Everybody loves pizza; the universally known food that springs the word “delicious” into mind. There are many pizza companies, but when it comes down to the heart of Portland food carts, nothing tastes better than the unique pizza served at “Give Pizza a Chance.”

The cart itself is pretty convenient in terms of rush hour traffic with menus placed at both ends of the counter. The meal names are hand drawn in graffiti type font with colorful chalk on a traditional blackboard, which I thought was very fun to read. The cart is very wide and if you take a glance inside, you can see various boxes, ovens, dishes and sauces. I liked this because it’s not every day you are able to catch a glimpse behind the scenes of a work in progress—and I mean about the food.

For a pizza food cart, one slice is in a pretty reasonable price range. Each slice is enormous, enough to satisfy one’s hunger. Pizza slices are $2.50 to $4.00. Homemade sodas are $2 each, but if you bring your own cup, it costs $1.

The service is very good and casual-friendly.  Ordering pizza isn’t like a straightforward formal demand, it’s more like a casual conversation.

The pizza itself was delectable. The Four Cheese pizza melted in my mouth. It had a perfect combination of cheeses that blend, creating an extra cheesy taste. The breadsticks that are also offered are not your average Olive Garden breadsticks—in fact, they taste just as good. The bread is nice and moist, but the adding of garlic and tossed basil on top sums it up into a hurricane of flavor.

A unique trait about this food cart is that the sodas are all homemade. I ordered the Black Cherry soda, which to my surprise tasted far beyond a normal soda. It was very sweet and it kind of tasted like apple juice to me. But I could definitely taste the black cherry in it, which still gave the soda a nice kick to it.

In summary, the extra friendly service and the complimentary food are the things that give this food cart five out of five stars. If you’re ever around this area of downtown Portland and are looking for something just a bit different to eat, go on, “give pizza a chance”!

-Chrisann Kim

Friendly service is coupled with excellent food at “Give Pizza a Chance”

Don’t underestimate the food at this cart because this small single-man run pizza cart bakes extraordinary pizza. At Give Pizza a Chance you’ll surely be satisfied by the excellent choices of pizza and homemade soda.

The server was very friendly; he explained all the items on the menu with superb detail, and gave a brief history of the food cart such as the origins of the food cart, the opening of the food cart, where the ingredients come from, and how much business they receive. The mood he set was light, friendly, and relaxed; other food cart servers only asked, “What do you want to order?” and gave you the food. I felt very comfortable ordering from him because he suggested which pizza was suitable for my taste from the menu.  He was one of the friendliest, probably the best, servers I have ever met in my dining experience.

The cart serves many different pizzas, slices from $2 to $4, salads at $3.50, calzones at $6 to $7, and breadsticks at $1. The cart also serves homemade organic cane-sugar soda for only $2, but the price is reduced to $1 if you bring your own cup. It was my first time purchasing and drinking a homemade organic soft drink, and I am glad I did because it was really sweet and mouth tingling.

I was skeptical at first when the server said the ingredients were organic and I tend to avoid organic and “healthy.” But after having a bite of the pepperoni pizza I realized that sometimes organic food can be delicious.

The pizza was excellent, with a thin inner crust, a thicker, chewy outer crust and fresh, brightly flavored toppings. You can taste the freshness of the pizza after watching the chef bake the pizza right in front of you. The tomato sauce was one of the best sauces I had ever tasted. Most pizza joints I have been to before had basically a plain, boring tomato taste. But this cart’s sauce contains a taste that will satisfy your taste buds.

-Andre To

“Give Pizza a Chance” offers mouthwatering pizzas for a reasonable price
Give Pizza a Chance sits amidst a group of food carts and is drenched with rain, but this didn’t stop me from being attracted to the smell of delicious pizza. I was drawn to Give Pizza a Chance because of both the unique name and the artisan-style pizza they offer. Not only do they offer the classic margherita and pepperoni pizzas, but they also have a wide array of vegetarian, vegan and deep dishes such as sausage mushroom, Mediterranean, and a few originals like “Sweet Mother of God Strikes Back” (Italian sausage, pepperoni, and Canadian bacon).

Feeling in the mood for something light, I decided to try a simple slice of cheese pizza. I also ordered a regular cola, handmade and sweetened with organic cane sugar, as opposed to the regular brands of soda other restaurants might offer. Right off the bat, the attendant was polite and not afraid to make small talk. He gladly explained each type of pizza, the origin of the cart, and his favorite dishes. The slice cost $4.00 and the cola $2.00. After a brisk five-minute wait, my pizza slice was out of the oven and my cola filled to the brim.

Give Pizza a Chance’s classic slice of cheese pizza is one of the best pizzas I’ve ever tasted in my entire life. Sizzling from the oven, the gooey cheese drips off the side and the bread is warm, toasty, and crisp. The slice wasn’t too greasy, but the handiwork was obvious from the start. It wasn’t just any old pizza. The pizza was mildly spicy and full of Italian-style flair. Rather than processed cheese dumped on bread, I tasted homemade artisan-style bread, baked to a smooth and crispy brown color with a blend of multiple Italian cheeses on top. It all mixed together very well, and was a perfect serving size. The cola was also very well-made, bubbly and full of rich, sweet flavor which accompanied the pizza nicely. By the time I finished, I was pining for more. Unique and delightful, Give Pizza a Chance is an organic, Italian artisan food cart which really hits the spot. I would rate it a perfect five stars out of five. After my first successful meal here, I will definitely give this pizza a chance again. The cart is open weekdays from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and is located on SW Stark between SW 4th and 5th Ave.

-Arun Gulati

“Give Pizza a Chance” a chance!

Give Pizza a Chance will surely make you drop the forks and knives and feast with your fingers. This comfy, casual and certainly delicious pizza cart will have you running through the rain to have a bite.

As I arrived upon the steps of this stand, the first thing I noticed was the display of simple and unique pizzas arranged so that you can quickly choose an artisan style pizza to order. After selecting a deep dish pizza and a homemade cherry vanilla soda, I waited on a stool covered by a roof as my pizza was quickly toasted.

The prices are very reasonable. Homemade sodas cost $2 each and most pizzas slices cost $3 to $4 depending on the pizza type.

Five minutes, four dollars and a few chats later, my plate of steaming warm food appeared in front of me with a large cup of chilled soda.

The first bite was surely the best. My teeth crunched into the crispy crust, but the inside was fluffy and warm. The sauce, perhaps piled on a little too high, was seasoned well. The meat and cheese inside created a tasty combination of appetizing flavors. Next was the first sip of my soda; however the lightly bland and bitter taste came as a bit of a disappointment. The smells wafted through the air, creating an enticing welcome to my nose. I picked up the pepper and parmesan from the wide variety of seasonings and sprinkled my dish generously.

If you’re a vegetarian, you can order one of their many organic vegetarian pizzas that are always available. Too busy to stay and eat? This pizza stand also takes orders beforehand and can deliver straight to you. Too hungry for a single slice? Try ordering their full 18 inch pies ranging from $16 to $24 depending on the pizza.

Overall, I’d say that Give Pizza a Chance was well worth giving a chance. I would give it four and half starts out of five. Located on SW Stark between 4^th and 5^th, this food cart was a warm welcome on a rainy day. If you’re ever around and hungry, I recommend stopping by for a bite. Their number is 503-333-4434. Give Pizza a Chance is open weekdays from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

-Sarah Chung