"Pizza Jerk’s mid-September dining room reopening is cause for celebration for the Northeast 42nd neighborhood. The takeout window and roomy back patio have served local pizza lovers adequately during the long pandemic period, but few settings are better suited to pizza than leather-backed booths, red-checkered table cloths, and early ’90s Pizza Hut vintage light fixtures. Pizza Jerk doesn’t just coast on vibes, however — the slices can go toe-to-toe with Portland’s best. The sauce is subtly sweet, the crust is chewy, and the small Performance pepperonis curl impeccably, capturing the pizza sweat. Jerk has additional locations in inner Southeast and downtown near Portland State University." - Nathan Williams