Grace and Hammer’s pizza menu offers a variety of divine names, including, “Belltower,” “Integrity,” “Purist” and “Benevolent Bird.” The meaning behind the holy motif? The pizzeria is in a declared historic church site.
Adam Valentine, the “preacher of pizza,” spoke with the Source during the eve of Grace and Hammer’s sixth anniversary.
Valentine told the story of how he and his two business partners used to work for another pizza place just outside of Austin, Texas. “I believe we were one of the largest buyers of Deschutes Beer in our area. We eventually caught some representatives of Deschutes’ attention, as far as how much we were purchasing from them, and being good customers,” he said. “At one point they offered to show us around the Bend area and in some surrounding areas.”
They took a trip to Central Oregon and fell in love with the area. “There was just this serendipitous moment where we were just meandering around, and wound up just driving right by this historic church here in Redmond on our way back to the airport. There’s a big old ‘For Sale’ sign, and the historic architecture and the community here in Redmond, all of it just kind of fit together, and it just, this was it. This was the place.” Grace and Hammer opened in August of 2019.
The church was completed in 1912 and declared a historic site in 1976. After the last congregation left, the church, as Valentine says, wore “many different hats,” being an event venue and dance studio before being sold again. Valentine labeled them as the stewards of the historical building.
“We have so many people that come into our restaurant that bring up the fact that, ‘hey, I was married in this church, like 25 years ago,’ ‘I was baptized here,’ or even more recently, ‘hey, I had a dance recital here.’ That is a really fun thing to get to experience. And I feel like if we were to disregard a lot of the things set in place to maintain the historical aspect, I feel like that would take away from a lot of the fond memories people have at the place.”
This pizza is The Prodigal Pig, featured on a Food Network Show. Photo courtesy of Grace and Hammer
In addition to Grace and Hammer’s usual complement of devout customers, celebrity chef Guy Fieri made a pilgrimage in 2023. In an episode of his show, “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives” he tries one of their more unique pizzas; the Prodigal Pig, which features Korean kalbi sauce, mozzarella, fontina, smoked pulled pork, pineapple slaw and pickled red onion. Also featured in the episode was Grace and Hammer’s specialized wood-fired oven that can reach 800 degrees, fueled by white oak. It can cook their 12-inch pizzas, including their most popular Saint Stanley—red sauce, pepperoni, Italian sausage, fresh mozzarella, caramelized onions, and Calabrian chilies—in 2 minutes.
As Fieri said on the show, “I know I am preaching to the choir, but I got to confess, It’s excellent pizza.”
Runner up: Jersey Boys Pizzeria
Grace and Hammer
Wed.-Thu., 4-8pm, Fri.-Sun., Noon-8pm
641 SW Cascade Ave, Redmond
graceandhammer.com/
This article appears in Best of Central Oregon 2025 and the Source August 21, 2025.
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