The Great Portland Pizza Debate
2-Sided Pie at Apizza Scholls on SE Hawthorne
There are several foods and drinks that Portlanders covet more than any other. By and large, coffee and beer tend to take the top spots when it comes to the most cherished and contested consumables in the city, but there are others following close behind.
Namely, there’s Pizza.
Portland’s fierce love and scholarship on the subject of hot cheese pies can be a truly overwhelming subject to get into, which is the reason why we’ve put together this primer. If you’re struggling to find the perfect pie, or you’ve just got too much chatter in your brain about which PDX pizza spot serves up the best slices, take a gander at this run-down and you’ll find you’re much better prepared to go out and find your own favorite.
Headed Out on the Town for a Pizza Pie: Portland Style
For all the city’s passion on all things pizza, there is technically no single “Portland” style pizza. In typical Portland fashion, the city loves to adopt the best cuisine from around the world, making what has worked elsewhere into something that gets done better here. Whether you’re talking about New York Style, Chicago Style or California-style pies, you can find it in Portland.
And while there are many views on which is to be considered the “true” or “real” style of pizza, the more important thing to note is that it can be found in Portland.
The Pizza Chains of PDX
Portlander’s love of pizza allows the city to support not one but several locally owned pizza chains. Contributing to the success of these chains is not only the quality of the pies or the availability of easy delivery, but also the fact that Portlanders tend to stay loyal to their neighborhoods, meaning there isn’t always a ton of overlap. With that in mind, chains almost find it mandatory to set up shop in multiple parts of town, just to reach deeper into the population.
Pizzicato
Founded from a single pizzeria back in 1989, Pizzicato now has nine locations in the downtown Portland area, and more locations up and down the West Coast. Pizzicato focuses on a slightly more high-end, dine-in pizza experience, with farm-sourced “foodie” slices available.
Hot Lips
Hot Lips holds the claim as Portland’s first “gourmet” pizza since its founding back in 1984. Today they have six locations in the Portland area. Hot Lips strives for a family friendly atmosphere, and is also pretty well known for its brand of house-made real fruit sodas.
Sizzle Pie
Sizzle Pie: Death to False Pizza!
Sizzle Pie’s motto is “Death to False Pizza,” so there’s that. And the brand is as much a pizza place with great beer, as it is a bar with great pizza. If you grew up in a small town where the entire staff of your local pizza place was in the same punk/metal band, then Sizzle Pie will be a happy and welcome return to home. With four locations in Portland, Sizzle Pie is open to 4 AM and caters to the after-bar crowd.
The Contenders: Examining the PDX Pizza Landscape
Baby Doll
Baby Doll Pizza on SE Belmont, Pepperoni by the Slice
This inner-southeast Pizzeria is dedicated to serving up the best New York style pie in Portland. With a sharp focus on classic toppings, Baby Doll Pizza offers possibly the largest slice in Portland, making for a real New York-style two-hander.
Oven & Shaker
This Pearl District restaurant works hard to take the gourmet slice to the next level. A perfect fit for its high-minded neighborhood, Oven & Shaker offers some of the most exquisite cocktails in Portland, as well as pizza that’s topped with delectable goodies like octopus and pork shoulder.
Flying Pie Pizzeria
Flying Pie, on SE Stark in Montavilla
Known for being a Montavilla institution, Flying Pie is the Chicago-ist slice in the city. And while a homegrown Chicagoan may balk at Flying Pie’s thickness, the restaurant still delivers a tasty, doughy pizza in a classic pizzeria environment that’s suitable for the whole family.
Ken’s Artisan Pizza
Ken’s Artisan offers crispy-crust, just right-charred thin pizza that’s piled with high-end meats and gourmet toppings. Located on SE 28th in the Kerns Neighborhood of Portlaad, Ken’s Artisan is founded by celebrity baker Ken Forkish, and renowned for its extra hot, wood fired oven. If you’re familiar with the stretch of 28th that runs from Stark all the way to Glisan, then you already know that this restaurant row’s pizza spot has been claimed by Ken’s.
