As with all things plant-based, Portlands vegan pizza scene is in the midst of a mini growth spurt, one that started in 2017, with the arrival of the Canadian pizza and ice cream mini chain Virtuous Pie (1126 S.E. Division St., #200), and was followed last year by the stoner-friendly pizza wraps at Secret Pizza Society (7201 N.E. Glisan St.).

Add to that the tomato or nut cheese or sauce-less market veggie pies found at non-vegan pizzerias from Checkerboard (126 S.W. Second Ave) to Sizzle Pie (various locations) to Tastebud (7783 S.W. Capitol Highway) and you already have yourself the makings of a dynamic meat- and dairy-free pizza landscape.

Yet even among this glut of options, Baby Blue stands out for the quality of its chewy, blistered dough. The 7-month-old food cart comes from Odie OConnor, who trained at Gracies Apizza, and the lineage -- not to mention the connection between Gracies and Handsome Pizza -- show through.

As a carnivore, not all of Baby Blues topping combinations work for me (the vegan mozzarella comes off as unpleasantly glue-y). But order a mozzarella-free pie, the simple marinara, say, or the mushroom and truffle oil-topped truffle shuffle, and pay extra attention to the tangy sourdough base, which can hold its own with any of Portlands best new pizzerias.

Baby Blue is open noon to 7 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday; noon to 5 p.m. Sunday-Monday; 3207 S.E. Hawthorne Blvd. (next to Matts BBQ Tacos); babybluepizza.com

-- Michael Russell, mrussell@oregonian.com, @tdmrussell

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Portland is in the midst of a vegan pizza boomlet, and Baby Blue Pizza is leading the charge - OregonLive