Update 11/2009: This cart has now opened a full blown restaurant at NE 27th and Alberta. The cart is only open once in a while for events. Please call them at (315) 523-3407 to confirm. Thanks!
Location: Sw 4th Ave and College St. (near PSU)
Description: Portland now has another food cart serving tasty and traditional Sicilian street food.
Pizza, calzones, and daily specials ($5.00) like lasagna, eggplant parmesan, and pastas make up the offerings at this large purple cart on the corner of SW 4th Ave. and College Street near PSU, while desserts such as house made cannolis, cakes, pies, and brownies round out the offerings. The food is good. Really good. For Stephen Ferruzza, the affable young owner, is some kind of Sicilian food savant. Originally from upstate NY, he comes equipped with some pretty impressive credentials including stints working as a chef at the Lake Placid Lodge, and a Sicilian father who taught him his trade. Stephen’s biggest love however, is baking.
And it shows. Pizza aficionados usually agree that one of the most important parts of the pizza is the crust, and Ferruzza makes a crust to rival that of the best in Portland. Equipped with a real pizza oven that gets up to 700 degrees F, a true slow risen dough, and a touch that only a passionate and true baker can have, his crust is a perfect balance between crusty and soft, thin in the right spots and thick around the fat edges, and has little air bubbles and the occasional spot of char on the bottom indicating it was made in the traditional and proper manner. It’s pretty darn close to a slice of heaven if you ask me. Toppings are basic and include the classic pizza margherita, pizza carne (choice of pepperoni or hard salumi), or a pizza verdura that features seasonal veggies. Pizzas come in three sizes – a large slice is $3.00, a nine- inch or so round “personal pizza” is $6.00, and a whole pie goes for $14.00, no matter the toppings. Stephen doesn’t skimp on quality either, using well regarded San Marzano tomatoes for his vibrant sauce and quality mozzarella, fresh basil and different seasonal vegetables for his toppings. 
The calzones are large and well worth the $5.00 and come as a choice of Classico (ricotta, mozzarella, and basil),Verdura (seasonal vegetables), or Carne (with pepperoni or salumi). In addition, Stephen, with his love and knowledge of baking, also makes his own bread, “soft and Sicilian style, not that hard crunchy kind found everywhere else in Portland,” he says. Bread comes as a side for the daily specials, or a whole loaf can be purchased for $3.00.
I’m always amazed when I find cart food like this tucked away in the corners and parking lots of Portland, especially when it is of this high caliber and made by someone who truly cares about his craft. Highly recommended!
Sample Menu:
Pizzas – $3.00, $6.00 or $14.00 – Margherita (tomatoes, basil, mozzarella), carne (mozzarella, basil, peperoni or salumi), or verdura (seasonal vegetables).
Calzones – $5.00- with a side of tomato sauce – classico (ricotta, mozzarella, basil), verdura (seasonal vegetables), carne (mozzarella and choice of pepperoni or salumi)
Specials – $5.00 – with fresh baked Sicilian bread – rotating daily specials with things like lasagna, eggplant parmesan, pastas, etc.
Fresh baked bread – $3.00
Rotating desserts – $3.00 – cannoli, cakes, pies, brownies, etc
Hours: (call for hours)
Phone: (315) 523-3407
Website: Unknown
I have eaten there,and I agree…The pizza is awesome…The write up is awesome too…Right on the mark….
Ferruzza Pizza
We were on vacaton over the Christmas holidays and drove back from the coast over the worst icy roads I ever been on, cars off all over the road. Somehow we happened on The Ferruzza pizza cart and the owner made us a fresh basil and olive pizza. Right out of the oven, we ate the whole thing, I thought I was in the countryside of Italy, so delicious and authentic. Fantastico!!!
Sounds so fantastically Portland–we’re spoiled, we expect quality food even at cart prices: and we get it! Once my broken knee is mended, I’ll walk down there and see what vegan options they have, sounds great!
Ian, I bet Stephen can make you a vegan calzone or pizza.
Ian, do spread the word if you hear something! I’m going to check it out soon myself. My Sicilian roots are really curious about the bread…..
I went today and I am really charmed by this place! Thanks for the tip. I had a personal pizza with garlic infused olive oil, fresh herbs and veggies. I’m going to go again soon.
