Serving Up Food, Family, and Friendship in Sandy

In her only four months in business in Sandy, Suzanne Jackson has already made a name for herself, serving up pizza by the slice and a family-oriented space and menu at Mt. Pizza and Brews. Knowing she grew up in the food industry, with her parents running a coffee shop when she was a teen, it’s not too surprising how natural the role of restaurateur is for Jackson.

Jackson and her father Wayne Slagle turned the former Le Happy Creperie at 38687 Proctor Blvd., into Mt. Pizza on May 23, and have received a very warm welcome since.

The father-daughter duo previously co-owned the Cascade Locks Ale House with two of Jackson’s friends from 2012-2017, but were new to the Sandy scene when they arrived this spring.

Despite that, Jackson has quickly begun putting down roots and making connections around town to support local sports teams and community efforts, offering up space for groups like the Sandy Public Library and the Value Oregon Trail Education PAC to host fundraisers and informational events, and sports teams to review film and gather after games.

“I really like people to sit down and enjoy each other and enjoy a healthy meal,” Jackson said. “(Mt. Pizza) is something I’d feed my family.”

The only thing as wholesome as Mt. Pizza’s atmosphere is the menu. All of their pizzas, sandwiches and salads are made with fresh ingredients. The pizza dough is handmade and the sauce is inspired by a recipe Jackson learned in Italy.

Pizza is Suzanne’s favorite food — not only because it’s delicious, but because it is such a communal dish that is easily shared — and she’s been making her own dough for 20 years.

Her favorite pie on the Mt. Pizza menu is the Chick Peak, which includes barbecue sauce, chicken, bacon, onions, tomatoes, and cheddar cheese, with hot honey drizzle.

The community’s favorite so far appears to be the pie named for the establishment itself — the Mt. Pizza — which boasts a zesty marinara base topped with cheese, pepperoni, sausage, mushrooms, black olives, green bell peppers and onions.

With indoor and covered outdoor seating, Mt. Pizza is a welcoming stop for all seasons, with games and activities like cornhole available outside and TVs showing Sunday, Monday and Thursday night football inside and out.

“We want to get people together, engaged and hanging out,” Jackson said. “Most of my friends have kids, and I love that they bring their kids here. We’re all about having a safe spot where people of all ages can be and come together.”

Mt. Pizza is open every day except Tuesday, from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., and offers pizza by the slice from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. They offer delivery on Uber Eats and you can order to-go, aside from enjoying the sitdown experience at the restaurant. Jackson hopes to have even more events, and even live music on the patio in the future, and recently started hosting line dancing on Wednesdays. For more information about Mt. Pizza and Brews and to view their menu, visit mtpizzasandy.com or find them on Facebook.