PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — A new book names Portland the best pizza city in the country, and one of the authors is telling KOIN 6 News about the decision.
Nathan Myhrvold, the co-author of the book “Modernist Pizza,” said that Portland’s pizza scene is unique because pizzeria owners are obsessed with pizza. Myhrvold ate more than 400 pies and traveled 100,000 miles with co-author Francisco Migoy.
The Seattle resident credits Portland’s accessibility to different styles of pizza, along with shops taking the time to serve a high-quality product.
“Portland is blessed with a number of people who are obsessed about their pizza, and it’s blessed with customers that are willing to pay a little bit more to get something that’s better than Dominos,” said Myhrvold.
He added that other cities can sometimes rely on old pizza recipes instead on trying to improve them.
More specifically, Myhrvold mentioned New York City as a place that “You only get a good slice of pizza, if you’re there right after it comes out of the oven. Otherwise, the damn thing sits there on a table with a heat lamp on it or something.”
If you want to get a slice in Portland, the passionate author recommends Lovely’s Fifty Fifty on North Mississippi Avenue, Ken’s Artisan Pizza on Southeast 28th Avenue or Scottie’s Pizza Parlor on Southeast Division Street.
When asked if he’s tired of eating pizza, Myhrvold said not a chance.
“I say, when you come back from five pizzerias a day for two weeks, you do take a little bit of pizza break, but I love pizza,” he said with a smile. “I’ll always love pizza.”
“Modernist Pizza” will be released in October and will include three volumes and a recipe manual.