Spark Pizza Is Worth the Wait

My favorite pizza in the Pacific Northwest isn't in Seattle. It's in a Redmond strip not far from Microsoft, and on Sundays, a line forms before the doors even open.

It's Spark Pizza, and I'm willing to wait for it.

How Spark started

Spark comes from Tony and Carolyn Scott, the couple behind Woodblock, also in Redmond. Before they opened, they took their kitchen team to New York and Italy to eat at some of the world's best pizza places. Their chef de cuisine, Kyle Cole, then tested 15 different doughs before landing on the one they still use.

What they ended up with is its own thing: a cross between Neapolitan and New York style, with a puffy, blistered edge and a crisp bottom instead of a floppy one.

And it's not just me. The Italian ranking site 50 Top Pizza put Spark on its list of the best pizzerias in the United States three years running: No. 48 in 2022, No. 31 in 2023, and No. 33 in 2024. In 2022, it was the only place in Washington on the list.

What I order

Two things, and I almost never stray.

The Detroit-style pepperoni. A thick, square pie with crispy, caramelized cheese edges, sauce on top, and pepperoni that curls into little cups. Detroit style is my favorite kind of pizza, and this is the best version of it I've found around here.

The New York style, on Sundays only. Spark makes New York-style pies only on Sundays, and only a limited number. It's a thinner, crispier slice you can fold, which is the whole point of New York pizza.

The Detroit-style pies are limited too, so if you have your heart set on one, don't show up at dinner time and hope.

The Sunday line

Here's the part nobody tells you. On Sundays there's always a wait. If you get there 30 to 45 minutes before they open, you're usually fine. Show up right at opening, and you're rolling the dice on whether the New York pies are already spoken for.

Yes, that means standing outside a pizza place in Redmond before noon on a Sunday. I've made my peace with it.

Dress for the weather

Spark is outdoor seating only. Before that scares you off in a Pacific Northwest winter, they have heaters and clear walls that help keep the heat in on the cold days. It still helps to dress for the weather, so bring a jacket.

If you go

Spark Pizza is at 8110 164th Ave NE in Redmond. Check their hours before you go, especially on Sunday, and plan to arrive early.

I'll see you in line.