Backpacker Pizza opens in downtown Camas with vegan, gluten-free options

CAMAS — Pizza has returned to downtown Camas, and people with vegan and gluten-free diets will have the chance to enjoy a slice or even a whole pie.

Backpacker Pizza, owned and operated by Jami and Rod Harris and their three adult children, opened in the downtown Camas space formerly occupied by the Attic Gallery, 421 N.E. Cedar St. Son Mackenzie Harris is the restaurant’s head chef and general manager.

The new pizza shop, which opened in late November and is already getting rave reviews, offers a variety of 12-inch pizzas and salads made with seasonal ingredients the Harrises source from local and regional farms. This includes vegan and gluten-free pizzas made in separate areas designed to prevent cross-contamination.

“Everything is fresh, not frozen. And we strive to stay in the Pacific Northwest region when sourcing greens and proteins,” Jami Harris said. “In fact, a great majority of these products we use are ‘hyperlocal,’ (grown or raised) within 30 minutes of Camas.”

Some of Backpacker Pizza’s most popular seasonal pizzas include the Thru-Hiker, topped with arugula, roasted garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, olives, artichoke hearts, microgreens, ricotta and mozzarella cheeses and marinara sauce. The House Build features a marinara base topped with mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses, black olives, mushrooms, roasted garlic and seared steak.

Backpacker also offers classic pizza options, including cheese; pepperoni; veggie; pineapple with bacon; pepperoni and red onions; and the “supreme” with pork sausage, mushrooms, red onion, sweet peppers and black olives.

The restaurant also has a children’s menu, desserts and a wide variety of drinks, including beer, wine, kombucha, iced tea, lemonade and sodas, including an on-tap root beer from Snoqualmie Falls Brewery that has proven popular.

“We strive to source our beers and wines from the local region as well,” Jami Harris said. “Most of our taps are from Southwest Washington or Portland, and many of our cans and bottles are hyperlocal as well.”

The Harris family lived in Alaska for decades before moving to Camas in 2018 and went outside the Northwest for coffee, featuring a family favorite, Alaska-based Kaladi Brothers Coffee.

“We fell deeply in love with Camas,” Jami Harris said. The more time the family spent in downtown Camas, the more at home they felt in their community.

Jami, a flight attendant for Alaska Airlines, and Rod, a retired firefighter, said they had dreamed of opening a family-friendly restaurant that would welcome not only adults but also children and teenagers.

“We wanted it to be a place for families … and we knew we wanted to be downtown,” Jami Harris said.

The couple, who have long entertained family and friends with inventive pizzas baked in their home pizza oven, also knew downtown Camas was in need of a new pizza joint after Camas Slices closed in April 2023.

In 2024, when the Attic Gallery space opened, the Harrises jumped at the opportunity and began planning their dream pizza shop.

Mackenzie Harris, who studied business management in college, was a perfect fit for managing the restaurant.

The family also wanted to highlight local artists inside their shop. Currently, the restaurant is featuring photos by Camas-based photographer John Bryn and abstract art by Jami Harris’ sister-in-law, Portland artist Rachel Wolf.

For more information, visit backpackerpizza.com.