3 Best Restaurants in Eastern Oregon, Oregon

This cute spot opened in 2021 next to the historic Liberty Theatre, which is actively being restored, and quickly earned a loyal following for its great coffee and short but innovative menu of breakfast and lunch offerings. Tourists find it a welcome stop, too, whether to grab the revered breakfast sandwich "The Betty" (egg souffle, ham, creamed local spinach, Havarti, and dijon on a potato bun) for takeout or to stay for a more leisurely lunch, like curried chicken salad on sourdough or the messy-but-delicious grilled peanut butter and homemade jam on challah.

A downtown institution since 1883, this historic saloon hasn’t changed much in more than a hundred years. Locals donning cowboy hats and leather boots still belly up to the bar seven days a week for no-frills breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The Rainbow chicken, a half chicken coated in batter then pressure cooked, is a signature item.

In this rich agricultural region, it makes sense that downtown Hermiston is home to a restaurant with a strong farm-to-table ethos, along with a great list of regional craft beers and wines. The menu rotates regularly, but recent dishes have included ruby red trout with butternut squash, potato-and-apple hash, and sautéed haricot verts, and hearty chili with three kinds of pork (ground, loin, and belly) with poblano chiles and local "tongues of fire" beans. The restaurant occupies a simple gray Craftsman bungalow with a charming dining room that befits the unpretentious cuisine.