Stihl (550 NW Franklin St.): A warm blend of earth tones and copper, the downtown speakeasy (well, technically, its legal) whiskey bar has more than a wide selection of drinks; it also has a surprisingly confident menu of pork chops and rough-cut fries that are perfect for an urban cowboy.
Dogwood Cocktail Cabin (147 NW Minnesota Ave.): Although wholly overused this year, the term lumbersexual fits Dogwood like an expensive boot. The interior looks like a turn-of-the-century library decorated by Wes Anderson—dark woods, wrap-round balcony, stylish DJs, and a massive canvas painting of animals gallivanting at picnic. The artisan cocktails are top shelf, as well.
Laughing Planet (913 NE 3rd St.): Jumbo shrimp may still be an oxymoron, but healthy burritos are not.
Global Fusion (1216 NE 1st St.): On the heels of a successful career as executive chef at Broken Top Bottle Shop (winner of 2014’s Best Of Central Oregon for Vegetarian Food), Bethlyn Rider struck out on her own this summer with a wonderfully fresh food cart. With ingredients from Locavore, we highly recommend the Vietnamese sandwich.
Next Level Burger (70 SW Century Dr.): A classic burger joint—simple booths, fries, smiling servers—Next Level Burger is anything but traditional, as it is all vegan. Yes, vegan cheeseburgers. All the fun and flavor, without sacrificing animals. Even “milk” shakes!
This article appears in Dec 24-31, 2014.
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