Move over, pepperoni, Oregon’s pizza makers like to celebrate the wild, the weird and the unusual toppings as much as they love the tried-and-true classic. Think gochugaru chile sauce, taco chips, sauerkraut and cherries.
These aren’t just funky flavor combinations tossed together by a chef’s whim. Oregon’s pizzerias have made a name for themselves in recent years, with restaurants like Ken’s Artisan Pizza, Hapa Pizza, Grana Pizza Napoletana and Lovely’s Fifty Fifty receiving national and international acclaim for their culinary excellence.
On National Pizza Day (February 9) and National Pizza With the Works (Except Anchovies) Day (November 12) and all year round, pizzerias and restaurants around the state are ready to tantalize your taste buds with creations that make pineapple seem perfectly normal. Here’s a roundup of some of the most unusual pizzas you can order, many of which are available any time of the year.
Pies With a Japanese, Vietnamese or Korean Twist
From its humble beginnings as a vendor at the Beaverton Farmers Market, Hapa Pizza is on the rise at its brick-and-mortar space in downtown Beaverton. It even earned national acclaim in 2024 on the New York Times’ list of “22 of the Best Pizza Places in the United States.” The specialties here are Asian-inspired Neapolitan pizzas — a fusion of cultures just like the family behind the business. Try the Korean burrata pizza with spicy sauce, Thai basil and marinated cucumbers, or the pho pie with stewed brisket, pho sauce, bean sprouts and more.
LoLo’s Boss Pizza in Troutdale keeps it simple with chicken and basil on its Sand Island pizza but adds some pizzazz with a Thai peanut sauce. Wild Child Pizza in Portland, meanwhile, takes wild flavors and textures and combines them with its unique sourdough Detroit-inspired pizza crust. Specials include creative Asian flavors like okonomiyaki (a savory Japanese pancake) or American comfort foods like Nashville hot chicken and tater tots.
Seafood Pizza in McMinnville and Eugene
Clam pizzas may sound odd, but the New England tradition goes back to the 1960s with the addition of littleneck clams to a white (sauceless) pie in New Haven, Connecticut. In Oregon, McMinnville’s Pizza Capo offers its version: clams and garlic on a pillowy bed of smoked mozzarella, mascarpone and an herby green sauce. The chefs are serious pizza dudes with Napoletana pizza certifications.
Hey, Neighbor! Pizza House in Eugene also has a top-notch clam pie, but consider the Gamberetto — topped with Gulf shrimp, a spicy tomato sauce and kalamata olives — or one of its many creative seasonal pizzas with fresh produce like corn or jalapenos.
Fun and Creative Toppings Elsewhere in Oregon
Spooky’s opened in 1966 and has since become the place to go for good, homey fare in The Dalles. Enjoy the Mexican-fusion stylings of the taco pizza, a fiesta of spiced beef, diced tomatoes and taco chips served over a spicy refried-bean sauce. Or try the pizza that sounds like a Reuben sandwich with sauerkraut, pastrami and a homemade Reuben sauce.
The queer-owned Sonny’s Astoria resides in a compact dining room just a block from the Columbia River waterfront and creates pies that frequently sport cheeky names. The Sweet Harmony, for instance, comes adorned with caramelized onions, kale and whole-milk ricotta, while the Queerly Beloved has an herbed-ricotta spread, roasted mushrooms and fresh basil. Many pies are vegan-friendly, and if the timing is right, you can stop in to Astoria’s only LGBTQ bar next door for some karaoke or drag bingo.
Sarah Minnick is the pizza chef and mastermind behind Portland’s Lovely’s Fifty Fifty, a beloved neighborhood spot on North Mississippi Avenue that uses produce exclusively from Oregon farms. In January 2025, Minnick was named a semifinalist for the 2025 James Beard Awards’ “Outstanding Chef” title, an elite honor in the culinary world. Minnick uses whole-grain sourdough bread-making techniques and is known for her seasonal farm-to-table creations, including pizzas with fresh flowers and fruit like nectarines or grapes picked at their prime.
If you’re craving a sweet-savory combo in Hood River, swing by Solstice Wood Fire Pizza Waterfront Cafe for the Country Girl Cherry, which comes with locally grown cherries, house-made chorizo sausage and goat cheese.
