The Turning Peel - Sourdough Neapolitan Pizza

"One of the Rose City’s newest sourdough pizza places sits right on Division Street. After getting into sourdough during the start of the pandemic, owner Candy Yiu planted the Turning Peel in the former Malka space to sling sourdough Neapolitan pies pies. Classic flavors like pepperoni and margherita dance with pies topped with garlic and arugula or a truffle mushroom medley on a menu that also includes salads, soups, and herby marinated olive starters. A zero-waste ethos also sees any leftover pizza dough become next day’s pizza bread, free to take. Round out any order with individually served tiramisu or cheesecake." - Zoe Baillargeon

"This stately Southeast bungalow has all the charm and colorful clutter of a favorite worldly aunt’s house. Pies here are Neapolitan style and therefore individually sized, though the portions accommodate the American need for leftovers. The sourdough crusts are precisely dialed in for maximum chew with just a hint of fermented tang. The sauce is a particular highlight: bright and almost jammy without overwhelming the classic balance of flavors. The margherita showcases the quality ingredients and attention to detail and pairs sublimely with a tiny cup of espresso and a warm evening." - Ben Coleman

"At the Turning Peel in Southeast Portland, charred, thin-crust pizzas arrive topped with everything from prosciutto to purple cauliflower, three-year-aged Parmesan to house-made vegan mozzarella." - Anne Marie Distefano

"The Turning Peel was born out of the pandemic. Like many, Yiu started experimenting with sourdough in the early days of 2020, growing bored with the tech industry and feeling lost. "Dough is like a therapist," she says. "It felt so good to make bread." What started as loaves eventually turned into pizzas — sturdier than the typical Neapolitan, with a nice balance of crunch and chew, in her words. When she was laid off, she decided to pursue sourdough full-time, landing a spot at the People’s Co-Op farmers market. For the nerds out there: Yiu slow-leavens her 64 percent-hydration dough for a whopping three days, eventually throwing the pies in an 800-degree oven for around 90 seconds. In terms of toppings, she likes to stay simple — pepperoni, margherita — and incorporate local produce. For example, her "summer splash" pizza comes with rotating seasonal vegetables depending on what’s available, which she roasts beforehand; a previous iteration arrived topped with garlic oil, cherries, roasted cherry tomatoes, morels, yellow zucchini, beets, and corn. Beyond the actual pizzas, the menu will include a salad and, in her words, "a real bombshell tiramisu." Yiu wants to try to keep prices low for meals; for example, she plans to price her margherita at $12, serving it as a part of a combo with a beverage — beer, wine, basic cocktails — for around $16 or $17. "People can just enjoy the evening without spending $50," she says. "Anywhere you go, it’s about $50." Yiu hopes to open The Turning Peel in late August at 4546 SE Division Street. Those interested in trying her pizzas beforehand can reserve a spot at a recipe tasting pop-up on August 4." - Brooke Jackson-Glidden

"This creative new vegan concept from food blogger-turned-chef Hannah Che draws its inspiration from traditional Chinese medicine. Using Chinese philosophies — like herbal medicine, the five flavor profiles, and yin and yang — and cooking techniques from her cookbook The Vegan Chinese Kitchen, the chef serves elegant plates like five-spiced yuca-taro cakes topped with Sichuan dry pot brassicas and crystal dumplings stuffed with beets and shiitake mushrooms at monthly pop-ups. Surong also celebrates centuries old traditional Buddhist dishes, like Chinese vegetarian “goose” made of beancurd skin and julienned vegetables. For pop-up details and reservations, follow along on Instagram." - Waz Wu