Originally published by Brian Yaeger of the Portland Mercury.

With five stores dotting both sides of the river, Schmizza is many a Portlander’s go-to pizza. With a full bar and loaded pies, how could it not be? They’re not afraid to shy away from traditional red sauce or even to douse the mouthful of toppings in additional sauces for the full Jackson Pollock effect.

Schmizza’s crust is neither thin nor thick—it’s medium and doughy. A folded slice becomes a sandwich, and there are few better sandwiches than pulled pork. Their Nacho Porko slice isn’t just smeared with tangy, shredded porcine goodness—there’s also fresh diced tomato, salty olive rings, and spicy jalapeño rings, with all of that drizzled with sour cream and chipotle sauce. Combined with ample mozzarella, there’s something to be said for a slice that delivers all the basic food groups. Some would argue that beer is the food group that never made the USDA’s food pyramid. Schmizza’s got ya covered there, too.

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Pizza Schmizza, 415 SW Montgomery, 320 NW 21st, 628 NE Broadway, 512 SW Taylor, 1036 NW Glisan, nicknwillys.com. Pizza Schmizza’s Pizza Week slice available April 18-24 (see website for store hours). For more about Pizza Week, see portlandpizzaweek.com.