The Best Pizza in Portland, Reviewed – ryan

• What to Order: the daily special, house-made ice cream
• Pizza Style: New Haven-inspired, wood-fired pizza

I was genuinely blown away by every single item I ordered at this St. John’s gem. It’s cozy and unassuming, but you’ll want to bring your appetite for simple-yet-sophisticated starters, pies and ice cream that are downright exquisite. Pizza and ice cream varieties are always rotating, so you may not be able to replicate this order exactly…but honestly, I’d gladly eat whatever owner Craig Melillo put in front of me.

We started with the daily pie, a medley of green garlic pesto, silky ricotta cheese, light mozzarella, crispy prosciutto, arugula-herb salad and saba, a reduced grape syrup used in Italian cooking. What a symphony of textures and flavor notes—the cheese was so lush, the greens were crisp and just a touch bitter, the pesto had a robust, garlicky kick and the prosciutto was sweeter than expected.

Just when I thought I’d reached pizza heaven, I tried the hazelnut pie, topped with raclette, house mozzarella, hazelnuts, leeks, oregano, cream and tangerine oil. (Fun fact: Oregon is the largest producer of hazelnuts in the country.) The crust was delectably charred. The base was creamy, oniony and undeniably spring inspired. I adored the slightly funky notes of the cheese duo, along with the borderline-waxy crunch of the nuts and the lush, citrusy finish of the oil.

Leave room for dessert, and treat yourself to the house-made pizzelle and cones. I went with scoops of the otherworldly creamy malted vanilla (so salty! so malty!) and the stunningly sweet-tart, nutty black sesame blackberry. And word to the wise: Get there close to opening, and note that they’re only open Thursday through Saturday, so plan your itinerary accordingly.