15 DELICIOUS Portland Pizzas You Need in Your Life (Local Tips)

East Glisan Pizza Lounge

• Address: 8001 NE Glisan St, Portland, OR 97213
• Website: East Glisan Pizza Lounge

The first thing you’ll notice after walking into East Glisan Pizza is the laid-back vibe of this popular Portland pizza joint. Located in a refurbished Mexican restaurant, the restaurant is part bar and part pizzeria.

Specializing in both classic New York style pies and deep dish pizzas, they’ve earned quite a reputation for their vegan pies as well.

In terms of what to order, I can honestly tell you that I’ve never been disappointed by anything on the menu. The pepperoni and sausage are my go-to, but I always keep my eyes peeled for the seasonal specials. Also, I can’t resist splitting the customizable Sicilian pie when I’m with friends. Come for the vibe, stay for the pizza.

Baby Doll Pizza

• Address: 2835 SE Stark St, Portland, OR 97214
• Website: Baby Doll Pizza

Baby Doll Pizza opened in 2012 with a simple mission: serve proper New York-style pizza in Portland. Started by Travis Miranda, a New York and New Jersey native, he wanted the City of Roses to have a pizza slice shop worth getting excited about, and he delivered.

Admittedly the name confused locals at first, Baby Doll? Thankfully, there was a simple explanation, he named his Portland pizzeria after his grandfather’s former strip club.

Patrons love him for three reasons: the crispy thin crust, the toothsome tomato sauce (which Miranda makes himself), and the quality ingredients (the ricotta and mozzarella cheese are made in house). Oh, and did I mention that he grinds his own meats as well? A man of many talents.

The most popular item on the menu is a toss up between the two classics: pepperoni and cheese. I consider this a testament to the quality of the sauce and toppings, simplicity never tasted so good. But if you’d like to step out of your comfort zone, I’d order the white pie.

Vegetarian and vegan pizza options are available as well.

Verdict – Best New York style pizza in Portland: Apizza Scholls

Best Neapolitan Pizzas in Portland, Oregon

Ken’s Artisan Pizza

• Address: 304 SE 28th Ave, Portland, OR 97214
• Website: Ken’s Artisan Pizza

Ken’s Artisan Pizza hails from Portland’s best baker, Ken Forkish, the two-time James Beard Award wining mastermind behind Ken’s Bakery in NW Portland. This iconic Portland pizzeria self promotes as Italian-inspired with an American accent.

Forkish recently relocated to Hawaii after twenty years in the baking business, but not before perfecting the pizza dough at Ken’s Artisan Pizza.

The new dough promised to be better than ever and (surprisingly) exceeded expectations. I say surprisingly only because it was hard to imagine the pizza getting any better.

The long-fermented sourdough/yeast blend creates generous airy bubbles within the soft crust. Pies are expertly charred in a trusty wood-fired oven immediately after being topped with locally sourced ingredients like hand-stretched cheese.

You can’t go wrong with a single item on the menu, but I’m partial to the Fennel Sausage and the Brooklyn (Mike’s Hot Honey steals the show). The Caesar Salad is non-negotiable and the cocktails are equally delicious.

P.S. Ken’s Bakery (separate restaurant – same guy) is one of the best bakeries in Portland.

Grana

• Address: 2811 E Burnside St, Portland, OR 97214
• Website: Grana Pizza

It took my mother notifying me that there’s a new Portland pizza joint getting a lot of buzz for me to finally pop into Grana for a slice. What started as a Covid-era farmer’s market pop-up to “pay for the kid’s daycare” has quickly turned into one of the trendiest new pizzerias in Portland.

Husband and wife duo Chris Flanagan and Maya Setton are the masterminds behind these ingredients-forward pies.

Visiting for our first time this past spring I’ve to say it was love at first bite. My goodness. In a town known for its pizza these pies hit different.

And it isn’t just me saying so. Grana took home the 15th ranked pizza in the world at the Las Vegas International Pizza Challenge.

