This Willamette Valley dining guide features some of our favorite restaurants to eat at while exploring Oregon wine country.
Willamette Valley is the heart of Oregon wine country. Boasting most of the state’s wineries, it’s home to more than 700 of them. While it may have a reputation for making world-renowned Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley also makes some incredible food. Both the grapes and produce benefit from the fertile volcanic soil. The Pacific Northwest takes pride in using what’s local, and the Willamette Valley is no exception.
Here are some of our favorite restaurants in the Willamette Valley organized by city:
Newberg:
The Painted Lady
Situated in an unassuming Victorian home, The Painted Lady is arguably the best restaurant in the Willamette Valley. As Oregon’s only Forbes Four Star and AAA Four Diamond restaurant, it’s also got the accolades to prove it.
The dishes are elegant, highlighting Pacific Northwest cuisine, and the service is top-notch. Their seasonal tasting menu provides insight into the valley’s best ingredients, while an additional wine pairing is optional but encouraged as it only enhances the experience. Expertly selected pairings feature wines made locally and a few from around the world.
Reservations are required and tend to book out in advance, so plan ahead. If fine dining is what you’re after, The Painted Lady is where to go. A meal at The Painted Lady is one you won’t soon forget.
Good Company Cheese Bar & Bistro
Every wine country needs a place like Good Company Cheese Bar & Bistro. Specializing in all things cheese, Good Company offers boards, raclette, fondue, sandwiches, and more.
They have a daily happy hour from 4-6pm as well as special offerings throughout the week like Whiskey Wednesday or Fizzy Friday.
As some wineries allow visitors to bring picnics, stopping by Good Company to pick up some treats is a perfect option as you can get the majority of their menu to go.
As Willamette Valley’s favorite Italian restaurant, Rosmarino Osteria offers diners a taste of Italy in Newberg. However, the key to Rosmarino Osteria is going on the day that serves the experience you want as offerings change based on the day of the week.
On Thursdays, they offer an a la carte dinner featuring homemade plates of pasta and nonna’s famous lasagna. Sundays are for pizza and gnocchi. On Friday and Saturday evenings, dinner is a 5-course prix fixe meal and wine pairings.
On Fridays, they co-host with a rotating list of local Oregon winemakers, and on Saturdays, they pair each course with hand-selected Italian wines. These wine dinners are always a hit and a great way to sample delicious cuisine alongside incredible wines.
Dundee:
Red Hills Market
Specializing in wood-fired, local products, Red Hills Market has fantastic food. They serve breakfast favorites like chilaquiles and a sausage biscuit till 11 am. And after that, it’s wood-fired pizzas, sandwiches, and bites like the baker’s belly bacon board or Jojo potatoes – an Oregon specialty. Their famous roast beef sandwich is renowned for a reason, and conveniently, Red Hills Market offers their delicious spread for carry-out too.
It’s been a local favorite since opening back in 2011, serving quality food with a laid-back vibe. As the name suggests, there’s also an on-site market where you can pick up treats like locally made gifts, beer, and wine to take home with you.
Wooden Heart
While this technically isn’t a restaurant, this 1960s vintage food truck serves some of Willamette Valley’s best wood-fired pizzas, sandwiches, and more.
Wooden Heart has taken up residency at Furioso Vineyards, so they’re parked there daily from 11 am – 4 pm. Also, check out their Instagram or website because they’ll periodically do events like wine dinners at local wineries.
At Wooden Heart, you can keep it simple with cheese and charcuterie or go with one of their more out-there creations, like a cheeseburger pizza. If you’ve ever wondered what everything you’d put on a cheeseburger tasted like in pizza form, Wooden Heart has you covered – American cheese included, of course.
McMinnville:
Mac Market
Mac Market is a converted warehouse space that now houses a place to eat, drink, hang out, and shop – or, as they call it, “A place to taste.”
The Kitchen & Cafe within the market serves some of McMinnville’s most innovative cuisine. Advertised as global-inspired, locally sourced food, the dishes here change often based on the produce available in the community.
Chef Kari Shaughnessy puts unique spins on familiar dishes. For example, Chicken Fried Mushroom and Waffles – pickled maitakes, sourdough waffle, hot honey, herby ranch, and kimchi. Or the Green Goddess Tostada – black beans, garlic scape crème fraîche, socca tostada, and spring salad. If you’re looking for good food with a casual vibe, Mac Market is the perfect place.
Pizza Capo
Pizza Capo, a welcome addition to downtown McMinnville, serves traditional Neapolitan-style wood-fired pizzas with Pacific Northwest influences. Their menu features classic pizza favorites alongside a rotating specialty pizza.
The pies are always creative, so don’t be surprised to find the most in-season ingredients like locally foraged fiddleheads. One constant is the flavorful homemade pizza dough that owners, Kyle Munroe and Jeremy Whyte traveled to Italy to perfect.
The dining room is lively, the service is laid-back, and they serve a solid selection of local wines and beers.
Thistle
Coined a “true Oregon dining experience,” Thistle is a charming bistro showcasing the best of what Oregon offers. Dishes are small – perfect for sharing – and come packed with incredible flavor.
The food at Thistle speaks for itself. Nothing is overly complicated, but you’ll get the best ingredients executed with sophistication.
A hand-written menu and a dimly-lit dining room only add to the restaurant’s charm. They also have a reputation for making some of the best cocktails in town.
Have you been to the Willamette Valley? Where are your favorite places to eat?
The Painted Lady looks amazing, there is something so romantic about a red wine and a charcuterie board.. love it!
The painted lady looks to die for! made me really hungry 🙂