Pizza By Ruffin
Pizza restaurant · Cascade ·
Roman-style pizza slices with flavors from the African diaspora
Roman-style pizza slices with flavors from the African diaspora
"Tucked away on the bottom floor of a Fairview Avenue skyscraper in South Lake Union, this small, weekday-lunch-only pizzeria earned an Eater Award this year for inventive Roman-style (rectangular, focaccia-like) slices. Claiming to be Washington state’s first Black-owned pizzeria, it weaves flavors of the African diaspora into ever-changing specials—our pick is the doro wat slice, which incorporates classic Ethiopian chicken stew for creamy, warming, cumin-y bites. If it’s available, the West African stew slice brings a paprika-heavy spice blend and a generous kick of heat; if it’s not, there are usually other vegan options. Instead of classic tomato or white sauces, we often find green Jamaican curry or pepper jam as the base; the pepper jam and goat cheese slice delivers surprising sweetness and tartness. There are also more traditional combinations, plus wine and beer, but it’s best for a quick lunch eaten hot on site. Though open until 4 p.m., the shop often sells out of its best slices early—arrive by noon for the widest variety." - Harry Cheadle
"Tucked away as a lunch counter in the Fairview Market Hall in South Lake Union, this spot serves rectangular Roman-style pies with firm, charred-but-not-crispy crusts and toppings drawn from the flavors of the African diaspora. Husband-and-wife team Isaiah Ruffin and Colleen Constant say it’s the first Black-owned pizzeria in Washington State; standout combinations include doro wat (a spiced East African chicken stew), sweet pepper jam with funky goat cheese, gumbo, and a vegan West African stew loaded with paprika-esque spice. No one else is doing pizza like this, but maybe more people should." - Harry Cheadle
"Part of the recent wave in Seattle’s pizza scene, this spot has helped popularize rectangular, Roman-style pizza in town, even though it isn’t al taglio." - Harry Cheadle
"In a narrow pocket of 400 Fairview’s food court, this promising al taglio pizza counter serves crunchy Roman-style rectangles worth rerouting SLU lunch plans for. You’ll see the usual tomato-splashed suspects done well—like a basil-brightened margherita or a classic cheese pie polka-dotted with crackly halal pepperoni. But Pizza By Ruffin doesn’t stop at the basics. Punchy green jamaican curry catapults an otherwise monotonous mushroom slice to another lunar plane, squash is paired with brie, and they’re even loading pies with gumbo ingredients." - aimee rizzo, gabe guarente
"In a narrow pocket of 400 Fairview’s food court, this promising al taglio pizza counter serves crunchy Roman-style rectangles worth rerouting SLU lunch plans for. You’ll see the usual tomato-splashed suspects done well—like a basil-brightened margherita or a classic cheese pie polka-dotted with crackly halal pepperoni. But Pizza By Ruffin doesn’t stop at the basics. Punchy green jamaican curry catapults an otherwise monotonous mushroom slice to another lunar plane, squash is paired with brie, and they’re even loading pies with gumbo ingredients. And sure, there might be a bitter-burnt bite of crust here and there, but we all know that’s far better than an underbaked pizza. In a neighborhood bereft of solid pie options, this counts as progress." - aimee rizzo, kayla sager riley, gabe guarente, aimee rizzo, aimee rizzo, aimee rizzo, aimee rizzo, gabe guarente, aimee rizzo, kayla sager riley, aimee rizzo, aimee rizzo, aimee rizzo, aimee rizzo, aimee rizzo, kayla sager riley