A Loveliest Experience at Lovely's Fifty Fifty

As part of our continued field research of Portland (eh hem), Dan and I decided to try out Lovely's Fifty Fifty Pizza, which was brought to my attention by my We Heart Astoria colleague and friend, Meg.  I started following them on Instagram a few months ago and have been salivating over their pictures of fluffy brick oven pizzas.  I knew Dan wouldn't mind a little pizza exploration so off we went:

Atmosphere:

Located in the Mississippi Historic District in Portland, Lovely's Fifty Fifty is in the good company of other establishments such as Interurban Pub and few fun retail outlets.  While its exterior makes you think it'll be ultra modern and sleek, the inside is totally different and exemplifies a comforting, cozy vibe.

The lights are dim in the evening and I love the long narrow dining room, which features plenty of booth seating.  Admiring the vintage light fixtures and a collage of varied art, it exemplifies a comfortable family vibe - a place where you can immediately relax.  There's no pressure to over order, as I've experienced at other establishments around here, and you're welcome to stay as long as you like.

Food:

Pizza is their specialty of course, and that's exactly what we got.  Even though the options were tempting, we resisted overeating and got just one pie and split it between the two of us.  

Potato, Spinach and Red Onion Pie - Piping hot and bubbly, we were excited to dig in, and maybe a little too over eager, as we slightly burned our mouths.  Oh well...it was totally worth it because everything on this pizza was so stinkin' delicious.  From the thinly sliced heirloom potatoes that were slightly crispy on the outside to the earthy spinach and the sweet red onions, it was all so tasty.  The best part was the actual dough, which was fluffy and yeasty, creating a perfect bite.

Malted Milk Ball Ice Cream - Of course we had to save room for dessert, but once again we went light, ordering just one scoop and sharing it between the two of us.  Once again, we were impressed, as the ice cream had a delicious, creamy consistency, bejeweled with little flecks of malted milk balls.  The latter was subtle, which worked well to create a balanced taste.

Service and Cost:

As characteristic of Portland, the service was nice and attentive but not overwhelming.  Our pizza was ready in about 10-12 minutes of ordering it and came out perfectly fresh.

Costs are moderate to slightly expensive, but if you share with your partner, it comes out to about $15 per person including tax and tap.  So overall, it's a good deal!

3 Mmmms

Lovely's Fifty Fifty - 4039 N. Mississippi Avenue, Portland OR 97227

503.281.4060

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