Many breweries, restaurants and food carts in Eugene deserve to be on this list of top-notch eats, but these are the limitations of print. In no particular order, the following locales are highly recommended places to grab a bite to eat or plunk down for a microbrew. Want more? Go to eugeneweekly.com/chow for EW’s delicious quarterly restaurant guide.
A relative newcomer to the Eugene food truck scene, Kun Fusion’s Mexican-Korean fusion food has to be tried to be believed. If Korean barbecue fixings in burritos, tacos and quesadillas pique your interest, find out where Kun Fusion is rolling with the free Eugene Street Food App.
Some of the tastiest (and strongest) margaritas in town, crunchy chips and guac, tacos galore (we recommend carnitas and pescado), a lively atmosphere — what’s not to love?
Eugene’s beloved Japanese whiskey bar tucked into the Whiteaker neighborhood will never steer you wrong. Start off with a bourbon and ginger cocktail, then choose from the plentiful tapas menu — buttery pan-fried rice, onigiri (stuffed rice balls wrapped in seaweed) and grilled tofu on a skewer are some of our favorites.
Cafe Yumm! is such a pervasive part of Eugene culture that it seems silly even mentioning it, but for first-time visitors to this Oregon and Washington franchise, the Yumm! bowl is a must-try, filled with rice, black beans, olives, avocado, tomatoes and the ever-addictive Yumm! sauce. We’re pretty sure that everyone in Eugene is addicted to that sauce, and we’re not even sorry.
With newly expanded seating, Café Soriah is an old favorite of the Eugene dining scene, in part due to the warm, friendly nature of its owner, Ibrahim Hamide, who has stuck by the business since it opened in 1993. Café Soriah offers a classy dining experience with a Mediterranean menu, including lamb, Greek seafood, steak, souvlaki, tandoori beef skewer and baba ghanooj.
Chef Jorge Navarro and his food truck are guaranteed to leave you full to bursting with hearty dishes that combine an array of satisfying flavors. The Cuban pork sweet potato fries, piled with pulled pork and chipotle cream, are the answer to any lunch or dinner dilemma. Navarro’s can be found at Oakshire Pub and Ninkasi Tasting Room. Check the website for details and see addresses for the breweries below.
If Cuban and Latin American food strikes your fancy, head over to Membrillo for a semi-formal dining experience in an intimate, pleasant setting. It’s hard to go wrong here, but especially delicious menu items include tostones (fried plantains), ceviche, Cuban-style black beans and rice, and ciruela pasa (stuffed dates with lamb bacon and goat cheese).
No joke, the Eugene area overflows with breweries, and they all offer distinct delights. Ninkasi (272 Van Buren Street), Hop Valley (990 W. 1st Avenue) and Oakshire (207 Madison Street) are Eugene beer staples. Newcomer ColdFire Brewing (263 Mill Street) specializes in German and Belgian beers, while far-flung Agrarian Ales (31115 Crossroads Lane W.) is a hop farm brewery with dependably diverse offerings. Plank Town (346 Main Street) in Springfield has charming, novel and always tasty beers. For cider, try WildCraft Cider Works (390 Lincoln Street) and its fruit-based beverages.
If you’re looking for a Chinese restaurant chain with a panda on it, you’ve come to the wrong place. Kung Fu serves up authentic Sichuan Chinese cuisine, bursting with flavors new and interesting to the Western palate. Cubed tofu with chunks of bell pepper and whole peanuts pair well with chicken prepared in a fish sauce, complete with a glass of jasmine tea and a generous scoop of white rice. So good.
For a hearty, finger-licking good time, Party Downtown is the place to be. Chefs Tiffany Norton and Mark Kosmicki whip up amazingly tasty confections, with a rotating menu that changes to reflect availability depending on the season. One bite of their hardboiled son-in-law egg, and you’re hooked.