We were staying at the Marriott Downtown on Naito Pkwy, which is right across the street from Portland’s Riverwalk and the many nearby shops and restaurants. We had about an hour and a half for lunch, the weather was sunny and warm, so a few of us decided to take a walk and dine at a restaurant on the river. We ended up at Pizza Schmizza.
Pizza Schmizza was voted Portland’s 2002 Best Pizza, and for good reason. This New York-style pizza was fantastic. We watched as cooks hand-tossed the pizza dough into the air. They had several varieties of pizza-by-the-slice, many unique specialty pizzas, or you could order a whole pie with the toppings of your choice. Their specialty pizzas included: "Sch’meat’za" (Genoa salami, Italian sausage, German sausage, and Canadian bacon); "No Kiss Tonight" (garlic chicken and red onion with feta and parsley on an alfredo base); and "Spicy Thai" (spicy garlic chicken, roasted red peppers, chili peppers, and cilantro on a peanut-oil base). They even have "The Alligator," which is alligator meat marinated in buttermilk, garlic broiled with roasted red peppers, and served atop a bed of noodles. I had two slices of the "Sch’meat’za" and it was great!
At Pizza Schmizza’s Riverplace location, you can eat inside or outside. They have several tables lining the Riverwalk. We sat outside and enjoyed the tasty pizza along with the beautiful sunshine. The restaurant’s interior is decorated with many oddities and antiques hanging from the ceiling. There is a "Wall of Shame," featuring many articles clipped from the tabloids. These oddities were the perfect fit to complement their unique menu.
If you are visiting Portland’s Riverwalk, you will have many dining choices. If you like pizza, I highly recommend Pizza Schmizza