El Hornito
Visiting the oven
Back-to-back trips to St Paul, this time we visit El Hornito. What initially started as a food truck, wood-fired pizzas are now served up at their South St Paul shop. The dedicated wood-fired oven is the star of the show, but we've discovered a great supporting cast. One, all their veggies are bought whole and freshly chopped. Two, the crust is almost cracker like which should appease those of you that like crunchy crusts. Keep scrolling to see our ratings for each of the five pizzas we ate, and tell us what you think by leaving a comment on the bottom of our web posts.
Pro tip: although not pizza, their homemade brownies with ice cream are delicious! Give them a try
#6 Salami- 3.7 / 5
Toppings: hard hot salami, green bell peppers, onions, crushed red peppers
Highlights: spiciness comes through without being overpowering
Lowlights: the flavor of the salami itself is just okay
#8 Chicken- 2.5 / 5
Toppings: oven roasted chicken, baby arugula, onions, fresh jalapenos
Lowlights: wet and soggy because the arugula mountain traps moisture (see video below)
arugula and mositure
up close and personal shot of moist mountain
#9 Pepperoni Feta- 3.6 / 5
Toppings: pepperoni, feta, mushrooms, green peppers, onion, garlic
Highlights: fresh vegetables helps wake up a simple pizza
Lowlights: veggies may not be cooked to your preference as they are gently cooked instead of a softer, roasted bite
#11 Chorizo 3.7 / 5
Toppings: chorizo, goat cheese, onions
Highlights: unexpected combo of chorizo and goat cheese taste great and balance each other well
Lowlights: a little strong on onion
we need to talk about goat cheese
La Mexicana- 3.3 / 5
Toppings: carne asada, green bell pepper, tomatoes, onions and jalapenos
Highlights: fresh veggies shine through on this one
Lowlights: non-roasted tomatoes have dumped some of their excess moisture into the pizza
this place does vegetables
El Hornito
Pizzas reviewed: #6 Salami, #8 Chicken, #9 Pepperoni Feta, #11 Chorizo, #12 La Mexicana
Final Ratings, out of 5
Critiqued by: Tony, Maggie, Elizabeth, Gunnar, MiaLearn more about our ratings here
😋#6 Salami 3.7 / 5😋
👎#8 Chicken 2.5 / 5👎
#9 Pepperoni Feta 3.6 / 5
😋#11 Chorizo 3.7 / 5😋
#12 La Mexicana 3.3 / 5
| Individual Breakdown | #6 Salami | #8 Chicken | #9 Pepperoni Feta | #11 Chorizo | #12 La Mexicana |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tony | 3.8 | 2.4 | 3.1 | 4.1 | 3.9 |
| Elizabeth | 3.3 | 2.1 | 3.5 | 4.0 | 3.1 |
| Maggie | 4.3 | 2.6 | 4.4 | 2.9 | 2.9 |
| Gunnar | 4.0 | 2.7 | 3.2 | 3.5 | 3.7 |
| Mia | 3.1 | 2.7 | 4.0 | 3.9 | 3.1 |