Delicious pizzerias serve up creative combinations with local ingredients.
Gooey melted cheese, zippy house-made sauces and perfectly chewy crusts make Oregon’s South Coast pizzerias ultimate comfort-food destinations. From harbor-view locations to family-friendly brewpubs, these spots are worth seeking out after winter storm watching, a spring wildflower hike or any time of year — making any coastal adventure a little more delicious.
Coastal Views & Fresh Catches
For pizza with a side of stunning scenery, head to Zola’s on the Water, which pairs exciting portside views of Brookings Harbor with the flavor of New York-style pizzas pulled fresh from a wood-fired oven. Its signature Zola’s Combo layers pepperoni and sausage with veggies and fresh basil. For those who like it hot, the Sactown Jonesy kicks things up with barbecue chicken, jalapeño and house-made “Stoopid Sauce,” a fiery blend of six different hot peppers. Come summer, Zola’s coastal location shines through with an expanded menu featuring fresh oysters, mussels and ceviche.
Up the coast in Gold Beach, Groundlings Pizza Co. brings East Coast pizza expertise to the mouth of the Rogue River. Owner Danny Bruckert crafts what he calls a hybrid between Neapolitan and New York styles, making dough with high-protein flour and cooking the wood-fired pizzas until they achieve a perfectly charred crust. Fresh ingredients are non-negotiable here. You’ll find fresh pineapple instead of canned, for instance, and the menu of about 11 pizzas rotates frequently to showcase seasonal ingredients. The pizzeria’s version of the classic pepperoni comes topped with fresh-chopped garlic, honey, chili flakes and oregano. Grab a window seat for unbeatable views of the Rogue River meeting the Pacific. Bruckert says an outdoor beer garden and house-made gelato are coming soon.
With sweeping bay views on Winchester Bay, Bedrock’s on the Bay Pizza and Chowder House caters to locals and fishing crews, sourcing fresh tuna and halibut directly from local boats. The crunchy-crusted pizzas come loaded with creative combinations — a signature pizza piles on pepperoni, pineapple, shrimp and Italian sausage. The restaurant also serves up comfort-food classics in addition to pizza, like steaming bowls of clam chowder and crispy fish and chips.
Family-Friendly Favorites
At the Back Alley Pub & Grill, a family-owned fixture since 1957 in the North Bend Lanes bowling alley, customers enjoy flaky and buttery flatbreads made with dough from local Empire Bakery as well as traditional pizzas, both cooked to perfection in high-tech convection ovens. Pies feature house-made basil sauce and premium mozzarella cheese — no fillers here. Gluten-free diners will love the cauliflower-based crust option. Don’t miss the restaurant’s popular Thai pizza, which combines teriyaki and sweet chili sauces for a sweet-spicy twist.
In Coos Bay, Dave’s Pizza has been perfecting thin-crust pies just a couple of blocks from the waterfront. Its carefully crafted pizzas feature house-cooked meats and a rotating selection of monthly specials that keep locals coming back. The casual atmosphere and consistent quality have made Dave’s a Coos Bay staple. Try shrimp, fresh mushrooms and black olives on the Seafood Delight pizza.
Bandon Brewing Company combines craft beer with artisan Italian-style pizzas featuring a 24-hour-rise dough that creates the perfect balance of crispy exterior and light, puffy crust. The casual, family-friendly atmosphere includes both indoor and outdoor dog-friendly patios, making it an ideal stop after a round of golf or a beach walk with your furry friend. Its Mediterranean pizza, topped with house-made pesto, showcases a commitment to scratch-made ingredients. The Zesty Italian, featuring Italian sausage and roasted fennel, has developed a devoted following, as have the famous spinach-artichoke sticks, which customers drive over from several towns away to take home.
Local Legends
Step into Denny’s Pizza in Coquille and you’ll find yourself immersed in local history, featuring walls adorned with vintage photographs of Coos County, including a 1952 snapshot of First Street, where the restaurant now stands. The bustling pizzeria draws crowds for its crunchy, bubbly, thin-crust pizzas. The chicken-garlic pizza is a standout, and families love the children’s play area.
Guests at The Mill Casino, owned by the Coquille Indian Tribe, can now opt for brick-oven wood-fired pizzas delivered right to their rooms from the casino’s Timbers Cafe. Whether you’re trying your luck at the gaming tables or attending an event at the casino, Timbers Cafe’s pizzas provide a delicious break.
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