Punch Pizza Punch has multiple locations in the Minneapolis/St. Paul metropolitan area of Minnesota and is our favorite pizza hands down. They belong to some organization that is for the preservation of true Neapolitan style pizza and Meryl Streep once declared Punch was "the best pizza I ever ate". They have a wonderful light and chewy crust topped with crushed tomatoes, olive oil, fresh mozzarella, and what ever else you like, all at a surprisingly affordable price. I've tried other Neapolitan pizzas including the one made famous by Oprah, Bianca Pizza in Phoenix, but Punch really is the best. Be warned, however, after eating enough Punch our five year old twin girls turn their noses at pizza like Domino's and Pizza Hut.
The Pizza Place A close second for pizza in my book is in Lusk, Wyoming. The Pizza Place is owned by a fellow off road enthusiast and we make it a point to hit this place any time we are somewhere remotely near. The pizza is really amazing, my only complaint is that they do not offer artichoke hearts as a topping. They have a great crust that gets perfectly crispy and is a little thin with a nice chewy edge, and their sauce, sausage (house made), and other toppings are really well done. But don't go here just for pizza. The great thing about The Pizza Place is that their menu could stand alone without the pizza, the stromboli sandwich, for example, is to die for. They even brew their own sun tea in more than one variety for those of you who drink iced tea while dining out.
Dakota Soda Company No food service patties or fries here, Dakota Soda Company makes their own burgers and fries from scratch. Much like In and Out Burger, walk in and you'll see the whole potatoes sitting there waiting to be cut, and you can watch the soda jerks form the burger patties themselves. We ordered the sweet potato fries and expected the food service ones that are available at just about every restaurant now (not that this a bad thing), but what we got were hand cut fresh sweet potatoes fried up and served in such a huge pile that it only fit in a paper to-go bag. When you're done with your most excellent burger and fries, really delicious, made on-site, frozen custard is up next. Much like Culver's, DSC offers special flavors daily, but you can't go wrong with one of their orange sodas any day of the week. Wednesdays are open mic night, and just outside is a small open square with interactive fountains that on hot days you'll see children playing in.
The Shops at Main Street Square I would never have thought I'd be writing about an entire block, but once you're into it for Dakota Soda Company, you have to check out all of it. Without even having to go outside, after your burger and fries you can enjoy a fabulous bookstore, a wicked cool toy store, and a top notch travel store. Who's Toy House is one of those hard to find toy shops that doesn't carry all those cheap plastic licensed throw-away toys. Who's carries toys that you will want your children to hand down to their children. If you are traveling with youngsters and feel they might be getting a little restless, a new toy or activity book could be just thing to make the remainder of your driving a little easier. Also, if traveling or camping and you forgot something, then Roam'n Around is a must. It is a great outdoorsy travel store that has everything from DeLorme Gazatteer map books to Jetoils, apparel to rock climbing gear, and everything in between. For those of you who read, then Mitzi's Books is another must. They have a wonderful and inviting children's section with excellent titles, and their selection of adult fiction is fabulous. We were able to find the next Janet Evanovich book I needed to keep form going through withdrawal, and my husband found the next Craig Johnson book he was looking for as well as some Randy Wayne White and Lee Childs, all titles that Books A Million did not have in stock. There are more shops than just these three at Main Street Square, and I am sure given the caliber of these three the remaining shops I did not mention are just as excellent for their genre. It simply boils down to The Shops at Main Street Square being a genuine destination.
Mason's High Country BBQ is located in Fairplay, CO and is owned by a fellow off road enthusiast. Their home made sausage is absolutely amazing, and who knew I'd like eating cooked greens, but holy cow it was yummy. Their ribs were delicious and their sides (such as slaw, corn, potato salad, and baked beans) were also excellent. Beware, their brisket and pulled pork are so good they often sell out early. If you love BBQ and are in the area, Mason's is a real oasis.
Check back form time to time for more listings of great places to go while out and about.
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