9 minute read
FAVORITE DINING PLACES
BEST BAKERY
Winner: Bodhi Cafe and Bakery, Corvallis
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Bodhi Café and Bakery serves a great breakfast with some amazing coffee, but where it really shines is its artisanal bakery. Make sure to try their long-fermented sourdough or grab a crispy baguette. With the holidays approaching, it’s also a great time to put in an order for Thanksgiving or Christmas. Whether you need rolls or biscuits for a big family dinner, or crave some holiday cookies, Bodhi has something delicious to offer. Favorite: Hazella Bake Shop, Lebanon Favorite: BakerzDozen, Albany
BEST BARBECUE
Winner: Oregon Barbecue Company, Albany
Oregon Barbecue Company has won awards for having not only the best barbecue in the state, but the whole Northwest. It won’t take your taste buds long to see why. Some highlights of the menu are the savory German sausages, the wood-smoked chicken and the slow-smoked brisket. Be sure to get there early, as some items tend to sell out before the day’s end. OBC also offers catering for big events. Favorite: Eats & Treats, Philomath Favorite: Cascade BBQ, Corvallis
BEST BREAKFAST
Winner: Brick & Mortar Café, Albany
Whether you’re recovering after a late night out or just spending a Sunday brunch with friends, go to Brick & Mortar. In addition to the expected lineup of omelets, pancakes and waffles, Brick & Mortar offers a few specialties. They’re especially well known for their chicken and waffles, and some very nice crepes. You can get several items on the menu “Mortar Style,” which means topped with sausage gravy, cheese, bacon and shredded potatoes.
Favorite: Elmer’s Restaurant, Albany, Corvallis Favorite: Pop’s Branding Iron Restaurant & Lounge, Albany
BEST BUFFET
Winner: Novak’s Hungarian Restaurant, Albany
As the name suggests, Novak’s is the premier destination for Hungarian cuisine. Opened by Hungarian immigrants in 1984, Novak’s is familyowned to this day. If you’ve never tried Hungarian food, Novak’s buffet is a great way to sample this style of cooking. The buffet features Hungarian classics such as chicken paprikas, stuffed cabbage rolls, and kolbasz, a type of sausage. The buffet also includes appetizers, salads, desserts, drinks and freshly made Hungarian bread.
Favorite: Sizzler, Albany Favorite: Ding How, formally Golden Town Buffet, Albany
BEST BUSINESS LUNCH
Winner: The Barn at Hickory Station, Albany
With a gorgeous location on Hickory Street, The Barn at Hickory Station is a perfect place to spend an afternoon. The Barn hosts a group of food carts, meaning that for variety, it’s just about unbeatable. Ohana Kitchen is an awardwinning standout serving Hawaiian food, but there are also trucks with barbecue, Mexican, sushi and gyros. If you come on the right day, you might catch some live music. Favorite: Gamberetti’s Italian Restaurant, Albany Favorite: Frankie’s, Albany
BEST CHINESE
Winner: Ping’s Garden Restaurant, Albany
Ping’s Garden offers a wide variety of delicacies, offering both the classics of Chinese cuisine and a few of head chef Ping Lee’s personal specialties. If you want some General Tso’s chicken or sweet and sour pork, Ping’s Garden has some of the best in the business, but if you’re interested in trying something new, check out Chef Ping’s Special of the Month. For more formal events, Ping’s Garden offers a beautiful banquet room. Favorite: A B Chinese Restaurant, Albany Favorite: Ma’s Dairy Farm, Albany
BEST DELI/ SANDWICH SHOP
Winner: No Baloney Subs and Salads, Albany
No Baloney offers a fantastic selection of sandwiches, soups and salads. The delicious subs and grinders include the usual favorites and some special recipes. With Thanksgiving approaching, it’s a great time to try the turkey-cranberry sandwich, which comes with roast turkey, cranberry sauce and cream cheese. The signature broccoli and cheese is the star of the soups, and the shrimp salad is also a standout. Catering is offered for large events. Favorite: Bodhi Cafe and Bakery, Corvallis Favorite: Big Town Hero, Albany, Lebanon
BEST DESSERT
Winner: Sweet Red Bistro, Albany
Sweet Red Bistro is a family-run restaurant in downtown Albany with an amazing drink selection and dinner menu, but the desserts are why this restaurant has earned our end-of-theyear honors. The limoncello cheesecake is a standout, as is the triple-layer Grand Marnier cake. For a distinctive treat, try one of Sweet Red’s dessertinis. They’re a cross between a dessert and a cocktail. You could try a tiramisu martini or a Black Forest Manhattan.
Favorite: Sybaris Bistro, Albany Favorite: Le Patissier, Corvallis
BEST FAMILY RESTAURANT
Winner: Elmer’s Restaurant, Albany
Elmer’s has numerous locations all over the Pacific Northwest, making it a reliable visit for families looking for some classic home cooking. The breakfast is famous, with a particular standout being the German pancakes, along with a selection of omelets and pancakes. Elmer’s lunch and dinner menu offers classic American food, with a selection of sandwiches and burgers. The signature item is a mouthwatering slow-roasted prime rib served with mashed potatoes and fresh veggies.
