Oven and Shaker

1134 NW Everett St, Portland, OR 97209

(Scroll to “safe bets” to skip my nostalgia rant)

I used to cry a lot. Like a lot. Scream. The stories of my voice emptying subway cars and neighboring apartments have become family tales. While there are a variety of storylines, they always end the same…with pizza in my hands. Close family friends who have known me since my screaming days call me “Issa Pizza” for one reason…it was the only thing known to shut me up! Moving to Portland away from the comfort of easy $1 slices on every other corner was nerve racking for my mom. But thank god for Oven and Shaker. Keep in mind that this review, and many other Portland OISHI posts, may be a little outdated since I moved for college in June and quarantine took a hard toll on many small PDX businesses (which many of my favorites are). Their happy hour $7 pizzas (something that quarantine took away) was a weekly date for my mom and I.

Safe bets:

Kale, Nostrana salad, Margarita Pizza w/ arugula (with chili oil on the side), The Pearl Pizza, or The Maple Pig.

Theses artisanal pie’s are a classic take on the Portland wood fired pizza - thin and fluffy dough with elegant and classy toppings. To be honest, since covid, their sauce to cheese and dressing to salad ratio can be rather inconsistent. BUT when IT IS right…these pizza’s are a delicate, intentional, and creative experience. Since our friend and favorite server left, it has also been difficult to feel welcomed and comfortable with the staff - we are typically now the only POC table in the crowd. The price increases to their pizza, given the lowered quality and inconsistency of their food, was rather disheartening when I visited home. With that in mind, the meal (whatever combination of the listed items above), ambiance, and location, is a great option for a date night - whether with your mom, friend, or significant other.