Pizza Luce
$$ - average
American, Italian (Southern), Pizza
Serious pizza and sandwiches
Pizza Luce has great food and a lively atmosphere, and some of the very best pizza in the cities. They're also one of the few pizza places to cater to vegans: pizza options include "rinotta cheese" and two kinds of mock duck, as well as a wide range of vegetable toppings from sundried tomatos to corn. Menu also includes vegan appetizers and sandwiches. Desserts change daily, and often include vegan cake!
Open late, free delivery in the Uptown area.
Added by Matt Mackall on Oct 25 02 (updated Apr 30)
Reviews
I loved this place. Their Lil Gracie pizza with soy cheese and veggies and fake sausage and pepperoni was tasty and light; their garlic-cheese toast with rinotta vegan cheese was also delicious and unusual. This is a great option to have for vegans who miss pizza and are also looking to have a beer with some good music in the background.
Update again: I give them props for service. I called on a Saturday night with a crazy request to put the toppings of the pizza I ordered in the shape of a heart and they did it for no extra charge. I would have understood if they'd said it was too busy, but they did it with a smile.
Update: since writing my initial review, several other pizza places serving vegan pizza have opened in the Twin Cities. I am not changing my rating for Luce, but would rather go to Galactic these days.
The spinach salad is surprisingly good, and I recommend getting "The Luce" off of the specialty pizza menu, substituting spicy mock duck and rinotta.
This place is a treat. It's open very late, the pizza and sandwiches are good. The rinotta is awesome. They have a ton of different topping options for pizza, and the sandwiches have flavor. Not a place for the health conscious though. The cake (if they have a vegan variety) is usually good, they cut you a huge slice. Beware of the frosting though, it's so sweet, after about half a piece my teeth are begging for mercy.
As a transplanted New Yorker I tend to be a pizza-snob. Imagine my surprise when I found myself enjoying Luce. The fact that there is more than one option for little old veggie me is a delight. You can see that they put real effort in making tasty veggie options. I highly recommend the veggie muffeleta sandwich, or anything with the bbq mock duck for that matter. The recent renovations are a big improvement.
i'd only been vegan for a few weeks and was starving when i went to pizza luce. i ordered a vegan pizza ahead of time and picked it up, and i wasn't sure if it was really vegan when i got home because it wasn't indicated on the box or my receipt. i was starving, so i ate it anyway. the whole thing. in like ten minutes. it was delicious, and yes, i burnt the roof of my mouth. anyway, my stomach never revolted from the attack of cheese, and so i crossed my fingers and ordered it again... this time making sure i was clear about the vegan thing. it was exactly the same - even better. i couldn't believe it. i haven't tried the other vegan pizza places yet, but i was very satisfied with pizza luce. and my non-veggie friends like it too, which is always a bonus.
I love to go to this place late at night. The pizza rawks!
Pizza Luce's selection of toppings can't be beat. Try a pizza with artichoke hearts. Also the vegan muffeletta and bruchetta are quite tasty!
you will be enchanted by the many shades of margarine and tangerines observed in the hairs of the pizza-serving staff, and also by the cake, which is often the best anywhere. another secret way of getting enough sugar here is to order a lime soda with cherry syrup to go along with your pizza and cake. there are formulas and math equations and geometries which you use to know how many toppings are best on a pizza, and the answer seems to have always been three. it can be very frustrating to accompany people to this restaurant, as there are often violent brawls which break out at neighboring tables when nobody can agree upon pizza toppings. i think the best is rinotta with roasted eggplant and spinach.
Mmmmm. Spicy Mock Duck Hoagies, Big Pizzas with rinotta, spicy mock duck, roasted corn... They can do no wrong. As far as I am concerned, Pizza Luce is the *only* pizza place worth going to or ordering from in minneapolis.
First, it's the best pizza in town. Second, it's the best pizza joint in terms of vegetarian options. Third, the service is fine. Finally, the leftovers taste good the next day. Try the Ruby Rae with vegan sausage. OUTSTANDING!