I've come here so many times since my first review that it merits an update. I have referred to Cossetta as "my favorite place on Earth" many times... and yet I'm keeping it at four stars because of some caveats. This is an Italian food emporium with multiple options for enjoying the delightful spectrum of that cuisine. On the main floor there is a cafeteria-style section with multiple counters - pasta, sandwiches, salads, pizza by the slice - which is where I almost always head when I walk in the door. I almost always get the mostaccioli. It's just those perfect pasta tubes with great, simple, sour tomato sauce and ricotta. It's simple and classic and I love it. All of the options at all of those counters are worth considering; particularly some people love that pizza more than I do. There is also a pastry/gelato/coffee shop. Everything in there is wonderful. Every single thing. What are you even doing if you aren't going in there for those treats. And there's the market, a proper grocery store for Italian food, with a butcher and a cheesemonger and a cold cuts counter. The meats from the butcher are so good that I'm just like, come ON. And whenever I'm going to a party and I want to bring something that will make people at the party like me, I stop at that cold cuts counter and pick up some fresh coppa salami, it is amazing and it makes me more popular at parties. But more importantly, if you are going to cook Italian food at home it will be excellent if you buy the ingredients at the Cossetta market. And! There is a sports bar with separate food that's good! It's Frank's Levee Tavern on the second floor, it is a legit sports bar with food and all the food I've gotten there is good, like the flatbread pizza and the meatballs and hot dogs and the thing that is polenta with ragu, super cool. Furthermore, there is a whole separate restaurant on the top floor called Louis; it has its own Yelp page so that will tell you its story. PRO-TIP: check if there is an event at the Xcel Energy Center when you want to come to Cossetta, because if there is, the place is mobbed. Whenever it's busy, the line in the cafeteria section is crazy crazy long, and VERY chaotic. It's one line but then it gets to the counters and it is hard to know if you're just waiting for people at a different counter who are in the way. Messy. There is a parking lot for customers, but when it's busy it becomes an awkward line of cars backing up into West 7th. Some of the entrees in the cafeteria-style section are a little overpriced. I almost always want to try the special, but it almost always winds up being mediocre considering the price, and I wind up wishing I'd gotten the mostaccioli. I always stop myself from raving about this food around serious foodies because I worry that they will expect something a little more elevated in some way. Despite those caveats, if I were forced to give up all restaurants in the world but one for the rest of my life, I would choose Cossetta without even thinking about it very hard.

This place is a national treasure and Minnesota institution. I've been coming here since I was a kid and this dinner stop was another great meal. I stopped by for takeout knowing g I would have plenty for two meals. I started with their wonderful chopped salad. It has a great assortment of components to it-blue cheese chunks, small pasta pieces, tomatoes, bacon bits, toasted pine nuts and of course lettuce. It comes with their house Italian dressing which is nice and tangy. For my main I had the iconic chicken Marsala. It comes with two nice size pieces of chicken, a delicious Marsala gravy with fresh mushrooms and a side of their penne with sauce. It's my usual go-to and as always it did not disappoint! The ambience of this place is so comfortable and clean. Super friendly staff. Def recommend!

Cossetta is my go-to St. Paul spot, whether it's for lunch, dinner, or even just dessert! The food is incredibly good and comes with great portion sizes, and genuinely my only issue here is choosing what to get, since this is one of the only only places where I don't have a singular go-to item because everything is so good. It's a cafeteria-style situation so you grab a tray and go through the different stations--salads, soups/sandwiches, mains, and pizza--before paying. The line can get long, especially if you go on a busy night or a weekend, but it's so worth it. The chopped salad is always an absolute MUST for me--it clocks in at $12.75 for the large, and comes with lettuce topped with tomato, green onions, pennette pasta, pine nuts, crispy prosciutto, gorgonzola cheese, and a garlic vinaigrette. The textures and flavors on this salad are both INCREDIBLE but be warned: it is as SALTY as the freaking ocean (but in the best way possible). It's a great value for not only the taste, but also when you think about the raw ingredients--they give you a truly unfathomable portion of pine nuts, cheese, and the crispy prosciutto bits alone. For mains, I usually go for the chicken marsala ($15.95)--the marsala wine sauce is DELICIOUS and very generous on the mushrooms, and the chicken is perfectly cooked every time. All of the mains (or, "secondi" as they're called) come with a side of their mostaccioli con ricotta pasta and a breadstick. Now, I could write an entire love letter to the mostaccioli con ricotta on its own. It's one of the singlular best bites I've had in Minnesota, and it's one of those things where you can't wrap your head around how something so simple can be so good. It's the mostaccioli pasta (which is very similar to penne--in fact, I have no clue what makes it different) with a white ricotta cheese sauce and a tomato sauce over top, and it's INCREDIBLE. However, as enticing as all of the entrees may be, make sure you save room for dessert! Their patisserie is incredible, boasting cookies and pastries galore, in addition to a true gelateria selection just like you could find in Italy--the cannoli gelato is a non-negotiable. They also have a neat little market section where you can get some really nice breads, meats, cheeses, and dry goods! They also have a free parking lot available to customers while at the restaurant, which is a true gem in downtown St. Paul and honestly a big part of what makes this a no-brainer for me whenever I'm in the area.

