Lovely’s Fifty-Fifty

Hands down the best woodfired pizza in Portland. Creative toppings, amazing dough, best local produce, consistent. And the ice cream is so good too. I own a wood fired pizza restaurant in Portland, so k know of what i speak.

I was a bit disappointed given the rave reviews I had heard prior to dining here. I had to wait 45 minutes for a table at lunch. The pizzas had fresh ingredients but weren’t substantial or unique beyond other offerings in the city. It’s a thinner-​style crust, lightly topped and I suppose I prefer a thicker crust with more generous toppings. I came for the ice cream really and the staff were very kind/​friendly to allow me to sample all the flavors, but there wasn’t one that stood out. I suppose I was hoping for more zing to my meal but I guess it’s a more family-​friendly kind of place. Overall, I would say good (not great) pizza & ice cream with great service in a warm, down-​to-​earth dining atmosphere.

Small ice cream selection and all of the are delicious! pizzas are gourmet and fresh. The pizza flavors change once a month I believe. However some pizza flavors do taste expiremental.

Lovely’s Fifty Fifty Pizza was a great stop during our trip to Portland. Mississippi Avenue is a super hipster street with lots of places to check out. If you are a dude, there are some cool stores for you, with some backpack places, breweries, and men’s clothing stores. But for the most part you might end up standing around while your lady friend is running around through cute clothing stores.
After walking along the street for a while, we got to Lovely’s right at before it opened. There was soon line behind us, and I think it often packed so get there early or except a wait.
Inside was a simple room with a nice woodfire over in the back. The pizza had that great woodfire taste and the toppings tasted like great quality; I think the toppings change seasonally. However, we really loved their Brussel sprouts! Definitely a place to check out!

The ambience is fun and funky with a friendly and attentive staff.
We started with the brussel sprouts and polenta. Separately, the brussel sprouts were overpowered by the acidity of the lemon. The polenta, on the other hand, was under seasoned but this allowed for the taste of the polenta itself to show through. Eaten together the acidity in the brussel sprouts was cut by the creaminess of the polenta making for a pleasant, but underwhelming dish.
For the pizza we decided on the fennel sausage. Unfortunately, this was another underwhelming dish. When I got a bit of cheese, I enjoyed the cheese. The sausage was good, but nothing to write home about. The greens could use some chopping as they were difficult to but through and would come off in a mess. I don’t feel this pie warranted the $ 18 price tag. The marinara we asked for dipping our crust in, and who wouldn’t, was more like watery puréed tomatoes rather than a thick, well seasoned, sauce.
Overall, the meal was good, but not memorable. All that came to mind were other pizza joints that we could go to and know we’d be impressed.

This place is delicious! We had the ‘fresh mozzarella & basil’ pizza, the ‘chanterelle mushrooms with mustard greens, gremolata & pecorino tartufo’ pizza and some icecream. Everything was extremely good — 5 stars! I had the buckwheat honey w/​toffee icecream and definitely a top 5 favorite ice cream flavor. I’d recommend this place to anyone who wants amazing pizza & dessert in a trendy area.

Pizza and ice cream and wine. Oh my. All of my favorite things in one place? Grazie, Lovely’s.
I came here with a large party and we were treated very well. When the party become unexpectedly larger, we were accommodated. All of the pizzas were amazing, seasonal and rustic. You won’t go wrong with any of them, but my favorite that’s still currently on the menu was the quinoa greens with potatoes, chilies, capers, shishito peppers & goat feta. We also had a peach seasonal pizza which was incredible. Their menu changes often.
Prices are reasonable and encourage getting a few things and sharing. The inside is relaxed and casual but lively. The soft candlelight and rustic feel lends itself equally well to a romantic dinner or a nice night out with friends. The wine and beer list was short but sweet.
Be sure to get the ice cream. It’s not just an after note, but could alone be the star of the show. The ice cream is delicious. My favorites were the Malted Milk and the Anise Hyssop Stracciatella.

