What’s better than a road trip? A road trip with great eats. So put away your string cheese and boring sandwich from home. When you’re driving Interstate 5 — the north-south transportation artery that cuts through Western Oregon’s wine country and mountains — you’ll find plenty of memorable meals and farm treats along the freeway, from Mexican-style popsicles to award-winning cheese. Here are some of our favorite places to eat along the route.
Global Eats and Local Sips from Portland to Albany
You’ll find many exceptional spots to grab a bite in Portland, but save room for eating on the road. Drive right past the fast-food restaurants on Exit 278 in Aurora and head for the food-cart pod across from the Flying J Truck Stop, where you’ll find biryani and shahi paneer at Punjabi Dhaba Sizzling Tandoori Hut and beef pelmeni at From Russia With Love.
About 30 miles south of Portland, Woodburn is much more than the outlet stores you can see from the freeway — it’s also a hub for regional Mexican food. Presidential candidates, local politicians and farmworkers alike have been fueling up with tortas, huaraches, birria and posole at Luis’s Taqueria since 1993. After lunch, walk a block down to Paleteria y Neveria El Paisanito for a refreshing pistachio paleta (popsicle) or a scoop of mango ice cream.
Just north of Salem in Keizer, pull off for a visit to E.Z. Orchards Farm Market to stock up on local produce and picnic fare, plus seasonal doughnuts or shortcake. Archive Coffee & Bar in Salem serves its house-roasted beans by day and switches to cocktails at night, plus all-day full-service dining in a cozy library-themed space with loads of vegan and gluten-free options.
The Willamette Valley is world-famous for wine, but I-5 mostly skirts its major grape-growing regions — with a few exceptions. One of those is in Jefferson, where St. Innocent Winery offers easy access to a wine-country experience just moments from the freeway. You can taste wines, buy bottles to take home and nibble on charcuterie while gazing out over rows of vines. Need more sustenance? Head 15 miles south to Ba’s Vietnamese Comfort Food in Albany for big, aromatic bowls of steamy pho and a huge menu of teas and tisanes.
Seafood and Baked Goods In and Near Eugene
Although Eugene is a few minutes’ drive west of the freeway, fish and chips from Newman’s Fish Company is worth the detour. There are two locations: the Grotto, which is closer to I-5, and the main market. Both serve deliciously crispy cod, halibut, rockfish and other options. Or get dinner at Yardy Rum Bar, where James Beard semifinalist chef Isaiah Martinez oversees the production of impossibly crisp gluten-free fried chicken, marinated codfish and vegan doubles (chickpea curry on flatbread) to transport your imagination to the Caribbean.
Need a produce boost? Grab cold-pressed juice and quinoa salad at Lovely in Springfield (there’s also grilled cheese for the kids). About 10 miles south, Creswell Bakery is renowned for its gently fermented bread loaves. Here everything is made from scratch, including curing and smoking the bacon nestled in the breakfast sandwiches. Don’t forget some pastries for the road.
From there head south to Cottage Grove to the Coast Fork Farm Stand to stock the cooler with local veggies, handmade preserves and seafood straight from the Oregon Coast. A bit farther along is the Lighthouse Center Bakery in the hamlet of Umpqua, another outstanding bakery making wood-fired sourdough loaves and serving an all-vegetarian menu of soups, sandwiches and wraps.
Coffee, Fine Dining and Cheese from Roseburg to Ashland
The Farm Stand by Lehne Farms in Roseburg offers fun shopping for local pastries, pies, cheeses, produce and other treats, plus seasonal vegetable and fruit U-pick in the summertime. The Umpqua Valley is also tempranillo territory, and you can taste wines from one of the region’s pioneers at Abacela (reservations recommended).
Next head south through the Siskiyou Mountains to Grants Pass, where Tamales con Alma Cocina Mexicana serves housemade stuffed tamales. Eat there, then pick up a dozen for your freezer at home. You can also stop in at Steam Distillery for steampunk-inspired cocktails if you’re staying overnight, or choose from an always changing menu of dishes from guest chefs — from loaded potatoes and meatloaf sandos to tacos, jerk chicken and yak barbacoa.
In Central Point, visit the Rogue Creamery Central Point Cheese Shop to sample award-winning blues and cheddars, then tuck into grilled cheese sandwiches and local brews. Jacksonville is a walkable historic town that’s now an epicenter of Rogue Valley wine culture. Sample biodynamic syrah alongside locally sourced dishes at Cowhorn Kitchen & Wine, then get a pick-me-up at Cerberus Coffee. For dinner head to Decant in Medford, a fine-dining haven where local produce and protein are at the center of the plate. Or go to The Blind Tiger Medicine Room at Jefferson Spirits, which serves craft cocktails and mocktails, plus a full menu of salads, sandwiches and more.
Ashland is a Southern Oregon culinary powerhouse. Days just start better with a single-origin espresso drink from Case Coffee Roasters. Morning Glory offers classic breakfast fare like omelets and French toast in a quirky, colorful setting, and Mix Bakeshop cranks out picture-perfect macarons, cream puffs, chocolate truffles and other patisserie-inspired delights. For pre-theater dinners, Nama, the more-casual sister restaurant to James Beard Award-nominated MÄS, serves “elevated surf and turf” with a playful attitude — think bluefin hand rolls, Japanese-inspired hot dogs and oysters on the half-shell.
