Best of Olympia 2020: Dirty Dave’s Pizza Parlor

Readers' Pick: Best Pizza

By Marguerite Cleveland on February 20, 2020

(Photo: Dirty Dave’s Pizza Parlor has some unique specialty pizzas. This is the Chicken Divan Pizza: a creamy garlic ranch sauce topped with chicken, fresh broccoli, red onion and tomato, then topped with cheddar cheese, all on their famous thin and crispy crust.)

Well after lunch time on a Sunday, Dirty Dave's parking lot is packed and the place is hopping. You know a restaurant is good when it is packed at off peak hours. This old school pizza parlor has a cult following among locals since 1972. It is no surprise the readers selected it as Best Pizza for the 2020 Best of Olympia.

When you walk in the door, you immediately feel as if you are in a family-friendly environment as kids and adults enjoy games in the arcade. For over 40 years, generations have inserted a coin in The Chicken Machine and watched the mechanical chicken twirl and whirl around, clucking while music plays, before it drops an egg with a toy surprise inside. 

But the main reason people come to Dirty Dave's is their unique thin and crispy pizza crusts which they call skins. The skins are very flavorful and stand up to the generous amounts of toppings. Dirty Dave's secret recipes are still used, and they take the time to prepare everything fresh. Each morning, a crew arrives to cut and slice all the meats and veggies as well as prepare the salad bar. Dirty Dave's is one of the few restaurants in the area still featuring a salad bar with all house-made salad dressings. Make sure to try their signature French Caesar Dressing which is also used on their popular Jake's Sandwich. In the afternoon, one of the staff mans the dough room making fresh crusts.

One of their most popular items is Jake's Sandwich. The ingredients are simple, but the preparation is what elevates this sandwich and makes for its popularity. A French roll is slathered with a mayo/mustard mixture on one side and on the other, their signature French Caesar Dressing. The sandwich is then layered with salami and ham, covered with cheese and broiled. Once all hot and bubbly, it is dressed with shredded lettuce and sliced tomatoes. So yummy.

Dirty Dave's loves supporting the local community, whether it is donations for fundraisers or working with their partners. They are a Partner in Education with Lacey Elementary which brings schools and businesses together by volunteering and supporting student activities. It is designed to cultivate positive relationships that benefit education and student learning.

They also partner with Homeless Backpacks, a nonprofit which is committed to ending homelessness among teenagers so they can focus on school and graduation. The group gives homeless teens backpacks with food for the weekend. Dirty Dave's helps with donations, volunteer support and food drives.

DIRTY DAVE'S PIZZA PARLOR, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., Monday-Thursday; 11 a.m. to midnight, Friday-Saturday; noon to 11 p.m., Sunday, 3939 Martin Way E, Olympia, 360.456.1560, DirtyDavesPizza.com