Photos by Daniel Johnston
As a recent transplant from Southern California, I’m not exactly used to a wide range of fine dining options. Downtown Portland has a lot fewer junk food franchises and a greater variety of affordable, unique restaurants and food carts—and one thing I noticed right away is the pizza. If you’re looking for pizza, you might be spoiled by choices, especially close to the Portland State campus. Whether you’re looking to dine in, order out or get a pie delivered, the downtown area can meet all your pizza needs.
Pizzicato PIZZA
1708 SW 6th Ave.
Located in PSU’s Urban Center, Pizzicato is a popular choice for PSU students. Diners can order by the slice or get a full pizza in one of their gourmet styles, which include vegan and gluten-free options. They offer happy hour specials—a pint of beer and a slice of pizza is only $5.95—and delivery is free after 5 p.m.
Hot Lips Pizza
1909 SW 6th Ave.
Offering organic pizza with a twist, Hot Lips on the corner of Sixth Avenue and Hall Street is so good that it was recommended to me by at least three people my first week in town. Their pizza uses one-of-a-kind meat, cheese and vegetable combos, and they even sell their own natural soda to accompany it. Minimum delivery order is $20, and there is a $3 delivery charge.
Pizza Schmizza
732 SW Yamhill St.
With 26 locations throughout Portland, Pizza Schmizza has gained popularity since it first opened in 1993. Their Fox Tower location offers a variety of specialty pizzas from medium to XXL size, as well as a huge selection of pasta. You can get delivery, though the downtown location hasn’t added an online ordering system yet.
Photos by Daniel Johnston
Give Pizza a Chance
SW Stark Street between Fourth and Fifth avenues
Give Pizza a Chance is one of Portland’s famous food carts, offering New York-style pizza with an organic wheat crust by the slice. Like Hot Lips, Give Pizza a Chance also offers its own handcrafted soda. If you’re ordering for delivery, their website suggests you call the afternoon prior, as they run low on dough quickly. It’s a 10 percent gratuity for pick-up orders, 15 percent to deliver.
21st Century Pizza
1221 SW Jefferson St.
If you’re looking for online ordering, 21st Century Pizza is a great option—they even have an option to build your own pizza on their website. Their pizza styles might not sound as gourmet as other places, but they have a wide selection, gluten-free options and a quick delivery time—plus they are open until midnight every day.
If you’re familiar with downtown Portland, you probably know that this is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to options for delicious pizza at a great price. It might require some guilt-free experimentation to find out which one’s your favorite. But don’t worry: Good pizza is a staple of college life.