OG ZaZa, the New Haven-style pizza chain built by a three-time Food Network champion, is opening a new Uptown Minneapolis restaurant on September 7 at 1440 W. Lake St. — the address longtime late-night pizza spot Mesa Pizza vacated last Halloween. The new location will serve until 1 a.m. Sunday through Thursday and 3 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, putting it squarely in the late-night pizza business Mesa built its name on.
Chef Josh Hedquist opened OG ZaZa's first location and has since grown it into a seven-location Twin Cities chain plus a pizza trailer on Hennepin Avenue in Minneapolis, according to Bring Me The News, which first reported the Uptown announcement. Hedquist is a three-time winner of Food Network's Guy's Grocery Games who has also appeared on Chopped and Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, a resume that has helped fuel the brand's rapid expansion, per FOX 9.
The Uptown storefront has some history behind it. Mesa Pizza operated at that address for 14 years before an abrupt exit on Halloween 2025, according to a Facebook post from Bring Me The News. The closure left a notable gap in Lake Street's late-night food scene, one that OG ZaZa is now stepping into as part of a broader push to keep the corridor's nightlife dining options alive — a dynamic Hoodline explored in its coverage of Uptown's comeback push.
A Different Late-Night Model Than Mesa
Late-night regulars used to grabbing a quick slice from Mesa's counter will need to adjust their expectations. OG ZaZa only sells whole, made-to-order personal pies and does not offer single slices, the outlet's report notes, a shift from Mesa's slice-counter model that made it a go-to for Uptown nightlife crowds for years. The chain's signature crust comes from a 120-hour fermented dough made with unbromated flour, which bakes into a charred, chewy New Haven-style pie in about five minutes, according to Mall of America.
OG ZaZa's national profile got a boost in February 2025 when the chain and Hedquist appeared on an episode of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, with host Guy Fieri spotlighting the shop's Truffle Shrooms pie, per Minnesota Monthly. That same segment featured Minnesota Vikings players alongside Fieri, adding to the buzz around the brand's growing regional footprint.
From a Food Hall Stall to Seven Locations
OG ZaZa's roots trace back to a stall inside the Potluck food hall at Rosedale Center in Roseville, where Hedquist launched the concept alongside his fast-casual pasta stall Joey Meatballs, according to PMQ Pizza. Since then the chain has expanded into brick-and-mortar storefronts across the metro, including outposts on Level 3 North at the Mall of America and in Shakopee.
The brand has also leaned on retail-space turnover to fuel its growth. In March, OG ZaZa expanded onto St. Paul's Grand Avenue at 750 Grand Ave., taking over a storefront that had previously housed Justin Sutherland's egg sandwich venue Big E and, before that, Grand Pizzeria — the third concept to occupy that space in three years, according to Mel Emery. OG ZaZa now has two restaurants in St. Paul, along with its unconventional partnership with distillery King Coil Spirits at 550 Vandalia St. in the Midway district, where the chain manages the food program and pairs its pies with craft cocktails, per Minnesota Monthly.
Scratch-Made Menu, Family-Friendly Touches
Hedquist builds OG ZaZa's menu around scratch-made ingredients, including house-made pickles for its Big Dilly pie, and offers a kids' Happy Pizza Meal served in a box that transforms into a coloring book, according to Minnesota Monthly. Hedquist, a father of four, designed the family-friendly box himself.
Bring Me The News reports that OG ZaZa has not yet revealed details of a grand opening celebration for the Uptown location, though the restaurant plans to hold one. The September 7 opening adds another chapter to the shifting tenant history of the Lake Street storefront, following in the footsteps of Mesa Pizza, which Hoodline once ranked among Minneapolis's top budget pizza spots.
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