Sellwood is getting a brand new pizza joint with an old-school philosophy. Dick’s Pizza will open this April in the former Sunny’s Pizza spot, from the team behind the 1905 Club’s Scorfana residency, and has already begun serving slices and soda during its soft opening. The name honors owner/operator Chris Pfeifer’s grandfather, bears no relation to Dick’s Primal Burger, and yes, some puns are anticipated. Head chef Jon Wiley, a veteran of Dame, Estes, and Beast, says he’s keeping things real simple here: “No spin. It’s a New York-style joint. We could say it’s ‘neo-f-cking-whatever,’ but we just wanted to compete in the crowded center lane with something that we really believed in.”
Sellwood and Westmorland neighborhoods have seen an uptick in dining options in recent years, with hip, crowd-friendly bars like the Last Rodeo slotting into the existing ecosystem of longtime dives, neighborhood restaurants, and higher-end fare like the neighboring a Cena Ristorante. Dick’s Pizza looks to bridge the gap, offering simple, no-nonsense slices and pies from a team with plenty of fine dining experience. Accordingly, the menu will look very familiar to anyone who’s ever tried to score a late-night slice: cheese, pepperoni, sausage, salad, and beer.
“No spin. It’s a New York-style joint. We could say it’s ‘neo-f-cking-whatever,’ but we just wanted to compete in the crowded center lane with something that we really believed in.”…