Baby Doll Pizza, known for its popular New York-style thin-crust pizza, is opening its second location in Northeast Portland. The new spot is located at Old Town Brewing’s new brewpub on Northeast Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, near Sumner Street. The pizzeria, which first opened on Southeast Stark Street in 2011, has built a loyal following for its quality pizza and laid-back atmosphere.
Adam Milne, who owns both Old Town Brewing and Baby Doll, says the decision to expand was based on strong demand. “There is a huge following for Baby Doll, and it’s only been at one location. We get a lot of requests for people wanting it all around Portland,” Milne explains. Though the original Baby Doll location has been a local favorite, long waits are rare, and customers can enjoy affordable beer and pizza—a contrast to the pricier, upscale pizza options around the city.
Milne, who acquired Baby Doll in 2021, maintained the quality of the original location while adding Old Town’s beer. Despite Old Town Brewing’s existing pizza offerings, a different, doughier style, the collaboration between Baby Doll and Old Town didn’t take shape until 2023. The two businesses teamed up to create Old Baby, a low-ABV lager that quickly became popular, complete with artwork featuring a bearded baby. This success led to the idea of opening a second Baby Doll location inside the brewpub.
Milne says the second location’s priority is to maintain the same quality of pizza. To ensure consistency, the team brought in the same pizza oven used at the Stark Street location, despite Old Town’s existing oven. After testing and adjustments, the team is confident in replicating the pizza’s signature dough and homemade ingredients, such as mozzarella and sausage.
The new location will offer the same menu as the original. “We didn’t want to half-ass it and just have certain items,” says Milne. The expansion is not only a response to local demand but also a smart business move. With the beer market facing challenges, Milne hopes the second location will attract more customers to Old Town’s Northeast Portland location and bring fresh energy to the space.
The collaboration reflects a broader trend of breweries teaming up with food carts, restaurants, and pop-ups for mutual benefit, similar to partnerships seen with Great Notion, Von Ebert, and others. However, Milne emphasizes that this arrangement is more than a pop-up. “It’s a kitchen takeover,” he says. “We’re making sure it’s natural and not trying too hard, but keeping the ambience of Old Town the same.” At this time, there are no plans to expand Baby Doll to a third location in downtown Portland.
The new Baby Doll Pizza location at Old Town Brewing is now open and offers the same great pizza in a fresh setting.
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