There's A Delicious Pizzeria Hiding In This Historic Hotel Building In Washington
By Jessica Wick|Published May 28, 2021
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Jessica Wick
Author
Jessica Wick is a writer and travel enthusiast who loves exploring new places, meeting new people and, of course, beautiful Big Sky Country and every part of Washington State.
As local travel experts, we know what travelers are looking for when it comes to finding the perfect accommodations for their next trip. To compile our lists, we scour the internet to find properties with excellent ratings and reviews, desirable amenities, nearby attractions, and that something special that makes a destination worthy of traveling for.
Wilkeson is a tiny town in Pierce County, with a population of just 516 people. This is a place most people simply drive through on their way to visit Mt. Rainier — but should you happen to find yourself there, we sincerely hope you’re hungry when you do. The Carlson Block is an absolute hidden gem of a pizzeria, and you’ll be surprised by the deliciousness you discover inside.
Wilkeson was founded on coal and sandstone mining well over a century ago, and most of the remaining buildings are historic, including this one.
Back then, it was known as the Carlson Hotel and had 16 pristine guest rooms for weary travelers. And for the last 4.5 years, it has been home to some of the best pizza on the planet.
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Step inside and you'll see plenty of historic touches with a modern flair.
The dough is made fresh daily from a decade-old starter, the sauce is made in-house, and the mozzarella is as fresh as it gets. It's also made in-house using curd sourced from Ferndale Farmstead.
It's quite a labor of love to make this pizza, but it's clearly worth it. Read the online reviews and you'll find hundreds of people declaring that it's the best pizza in the entire PNW.
While the pizza is obviously the star of the show here, we highly recommend staying for dessert.
This beautiful building is owned by chef Ian Galbraith and his wife Ashley, who own and operate the pizzeria and even live on the second floor with their daughter.