Pine State Biscuits and Life of Pie Pizza Are Making Northwest Expansions This Summer

Southern food favorite Pine State Biscuits and pizzeria Life of Pie are both set to cross the Willamette and open new locations in Northwest Portland this summer.

This will be the first expansion for the North Williams pizza hub, known for its wood-fired pies and dirt-cheap, seven-hour happy hour.

As for Pine State, it will be the biscuit-slingers’ fourth permanent location, and the first one west of the Willamette (not counting their once-weekly Southwest farmers market pop-ups).

Both are set to move into the upcoming George Besaw building on NW 23rd and Savier, a four-story mixed-use development that will have retail and restaurants on the ground level, and 51 apartments above.

A representative from Vancouver-based developer C.E. John confirmed to Eater that the company has signed leases with the restaurants, as well as juice and smoothie spot Moberi. However, Moberi already has a location just two blocks away on NW 23rd, raising the possibility that it will be moving down the street.

C.E. John

The location was previously home to iconic Portland restaurant Besaw’s until the developer ended the lease in 2015. C.E. John caused a stir when they argued that as owners of the site, they would retain the rights to the Besaw’s name, and initially said they would reopen Besaw’s themselves at that location. The restaurateurs eventually prevailed, moving over to NW 21st. It probably wasn’t the best look for C.E. John, but the choice of popular local businesses to come into the space might go some way towards generating some goodwill for the developer.

All three businesses — Pine State, Life of Pie, and Moberi — are expected to open in summer 2018.

• The New Besaw’s Interior, Revealed [EPDX]
• Tracking Besaw’s Dramatic Closure, Legal Battle, and Reopening [EPDX]
• Design Commission Approves George Besaw Apartments [Next]