Totino’s Italian Kitchen, local pizza pioneer and mainstay of Minneapolis Italian cuisine since 1951, closed its northeast Minneapolis Central Ave location last fall while vowing to reopen soon at a new suburban location.

And while you could still buy the Party Pizzas at any discount grocery chain, many of us were quite missing the gigantic ravioli, drippy meatball subs and Mrs. Totino’s Italian Salad.

Well the new location (within an old Mattress Factory, mind you) is now up and running way up in Mounds View.

It has some new flair (flat screen TVs), old traditions (that gigantic red booth and the same delicious red sauce) and thank God — no gnats.

No gnats — which were my least favorite thing about the old location!

According to the Strib, the new place is about half the size of the old one and seats a maximum of 96 instead of 140. That explains the two hour wait last Wednesday.

Or maybe that’s just old and new friends anxious to get their fill of a Minneapolis classic, now 30 minutes north.

Related posts:

1. Sharing the Kitchen with Buca di Beppo
2. The Highland Chatterbox
3. A better location? Really?
4. Pizza Luce - Part V
5. Exercise and Eating Right