Woodlawn’s Good Neighbor Pizzeria will celebrate nine years of business this year. Described by co-owner Mark Saldaña as “handcrafted pizza made by some dudes,” Good Neighbor’s dudes—who also include co-owners Benjamin Blackhurst, Ryan Wade, and Franklin Gallwas—have truly been good neighbors to the Woodlawn area, where they transformed a formerly derelict bodega into a popular community spot. The Old World pie has been with them since day one, maintaining its place on the menu over the years.
It’s a classic slice, laden with nitrate-free pepperoni and salami, roasted green peppers and onions, and black olives. It’s the kind of combo customers often find themselves ordering as a build-your-own pie without noticing it already exists. Like the rest of Good Neighbor’s menu, ingredients are typically sourced locally from purveyors like Sheridan’s as well as the restaurant’s summertime CSA participation, and ever since they stopped serving ice cream, they’ve had no use for a freezer whatsoever. At this point they don’t even have one, having renewed their commitment to serving only the freshest ingredients.
That’s such a good, neighborly thing to do. And even if you don’t live in the Woodlawn sweet spot, Pizza Week’s two-buck opportunity to try one of their stalwarts is an excellent opportunity to pretend that you do.
Good Neighbor Pizzeria, 800 NE Dekum, goodneighborpizzeria.com. Good Neighbor's Pizza Week slice available April 18-24, Mon-Thurs 3 pm-2 am, Fri-Sun noon-2 am. Dine-in or take-out, limit three per customer, whole pies not available. For more about Pizza Week, see portlandpizzaweek.com.
