Old Favorites
Paying tribute to the city’s culinary strongholds
Cafe Soriah
384 W. 13th Ave. • 541-342-4410
Tiny Cafe Soriah first opened in 1993, and it’s been a
dining standby in Eugene ever since. In part, this is due to
the warm, friendly nature of its owner, Ibrahim Hamide,
who has stuck by the business since the beginning.
“I’m the one that started it, and I’m here six days a
week,” Hamide says. “That consistency and building of
relationships is extremely vital because it goes beyond
somebody filling their tummy with good food.”
Cafe Soriah’s classy Mediterranean menu features rich
entrees, including lamb, Greek seafood and steak, as well
as tasty souvlaki, tandoori beef skewer and baba ghanooj.
Long-standing restaurants cultivate a personal history
with customers, a feat difficult to accomplish any other
way. “Our 22 years have brought us a lot of regular
customers and their offspring and friends,” Hamide says.
“That loyalty is something I’m in awe of.”
Hamide says construction is underway to expand Cafe
Soriah into its neighboring building, and for anyone who’s
waited to get a table, it’s news worth celebrating.
EUGENEWEEKLY.COM/CHOW
By Amy Schneider
Oregon Electric Station
27 E. 5th Ave. • 541-485-4444
When Raffaele Ruggeri took ownership of Oregon
Electric Station in 2014, he knew he was inheriting a
restaurant with a legacy. Built in 1914, Oregon Electric
Station once housed a train station and has been a
restaurant since 1977.
“I have known people who had their high school
graduation dinner here and are now coming with their
grandkids,” Ruggeri says. “There is a tradition that rests
here.”
He says he loves hearing stories of past experiences
at Oregon Electric Station, everything from Valentine’s
dates and proposals to anniversary dinners and family
celebrations.
The menu at Oregon Electric Station has changed over
the years, and when Ruggeri took over, the food offerings
rounded a new corner. The restaurant currently serves an
array of classics: fettuccine alfredo, lamb shank, clam
linguine and other sumptuous dishes.
“I’ve only been here for three years, but my life has
completely shifted for this community and its people,”
Ruggeri says. “It is the most elegant place.”
Beppe & Gianni’s Trattoria
1646 E. 19th Ave. • 541-683-6661
Owner Beppe Macchi says Beppe & Gianni’s is best
known for its “quality of food, quality of service and its
atmosphere.”
The restaurant, discreetly tucked away on 19th Avenue
near campus, has served legendary Italian meals since
1998 — think fresh, handmade pasta accompanied by
savory cheeses and perfectly paired wine.
Beppe & Gianni’s has hosted a wide range of customers
over its 17 years in business, including loyal followers
who come to the restaurant every other night.
Don’t miss out on wine tastings and wine-maker
nights, Macchi says, adding that ultimately, an experience
at Beppe & Gianni’s is all about keeping it simple and
enjoying what life has to offer.
“Simplicity is the most important thing,” he says.
Poppi’s Anatolia
992 Willamette Street • 541-343-9661
Known for its consistently tasty Greek and Indian fare,
Poppi’s Anatolia has endured because of its reliability,
says owner George Schaefer.
PHOTO COU RT ESY M A RCH É
EW
often writes about the new
and shiny. Readers and
writers alike take interest
in stories describing the
latest food trends or the
most recent restaurants to
hit town.
But sometimes, there’s
value in taking a look back
at the restaurants that have
stood the test of time. The restaurant business has a high
rate of turnover, and a trendy new place might close a
month after it opens.
Established restaurants, on the other hand, embed in the
collective memory of their customers. These restaurants
become members of the community, places well-known
and respected, repeatedly visited and fondly embraced.
This is a look at five classic restaurants that enjoy a
heritage of longevity, at least for Eugene. It is certainly
not a comprehensive or historical recounting of the oldest
Eugene restaurants.
Having said that, if you have suggestions for
restaurants to include in the sequel, please email food@
eugeneweekly.com.
“We’re fairly predictable and we don’t try to change
the menu every week,” Schaefer says. “For our customers,
it’s comforting to have the same thing they remember
from 10 or 15 years ago or more.”
The original Poppi’s Anatolia operated near the UO
campus on the corner of 13th and Hilyard during the
1970s, back when Poppi herself ran the show, and the
restaurant’s current location on Willamette Street in
downtown Eugene popped up in 1988.
Poppi’s menu is a bonanza of favorites: spanakopita,
chicken curry, moussaka and baklava, all made to
delicious and dependable perfection.
“We kind of pride ourselves on not changing too
much,” Schaefer says.
MARCHÉ'S SPRING SALMON PLATE
Marché
296 E. 5th Ave., Ste. 128 • 541-342-3612
Founding chef Stephanie Pearl Kimmel opened Marché
in 1998, imbuing the restaurant with a vision based on the
farm-to-table movement.
Marché focuses on local food available through Lane
County farmers and ranchers while also celebrating the
seasons, says Jessica Blaine, Marché’s creative director.
“It’s the French idea that you’re celebrating something
every season — truffles in January or wild mushrooms
in September,” Blaine says. “Marché has relied on the
philosophy of making delicious, simple, French-inspired
meals.”
Marché is known citywide as an elegant place for lunch
or a classy option for dinner, and while its menu changes
with the season, it’s currently offering seared tuna, grilled
beef tenderloin and roasted duck breast.
Blaine says Marché is a place for every situation, from
brunch with family to special occasions.
“I think that’s part of what a good restaurant is about —
celebrating life and its milestones together,” Blaine says.
CHOW WINTER 2016
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