BEST FOOD TRUCK/CART
Winner: Grindz Food Truck, Albany
Gamberetti’s, 1st St., Albany
If you’re in the mood for a classic Hawaiian plate lunch, Grindz off ers the classics, including shoyu chicken, kalua pork and Hawaiian macaroni salad. If you’ve never had a loco moco, a seasoned beef patty served over sticky rice and topped with brown gravy and a fried egg, that’s defi nitely something to try. For an authentic Hawaiian snack, the Spam musubi is a must.
Favorite: Ohana Kitchen, Albany Favorite: Hangry Solution, Lebanon
BEST ITALIAN
Winner: Gamberetti’s Italian Restaurant, Albany
to go to when you want authentic Italian food. The restaurant has a few house specialties, but chief among them is the spaghetti, served with either the house marinara and meatballs or with a savory meat sauce. In addition to dine-in and takeout, Gamberetti’s also sells meal kits, so if you want to learn how to make it at home, you have the opportunity.
Favorite: Seeds Italian Bistro, Lebanon Favorite: Pastini, Corvallis
BEST MEAL FOR YOUR MONEY
Winner: Local Boyz Hawaiian Café, Corvallis
As a college town, Corvallis has a lot of great low-budget food options, but Local Boyz Hawaiian Café has established itself as one of the best. If you’ve never had a classic Hawaiian plate lunch, be prepared for massive portions of sweet sticky rice and macaroni salad, along with an assortment of proteins. Classic favorites include shoyu chicken, Hawaiian-style steak and Kalia’s sweet ribs. For vegetarians, Roy’s ono veggies are a delicious option.
BEST MEXICAN
Winner: Taqueria Alonzo, Albany
Authentic Mexican food isn’t hard to fi nd in our community, but Taqueria Alonzo has placed itself at the head of the class in deliciousness. Make sure you order some tamales, a house specialty in high demand that can be either a meal or a light snack. Alonzo also off ers an assortment of tacos, burritos, enchiladas and chimichangas, with beef, pork, chicken and vegetarian options. If you’re feeling adventurous, the lengua (beef tongue) is especially mouth-watering.
BEST NEW RESTAURANT
Winner: The Squeaky Cork, Albany
If you’ve never had Scottish cuisine, the Squeaky Cork makes a compelling case to try it. Styled after a traditional Scottish pub, the Squeaky Cork off ers a great selection of Scottish charcuterie, either on a plate or in a sandwich. Visit on the fi rst Wednesday of the month to try the corned beef and cabbage. Being a Scottish pub, there is a fully stocked bar with an amazing collection of Scotch whisky.
Favorite: Homegrown Oregon Foods, Albany Favorite: Ba’s Vietnamese Comfort Food, Albany
BEST OUTDOOR DINING
Winner: The Barn at Hickory Station, Albany
If you want to enjoy the Oregon weather, the Barn at Hickory Station is the destination for outdoor dining. Rather than being a single restaurant, the Barn serves from a set of food carts, giving you a variety of options. Ohana Kitchen off ers award-winning Hawaiian, but you could also check out Majahua Mexican, Kento Hibachi or Dreaming of Sushi, among many others. On the right day, you might get to enjoy some live music. Favorite: Calapooia Brewing, Albany Favorite: Frankie’s, Albany
BEST PUB GRUB
Winner: The Barn at Hickory Station, Albany
The Barn at Hickory Station in Albany can’t be beat for variety, both in terms of food and what’s on tap. For food, there is a variety of carts, including ones that serve awardwinning Hawaiian, Mexican, Greek, Japanese, Thai and many other styles of cuisine. For drinks, there are 25 beers on tap, with a focus on local breweries, including Albany’s New Springs Brewing, Salem’s Santiam Brewing and Lebanon’s Barsideous
BEST RESTAURANT: BENTON COUNTY
Winner: Local Boyz Hawaiian Café, Corvallis
The Willamette Valley is blessed with fantastic Hawaiian food, but Local Boyz in Corvallis is at the top of the list. The café off ers a Hawaiian plate lunch with big scoops of rice and macaroni salad. While there are traditional proteins such as shoyu chicken and Hawaiian steak, Kalia’s sweet ribs are some of the tastiest in the state. Or try a loco moco, a beef patty served with rice, gravy and a fried egg.
BEST RESTAURANT: LINN COUNTY
Winner: Sybaris Bistro, Albany
Sybaris Bistro off ers one of the premier fi ne dining experiences in the Willamette Valley. If you’re planning a trip, book a reservation in advance, because Sybaris’ dining room fi lls up fast. The menu focuses on the bounty of the Pacifi c Northwest and is always shifting with the seasons. The chef draws from a variety of world cuisines, with current off erings infl uenced by cuisines as diverse as Icelandic, Pakistani and Spanish. It is a one-of-a-kind dining experience.
Favorite: Gamberetti’s Italian Restaurant, Albany Favorite: 1847 Bar & Grill, Lebanon
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