Amici Pizza and Bistro is set to open in the old Snap Pizza location (2851 Johnson St. NE). More details as we get ’em. [From a tip from Tom Elko at BringMeTheNews]
Update: They’re opening February 28, 2010 and their website is amiciusa.com.
Update: Check out The Heavy Table’s brief write up of Amici Pizza and Bistro.
Hi, I am trying to get an application at your new location. Where should i go to get the application?
Thank you for your time.
I believe it’s “Amici’s” but I’m not 100% sure.
The head chef is Cameron Adair, formerly of Prima in S. Mpls.
I heard a rumor today that they will be opening on the 25th. I can’t wait!!!
Hi. I am also looking for an application.
Where would I find that!?
Thanks, Brittany
It’s “Amici Pizza and Bistro.”
They will offer 4 or so pastas, various pizzas, 4 or so entrees, and about a half dozen desserts (mmmm)! They will also be offering delivery of their full menu. I think that’s gutsy for a new restaurant to offer delivery of their full menu!
We have on good word from our same tipster that they’re opening this Sunday, February 28. If you go, report back!
Thanks for all of the interest. We have been working very hard at getting the restaurant opened. Friday night was a tasting for the staff. Saturday night is a private ‘friends and family’ night to get a feel for running the menu. Saturday evening is our opening. We’re very excited to be a part of the North East community. We’re very much looking forward to meeting many of you in the coming weeks.
Was there tonight- it was great! The baked goat appetizer and the arctic char were amazing. Pizza is delicious. Do not miss the buttermilk panna cotta for dessert. It was dreamy.
I meant to say baked goat cheese appetizer. Oops!
I’m glad they are here…we ate there last night and the place was packed. My wife had the Bucatini and I had the Braised Beef in Wine Reduction, we had Blueberry Crisp and Chocolate Bread Pudding.
Good service, great decor and feel, tasty food and a good value…we live a block and a half up the street and love having a place like Amici in our neighborhood.
Highly Recommend.
I’m very much looking forward to trying the food at Amici. So much that I’m planning on eating lunch there today!
It won’t take much to better the cuisine and atmosphere from Snap! either. I always envisioned their chef with a paintbrush full of grease and run-off, just glazing their pizzas as they came out of the oven. I was also borderline offended by their incessant, roaring Christian-pop soundtrack more often than not. I don’t mean to offend the staff from Snap!. They were always friendly and accomodating, and I understand that operating a restaurant is much easier said than done. I’m just a fan of the neighborhood, and enjoy the establishments that do something unique that is inviting to everyone.
I hope Amici prospers at its Johnson Street location. It’s been anticipated by residents and merchants for a while!
As a resident of NE Minneapolis I was excited to see the new addition to our neighborhood, Amici Pizza and Bistro. After dining at the new place I left disappointed that this business is just a “take-off” from the neighboring “Pop!” restaurant nearby. As a hard-working, middle-class, a little rough-around-the-edges “Nordeaster” I was hoping to at least see some spaghetti on the menu, not to mention lasagna, garlic toast, and french and blue cheese dressing. This menu seems to be just an Italian take-off from Pop, with martian-like names of items I can’t pronounce, let alone figure out what they are. (chutney pumice in a puree sauce with pine nut fricasee glazee over bologonese beet medly….okay, okay…i’m exagerating a bit.) But, that’s how it felt! I realize you are trying to “class-up” the neighborhood a bit, but you are going to need us “regulars” to pay the bills…so keep the martian-like menu to teach us how to dine Italian, but also introduce some basics so that I’m tempted to stop in once a week. Put a tent chalkboard out front with the evenings’ special…polo matone with angel hair pasta, or NE Lasagna with all you can eat garlic bread, etc. I recommend trying to pattern yourself after the old “Figlio” in uptown rather than being too similar to “Pop!” next door. (At least Pop! serves swedish meatballs and a hamburger.) And try to introduce a couple “common-folk” pizzas…like Amici special (green pepper, onion, sausage, pepperoni, black olives, and shrimp ) to appeal to the locals who live next door. We are glad to have you in the neighborhood and want to see you SUCCEED! Please just add a few “normal” items so my family will look forward to stopping in once every week. We want to be regulars! Best wishes to you and your staff! / Ted in NE Mpls.
I agree with Ted, above. We indeed are glad you’re in the neighborhood. Halleluiah! But, I, too think the menu is too progressive for this area. You are Amici “Pizza” and “Bistro” so have two seperate menus that you can present to your guests, Menu I – Bistro, and Menu II – Pizza. Since you have this $13,000.00 specialty pizza oven that your competition doesn’t have, exploite this resource and offer 15 different pizzas. And make it sound “Italian!” The Virgin Mary (vegetarian with no meat), The Colloseum (4-different meat pizza that even the lions preferred over the gladiators), The Pompeii (Spicy sausage and pepperoni and loaded with peppers), The Pope John Paul (polish sausage with kraut), The Mount Vesuvius (our biggest, loaded pizza yet with everything), you get the idea. And list these items so guests can pick…no one likes to go through the chore of designing your own. On the Bistro side, substitue tomatoes instead of beets for bruschetta (Pop! has beets next door if I’m in the mood for them.) And like Ted said, offer a few more “Figlio-like” items. Ditch the sports bar Video screens, because if I’m in the mood for a sports bar I go to Jake’s or Champps. How do I say this politely… Get over your “identity crisis” and become “Italian!” Have Italian music playing, with candles on the table, and a picture of our favorite Pope John Paul II hanging by the cash register, along with various black and white pictures of cute old nuns and Italian churches, etc. Make it fun, but above all, make it Italian! We all want you around for many years and wish you all the “amore” in the world. We truly are glad you are in the neighborhood! Please act fast so “Amici” doesn’t become “Arrivederci.” Caio and Grazzi … “Ruth in NE Mpls.”
I love Ruth’s suggestions on making this restaurant “Italian!” Instead of naming your pizza the “Nan”, re-name it the “Nun” with no apologies…. plain and simple and pristine…. white cheddar cheese with tomato sauce… the “Nun”, $8.00 /
I was excited to hear about a new restauraunt in the neihborhood until I actually stepped foot in the door. I picked up lunch for my wife who was feeling under the weather to cheer her up…..I ordered up pasta and a salad…$21 and some change…I
thought wtf?? hm, better have gold leaf design on the tinfoil it comes in….I brought the food home and my wife asked, “where’s my salad”?
…I make a run back up there and let them know they forgot the salad(hard thing to do since i was the only customer) and the Lady immediately said, “no we didnt”..I was like, yeah, yeah you did can you please check….and then she sees it sitting on the counter and says oh yeah here it is.
Sadly to say the food didnt make my wife feel any better….was it bad…No..was it special…No…it would’ve been a decent $8-$9 dish but definitely no more than that.
I like nice things and consider myself to be a foody but did you not do market research or get a feel of the area before opening this kind of resturaunt in nordeast? Someone mentioned the owner lives in the neighborhood? even more wtf…
Your prices are downtown, your pretentiousness is uptown…see Teds response above.
Maybe St.Anthony would fit this model a bit better.
I wish the Anchor wouldve opened up in that location…or something with good affordable food without the makeup..
best of luck