Where You Should Eat, Sleep and Play

Where to Stay

Small towns throughout the area offer a variety of hotels, but I gravitate toward bed and breakfast inns. Staying in small, locally-owned inns offers guests an opportunity to get to know the locals, ask for tips on where to go for food and drink, and you are assured a delicious breakfast before starting a hard day’s work wine tasting. Here are my favorite children, in alphabetic order so as not to single out the favorite (but they know who they are *smile*.)

A’Tuscan Estate Bed and Breakfast    McMinnville

An historic 1925 house with Old-World charm serving owner/innkeeper/chef prepared three-course gourmet breakfasts, in walking distance of a picturesque Oregon town filled with tasting rooms, breweries, and delightful internationally-themed restaurants—whew! There you have it: A’Tuscan Estate Bed and Breakfast in one sentence.

Inn owner, Erin Gilchrist, is a vibrant woman with impecible creativity in the kitchen. You will be eager to get up each morning just to devour her taste sensations, like her Agave Roasted Figs—you know I left with that recipe in my hot little hands. All you have to do is click!

Chehalem Ridge Bed & Breakfast        Newberg

High atop the Willamette Valley, perched on the edge of the Chehalem Ridge you will find Chef Kristin preparing homemade muffins with jam and other delicacies for your breakfast. Chehalem Ridge Bed & Breakfast seems to hover over the valley, with heart-stopping views of the terraced gardens, and the hot air balloons that rise from the valley floor to greet each morning.

McMenamins Hotel Oregon       McMinnville

It is difficult to think of a more unique or more convenient place to stay in the Willamette Valley than McMenamin’s Hotel Oregon in downtown McMinnville. Built in 1905, the hotel building was once housed the bus station, soda fountain, and beauty parlor. Now home to visitors from around the world (and beyond), Hotel Oregon’s 36 unique guestrooms are quirky nods to area historic figures.

Walk the halls of each floor to get a sense of the place through art, photographs, and murals. The second floor has a covered veranda overlooking historic Main Street, where guests gather to read, chat, or just enjoy their morning coffee or tea. The roof top is devoted to a bar with stunning nighttime views, and the basement holds a wine cellar and Prohibition-style Speakeasy Cocktail Bar. A street level entrance brings visitors into the pub and the old fashioned hotel lounge. Live music abounds in Hotel Oregon: just check their webpage to see who will be performing.

For spooky stories, creaking floors, and unexplained Martian visitors, check into Hotel Oregon, *giggle* featured in that article about the best haunted towns.

Willamette Valley Bed & Breakfast       Newberg

Dan and Maureen have an upscale inn, surrounded by a small orchard, vegetable garden, and adorable chicken coop. Willamette Valley B & B is centrally located to many of the wineries we visited. The room was comfortable, the bath luxurious, and the private patio was a much-appreciated bonus.

Breakfasts were perfectly timed works of art, much like Maureen’s ceramics. Starting off the day with delicious dishes, and a gurgle or two (if you know, you know.) It is the perfect time to compare itinaries and comments about the day before and get recommendations for the next days. Dan and Maureen, and other guests at the table, all have great suggestions. After all, we were all there for the same thing—wine!

Where to Eat in the Willamette Valley

Well, there’s a loaded question. Where did we eat? Not only did Jo go everywhere, but my scales say I ate everywhere! My readers already know that I’ll eat anything that doesn’t eat me, but in the Willamette Valley farm-to-table is the rule, not the exception, and gourmet is an adjective, not a snooty-falooty noun.

Restaurants were all different and had specialties. I say, ask locals, innkeepers, and wine pourers where to eat. Then when you go, ask the servers what the best dishes are. I didn’t have anything in the Willamette Valley that I wouldn’t order again (and again.) It’s nice when there are two of you and you can each order one dish, then swap bites. The pressure to “pick one” is just too mind-boggling. Many days we ate small plates at vineyards and were too stuffed for dinner. But some special spots called to us, like:

Harvest Moon Sangria Bar         Newberg      Woman owned

Julieanna greeted us with a welcoming smile at this new-to-Newberg spot.

Pork Bruschetta

Bramble

Noman Wine

The Joel Palmer House Restaurant, Dayton

Chef Levi and his staff produced works of art on a plate, that somehow still managed to be delicious. The creativity was startling (especially the mushrooms on the dessert board.)

Kopitos Cocino, Newberg

Once again, winery recommendation for the win: Et Fille sent us here, and we’re glad they did. The Crab Tostadas was topped with mango slaw—that was all I needed to hear. Well, that and Pinot Noir Margarita: wine, tequila, lime juice, and agave—what could go wrong? Just sit back and listen to the live music on the outdoor stage, and order another margarita.

McMenamins Pub at Hotel Oregon, McMinnville

Arriving on Friday night, and the special on Friday was Prime Rib. How lucky can one girl be? Paired with their wine flight from McMenamin’s Edgefield Winery in Troutdale, Oregon, soon Room #308 was calling my name.

Pizza Capo, McMinnville

At the end of a fantastic day with Amy and Reba of Drive You to Drink, we had a longing for authentic Italian. Our driver Reba was invited and a quick call brought our innkeeper, Erin, to fill out the table. (By now you know I’ve never met a stranger.) The pizza was outstanding, and the pasta hit the spot.

We had a Pinot here that the four of us all claimed ready to drink with a straw (that’s a good thing.) The bottle we shared was R. Stuart & Co.’s 2022 ‘Big Fire’ Pinot Noir. We learned that both their winery and tasting room are located in downtown McMinnville—I wish I had known that during my visit. Guess I’ll need a do-over. R. Stuart produces wines in three different methods, each carrying a different label. The Big Fire we drank is from their label that they describe as “fresh, lively, friendly, and intended for everyday drinking.” We’re all in agreement with that description—please pass pour some more in my glass.

Trellis, Dundee.

After a day spent hiking to waterfalls, my belly was ready for a feast, and that is just what Mila and the team at Trellis provided.