I dunno if I was incredibly hungry or if eating a hot bubbling pizza while sitting outside in the cold contributed to it, but I am in love with al Forno Ferruzza’s pizza! I’ve been dreaming about it all week (and I am very, very picky about my pizza). I rate it as good as Ken’s or Apizza Scholls. Seriously.
I agree!! Truly Artisan!
I had a “slice” of pepperoni here last week, which is really just 1/2 of the personal sized pizza.
It was pretty good – I did like the crust. The sauce was pure tomatoes, simple, straightforward and delicious. I wish I was downtown during lunch as I’d try out the daily special for sure.
I really wish some of the better carts would stay open on Saturdays. There are a sparse few, and a few more when the weather is better, but it’s quite limited. I have classes up at PSU on weekends and while Superdog is great, some variety in the form of carts would be much welcomed.
Thanks for the review – can’t wait to try it someday.
“Later Hours” and “Saturday/Weekend” would be great tags, actually. There are a few open past 2/3; and the occasional Saturday. . . India Chaat House, Real Taste of India and Thai Basil come to mind. . .
Ian – Brilliant Idea! I’ll add it…when I can. However, I need help from all you alert readers on the street to tell me who’s doing what, and when.
Keep the tips coming!
Thanks
Finally made it over–and I’ve been daydreaming of going back, since. They made us up a whole vegan pie with a sun-dried tomato (cheeseless) pesto, fresh basil, fresh rosemary, fantastic kalamata and thick green olives, tomatoes and pine nuts. There may have been some onions, too. All of that was great, but the crust was definitely the best I’ve had in Portland, the real knockout. My non-vegan girlfriend said she preferred their pizza sans cheese, as (surprisingly to me) she said they use too much cheese in the American (I thought) way, rather than bits of fresh Mozzarella like she expected. Anyway–vegan or not, I’d recommend trying one that way as a lighter but nevertheless rich variation. I can’t wait to go back through the summer, with all the veggies they’ll have access to on that amazing crust. Very friendly folks, too, and modest.
my picky boyfriend (who is originally from NY) loved his pie so much he is excited it is right next to his school. The crust is amazing and the sauce is so light and flavorful. Oh and really sweet chef too.
Okay, I have been there 2x now. I was so excited to finally eat what I have heard so much about. Maybe my expectations were too high, but I was bored. Everthing seemed flat. My first meal was the calzone. Dough was nice, sauce and ricotta fill boring and bland. Also, sauce was served very cold. Not fun to dip your nice hot calzone into cold sauce.
Next try, Margarita Pizza. Very thin crust, light sauce and light on the cheese. Mabye I just prefer a pizza with more gusto.
By the way prices are WAY UP. Everything was $7.00 and large pizza was $20.00
No third trip here.
They just moved into a brick and mortar storefront at 28th and Alberta. Soft opening was last week. Lots of space and cozy couches. No salads yet but they’re coming. $3 for cheese. I am guessing the truck is not at 4th and Hall anymore because it’s usually parked across the street just off Alberta.
The cart lives on at 4th and Hall, there must be a second truck. I’m pretty lucky — I work just a few blocks from the cart, and I live about 20 blocks from the new restaurant. I’m hoping their wonderful canoles are available at the Alberta location!
Al Forno Feruza is still open on SW 4th!
I went into their new storefront restaurant on NE Alberta and got the 411.
Stephen wasn’t in but the nice folks who were did inform me that the Al Forno Cart on SW 4th and Hall is still open. Hours can be a bit hit or miss, so it is best to call first.
In addition, Al Forno has another mobile cart that they take around to festivals, farmers markets and other events which explains why you might have seen it parked around town. Al Forno is also available to cater private parties.
Thanks!
the cart may still be at psu, but they haven’t been open this week… not sure if they’re moving things for good?
Thanks Tortuga,
I’ve updated the post to reflect these unknowns…
They usually have a cart at the Sunday King neighborhood farmer’s market (at King School – NE 7th & Alberta – Sundays, 10am-3pm) if you want to eat pizza & buy berries!
This cart has officially been taken over by Sureetana Oriental Kitchen.
Thanks for the updates! I’ll update the posts when I have the chance
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Thanks for this post. It gives me hope. One can start with a stand and then open up something better. Nice post.
Marketta
Nice website and nice people too. I will have to stop in.