The American city of Portland, Oregon has been recognized for its pizza culture and establishments.
The American city of Portland, Oregon has been recognized for its pizza culture and establishments.
The Portland Mercury hosts Pizza Week annually. [1] [2] In 2015, Pete Cottell of Willamette Week wrote, "With no local pizza style of its own to speak of, Portland pie spots assume the preferences of owners who have emigrated from regions with specific takes on this divisive dish." [3]
In 2021, Eater Portland 's Alex Frane said Portland underwent a pizzeria "boom" in 2020. He described Portland as "a city bursting with pizza shops new and old" that "seems to have no sign of slowing down", with an "ever-growing roster of new pizza shops". [4] The website's Brooke Jackson-Glidden wrote, "Trying to define the city's specific style of pizza would be difficult, outside of thick, multi-grain crusts piled with seasonal vegetables — and still, some of the city's finest pizzerias don't make pies anywhere near that form." She said of comparisons between Portland and other cities: "if you moved here from Manhattan, or Chicago, or New Haven, you may have an overriding sense of nostalgia that keeps you from enjoying the pizza that's here. That's okay — these pizzerias will continue to churn out pies, regardless of who's paying attention." [5]
Anthony Falco called Portland the "greatest pizza city" in the U.S. in 2018. [6] In 2021, Modernist Pizza authors Nathan Myhrvold and Francisco Migoya named Portland the country's "best pizza city". [7] [8] Jackson-Glidden wrote in 2021, "Frankly, Portland does have a glut of exceptional pizzerias, with chefs who moved here after working in some of the country's most noteworthy pizzerias and restaurants." She cited Pizza Jerk's Tommy Habetz, who worked for Bobby Flay, and Nostrana's Cathy Whims, who studied under Marcella Hazan, as examples. Jackson-Glidden also noted the accomplishments of Ken Forkish (Ken's Artisan Pizza), who wrote James Beard Foundation Award winning books about making bread and pizza. [5]
Notable pizzerias currently operating in Portland include:
The chains Hot Lips Pizza and Sizzle Pie are also based in the city.
Notable defunct pizzerias include:
The chain Via Tribunali operated in Portland from 2011 to 2015.
Nostrana is an Italian restaurant and pizzeria in southeast Portland, Oregon, United States. Cathy Whims opened the restaurant in 2005 and serves as chef and owner. Nostrana serves classic Italian cuisine and has been dubbed "Portland's capital of the Negroni". The restaurant has received a generally positive reception, especially for its pizzas and happy hour menu. In 2018, Whims opened the European wine bar Enoteca Nostrana next door to the restaurant.
Ken's Artisan Pizza is a pizzeria in southeast Portland, Oregon, United States.
Ken's Artisan Bakery is a bakery in Portland, Oregon's Northwest District, in the United States.
Pizza Jerk is a pizzeria with three locations in Portland, Oregon. Tommy Habetz opened the original restaurant in 2015.
Handsome Pizza was a pizzeria in Portland, Oregon. Established in 2012, the business closed in August 2022.
Pizza Thief is a pizzeria in Portland, Oregon, in the United States. The restaurant has a "sibling" adjacent bar called Bandit Bar. Chef and co-owner Darby Aldaco opened Pizza Thief with partner Tony Pasquale in 2021.
Baby Doll Pizza is a pizzeria in Portland, Oregon.
Gracie's Apizza is a pizzeria in Portland, Oregon's St. Johns neighborhood, in the United States.
Scottie's Pizza Parlor is a pizzeria with two locations in Portland, Oregon. Scott Rivera and Amy Coplen opened the original location in southeast Portland's Hosford-Abernethy neighborhood in 2015. The second location opened in northwest Portland's Northwest District in late 2022.
Red Sauce Pizza is a pizzeria in Portland, Oregon.
Virtuous Pie is a pizza chain based in Vancouver, Canada. The business has locations in Portland, Oregon, Toronto, and Victoria, British Columbia.
Dimo's Apizza is a pizzeria in Portland, Oregon.
Baby Blue Pizza was a vegan pizzeria in Portland, Oregon. The restaurant operated from July 2019 to January 2022, closing during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Pizzeria Otto is a pizzeria with two locations in Portland, Oregon. The original restaurant opened in northeast Portland in 2014, and a second has operated in southeast Portland since 2019.
Assembly Brewing is a brewery and restaurant in Portland, Oregon.
Lazy Susan was a New American restaurant in Portland, Oregon's Montavilla neighborhood, in the United States. Akkapong "Earl" Ninsom, as well as Andrew and Nora Mace, opened the restaurant in early 2020, just prior to the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite garnering a positive reception, the restaurant closed permanently in July 2023.
Malka was a restaurant in Portland, Oregon.
Saint Pizza Lounge and Gladstone Street Pizza, more commonly known as simply Gladstone Street Pizza (GSP), is a pizzeria in Portland, Oregon.
Paladin Pie is a Dungeons & Dragons-themed pizzeria in Portland, Oregon, in the United States. Owner Leo Brill started the business as a pop-up restaurant in 2020, before operating from a food cart on Alberta Street starting in 2022.
Sebastiano's' is a Sicilian delicatessen, bakery, and market in Portland, Oregon's Sellwood-Moreland neighborhood, in the United States. Established in 2020, the business previously operated in the Montavilla neighborhood.