You will definitely get RICH w/​o having to die tryin’, up here in this Fitty-​fitty.
Between the Italian-​styled pizza pie and the home-​made ice-​cream, you’ll be channeling Dave Chapelle way more than Fitty Centy: «I’M RIIIIICH, BEEEYOOOOTCCCHHH!»
There were so many Italian ingredient possibilities on the pies here, I needed a farmer’s almanac and Google translator to navigate the menu (Spigarello? Wasn’t he a bit performer on Sha-​na-​na? Gremolata? Wasn’t that a made-​in-​Oregon thriller filmed in the 80s??? Tartufo??? Wasn’t he an ancient Roman Emperor??? I’ve been to Italy a couple of times, but none of this stuff was ringing any bells). The fennel sausage and the CHOP salami w/​extra of mama’s lil’ peppers and capicola (GABA GOOOOL!) were definitely the group faves on a few recent visits to the LFF. Were it not for the New Kid on the Block (Pinky’s), I’d consider Lovely’s the Best Pizza in North Portland— or right up there w/Eddie’s Flat Iron, anyway.
The ice cream at Lovely’s for me was a mixed bag. I have a limited capacity for sweets. That said, I was really looking forward to trying the malted milk ball, as malt balls were a childhood favorite. But the ice cream was an amorphous mess. I guess I wanted variety in texture… some crunch from semi-​unprocessed malt ball pieces in the mix. That was simply not my experience. The Buttermilk Nectarine I tried completely on the strength of the innovation factor: I found it rich and sweet and vague and fluffy. Not the stuff of legendary ice cream, sorry. The nice and very sweet lady at the counter said her favorite was the cantaloupe ice cream, so I felt obliged to try that, as well. I did like like the cantaloupe, and was very glad it didn’t have the overpowering sweetness. Somewhere between here and a more traditional sherbert style is the potential for some legendary ice cream, I firmly believe.
It’s no secret that N. Albina and N. Mississippi collectively comprise an astonishing renovation to a long dilapidated area of North Portland, and I am so grateful and happy to see the likes of such high quality heavy hitters like Lovely’s Fifty Fifty pitch tents up in heah, and do hope they see fit to stick around. It occurs to me that this review may seem strange for a 4 star rating — I have gone to pains to try to process what separates really good 4 star level, from truly 5 star caliber. From what I’ve seen of Lovely’s, they just BARELY miss the cut… but I am actively rooting for their ongoing success and hope to upgrade this review someday soon to its rightful five star status…
Make it happen, Lovely’s! Make it so. I’m rootin’ for ya’z…

Lovely’s…you Evil Temptress!
This is one of those places you look at from the outside and think, how can it possibly be that good? The name, the décor, the outside façade, everything about it says it must be a lamp shop or something. Anything but glorious pizza and ice cream. Inside the orange and off white décor gives no indication of the amazing wood fired oven in back. However, when the menu arrives, watch out, because you are about to be shocked.
My friends took me here for an amazing dinner. I haven’t explored the Mississippi area too much in North Portland. So many great places to try. We settled on Lovely’s and thankfully so. We started with a polenta and ratatouille mix. Not well seasoned, but still fresh and the eggplant mixed with creamy polenta was a great start. Next came our three pizza pies. Holy moly. We had a Margarita, one with ricotta and greens (bacon on half for my meatatarian friend), and another with fresh chewy chantrelles. All three were amazing. The crust has a perfect chewiness with just the right amount of char. As often happens with wood fired pizza, you can get a pie that is way too thin and the cheese and gourmet toppings just slide off. Not here, they have thought that one through and everything stays right there and makes each bite sizzle. You’ll pay $ 18 – 20 for a pizza, but you get your money’s worth in my opinion.
Now I wish I could make this review just about pizza, but Lovely’s makes a great selection of homemade ice creams as well. You’d never know it of course. I would come here just for the ice cream alone. We tried four kinds on offer. Cantaloupe, fig pistachio, anise straciatella, and the highlight was a plum and rose sorbet. There jut aren’t words to describe the perfect texture and taste. It’s as good as gelato in Italy, I highly recommend not leaving without at least one scoop!!!
Service is great, very friendly and always there to see if you need anything or any questions answered. Very clean restaurant, and everything is one big efficiently run place that you’ll find very satisfying. Negatives? It can get busy and loud in a hurry. The old building doesn’t lend itself to a nice quiet date, and you had better get there close to opening at 5pm, because there will be a line and tables fill up quickly. However, these do not distract from the overall atmosphere and quality of Lovely’s. I’m keeping it at five stars based on my experience. It was simply… lovely!

