By Joshua Dietrich
Old Town Pizza – A Historic Slice of Portland
Before you even step foot into the legendary (and apparently haunted) Old Town Pizza in Portland Oregon’s historic Old Town Chinatown, there is a reputation unlike any other restaurant in the city. Not only have famous actors and basketball players called this pizza joint home since the 70’s, but according to many visitors there is a ghost named Nina who has been haunting the premises for the past 100 years. To top that, Old Town has won awards for its beer across the world countless time. All of that being said, Old Town Pizza had already set the bar high for a unique dining experience before my most recent visit with my father on a Saturday night.
The two of us entered the restaurant hungry and ambitious. When entering the Old town location (they have two locations in Portland) we ordered our food at the counter of the kitchen then proceeded to order beer at the bar. The server taking our order at the kitchen was wearing a smile as we ordered a large amount of food and this was paired with our very friendly and knowledgeable bartender who, after telling him our food order, appropriately set us up with two different pints that would match up with our sandwich and the pizza we ordered. Our lone bartender multitasked with gusto while telling us a bit about their award winning beer. When we first entered the bar was full, there was a short downtime when there were only a few patrons enjoying beer, but that downtime did not last long once 5 o’clock rolled by.
My beer (The Shanghai IPA) had recently been awarded a World Beer Cup award while my father’s beer (The Old Town Fresh) was just outright a great beer. With a constantly changing line up for beer, Old Town is a shining example for how Portland prides itself for great beer and an even greater selection. Our Bartender was proud yet humble when discussing other beer options. After a few minutes of being at the bar we relocated to a table which my father quickly pointed out was an antique sewing machine turned into a table for two. The entire restaurant was dimly lit, even right next to the window on a sunny day the entire place had a certain spooky vibe but nothing over the top. The atmosphere was friendly and easy going. We saw businessmen enjoying a bite to eat (they would later enquire about my note taking and were also new customers to Old Town) all while a younger family occupied a larger table with an impressive amount of pizza. Old Town has no set audience rather everyone felt welcomed on a late afternoon on a saturday.
There was not much downtime between our server delivering our dinner and the two of us grabbing our first beers. It was hard not to down our beers before our food arrived because they were both smooth and a complex taste to them. Occasionally my father will drink, so needless to say when he took his first sip and said “Wow” loud enough for the table next to us to hear I was eager to jump deeper into my ale. The award-winning Shanghai IPA was impressive to say the least. Although our food arrived at a quick pace, I found myself going for a second round only a bite or two into our food.
My father and I split a Milano Sub and a large house special pizza on original dough. Before we dove into the food I was impressed with the mis-en-plate of our dishes. For a restaurant that is so popular and busy, I was pleasantly surprised with the presentation of both dishes. The sub came with a side of mixed greens and a couple of tomatoes. The sandwich as a whole was delicious, but the bread stood out with the perfect amount of toasted and thickness. The Milano comes with ham and salami with mozzarella, out of those three items the salami was unique with its curing. Each bite one could taste each element, not something I can usually say for a fairly straightforward sandwich.
About halfway through my sandwich my father told me to stop right away and try the dipping sauce that came on the side. Not to say the sandwich did not stand on it’s own, but italian and bleu cheese dipping sauce was an entirely different awesome experience. At the end of the meal my father and I both agreed this could become a regular spot paired with a new rotating beer each month.
Where I become conflicted is trying the pizza. In no way do I disapprove of the pizza, rather the bar was set so high from the sandwich and my other two experiences here that I did not have anything outstanding to say about the house special.
It was good but I honestly enjoyed the margarita pizza more. I will say that the spices on the sausage were exquistite and the same great salami that was on the Milano sandwich was also on the house special. The blend of fresh olives and green bell peppers added a much needed crunch to the gooeyness of the cheese. Overall, a nice bite of pizza at Old Town.
Old Town Pizza is paradise for the fellow hedonist/shedonist. With award winning beer, noteable entrees, and solid pizza this is more than just a local joint. Old Town Pizza is a destination, an experience, and a can’t miss for anyone in the Portland area. As a local I would call this a can’t miss for any out of towner or for someone trying to get a glimpse of all Portland has to offer. I plan on making many more visits here, if not for food then at the very least a pint or two. If you spot Nina please feel free to take lots of pictures!