Hometown Handcrafted Pizzas

5 pizzas all cooking at one time in wood oven at Oregon Citys Mi Famiglia Wood Oven Pizzeria in Oregons Mt Hood Territory

While pretty much any day is a good day for pizza in my book, what better time to indulge then on National Pizza Day.

For those who don't know, #NationalPizzaDay is February 9 and there's no shortage of places known for great pizza in Mt. Hood Territory to help you celebrate.

Mt. Hood Area

The Ratskeller in Government Camp has a pretty extensive menu, not to mention a great game room, making it an incredibly popular apres ski venue. The pizza is where it's at though, with standard favorites and specialty pies like BBQ chicken.

The Zigzag Inn in Welches is another spot known for all sorts of great food, capped by some killer pizza. In fact, they have nearly two-dozen pizzas to choose from, so you either need to get all your closest friends together so you can cross-sample, or just celebrate for the rest of the month and then some.

Another mountain mainstay is the Glacier Public House in Government Camp. They have a fantastic lineup of pizzas to choose from, plus vegan and gluten-free menu items so everyone in your group can enjoy a meal together.

Just north of the town of Sandy is the iconic Ivy Bear Pizzeria. You'll find a wonderful combination of traditional flavors and fresh, local ingredients to create unique pizzas that have people coming back every time they visit the area. Don't forget to get your photo taken at the giant ivy bear, or the great bigfoot statue.

Ivy Bear Pizzeria owner Scott adding sauce to pizza dough

Greater Portland Area

Did you know that Portland recently topped pizza classic locales like New York or Chicago and was named best pizza city? Of course, the pies don't end at the city limits and there are several noteworthy pizza places in the communities just outside of Portland as well.

Mi Famiglia in Oregon City is a family-run institution. The wood-oven pizzas are delicious, including creative topping combos (sopressata with pear and candied walnut? Yes please!). Plus it's fun to watch them hand toss the dough right there behind the counter.

Not all delicious pizzas are from restaurants. Prometheus Pizza is a foodtruck at Oregon City's Corner 14 food cart pod. Their big flavors from a small cart start with sourdough crust, and add a little flame for a great modern pie.

Lake Oswego has a couple of Neapolitan-style pizzerias within walking distance of each other that are seriously delicious. Pizzeria Sul Lago draws from the Pacific Northwest bounty and hosts a weekly Monday night family-style dinner. Chuckie Pies recently moved to an even larger space in the heart of Lake Oswego and offers the perfect wine to pair with every pizza on the menu plus a dedicated to-go menu that's far superior to any chain.

Deno's Pizzeria is a Lake Oswego mainstay, serving as a neighborhood favorite since its opening in the 80's. They've got a huge selection of pizza options, from traditional varieties on up to great unique specialties. If you have gluten sensitivities, they have gluten-free options for your pizza mind. (See what we did there?)

Beyond

And the pies roll on! How do you make pizza even better? Pair it with some fantastic wine. That's what they do at Christopher Bridge Winery, where the winemaker will wax poetic about the winemaking process as amazing pizzas are cooked in their brick oven. You'll feel more like a treasured house guest than a customer at a winery.

Molalla's Markum Inn was rebuilt in 2016 after a fire burned the historic spot in 2014. The reconstruction included an oak stone oven, perfect for their hand-tossed pizzas. They have half a dozen to choose from, including a great meat lover's pizza, which makes sense considering they work with local ranches to bring you the finest meat products.

The best part of all these options? You don't have to celebrate only on Pizza Day to get these pizzas, they're available year-round.