11 Maine Slice Stops Locals Swear Still Taste Like Camp And Coast
There’s a kind of easy perfection to pizza on the Maine coast, the smell of the sea, the whisper of pines, and a hot slice folding just right in your hand. From seaside shacks to lakeside lodges and small-town parlors, these eleven pizzerias carry that campfire-to-coast feeling wherever you find them.
Each one bakes with a sense of place: dough rising in salt air, sauce simmering slow, cheese blistering to gold. You’ll spot families fresh from the beach, hikers still dusted with trail grit, and locals who know every topping by heart.
Here are the spots that turn a simple pizza stop into part of the adventure, warm, familiar, and unmistakably Maine.
1. Pizza By Alex, Biddeford
You can smell the cheddar before you see the sign at Pizza by Alex — a beacon of comfort on Alfred Street since 1960. The storefront hasn’t changed much, and that’s the charm. It feels like time decided to stop for lunch.
The pies are small, round, and unmistakably Greek-style, cooked until the edges crisp and the cheese bubbles in browned freckles. There’s no fuss, no toppings circus, just honest flavor.
I always ask for mine well-done and eat it right in the car. It’s impossible to wait.
2. Bill’s Pizza, Old Orchard Beach
Boardwalk chatter drifts into Bill’s Pizza, where the air hums with salt, sunscreen, and the rhythmic crash of waves. Inside, families trade sand for slices and napkins flutter like seagull wings. The energy is pure summer.
The pizza is thin, foldable, and hot enough to make the cheese stretch as you pull it apart. It’s the kind of slice that tastes better when your hair’s still wet from the ocean.
Swing by barefoot after sunset. Somehow, it’s even better under neon lights.
3. Lisa’s Pizza, Old Orchard Beach
Steam rises from the ovens at Lisa’s, carrying that rich mix of dough, sauce, and fryer oil that’s pure nostalgia. The small window glows in the evening, and the line always wraps toward the boardwalk.
Lisa’s has been serving since 1972, known for hand-tossed pies, seafood plates, and beach fries that never need ketchup. The crust lands soft in the middle, crisp at the edge, buttery in flavor.
I can’t help it, I always grab two slices. One for now, one for the walk home.
4. Pizza Villa, Portland
Walk into Pizza Villa on Congress Street and you feel that old-Portland rhythm, neon, linoleum, laughter, and the unmistakable smell of bubbling cheese. The place hums with a kind of blue-collar ease that newer spots can’t fake.
Their pizza leans Greek-style: chewy crust, bright sauce, and a layer of cheese that crisps around the edges. Slices come out fast, never fancy, always satisfying.
It’s a lunch spot that somehow makes you linger. Grab a booth and watch the day roll by.
5. Pat’s Pizza, Orono
The ovens have been running at Pat’s since 1931, when “Pat” Farnsworth opened his tiny soda fountain and started selling pizza for 10 cents a slice. What began as an experiment turned into a Maine institution.
Their pies are thin, golden, and a little sweet, a recipe carried across more than a dozen locations now, but still best at the Orono original.
Go when the college crowd thins, and ask for extra sauce. The balance of tang and cheese is worth slowing down for.
6. Angelone’s, Westbrook
A puff of steam rolls out when the pizza hits your table at Angelone’s, carrying a buttery, roasted scent that makes conversation stop mid-sentence. The low ceilings, booths, and chatter give the place its lived-in warmth.
Family-owned since the 1940s, Angelone’s specializes in square-cut pies baked until the cheese blisters across the corners. The pepperoni curls like petals under heat.
I swear the crust has its own personality, chewy, crisp, a little salty. It’s the flavor that defines what “local” really means.
7. Amato’s, Portland
The smell of fresh dough and olive oil hits first at Amato’s, followed by the soft chatter of regulars waiting on sandwiches and slices. The place hums with history, it’s been part of Portland’s fabric since 1902.
Their pizza feels unmistakably Italian-American: chewy crust, tangy sauce, and just enough grease to glisten under fluorescent lights. It’s casual food done with confidence.
If you’re here at lunch, grab a slice and an “Original Italian.” It’s Maine’s version of a classic that never fades.
8. Finelli New York Pizzeria, Ellsworth
At Finelli, the pizza oven is always in motion, spinning out wide, foldable New York-style pies that somehow taste right at home in Down East Maine. The air smells like oregano and charred crust.
Started by Bronx native Mike Finelli, this spot brings city precision to small-town Ellsworth. The cheese blend melts perfectly, the sauce leans bright, and the dough strikes that elusive soft-crunch balance.
Take your slice outside and eat it standing up. It’s the only proper way to do it here.
9. Farmington House Of Pizza, Farmington
You notice the glow first, that familiar amber light of a true small-town pizza joint. The booths are worn smooth, the air thick with baking dough, and the servers greet half the customers by name.
Their pizza is hearty, slightly thick-crusted, loaded with toppings, and unapologetically comfort-driven. It’s the kind of pie you eat after a long drive or cold hike.
I’ve never seen anyone leave unhappy here. It’s Farmington’s unofficial town square, just with more mozzarella and fewer speeches.
10. Romeo’s Pizza, Yarmouth
A quiet stretch of Route 1 hides Romeo’s Pizza, a local haunt that feels half diner, half neighborhood gathering spot. You can smell garlic and yeast the moment you park, the kind of aroma that demands attention.
Their pies come out generous and golden, with crisp bottoms and molten cheese that stretches without apology. The dough tastes faintly sweet, unmistakably homemade.
Stop by after a long drive or snowstorm; it’s the kind of comfort that fixes the day before you’ve even sat down.
11. Anthony’s Food Shop, York
The ovens at Anthony’s run early, the scent of baking dough drifting across Route 1 before sunrise. The shop is both bakery and pizzeria, with locals streaming in for coffee and a slice on the go.
Family-owned since the 1990s, they use scratch-made dough and fresh local ingredients, crafting pizza that feels refined yet familiar. The margherita is especially balanced, bright, clean, and honest.
I’ve never managed to leave without ordering a second slice. It’s that blend of road-trip casual and coastal magic.