperoni was delicious!

Pizza size is standard 10" size for wood fired, and quality is superb. Pricing is very reasonable.

The restaurant interior was beautiful, very clean and had a great view of the oven and kitchen. Seating size is modest if it gets busy, for groups over 6 you might want to call ahead.

Find them on the corner of upper 55th and 5th Ave S, not very far off the 494-expressway. Easy to find. Low entry threshold for wheelchairs....