Odes to 11 favorite pies served at pizza spots across the Inland Northwest

Young Kwak photo

South Perry Pizza's Brooklyn pie.

In the spirit of this collection of pizza-focused content, Inlander staff and contributing writers got seriously into the details of our personal favorite pies on local menus. From well-executed takes on simple classics to international flavor mashups, the following 11 pizzas offer something for everyone.

PAPA GEORGIO
Pacific Pizza, 2001 W. Pacific Ave.
I ordered the Papa Georgio on accident while having a couple beers at Pacific Pizza last year, and it's been one of my favorites ever since. The specialty pizza can only be ordered as a whole pie ($18.50), which means bring a friend or be prepared for leftovers. Its slices barely hold together under the weight of their protein-rich toppings: pepperoni, salami, sausage, Canadian bacon and gooey cheese. The sauce hardly has a voice in this mess of meat, and that's fine with me. I like veggies, but meat is better. (QUINN WELSCH)

FAIRVIEW
The Flying Goat, 3318 W. Northwest Blvd. and Republic Pi, 611 E. 30th Ave.
There isn't a single time I've visited the Flying Goat and not ordered this beloved combination of cheese and cream. Read the menu description for the Fairview ($17), and try telling me you're not craving it, too: heavy cream, house cheese blend, house back bacon, pears, gorgonzola cheese crumbles, and finished with white balsamic reduction. In response to fever dreams about this delectable mashup of sweet-meets-savory, salty and creamy sharpness atop a thin and crispy wood-fired crust, I've tried a few times to recreate it at home, only to find that it's a prize far better left in the hands of its masterful creators. (CHEY SCOTT)

CHICKEN PESTO
Veraci Pizza, 1333 W. Summit Pkwy.
As a kid, I hated the idea of thin crust. Why less bread, when you can have more? But the older I get, the more I realize there's a beautiful art to the perfect bite from a crispy thin crust, letting the true stars shine: the toppings. That's the case with Veraci's delicious chicken pesto pizza ($23), which offers a protein-packed bite of — you guessed it — chicken and pesto, complemented with Roma tomatoes with the house three-cheese blend. Order it. Savor it. Love it. (SAMANTHA WOHLFEIL)

THE BROOKLYN
South Perry Pizza, 1011 S. Perry St.
You know how some pizzas are so good that you just... keep... eating, well past the point of sanity and comfort? The Brooklyn ($17) at South Perry Pizza consistently pushes me to that point of sheer gluttony. The reliably delicious crust and red sauce serve as the base, and the star for me is the excellent sausage from local CasaCano Farms. But the sneaky MVP just might be the peppadew peppers that bring a sweet (not spicy) zing to every slice. The balsamic drizzle across the whole thing is a nice touch, too. If South Perry's seasonal peach and prosciutto pizza was available year-round, I might choose that as my go-to, but the Brooklyn is always there when I need it. And yes, I said "need." (DAN NAILEN)

MAPLE ST. BRIDGE
David's Pizza, 803 W. Mallon Ave.
While I couldn't tell you the minute differences (if there are any) between the Gonzaga-adjacent OG David's location's recipes and the current iteration near the Wonder Building, I can confirm that they've still got it. David's is my go-to spot after seeing a concert at the Arena or a play at the nearby Civic Theatre, and I almost always go for the Maple St. Bridge ($19/medium, $29/large). It's the ideal pizza, really: You get your pepperoni and sausage, and then it's topped with a mountain of veggies — mushroom, pepper, onion, olive — that give it a nice, fresh crunch. Pro tip: Always order the large so you'll have leftovers for the next day, and don't sleep on their addictive pesto-garlic cheesy bread, either. (NATHAN WEINBENDER)

BUILD YOUR OWN PIZZA
Capone's Pub & Grill, 751 N. Fourth St., Coeur d'Alene
The perfect pizza does not yet exist in our region that would replace my fond memories of thin crust, New York-style cheese pizza by the slice from places catering to late-night college crowds. Capone's has managed to come the closest on two fronts: a simple, tomato-rich sauce and their dough, which, when cooked properly in their stone hearth, has a light char to it. And while several of their pies are good — roasted garlic chicken, pizza blanco, anything slathered in sausage — nothing beats their simple, 9-inch personal cheese pizza with red sauce ($10). (CARRIE SCOZZARO)

PEPPERONI
Peace Pie Pizzeria, 19 W. Main Ave.
Nestled in the back of the Saranac Commons adjacent to the cozy Black Label Brewing Co. taproom, this new pizza spot has potential. Aside from being near good beer, its slices are large with thin and crispy crusts — it seems like they're going for New York-style 'za — and are priced between $4 and $5. On the joint's well-attended opening night, I dug into a slice of classic pepperoni ($5/slice; $30/full). The safe bet paid off: The slice had nice flavor, texture and an equitable cheese-to-topping ratio. I would have definitely eaten more. (JOSH KELETY)

SPICY BANH MI
Iron Goat Brewing Co., 1302 W. Second Ave.

ICE ICE BABY
Boombox Pizza, 221 N. Division St.
White sauce pizzas are often hit-and-miss; sometimes they just don't have the same level of taste that classic red sauce pies do. But once I stumbled upon this heavenly pie ($20) at a time of night when no one should be eating pizza, I knew at once it reigned supreme above all the other white sauce-chicken-bacon combos I'd previously tried. All Boombox's crust options are solid (I prefer the pan), and the white sauce has just the right amount of garlic. The smaller cuts of onions, tomatoes, chicken and bacon maximizes texture and flavor without making the slice unwieldy. If you've been burned by white sauce pizzas before, allow this little number to redeem them in your heart. (CONNOR GILBERT)

THAI
Fire Artisan Pizza, 517 Sherman Ave., Coeur d'Alene; 816 W. Sprague Ave.
The pizza crust at Fire is a handcrafted work of beauty — slightly charred, crunchy, chewy, packed with flavor — but when it's transformed into their Thai pie, it reaches a whole new level. The Thai is a perfect mix of sweet (with cashew satay and sweet chili sauces), heat (with serrano chiles and sriracha), meat (roasted chicken), herbs (with cilantro and green onions) and crunch (with chopped cashews). Those who abhor spice and flavor might ask them to go easy on the sriracha; everyone else will think it hits all the right notes. (JACOB H. FRIES)

HOT MESS
Allie's Vegan Pizzeria & Cafe, 1314 S. Grand Blvd.
Whether you're a vegan or not, the Hot Mess (shown below) really is the ultimate comfort food. Allie's is great at proving plant-based food can stand out against its dairy or meat counterparts, and this pizza definitely showcases that. From the Buffalo ranch base to the cashew mac and cheese and fried chick'n, it almost sounds like too much. But trust me, reader, it's worth every guilty bite. It's also layered with Allie's housemade vegan mozzarella to prove there's still a pizza under all of that carb-loaded goodness. There's even some red onions sprinkled on top to somewhat relieve your healthy conscience. (DEREK HARRISON) ♦