The former home of Michelangelo's Masterpizza in south Minneapolis, which sat empty on the corner of 50th & Xerxes for more than six years, came back to life in September when Tono Pizzeria + Cheesesteaks moved in. Now, just over half a mile away, the Fulton neighborhood is about to get its second neighborhood pizza spot in under a month thanks to Mothership Pizza Paradise.
Heading toward Mothership’s soft opening last week, I wondered whether its owners—chef Tommy Begnaud; his wife, Carrie Erickson; and business partner Courtney Briden—chose the name so food writers would proclaim, “It’s outta this world!” Not so: This is a celebration of literal mothers. (Save that sort of thing for Albertville's Space Aliens Grill & Bar.)
“Mothership is our tribute to the ones who raised us,” the menu explains, “a place where family goes beyond the name.” Its owners wanted to recreate a feeling of being home, of being welcomed and loved. And what better way to do that than with pizza?
At Wrap, the sandwich shop that opened in Graze Provisions & Libations food hall earlier this year, menu items are named for friends and loved ones. Gloria is a crispy chicken handheld, while Greg has salami and Flamin’ Hot Cheetos.
Mothership takes a similar approach with its menu: Wood-fired pies here are named for the loving moms of the owners and staff. Kay ($19) is a classic Margherita: red sauce, house mozzarella, basil, and parm; Kathy ($20) is a pepperoni pie; Patsy pairs white sauce with ricotta, prosciutto, and olives; and Emma ($22) zhuzhes up its white sauce base with mushrooms, artichokes, truffle honey, and pistachios.
If there’s a higher honor than having a sandwich named after you, this has to be it.
For those who do like gin but don’t like negronis, I’d suggest settling into one of the red barstools and ordering a Negroni Bianco ($16). I've watched in fascination as online culture has turned aggressively and sometimes hilariously against the negroni, and this one is softer, smoother, and nuttier than the standard, with Salers Gentiane Liqueur instead of Campari.
While you sip, you’ll have time to admire Mothership’s stunning wooden bar. Begnaud and Erickson, who are also behind nearby Mr. Paul’s Supper Club, apparently purchased the massive mirrored piece years ago from a salvage shop, and it’s been sitting in storage waiting for a home ever since. As an anchor in the space, it makes Mothership feel cozy and old (complimentary), adding to the friendly neighborhood vibes it’s going for. Arezzo Ristorante, which Mothership replaces, had been in this address for a quarter-century before their landlord refused to renew their lease, and touches of its Italian decor remain in tucked-away places as a nod to the longstanding Fulton favorite.
Pizzas are front and center on this menu, but there are also an array of small plates and a handful of handmade pastas here. “That’ll fill ya up nice,” I overheard one server delivering a plate of calamari ($15) remark, and they were right. Not only are the delightfully springy rings hiding under a pile of shaved parm, but they’re fried with hunks of artichoke for a platter that’s more texturally playful and both citrusy and rich.
My congratulations to Kathy, who in addition to serving as the namesake of Mothership’s pepperoni pizza is the inspiration for Also Kathy ($22), their take on a buffalo chicken pizza. Gotta hand it to ya, Kath—I loved this pie. The white sauce here is almost alfredo-like, serving as the base for tender bits of confit chicken and crispy bacon. With a drizzle of ranch to boot, this one is just rich, but hey, there were slivers of celery on there!
The crust is wonderful, bubbly, and toothsome but light, with a nice char. Made with Peroni beer, it crisps up nicely and feels sturdier than other Neapolitan-style pies, and it avoids that uh, wet sensation you sometimes get with less firm wood-fired dough.
This turned out to be a tremendous amount of food for a writer traveling solo, so let me just say… there are restaurant previews where you turn down a box on your way out the door and ones where you turn down the brightness on your phone to surreptitiously search “best way to reheat calamari.”
This one was the latter.
With Broders sandwiching Tono on the other side of 50th, just a half mile away on the border of Fulton, this section of southwest Minneapolis is turning into a real local pizza hot spot. But the vibe is every bit as much “neighborhoody” as it is “destination.”
When I walked out the door into the beginning of a downpour, two kids tore by me on foot. “Oh, Mothership is open!” one exclaimed, as if she was a paid actor. Tell your mom, kiddo. And then you can all go enjoy some pizzas together while you decide what kind of pie she’d be.
Mothership Pizza Paradise opens Tuesday, with takeout and delivery to follow.
Mothership Pizza Paradise
Address: 5057 France Ave. S., Minneapolis
Hours: Tuesday-Sunday, 11 a.m.-11 p.m.
