Andiamo Pizzeria Will Open in South Waterfront in Portland

A new pizzeria will open in the South Waterfront neighborhood called Andiamo Pizzeria. Conceived as an upscale pizzeria “that brings together the spirit of global travel and authentic culinary artistry,” they will offer hand‐tossed, wood‐fired pies in the old Sweet Heart Pizza space in the Griffis South Waterfront apartment building.

First, a Bit About the Space’s Predecessor, Sweet Heart Pizza

You may remember them as as Heart Pizza—they set up shop in the building in 2017, so it’s been a pizzeria in there since at least that long. Heart Pizza was founded by restauranteur Micah Camden, who also founded Little Big Burger, Blue Star Donuts, SuperDeluxe, Little Bean, and Boxer Ramen. They changed their name to Sweet Heart in 2018, likely related to the lawsuit between them and Heart Coffee over name infringement.

In 2022 they closed, posting this message: “Sadly the financial effects of Covid compounded with rising prices in food & supplies has caused us to shut down temporarily. We are regrouping and planning our next steps, please stay tuned and hopefully we will be churning out pizzas for all of you again soon! We have appreciated all of your support over the last four & half years down here in South Waterfront.”

Andiamo Pizzeria: Concept and Founder

Andiamo’s founder, Adnan Ali says, “‘Andiamo’ means ‘let’s go’ in Italian. Inspired by the idea of a journey, Andiamo offers a dining experience that celebrates both Italian traditions and international flavors.”

You may know Adnan as the person behind the Indian and Pakistani restaurant Zaiqa—they are located just up the street on the corner of S Gaines Street and S Bond Avenue. They also have locations in Lake Oswego and Wilsonville. Haveli on NW 23rd Avenue and Sultan the Flaming Tandoor in Sherwood are his other restaurant businesses—he is a prolific restauranteur, and I would not be surprised to see more restaurants to come from Mr. Ali.

He also explained that Andiamo Pizzeria’s brand look and feel was conceived to reflect the idea of a “global voyage”: an abstract image of a pizza slice atop a circle that represents the globe.

Unconventional Pizza Flavors at Andiamo Pizzeria

Despite the Italian name of the pizzeria, they will offer more than your standard pizza ingredients and flavor profiles. “Each pizza is designed to represent a region of the world,” said Aidnan. You’ll find pizzas with flavors and ingredients commonly eaten in India and Pakistan, various parts of Asia, as well as Mexico and Hawaii.

These pizzas are:

Arabico (Arab—but seems more Greek to me): Garlic cream sauce, mozzarella, provolone, gyro chicken, red onions, Kalamata olives, feta, & spicy garlic glaze.
Induista (Hindu): Pesto, mozzarella, provolone, spinach red onions, roma tomatoes, masala paneer, ginger, & garlic.
Indiano (Indian): Red chili sauce, mozzarella, provolone, butter chicken, red onions, green onions, Roma tomatoes, cilantro, & cream glaze.
Pakistano (Pakistani): Garlic cream sauce, mozzarella, provolone, tandoori chicken, red onions, green bell peppers, Serrano peppers, cilantro, & sriracha glaze.
Tailandese (Thai): Red chili sauce, mozzarella, provolone, grilled chicken, white onions, green onions, red bell peppers, basil, garlic, & sriracha glaze.
Messicano (Mexican): Red chili sauce, mozzarella, provolone, cheddar, sausage, white onions, green bell peppers, Roma tomatoes, jalapeños, cilantro, & cream glaze.
Hawaiano (Hawaiian): Marinara, mozzarella, provolone, cheddar, Canadian bacon, & pineapple.

This is sympathetic with their statement that they serve “authentic Italian flavors with a global twist.”

They’ll also offer more standard pizzas, including a Margherita, a vegetarian pizza, pesto pie, Diavola, and a Supremo. You can also build your own pie, called Pizza Autentico. And they’ll offer both a traditional spring water dough or a sourdough gluten-free alternative.

Aside from pizzas, there are fresh salads, panini, appetizers, and desserts, as well as curated Italian sodas, wines, and beers to round out the menu.

They are very confident in their offerings, saying they will “launch the best pizza experience in Oregon” and “the most delicious pizza you’ve ever tasted.” Strong assertions, for sure.

They are looking at a Monday, September 1 soft opening, and are offering 10% off your bill for the first week of September. Best of luck to Adnan and his team as they bring a panoply of pizza flavors and options to South Waterfront.

Andiamo Pizzeria [soft opening September 1, 2025]
672 S Gaines Street #1, Portland
Andiamo Pizza website | Instagram | Facebook