Celebrate Deep Dish Pizza With the Best in Oregon— A Must-Try Hotspot for Pizza Lovers

I'll start this article with an admission: it's almost impossible to find a bad slice of pizza in Portland, Oregon. No matter your preference — indulgently loaded with melted mozzarella and oregano-spiced sauce, crisp and topped with basil, or a four-meat pile-up — Rose City has someplace perfect for you. So rather than staking a claim that Dove Vivi serves the best slice in town, I'll simply say this: it managed to do something few pizza joints ever have — it humbled me.

As an ardent food lover married to a former New Yorker, I thought I knew every form pizza could take. I certainly believed I understood deep dish. But it turns out, deep dish doesn't just mean grandma-style slabs or Chicago's famous pies. At Dove Vivi, they reimagine it with a cornmeal crust — an innovation that just might change how you think about pizza. It did for me!

While Dove Vivi's pies are a revelation in flavor, they share the same fundamental DNA as all great pizzas. Like any pizzeria worth its pepperoni, and like Italian cuisine in general, it's driven by a passion for ultra-fresh ingredients. Seated in the casual-yet-stylish dining room, you can practically smell the quality in the air. The aroma of fresh sauces, locally sourced produce, and bright herbs wafts in from the kitchen, where meals are crafted with admirable attention to detail and consistency. This care reflects another trait Dove Vivi shares with traditional pizza purveyors: a deep respect for the provenance of technique.

Like all true practitioners of Italian cuisine, co-owners Gavin and Delane Blackstock are eager to pay their respects to the restaurant where they first learned Dove Vivi's signature cornmeal crust: the underrated Los Angeles gem, Zelo. When they moved to Portland, they brought those lessons with them, applying and evolving the techniques in their new culinary home. Their dedication to the humble pie has clearly paid off. Dove Vivi is a bright spot in the bustling Kerns neighborhood, a slice of Portland already renowned for its mouth-watering gastronomic scene.

If you're eager to experience this pizza revelation for yourself, the only thing standing between you and a slice is the crowd of fellow hopeful diners. Dove Vivi doesn't take reservations, so expect a short wait if you arrive on a weekend. But don't be daunted — while you'll never feel rushed during your meal, Dove Vivi's service runs like a well-oiled machine, and piping-hot pizzas seem to fly out of the kitchen.

Though it's hard to go wrong with their lineup of pies, I do come bearing some local wisdom. Traditionalists may be tempted by familiar offerings like the sausage and pepper, made with a crave-worthy fennel sausage prepared in-house, I might add, but the real star of Dove Vivi is the corn pizza. Before you cry blasphemy, remember: this is a cornmeal-crust pie. When paired with the balsamic-marinated roasted red onions, smoked mozzarella, and fresh chives, the succulent corn kernels enhance the crust's subtle sweetness in a way that will have you going cross-eyed.

Next time you're in the mood for a pizza, try out Dove Vivi, a Portland joint with a fresh take on the indulgent comfort of a deep-dish pie. Tucked in the hoppin' Kerns neighborhood, this local gem's cornmeal-crust innovation will earn it a steady spot on your dining-out schedule — or a well-deserved feature in your staycation menu.