By 2004, the growing popularity allowed the restaurant to move to Fore Street, where the decor was warm and inviting and a small bar and a couple tables offered a place to sit and eat. Then late last year, following a dispute with the landlord about pizza fumes, the company’s flagship restaurant (Portland Pie also has locations in Westbrook and Scarborough) moved down the block to York Street.
Here the pizza joint has come into its own. The new space is open and roomy, offering a bar area with multiple flat screen TVs and a dining room with a cozy fireplace. On our most recent visit, Adam and I plopped ourselves down at a table in the bar, where the Red Sox vs. Cleveland game filled every screen.
First we ordered drinks, with Adam going for the seasonal goodness of Shipyard Pumpkinhead ($4) and me opting for the Bella pinot grigio by the glass ($5). Next we settled in to peruse the menu. Offerings include sandwiches ($5.49/$7.49), such as the Deer Isle with honey ham, veggies, Swiss cheese and honey mustard and The Allagash with pastrami, tomatoes, Swiss cheese and Dijon mustard; wraps ($6.49/$7.99), such as the Frye’s Leap with sweet chili sauce and tuna and the Owl’s Head with spicy chicken breast, Monterey Jack, salsa, guacamole and veggies; and then there are the pizzas.
All the pies can be ordered on the original thin crust (14-inch) or piled on the basil, wheat, garlic or beer crusts in a 10-inch, 12-inch or 16-inch size. Choices include things like The Monhegan, which comes with sirloin steak, mushrooms, onions, green peppers and cheese ($11.49-$18.99), The Old Port, which comes with red sauce, pepperoni and cheese ($9.49-$17.49), The Matinicus, which comes with red sauce, prosciutto, cream cheese stuffed pepperoncini peppers and cheese ($11.49-$18.99), and The Shipyard Special, which comes with red sauce, spinach, broccoli, garlic, feta and cheese ($10.49-$18.49).
With so many tempting options, Adam decided to split the difference with a half and half thin crust pizza ($16.99). He asked for one side Harbormaster, with red sauce, BBQ chicken, caramelized onions, bacon and cheese, and the other side Nor’easter, with blue cheese dressing, mozzarella, buffalo chicken, Frank’s Red Hot sauce and cheese. Being a huge fan of chicken, cheese and hot sauce, he was in pizza heaven.
I, on the other hand, don’t get along so well with dairy, which means I always ask to hold the cheese when I’m ordering pizza. It’s a request that’s often met by blank stares and quizzical looks. So imagine my surprise when I spotted a new, practically cheese-free pizza on the menu called Old Speck ($9.49-$16.99).
It comes with red sauce, fresh garlic, roasted red peppers, artichoke hearts, tomatoes, black olives and pesto. Since pesto is made with Parmesan cheese, I asked to have that topping omitted and fresh basil substituted instead. Piled onto the thin crust, this combination of toppings was tangy and delicious.
I asked Portland Pie’s Vice President Dave Tucci about the new addition to the menu, and he said they came up with it because a close friend is lactose intolerant.
“Turns out it’s become a very popular menu item,” Tucci says. “More than we would have thought.”
Which just gives me another reason to love this Portland pizza institution. Whether you’re a cheese-free vegetarian or a die-hard meat eater who loves piles of mozzarella, Portland Pie has a pizza perfectly suited to your tastes.
— Avery Yale Kamila