About Punch Pizza
Authentic Neapolitan pizza, crafted with passion and imported Italian ingredients — served with heart in the heart of Minneapolis since 1993.
Born From a Love of
True Neapolitan Pizza
Punch pizza was founded on a single, unwavering belief: that a great pizza can change your day.
In 1993, founder John Puckett returned from a life-changing trip to Naples, Italy — where he tasted pizza in its purest, most elemental form. Thin, blistered crusts. San Marzano tomatoes. Fresh fior di latte mozzarella. Baked in a blazing wood-fired oven in under ninety seconds. He was transfixed.
Back in Minneapolis, John was determined to recreate that singular experience. He sourced a traditional Neapolitan oven, imported "00" flour and Italian tomatoes, and set to work perfecting the dough. After months of trials, Punch pizza opened its doors on Como Avenue — and the neighborhood fell in love.
Three decades later, Punch pizza remains true to those original Neapolitan principles. Every pie is still hand-stretched, topped with the finest ingredients, and baked at over 900°F in our custom wood-fired ovens. We have never compromised on quality — and we never will.
What We Stand For
Every decision we make — from sourcing ingredients to designing our dining rooms — is guided by a set of core values that have defined Punch pizza from day one.
Authentic Craft
We follow the Vera Pizza Napoletana standards rigorously — hand-stretched dough, wood-fired heat, and zero shortcuts. Authenticity is not a marketing claim; it is our practice.
Finest Ingredients
We import San Marzano DOP tomatoes and Caputo "00" flour from Italy, and source our produce from local Minnesota farms who share our standards for quality and freshness.
Community Love
Minneapolis is home. We invest in our neighborhoods, partner with local schools and nonprofits, and believe that a great restaurant makes its community stronger and more vibrant.
People First
Our team is our greatest ingredient. We provide living wages, growth opportunities, and a culture of respect — because great pizza starts with a great team who loves what they do.
"Pizza is not just food — it is a moment of connection. Between maker and diner, between tradition and innovation, between our neighborhood and the world."
— John Puckett, Founder of Punch PizzaThirty Years in the Making
John Puckett opens the first Punch pizza on Como Avenue in St. Paul, Minnesota. The Neapolitan wood-fired oven immediately draws curious neighbors and converts them into loyal regulars.
Demand grows beyond St. Paul. Punch pizza opens its second location in Edina, bringing authentic Neapolitan pizza to the south metro and introducing thousands of new guests to the craft.
The flagship Minneapolis location opens on Lyndale Avenue. Punch pizza earns its first major media recognition, including a "Best Pizza in the Twin Cities" honor from Minnesota Monthly magazine.
Punch pizza becomes one of only a handful of US restaurants to receive official Vera Pizza Napoletana (VPN) certification from the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana in Naples, Italy.
Our current flagship at 210 E Hennepin Ave opens in Northeast Minneapolis — a 120-seat dining destination featuring an open kitchen, custom Italian mosaic, and a magnificent visible wood-fired oven.
Punch pizza celebrates three decades of authentic Neapolitan pizza in Minneapolis. We honor our roots, our community, and every guest who has made us part of their story over the last 30 years.
The People Behind Every Pizza
Our team is a mix of lifelong pizza obsessives, culinary artists, and passionate hospitality professionals united by one shared love: making something genuinely great every single day.
John Puckett
After his first bite of Neapolitan pizza in Naples in 1992, John knew he had found his life's work. He has since devoted three decades to bringing authentic Italian pizza craft to Minneapolis.
Maria Russo
Trained in Naples at the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana, Maria joined Punch pizza in 2008 and has been the soul of our kitchen ever since. Her dough is legendary in Minneapolis dining circles.
Derek Williams
With a background at top Italian and American restaurants, Derek oversees the creative menu development at Punch pizza, weaving seasonal Minnesota ingredients into our classic Neapolitan foundation.
Aisha Thompson
Aisha has been with Punch pizza for over a decade and is the heartbeat of our Hennepin Avenue flagship. She ensures every guest feels welcomed, cared for, and eager to return.
Passionate about food and hospitality? We are always looking for talented people to join our team.
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