With fresh mozzarella made daily, homemade crème fraîche for white-sauce pizzas and brick ovens that delightfully crisp chewy Neapolitan crusts, Elk River’s Pompeii Pizzeria delivers a tasty meal in a historic downtown eatery less than a block from the Mississippi River. 315 Jackson Av., Elk River; 763-633-1222; pompeiipizzeria.net

Runner-up: Peter and Joy’s Bakery, Little Falls