Jeff’s Top 5 Pizza Places In Maine That Aren’t in Portland
My absolute favorite food is pizza. I love it so much I could seriously eat it every day. Portland has a ridiculous amount of local pizza places, and any time someone writes about the best pizza places in Maine, they seem to forget that Maine isn't just Portland.
A prime example is an article from Eater that lists the 11 best pizza places in Maine and half of them are in Portland.
I like my pizza the traditional way, not the way a lot of fancy places in Portland make it. Potato in my pizza? No thanks.
So let's think outside of Portland. Here are my top 5 pizza places in Maine that I'll take over any in Portland.
5. Sam's - Lewiston
Sam's has been a staple in downtown Lewiston since 1939. Since then they've franchised out to 13 total locations across Maine and the closest one to Portland is in Freeport. Sam's has a menu of all different kinds of Italian food from pasta to salads, but for me the pizza is the best. It's classic and simple. Just the way I like it.
4. Ari's - Norway
Ari's has been a part of downtown Norway for over 20 years, a downtown that has seen a major revitalization in recent years with lots of shops and restaurants opening up. After walking through downtown, Ari's is the perfect place to grab a greek-style pizza, made with owner Chris Farrar's sauce recipe that he's perfected over the years.
3. Keoka Beach Campground - Waterford
I know what you're saying. Pizza at a campground? Trust me on this one. Keoka Beach Campground is right on Keoka Lake in Waterford with a beautiful new store and back deck seating with a view of the lake. It's not just for campers, so feel free to drive down and grab a slice or a full pizza with your choice of regular, cauliflower or broccoli pizza crusts. They even serve up some specialty pizza's like the steak bomb, chicken bacon ranch, BBQ and my favorite, the Big Mac pizza.
2. Pizza by Alex - Biddeford
Another classic pizza joint that has been around for years. Pizza by Alex has a reputation for serving some of the best pizza in the state in the same location on Alfred Street in Biddeford. Pizza by Alex has been making greek-style pizza since 1960 and people rave about how good it is. I can attest to the that too from the short time that I lived and worked in the area. I ordered from Alex's at least once a week.
1. Pat's Pizza - Orono
I know. There's a Pat's Pizza in Portland as well as a lot of other locations in Maine, but this is the original Pat's Pizza in Orono. Named after Pat Farnsworth who opened the location in 1931 as the Farnsworth Cafe. When he added pizza in 1953, the students of the nearby University of Maine were hooked and they still are over 60 years later. Pat's pizza is so good, it was franchised in the 80s and now has 13 locations in Maine. The pizza is great in all of them, but the nostalgia and history of the original stands above the rest.
Remember, these are my favorite pizza places, so you might not agree with my list. I'm always open to trying a new pizza place though. Let me know your favorite in the comments below or on our Facebook page.