Apizza Scholls
Named time and time again as the best pizza in all of Portland, Apizza Scholls is one pie that’s well worth the wait in the line. Making perfect Italian style pies with a tasty focaccia-inspired crust, Apizza Scholls might have a lot of rules around their pizza, but this is one case where the rules were made to be followed. Word to the wise: do your homework, show up prepared, and get in line early.
Via Chicago Pizza
One of our sources is gluten-free and raves about the Chicago-style Portland perfected gluten-free pizza at our deep dish pizza purveyor here in Portland, Via Chicago. It’s tough to find a great gluten-free pizza, but these folks have cracked the code.
Via Chicago's Traditional Deep Dish, on NE Alberta
Top Pizza in PDX, as Chosen by Our Agents!
NATHANIEL BACHELDER advises that we not forget, you can combine pizza and real estate, as is the case in this article.
MUNIR HENRY says Pizzeria Otto on NE Sandy gets her nod. "Excellent pizza in the same style as Ken's artisan or Apizza Scholls but for half the price."
DANIEL BLACHOWSKI says, "Lovely's Fifty Fifty is pretty, pretty good."
HALEY OVERTON: "I love Kentons own Fino pizzeria. They're friendly, have great pizza and lots of other stuff too, like sandwiches, a full bar and good happy hour. For those of us in Kenton, they're a quick walk to grab Sunday dinner."
DANIELLE MOODY loves Mississippi Pizza!
SUSAN ZAZZETTI says, "I love Lucca's off NE Fremont. Wood Fired ovens= the perfect crust."
RAY MASSINI recommends Dove Vivi, because of their awesome cornmeal crust, and argues that Sizzle pie is the best big slice grease running down your arm pizza.
ALEX NEY says, "I strongly recommend Scottie's on SE Division. It's the best slice I've had in Portland. I'm part of a Portland Pizza Club that meets at a different pizza place each month. We've tried some great places, but Scottie's really stands out!"
DENISE WOLFE notes, "I Iove Life of Pie on Williams Ave. - it takes me right back to Italy! The Chop Salami pizza with goat cheese, Mama Lil's Peppers and honey is like Heaven! It's the perfect flavor combination! I also love that you can get a $5.00 Margherita pizza for happy hour, yum!"
ANNIE ROSE SHAPERO says, "I'm also a huge fan of the $5 happy hour pizza at Life of Pie! Such a deal."
LIZ GETTY: "Loving the new 'Pizza Jerk' old salt pepperoni and cracker thin crust (and a real 20 inch pizza vs an artisanal tiny). I like my pizza real sized and my homes small!"
LINCOLN TUCHOW says, "I vote for Dove Vivi at NE 28th and Glisan. Organic deep dish cornmeal crust that is to die for. Mouth watering custom pies like the sausage, the pesto and the roasted olive. Or you can order the chef's choice and you will get six different slices for the price of a whole pie. The beet and kale salads are also amazing!!"
RACHEL FREED recommends Via Chicago Pizza on Alberta for their deep-dish gluten-free pies. According to Rachel “It’s about time someone made a great gluten-free pizza. It’s my go-to place when I get a craving. And finally, my husband Laurence (because our partners all love pizza too) is a big fan of Mississippi Pizza! His favorite is The Portland (of course), which features 'House made pesto sauce, whole milk mozzarella, roasted red peppers, spinach, red onion and sheep feta.' Mississippi Pizza also features live music and a great bar!"
DILL WARD: "I second Via Chicago for gluten free & vegan cheese options. They make their own dairy free ricotta. Also Sizzle Pie Buffalo 666, vegan & gluten free with buffalo sauce on jackfruit what what!"
What’s your favorite pizza? Have a favorite pie or want to debate the finer points of pie-making in Portland? Let us know where you go for best slice in the comments section below, or on Facebook!
[Photos VIa: OregonLive; Thrillist; Neighborhood Notes]