Lovely’s Fifty Fifty

• Address: 4039 N Mississippi Ave
• Website: Lovely’s Fifty Fifty

If you’re looking for unique pizzas in Portland, make a beeline for Lovely’s Fifty Fifty. It could be argued that innovation sometimes comes at the cost of quality (trying to stand out in a saturated market requires risk).

Thankfully, Sarah Minnick’s pizzeria makes it clear that serving top-quality pizza in Portland is non-negotiable. Locals can’t help but benefit. Offering creative Neopolitan-style pies with toppings sourced from local farmers markets, locals line up for hours to get their hands on these pies.

Don’t be surprised to see apricots and edible flowers listed on the ingredients list. Often considered the best Neapolitan pizza in Portland, you’ll want to arrive early to score a table, most flavors sell out before the end of the night.

Oven and Shaker

• Website: Oven and Shaker

Maybe she’s born with it. Maybe it’s the 70 year old sourdough starter used for the house-made dough. Whatever it’s that this six-time James Beard nominated chef has, pizza lovers need it.

Cathy Whims wood-fired Neapolitan pizzas are among the finest in all of Portland, and that’s saying something.

All the ingredients used in the making of these artisan pies are locally sourced and fired in their imported Milanese wood-burning oven. The result is pizza perfection.

Some of our best friends here call this the best Portland pizza and it’s tough to argue against them. It took us getting a gift card to make our first trek here despite living within a 20 minute walk – thank you, Uncle Max!

We’ve been back countless times as this has become one of our go-to Portland pizza joints.

P.S. Don’t overlook the cocktails here crafted by Ryan Magarian – also some of the best in Portland!

Red Sauce Pizza

• Address: 4641 NE Fremont St, Portland, OR 97213
• Website: Red Sauce Pizza

There’s no denying that Red Sauce Pizza churns out some of the best Neapolitan pizzas in Portland, Oregon. But that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

The founder of Red Sauce Pizza, Shar Dues, has also successfully broken into the deep dish pizza game and fans have noticed. Their pan pies have folks biking over from all corners of Portland to get their hands on one of these bad boys.

The secret here, aside from natural passion and talent, is the slow-fermented dough and quality ingredients — most of which are made in house. The well treated dough transitions to a satisfying and chewy crust and creates a perfect canvas for the top-notch ingredients after some quality time in the oven.

My personal favorite pie is the Jill of all Trades, which comes with anchovies, ricotta and castelvetrano olives.

Nostrana

• Address: 1401 SE Morrison St #101, Portland, OR 97214
• Website: Nostrana

Nostrana is a high-end Italian restaurant owned by acclaimed James Beard Award finalist Cathy Whims (also responsible for Oven and Shaker). You might be surprised to see an Italian restaurant pop up on a list outlining the best pizza places in Portland, considering how steep the competition is.

But that only speaks to the mad talent of Chef Whims and the love she pours into this place, everything on the menu is exceptional. Focusing on creating authentic Italian recipes using seasonal ingredients from local purveyors, success is all but guaranteed.

Her meals have been called out by The New York Times, Bloomberg, and Eater, so if you’re looking for the best pizza in Portland you don’t have an excuse not to visit Nostrana.

The traditional thin-crust Neapolitan pies are crafted using handmade cheese and delightful seasonal cuisine. My personal favorite pizza is the Funghi Verde, well adorned with shiitake mushrooms, garlic, mozzarella, pecorino, arugula, and a citrusy olive oil.

If you’re on the hunt of the best vegetarian pizza in Portland, the Funghi Verde from Nostrana is worth it-order.

Life of Pie Pizza (best happy hour pizza in Portland)

• Address: 1765 NW 23rd Avenue & 3632 N Williams Avenue
• Website: Life of Pie Pizza

Life of Pie Pizza (two locations) is my go-to spot for happy hour in NW Portland. Happy Hour runs from 11am to 6pm, and at a mere $8 for a Margherita pie ($6 for house beer & wine), the prices can’t be beat.

