Za! Italian Minnesota: Forest Lake's Best Restaurant

Za! Italian Minnesota is located on Lake Street North in Forest Lake, Minnesota. Za! recently moved to a new building from their previous establishment. At the old location, food was by pick up only. Now that they have moved into a strip mall, they have restaurant seating. Depending on the weather, you have a choice of sitting inside the tastefully decorated restaurant or outside on the deck. The view from the restaurant is breath-taking, go ahead and watch the waves roll up on Forest Lake while you eat your pasta. You could even go for an after dinner walk, burn some calories while you watch a spectacular sunset. This restaurant has a classy and romantic feel to it, which makes it perfect for a first date or an anniversary.

We were seated almost before we made it into the door. The friendly staff makes you feel right at home as they all smile and welcome you. "This restaurant is so different from most places in Forest Lake. Most of them (restaurants) try to give it a small town feel," my fellow diner said. It was her first time being inside and she was amazed that she had never found this hidden jewel. The waitress explained to me that Za! is "more like a group of friends than co-workers. We try to make it fun." But even while she was busy trying to make work fun, she never missed the chance to refill our empty glasses, or replace our dried out flowers with some livelier ones. The food was still steaming when she set it on our table.

While Za! is slightly pricier than some of the local restaurants, it is worth it by far. Prices range anywhere from five dollars to seventeen dollars. Although this may seem like a lot, once you see the portions you will know that you can eat this for lunch tomorrow too. If you like appetizers, the artichoke dip is for you. It comes with fresh bread to dip in the sauce and it tastes fantastic. Za! is famous for their pizza but some people prefer something a little different for their main dish. Everything on the menu is delicious but you absolutely have to try a calzone. I've never seen one even compare to the ones Za! makes. Now by the time you're done eating all of that you probably won't have room for a dessert. If you saved some belly room I highly recommend the tiramisu. It will literally melt in your mouth.

If you hate restaurants with a good feel, great decorating and delicious food then don't go to Za! Italian Minnesota. This place is strictly for people who like to spoil themselves with fine dining and a friendly atmosphere.