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No, you're not seeing double.
Portland restaurant bosses have been adding duplicate outlets at an unprecedented pace. And local pizza places have picked up on the trend.
For those who aren't as fanatical about cheese-topped moons of dark-baked dough as we are, here's a quick inventory of the newbies and how they stack up against the originals.
Pizza Jerk 2
621 SE Morrison St., 971-803-7960, pizzajerkpdx.com. 11 am-9 pm Sunday-Thursday, 11 am-10 pm Friday and Saturday.
Tommy Habetz has cobbled together a fine career making what Portlanders love to eat most: pizza and sandwiches. Recently, Habetz shut down the original Southeast location of Bunk Sandwiches and opened a second outpost of his beloved pizza joint in its place. Unlike the Cully original, where spacious environs lend themselves to free-range parenting and small children taking full advantage, the new outlet has just a few tables and is situated close to several bars and clubs.
Pizza by the slice is also an option here. Beyond that, though, the menu at both is the same, featuring thinner 18-inch "New York/Connecticut-style" pies and, for desperate Midwesterners, 12-inch pan pies. Habetz is a Connecticut son, so opt for the former, in particular the pepperoni ($25), with delectable, not-too-greasy pepperoni slices, or the East Coast classic Clam Jam ($27), available white, red or 50-50. MICHAEL C. ZUSMAN.
Life of Pie Northwest
1765 NW 23rd Ave., 503-820-0083, lifeofpiepizza.com. 11 am-10 pm daily.
They may not be clones in the technical sense, but the new Life of Pie location is as close to a duplicate of its North Williams Avenue elder sibling as two separate properties can be. Both were incorporated into new developments along busy arterials cutting through neighborhoods experiencing rapid growth. Dark wood is abundant, and counter seats overlooking a wood-burning pizza oven are perfect for solos visiting either spot. Also in common: The streetscape from indoor and outdoor seating is the urban bustle of pedestrians, bicycles, scooters and cars transiting the neighborhood.
Williams may have the edge in pure transportation chaos, but the new location isn't far behind. Both offer the same menu, including a happy-hour margherita pie that goes for $5. If there is one conspicuous difference, it's that the new outlet has a two-story-high ceiling, lending an air of spaciousness compared to the more intimate feel at the original. Of greater consequence, the pies at both spots are solid, arriving well-singed on the outer ring with good-quality toppings in the middle. MICHAEL C. ZUSMAN.
Ranch PDX Woodlawn
1760 NE Dekum St., 971-288-5187, ranchpdx.com. 11 am-2 pm and 5-10 pm Monday-Friday, 11 am-10 pm Saturday-Sunday.
Ranch Pizza sounds like the punch line to an online quiz: "Things Only Flyover State Kids Will Understand." I get it. I don't like dill, so it's not for me, but if I were going to dunk pizza in ranch dressing, this would be the place. The crust is thick but not chewy, so it holds up well under the homemade ranch. Peppers on several of the options add a nice spice and a tiny kick. Sauce is more important here than veggies and meats, but that hasn't meant skimping on the quality. The sauce balances sweet and garlic with tomato nicely. Any more delicate and it would risk being drowned out by the ranch, but it is also very good on its own.
The Woodlawn location and the menu inside Isaac Brock's bar Poison's Rainbow differ slightly. There are veg and non-veg at both—don't bother, vegans. At Woodlawn there's a very literal happy hour between 5 and 6 pm Monday-Friday when $9 gets you a single serving of pizza with beer or wine. Poison's Rainbow has a better happy-hour deal from 3 to 6 pm—$4-$5 for a quarter pizza, $14-$23 for a 12-inch—and its trippy black-light décor is fun. PATRICIA SAUTHOFF.