MASTER CLASS
IN 2004, NEW YORK CITY writer Ed Levine asked scribes around the country, including me, to define their town’s edible nirvana for his book Pizza: A Slice of Heaven. My contribution was grim: “Pizza does not drive datebooks in Portland. Does broccoli, much less Thai BBQ chicken, belong on a pizza?”
What a difference a few years make. By 2006, Portland earned legitimate stripes among geeky pie purists and populist eaters alike, as a new breed of obsessive pizza makers merged Old World techniques with new ideas about local sourcing and neighborhood vibes. As we celebrate our city’s pizza rinascimento, these four places define the new pie paradigm.
HIDDEN GEMS
PIZZA IS HARDLY RARE. You can’t swing a salami in this town without hitting a middling cheese-and-grease parlor. But serious sleuths seek out the hidden pies—those that live quiet existences in the cozy corners of our fine-dining scene. They may not scream for attention with neon signs or toppings piled high, but these creations from some of the area’s savviest chefs certainly deserve notice.
P-TOWN SPECIALS
PIZZA IS UNIVERSAL. We know this. But for all of Portland’s reinventions of New York–style, Neapolitan, or Californified pies, there exist a few entries in the cheese-sauce-crust scene that could only happen here, amid the farms and firs—and, let’s face it, the frugal. And so we offer this homage to pizza places with “Portland” tattooed on their doughy little hearts. (With soy ink, no doubt.)
CLEVER CRUSTS
TO THE ANCIENTS, nothing in geometry matched the circle’s perfection. In an age of pesto bases, pineapple slices, and taco toppings, even the most daring pie-lovers appreciate the traditional disc. Thus, instead of simply accumulating a more exotic or colossal tower of toppings (though they’re doing that, too), some Portlanders tweak—and in some cases reinvent—the wheel itself.
FAMILY FAVES
WITH ITS BROAD APPEAL, pizza is the ultimate brood food. The finicky 5-year-old loves herself some meaty, saucy goodness; the exhausted parent appreciates a culinary genre associated with beer—but not with doing dishes. Whatever army you need to fuel, here are three very different takes the classic family pizza joint.
Published: March 2011
I second the comment about Pizza Depokos. Pizza made with passion, fresh ingredients, superb crust, and hard work. It is worth the effort to find, and then savor the goods!
Very surprised that Pizza DePokos did not make this list. Probably the best Wood Fired Pizza in North Portland.
What happened to Wy’East Pizza? Whoever wrote this article is pretty biased. You’ve left out some very small but EXCELLENT pizza places. Like Nostrana and A Pizza Scholls needs anymore money and business. Way to help out small family run businesses. I will not be purchasing your magazine anymore for the simple fact you do NOT do your research!
Pizzicato and Vicentes – really? Might as well send people to some really crappy Pizza places like Girasole and Hammy’s while you’re at it. Wish I could get my $4.99 back for your lousy magazine. I have to agree about the above comment about Wy’East….easily one of the BEST places in SE and left out?
Chad must work for Portland Monthly! Kudos to Willamette Week for publishing an article on the top 10 Pizzas that Portland Monthly missed the boat on. Time to possibly look for some new editors because that issue was WAY OFF!! Stick to Adams Lindsey “This Is Pizza” blog and your all set!!!
I’m surprised every year that Bugatti’s Pizzerias in Oregon City, Beaverton and Tanasbourne aren’t included. They make a world class pizza called the BLT with smoked mozzarella, spinach, pancetta and tomatoes that is to die for! It’s not on the menu anymore for some reason but if you ask they will make it – used to be addicted to it when they were in West Linn. Still get cravings – please try it!
you’re crazy, Lonesome’s is the best delivery pizza/food in Portland. you’re officially out of the loop.
I felt the article was well written and included the BEST pizza in Portland. There are a places in Portland that could have received honorable mention had the article been titled: places in P-town to wear skinny jeans, drink Pabst and eat pizza at noon on a Tuesday. Thankfully, unlike several other recent food reviews that’s not what this one was about.
Thank you Portland Monthly for taking a serious, uninfluenced look at Portland pizza scene. I’ll happily be spending my $4.99 on the mags next issue.