Thirty-eight years. That’s how long DeNicola’s Italian Restaurant has been a part of Portland, and every inch of the place glows with a comfortable, heartwarming authenticity that New Portland can’t hope to equal. That same trusty charm carries over in their Pizza Week pie: While the DeNicola family experimented with more exotic concoctions for Pizza Week, they eventually settled on what they’ve always done best—the basics. Their vegetarian slice starts with a foldable crust that has just the right amount of crunch, then builds with the DeNicolas’ house-made marinara, mozzarella, ricotta, and basil pesto, with all of it topped with a careful drizzle of reduced balsamic vinaigrette. The balanced result is just about perfect. And for the ultimate DeNicola’s experience, enjoy your slice from inside one of the booths, within sight of the DeNicola family photos—that way, you'll have generations of DeNicolas making sure everything’s just right.

DeNicola's Italian Restaurant, 3520 SE Powell, denicolasitaliandining.com. DeNicola's Pizza Week slices available April 18-24, Sun-Sat 4 pm-9 pm, dine-in or take-out, limit two slices per customer, whole pies not available. For more about Pizza Week, see portlandpizzaweek.com.