Ken’s Artisan Pizza, a wood-fired pizzeria in Southeast Portland, has been named the 44th best pizzeria in the world for 2025 by the Italian organization Top 50 Pizza. The announcement was made Monday during a ceremony at the Teatro Mercadante in Naples, Italy.
This marks the third consecutive year the acclaimed establishment has been included on the prestigious global list, following a 19th-place ranking in 2023 and a 28th-place finish for 2024. The pizzeria was founded by baker Ken Forkish and is now owned by his longtime friend, Peter Kost.
The Naples-based Top 50 Pizza group has faced scrutiny for its opaque ranking methodology. While the organization claims its list is compiled from visits by “anonymous inspectors,” the financial logistics of comprehensively reviewing pizzerias worldwide suggest a probable reliance on reports from unpaid volunteers. It remains unclear if Ken’s was reassessed after the departure of chef Vincent Krone earlier this year.
Furthermore, the rankings predominantly feature Italian-style pizzerias, with 41 of the listed restaurants located in Italy. The majority of top-ranked American pizzerias also specialize in the Neapolitan style.
Adding to the ambiguity, this year’s “Top 50” list is in fact a list of 104 establishments due to several ties, including a shared first-place position. Despite these criticisms, many culinary experts, including Forkish himself, acknowledge the list’s credibility. Featured pizzerias, such as Ken’s and Los Angeles-based Pizzeria Sei (No. 9), are widely regarded as excellent.
Since its sale by Forkish, who moved to Hawaii, Ken’s Artisan Pizza has gained significant international recognition. Now run by owner Peter Kost and chef Jesse Skiles, the restaurant is busier than ever, often producing 300 of its signature thin, deeply charred, wood-fired pizzas each night. The quality of the pizzas, fresh salads, and roasted vegetables remains consistently high, though its growing fame has made it more challenging for locals to drop in spontaneously.
Ken’s Artisan Pizza is located at 304 S.E. 28th Ave. and is open Tuesday through Saturday from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. (or later) and Sundays from 4:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. A second location recently opened at 1033 N.W. Bond St. in Bend.
Source link
