In 2012 Corvallis added a few new options for dining out and grabbing a drink. Some highlights of our newest establishments: microbreweries yet again define the Corvallis scene, gyros and New York-style pizza are now available where previously they were not, fresh doughnuts are here, and pot culture slips further into the mainstream on Monroe. Enjoy!
Alley Gyros
If you’re hoping for a New York street-style gyro, you’ve got the wrong idea. But this is Corvallis, not Queens. And Alley’s lamb gyros are good enough to recommend to anyone hankering for a Greek fix. The pros: great location, large serving size, awesome toppings bar, and delicious salty fries chopped in with the meat for a perfect starch-protein marriage. Cons: it’s expensive, the pita is not grilled, and the meat comes in giant chunks instead of thin slices.
Alley Gyros, 121 SW 3rd Street (in the alley)
Nutcakes
It is sad and somewhat bewildering to report that Corvallis is without a single doughnut shop. Your nearest fix is going to be Nutcakes in Philomath. Nutcakes specializes in doughnuts and makes a particularly stellar apple fritter. They bake specialty cakes, offer a full lunch menu plus a coffee bar, and serve biscuits and gravy on the weekends. You can find their doughnuts at Market of Choice, but be warned that the Guinness Stout rule applies to doughnuts as well: they taste better and fresher the closer you are to the source.
Nutcakes, 126 North 13th Street, Philomath
Sky High Brewing and Pub
Corvallis’ latest tap room opened on a high note this fall with some excellent classic brews, and now their seasonal Jingle Balz Winter Ale. Visit the cozy taproom on the mezzanine level and get a good view of their brewing facilities. The rest of the space will open section by section with the restaurant most likely ready in the spring. Expect something really tasty since these are the guys who own American Dream Pizza. For now, order delivery from neighboring restaurants, including American Dream. Of course, if you get snacky they’ll run it to you.
Sky High Brewing and Pub, 160 NW Jackson Avenue
Delicias Valley Cafe
Delicias opened 18 months ago, but they’ve got a low profile tucked in a strip mall on Circle. The menu is decently priced and you’ll find plenty of options: a pork burger with bacon, more than a couple types of fish, and clearly marked veggie and gluten-free meals. A solid Mexican and American breakfast is served all day if you suddenly find yourself craving huevos or pecan waffles instead of a carnitas chimichanga.
Delicias Valley Café, 933 NW Circle Boulevard
Cibelli’s Pizza
Fans of the central Oregon pizza joint Cibelli’s rejoiced when the New York-style shop opened up on Ninth Street earlier this year. Their thin crust and giant slices have not failed to draw in crowds hankering for something new in the pizza-and-a-pint category. Yeah, this is the Pacific Northwest, but every town worth its salt should represent with a respectable, foldable East Coast slice. Native New Yorker and owner Frank Cibelli brings it.
Cibelli’s Pizza, 820 NW 9th Street, Unit 101
Cheesy Stuffed Burgers
A food cart that is closed for the winter, Cheesy Stuffed Burgers offers classic burger joint fare with various combinations of bacon, cheddar, and fries—including bacon cheddar fries. They also serve lumpia bites (little spring rolls) and beer-battered fried pickles. According to their website, Cheesy Stuffed plans to return in the spring at an undetermined location.
Cheba Hut
Cheba Hut, stated by Marketwire earlier this year to be the nation’s only counter culture-themed restaurant franchise, opened a store on Monroe in April. Serving toasted subs named after strains of marijuana, they add freshly sliced meat to homemade hummus and artichoke spread. Cheba Hut has options for both the fiercest meat lover and the most militant vegetarian. Their plea: “Let’s come together in peace and eat sandwiches.”
Cheba Hut, 2043 NW Monroe Avenue
by Kerry Brown
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