Happy Hour: It's heartbreaking that Serious Pie cuts off its terrific $5 pizzas at 5 p.m.

Happy hour |

A wicked happy hour, this Serious Pie, teasing poor 9-to-5 workers with its $5 mini gourmet pizzas that are available only between 3-5 p.m.

I've seen downtown workers rush in just before 5 p.m. I've also seen a few miss the 5 p.m. cutoff. Heartbreaking stuff.

It seems almost cruel to write about Serious Pie's happy hour when so many can't make it. But it's December. Maybe you take off around Christmas and shop around downtown. Maybe you need a pit stop at, oh, 3-5 p.m.?

At Tom Douglas' Serious Pie, those mini pizzas are affordable enough that you can sample quite a few — even all eight — if you bring a few friends.

Try the roasted chanterelles-and-truffle-cheese combo. I love the venison sausage with Walla Walla onion topping. And I love even more the squash and roasted garlic paired with pungent Gorgonzola, a perfect balance of sweet and salty.

Most pizzas here don't include a tomato-sauce base. It drives some folks crazy. "A glorified open-face sandwich!" is one cry.

Still, it works here. It just accentuates the ridiculously crunchy and chewy crust, with hints of smokiness from the wood-fired oven — the crust marrying nicely with the gourmet cheeses and toppings.

Serious Pie, 316 Virginia St., offers happy hour Mondays-Fridays from 3-5 p.m., with $5 mini pizzas, $5 wine and $3 beer (206-838-7388 or www.tomdouglas.com).

Tan Vinh: 206-515-5656 or tvinh@seattletimes.com