Love to come here when I am nearby! Such delicious food, service is always wonderful and the building has such charm and a warm environment!

A little bit of Italy right on W. 7th Ave. What a cool old school Italian shop with fresh meats, desserts, sandwiches and anything luxurious you can think of. I bought a handful of hopefully delicious chocolates...you can't go wrong with chocolate right? My hubby says the bread is to die for.

What a unique spot in the Twin Cities! Stopped here for some lunch while scrolling for options online and selecting it randomly. I had no idea what it was, but I will definitely be back. I ordered a pepperoni pizza and shared a Caesar salad with my husband. Yummy! The staff is kind and helpful if you're unsure where to go or what to get. The set up is like an Italian food market. So it was nice to have different options to choose from. There's is plentiful seating on the second floor. We also stopped at the bakery and all I can say is, wow! Definitely a must try if you're in the area.

I've been eating at cossettas my entire life and it hits every time. It's changed over the years but the old timey feel is still perfect. The tortellini with alfredo is my go to, and of course the chocolate covered cannoli. It's the only cannoli worthwhile in the twin cities. It may not be "authentic" Italian food as I've seen other reviews say, but it sure is delicious! It gets packed during meal times but the seating area is massive. The only downside is I really wish they would cut down on the single use plastic. I hate wasting plastic containers and utensils.

Hey Travoodies. I was a first timer to @cossettas and I believe I am hooked. For dinner I tried the tortellini with Alfredo sauce and I was blown away. The atmosphere is so lively with a cafeteria format to it. The people are super nice and if you aren't paying attention may be a little overwhelming. We hit the upstairs for an almost rooftop like dining experience. However I ended the day by visiting the bakery and dessert shop... a haven indeed! If you are ever in the St. Paul area be sure to stop by and enjoy it's a best seller in my book.

Still our family's favorite place to eat! Delicious food, especially the mostaciolli sauce. Gorgeous views of downtown from the outdoor seating. Plenty of space for large or small groups. Service is cafeteria style.

This place was recommended to me by nearly every person I encountered in St. Paul. There is a reason for that: this place is awesome. On the final day of my trip to St. Paul I had some time to kill and hadn't yet tried to eat here. What a bummer that I waited until the final day and an even bigger bummer that I may never go to MN again. Before I begin, let me preface this review by saying Italian food is not the cuisine I seek out when looking for a restaurant. Almost always someone else recommends it and I begrudgingly agree to go. Then I like it but still claim I don't like Italian food. This is the kind of rando who is writing this review. You have been warned. When we arrived at lunch time the place was packed. There was a long line to order, but a sign directing us to a much shorter line for slices of pizza. I picked up two and went to the counter to pay. There I added a beer to the order and headed upstairs to eat. Holy hell man! This was some damn fine pizza. I am no pizza expert but this was likely the best pizza I have ever had. Yes, it was simple. I had a slice of pepperoni and one of their pizza with everything. Add the Peroni and this was an excellent meal. Following lunch, we headed to the shopping store portion of this massive Italian warehouse. That was something you just had to see for yourself. It was equally as amazing as the Pizza. If you are in St. Paul, you need to visit this place. If you happen to want to build one of these in Louisiana, I promise you I will visit.