Portland Pizza poll

[FoodZealot]

A friend of mine lives outside of Portland and raves about a place called Escape from New York pizza. I'm just wondering if people agree or if there are other favorites. Thanks!

[fierydrunk]

it is OK, the only really New York thing about it is the "attitude" they give off and the fact that it is thin crust.

the best pizza i have had here has been Flying Pie and also Pizza a go go...but neither is the best pizza i have ever had!

any other suggestions are appreciated.

[ExtraMSG]

Most people like Escape from NY and Hot Lips for NY style pizza in Portland. I've never had the issues with the "attitude" that some complain about at Escape. I happen to prefer it a little. On here, I'd say Hot Lips probably gets the nod usually. In a pinch, there's Pizza Schmizza which is challenging Starbucks for a store on every corner in town. But it's a step down, though still decent.

[Jill-O]

I haven't been to Escape from NY (I'm lookin' at you Nick!), although I kind of escaped from NY, myself!

I really like Hot Lips' pizza. The only thing I don't like is that some of the toppings (while of the best quality), IMHO, just shouldn't go on pizza. Feta cheese does not belong on a pizza, sorry. Oy, and do not even let get me started on that Canadian bacon and pineapple crap. I know, it's my pizza prejudice, I own it.

My favorite subset of NYC pizza is Sicilian pizza and Hot Lips' Sicilian crust is even better than a lot I've had in NYC (FYI, my standards are Brooklyn's L&B Spumoni Gardens and DaVinci's on 18th Ave, BTW). If only they 1- had slices of it available regularly and 2- didn't often top it with weird (IMHO) stuff. The Neapolitan stuff they make (the round, flat, thin kind) is really good too, though.

I agree that Schmizza is OK in a pinch, and better than a lot of others, but it definitely isn't the best.

If you're gonna investigate pizza in Portland, you gotta start with Andrew's site (his pictures are really great too!):

Portland Pizza Joints

[FoodZealot]

Thanks for the responses, everyone! Andrew's pizza joints is a great reference.

[bakerkel]

EFNY is hands down the best NY style pizza, ANYWHERE. I've scoured NY three times in search of something to top it to no avail. I dream of this pizza because I can only get it a few times a year when I visit. The most perfect meal used to be getting a slice, then walking to Coffee People for an apple pie cookie (discontinued). Pure heaven.

I don't like the 2 SF locations as much, they have more frilly toppings and the sauce is different. I believe his brother runs them. K

[ExtraMSG]

Thanks for posting Andrew's site, Jill. That's where I started a couple years ago and it still holds up as the best source of info on pizza in Portland, even if it tries to narrow itself to those that provide slices. I don't think I've ever disagreed with his assesments.

PS Considering my face looks like a pepperoni pizza right now, I think I'll avoid taking you to the ravenous lines outside Escape.

PPS Anyone willing to name their favorite pizza place of all time? For me, it's Cheeseboard in Berkeley. That's one of the few pizza places I am willing to wait my 15-30 minutes in line to eat, though they do have lots of "weird" toppings like feta. Mmm. I said God Damn... God Damn! (Sorry, I just watched Pulp Fiction the other day for the umpteenth time.)

Edited June 17, 2004 by ExtraMSG (log)

[bakerkel]

if anyone has a favorite of all time place in LA, I'd love to hear it!

[Jill-O]

What Nick, and you're not craving a Royale with Cheese?

Or a milkshake? ;o)

Funny thing is, I also started with Andrew's list when I got to Portland. The old incarnation of it, I think, gave a description of what Andrew likes re: pizza and I realized we liked the same kind of NY-style pizza, so I knew it would be good. I find his reviews and recs to be right on. I know he posts on Chowhound, I don't know if he posts here...but if so, Andrew - your page still rocks, thanks for the great resource!

Hmmm, favorites?

As I said, L&B Spumoni Gardens for the whole deal (great Neapolitan as well as Sicilian and the spumoni is awesome)...and DaVinci's for the Sicilian (Neapolitan isn't bad, but it isn't the attraction). A good sign of a great pizza joint in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn used to be that they did NOT deliver (as in, they don't HAVE to - people will come to them). Both of these places have been in business longer than I have been alive (over 38 years for those playing the home game) and, unless things have changed in the last 3 years, they don't deliver.

Though NY-style is my preference (and birthright!), when I lived in Chicago I embraced their style - the deep dish. (When in Rome, ya know?) There, I was a fan of Edwardo's (pepperoni and pesto - yum!). A lot of that had to do with consistency issues with a lot of other places and location (I didn't have a car when I lived there).

You know, you can't really compare the two - NY and Chicago styles. You have to love them each on their own merits...

Hey, any good deep dish places in Portland - so that folks who prefer the Chi-style can get their pizza groove on?

[fierydrunk]

i will have to disagree with Andrew's site being comprehensive---there are a few "joints" mentioned that he has never even tried! he also does not qualify Flying Pie in his definition of a "joint" which, according to the very definition mentioned, it is. It isn't the best pizza (more & more this is seeming like a big matter of individual taste), but it is better than Pizza Schmizza which is the Coffee People of Pizza in Portland.

The "attitude" is more of a faux NY attitude--or maybe it is just typical blase surliness that comes from being 25, working at a pizza joint and making $8 an hour plus a split tip jar.

Bella Faccia has good slices on occasion (when fresh)...my fave pizza joint is this place in Asheville,NC that has strict Neopolitan style--fresh bright red sauce, globs of fresh mozzarella and great flavorful thin crust! Gotta find the name---some Italian men's name.

[ExtraMSG]

I don't think there is any true Chicago style pizza in Portland. I haven't been able to find it. Some people play at the stuff making "deep dish", but it's no more deep dish, truly, than Godfather's or Pizza Hut's pan pizza, stuff like BJ's. It's really just thicker toppings, usually covered with cheese, and a thicker crust. But it's not the pastry/pie like crust and almost pot-pie nature of true Chicago deep dish, where you're busting your belly with two slices.

[duckduck]

I prefer Escape from NY. I tried Flying Pie once but they really overloaded it with garlic. I've heard good things about Bugatti's although I haven't tried them. Maybe if we do farmer's market on the 26th before I go to Vegas (world pastry forum) we could hop the streetcar and head up there for a slice.

[buckwad]

I like Rocco's Pizza also, and their closeness to Powell's doesn't hurt too much.

[bakerkel]

Pamela, we should meet up in Vegas (I'm going to WPF too) and try to find a good pizza joint! Maybe New York-New York will have something

[Tremors]

In Portland, I like Escape and the New York, New York place on Barbur. I definitely tend towards thin crust and I judge all pizza places by their cheese slice.

There is a rumor that Cathy Whims (formerly of Genoa) is opening an authentic Italian pizza place.

The best pizza I have ever had was in Italy. Hopefully Cathy can bring that flavor here...

[ExtraMSG]

There is a rumor that Cathy Whims (formerly of Genoa) is opening an authentic Italian pizza place.

The best pizza I have ever had was in Italy. Hopefully Cathy can bring that flavor here...

Interesting. I know what's-her-bucket from Mother's is planning an Italian-American joint. Any links for the rumor?

[Jill-O]

Dude, how the heck are ya? Hope the pox are a-healin'!

I got your back, here's the link, from the 6/22 WW:

Mama Mia Trattoria

What's her bucket??

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!

The woman's name is LISA. (Lisa, as in Lisa Schroeder...)

Think ya can remember that one?!