The aroma of wood-fired Neapolitan pizzas hits you the second you walk through the door and serves as an invitation to indulge.

You can watch the pizzas being prepared as you place your order. The chewy crust is adorned with vibrant tomato sauce and generous portions of gooey mozzarella cheese, topped with fragrant basil leaves.

In my opinion, this is the best happy hour pizza in Portland, by a mile. The quality to price ratio is a steal of a deal, which is why this place fills up so quickly, arrive before the 5pm rush!

Gracie’s Apizza

• Address: 8737 N Lombard St, Portland, OR 97203
• Website: Gracie’s Apizza

What I like best about Gracie’s Apizza, apart from the fact that it serves some of the best pizza in Portland, is the how personalized the service is.

Craig Melillo is a one-person show and churns out the pizzas himself in the charming St Johns neighborhood. The specialty at this food-truck turned restaurant are the 10″ Neapolitan pies, of which Melillo makes 70 per night which always sell out.

Perfectly chewy and charred, crusts are topped with homemade tomato sauce and house made mozzarella cheese. The ricotta pie deserves a standing ovation and the Very Vegan has tempted this carnivore more than once.

If you’re nervous about getting your hands on a pie, order in advance online (you can choose between to-go and in-house dining). The seating area is limited, offering 15 chairs and 8 picnic tables on a small patio he shares with the Garrison cocktail bar.

Worth mention, at $11-$15 per pie, this is some of the most affordable pizza in Portland.

Verdict – Best Neapolitan Pizza in Portland: Ken’s

Best Deep Dish Pizzas in Portland

Ranch PDX

• Website: Ranch PDX

Ask any Portlander about the best deep dish pizzas in Portland and the honest ones will mention Ranch PDX. The dishonest ones will try to keep it a secret.

Boasting four lively locations since opening in 2017, Ranch PDX specializes solely in deep-dish pizzas in Portland — making them the perfect example of mastering one thing. The hearty deep-dish pies coming out of the oven are guaranteed to impress even the most ardent food critic.

The menu isn’t overwhelming (the perks keep adding up), and everything on offer is great. I’m partial to the classic pepperoni and The #4 (heaping portions of spicy port sausage neighboring chilies and soothing ricotta).

Also worth mention, with a name like Ranch PDX, the restaurant is making a statement. Their homemade ranch is a perfect companion for the deep dish pie.

Locations:

• 916 NW 21st Avenue, Portland, OR 97209
• 2239 SE 11th Ave Portland, OR 97214
• 1760 NE Dekum Street, Portland, OR
• 12960 SE 162nd Ave. Suite 202 Happy Valley Oregon

Dove Vivi

• Address: 2727 NE Glisan St, Portland, OR 97232
• Website: Dove Vivi

Skillet baked cornmeal-crusted pizzas are the top attraction at Dove Vivi, setting them apart from the competition. The buttery deep dish pies are topped with homemade sausage, goat cheese and creamy roasted eggplant. Nothing on the menu disappoints so pick something interesting.

The mere size of this Portland pizza begs you to arrive with an empty stomach (we all know that re-heated pizza isn’t the same). Also worth mention, Dove Vivi is known for having some of the best vegan pizza in Portland — order the signature cashew pie to see what all the fuss is about.

Verdict – Best deep dish pizza in Portland: Ranch

The Best Pizza in Portland, Oregon (Post Overview)

In sum, here’s the Portland pizza joints you can’t afford to miss.

1. Apizza Scholls
2. Pizza Jerk
3. Scottie’s Pizza Parlor
4. East Glisan Pizza
5. Baby Doll Pizza
6. Ken’s Artisan Pizza
7. Lovely’s Fifty Fifty
8. Oven and Shaker
9. Grana
10. Red Sauce Pizza
11. Nostrana
12. Gracie’s Apizza
13. Life of Pie
14. Ranch PDX
15. Dove Vivi

Map of the best Portland pizzas

Let me know if I missed anything (but don’t be mean about it)!

Cheers,
Antonina