Wish I still had leftovers! *4.5 Stars*
This pizza is freaking tasty. The toppings are so fresh. We had a fennel sausage pizza, cherry tomato confit pizza, and… hmmm damn it I forgot the last pizza but not because it lacked it flavor (I simply have to write shit down). I am a fan of wood fired pizza simply for the crisp fire kissed crust that still manages to retain some chewiness. The crust had the right amount of salt to add flavor and still not have you reaching for water. The toppings were so fresh and complimented each other perfectly.
After wiping my face clean our friendly waiter brought out the dessert menu… affogato well hell yeah. And a scoop of chocolate chip anise and a pistachio scoop. There were 3 of us so we took advantage of trying different flavors. I took half a star off for price cause the $$ can add up for pizza but I will be back.

This is pizza as an art form with each pizza being a new creation. It’s all local stuff, but with very interesting ensembles that are fantastic. The pizza is cooked perfectly. The service is excellent and the atmosphere is just great. We walked (50 min) from our downtown hotel to the historic Mississippi district and then took the train back. Must do for pizza in Portland. (And the ice cream is great too). One of my top pizza spots in North America

Yeaaaaah! This place was very delicious! Fresh ingredients, made lovingly by hand, veggies and local sourced items make ALL the difference! We went our and ordered the Potato Pizza and one with Quinoa along with a few salads. It was all very delicious, fresh and flavorful. I wasn’t disappointed by one thing expect when we ran out of food :(
A bit pricey but worth it if you want a fresh, unique meal. The ice cream looked good too but I was to stuffed to get any. I WANT MORE!

Back again 5 years later. Not a beat missed — same excellent food. One of the best pizza restaurants I have been to (includes NYC, LA, and more). On this visit we sampled 3 different pies with our friends. Amazing crust flavor and each had excellent toppings, whether all veggie or a meat lover special. On top of that excellent ice creams. Try the salted caramel.
Highly recommended.

Bring up pizza and the world around me stops. Add that is wood fired and I’m done. This cozy pizza place on Mississippi did not disappoint on any level. The menu is simple yet thoughtful. We just enjoyed a pie this time around but I will be sure to return for the raved about ice cream and delicious looking appetizers.

Some of the creamiest ice cream around! I had the malted milk ball which was to die for. Also tried ayers creek sour cherry which was equally delicious. We didn’t try the pizza but it looks incredible and I’m looking forward to coming back to check it out.
This is a cute little area of town, lots of little shops and restaurants. Parking is on the street but I’ve never had a problem finding a spot within a few blocks. Can’t wait to come back!

Like all things Portland, ⁵⁰⁄₅₀ is expensive. 12 inch pies for $ 18? Yeahhhhhh but they are hand made, with loving care!
The salad with filberts and blue was sooooo gooodddd!!!
However, it was absolutely delicious! We had the fennel sausage, greens and rosemary pizza; and it was INCREDIBLE. He tried some pizza with potatoes also, that was amazing also.
The fig leaf IC was outflippinstanding. I had a burnt sugar and lavender that was really neat.
As a tourist, I would say to act like a local. Gently slip in and be soft spoken and stoned, and they will gently caress you.

They should call it Ice Cream and Pizza.
My wife and I are trying to get through our 100 places to stuff your faces book. So if any of you are the creepy type, just get that book and follow us around.
I like the space. it’s a little loud, but while being nice and cozy it can still hold a lot of people. We got there right at 5 on a Saturday and the place filled up pretty quick.
For a starter we got the Brussels sprouts with Butter polenta. It was rich and sinful and yummy. However It was a little one note, not that buttery goodness is a bad note to have.
We then got two pizzas, the basic margarheta and the one with gorgonzola and prosciutto. The crust was amazing. It was definitely wood fired with a little char to it, but not burned to a crisp. I like a little more crust on my pizza, but this amount was at least minimally sufficient. I love how the pizza holds together and you don’t have a limp floppy mess (not the first time I’ve heard that). Our only criticism is that the cheese is a little light. I wouldn’t say no to more, especially if I’m paying that much.
After the meal we had their salted caramel ice cream and mint straccatella. The salted caramel was the perfect blend of sweet and salty. Very nice rich texture too. The mint one was amazing. Very true to life fresh minty flavor. Reminded me of the mint that used to grow in our neighbors yard when I was growing up. Awesome way to end a meal.

This place is perfectly cozy and relaxing for a Friday night pizza night. The woodstove oven keeps the place toasty and warm, and it smells FANTASTIC in there. The pizza takes a bit of time to come out, so we got an appetizer to start our meal.
6 good size slices per pie, and about $ 16 each. Not the cheapest but worth the indulgence.
We were starving so I didn’t even get a chance to take a pic of the delicious polenta, and brussel sprouts. The brussel sprouts were a little salty, but the creamy/​cheesy polenta balanced it out.
By the time our pizza arrived, we dived right in– watch out– it’s SUPER HOT. About a slice in, I regained enough brain cells to take a picture so it’s missing a couple of slices. We got the CHOP salami and I loved it. The olives were fantastic and I recommend evening out your bites so with the olives because they are briney. I almost took a double olive bite and caught myself. Gotta save those little guys for a good bite as it really makes a difference in the taste. Plenty of salami and the dough is amazing. I love my carbs so no crust was wasted in this meal.

If you enjoy Ken’s Artisan Pizza in SE this is also a place you will enjoy.
Great atmosphere, it doesn’t feel like you are in the kitchen
We had great service.
You can get their legit AF iced cream at the end. Pretty great way to end the experience.
I’m dying to eat my leftovers and it’s 9:30am the next day.

4.5 STARS
Location: Mississippi District, Portland, OR
Parking: On street parking
Came here on a Friday night around 8pm and there was a little bit of a wait, so the hostess took our name and phone number and said she would call us when our table was ready. Half an hour later, we got the call that our table was ready. This was super convenient; allowed us to grab a beer at the bar around the corner.
We got seated and started looking over the menu. The waitress was very helpful and was able to answer any of our questions. We went with the mixed chicory salad with creamy garlic dressing, reggiano & breadcrumbs ($ 9) and 12″ housemade fennel sausage with braising greens & rosemary pizza pie ($ 17). The salad was really good and you could tell the ingredients were fresh. We loved the dressing and the breadcrumbs on top gave it a great texture. The pizza was incredible! The house made fennel sausage… BANGIN!!!
We decided to finish the night off with some ice cream and we were not disappointed. My girlfriend had the lemon/​vanilla ice cream that she could not stop talking about. I had the organic swirl soft serve dipped in chocolate. Probably the best soft serve I’ve ever had in my life. We enjoyed the ice cream so much that we came back the very next day to get some more!
–0.5 STARS for the crust on our pizza being a little too burnt, but I would still recommend this pizza to anyone. Rounded down because while you can tell the food is of really high quality, the prices are tad bit high for what you get.
Regardless, we will be back!!!