Eat: Milwaukie

Daily scratch-made breakfasts and lunches are waiting for you at the restaurant inside Bob’s Red Mill Wholegrain Store. Everything is made with Bob’s Red Mill products and ingredients from more than 20 local purveyors. Their seasonal menu offers yummy omelets, oatmeal and pancakes, hot and cold sandwiches, fresh salads, hearty grain bowls and a kids menu. During the warmer months, dine on their sunny patio under mature willow trees or grab a picnic for the lawn. And the bakery and espresso bar are open for fresh baked goods and drinks during store hours.

Opening its doors in early 2020, Ovation Bistro in downtown Milwaukie is no stranger to innovating and then innovating and then throwing out the playbook and innovating again. This same approach is found in their meals and cocktails. They source their ingredients from local farmers markets (Milwaukie's is amazing!) for creating imaginative, tasty French-Asian fusion dishes. Enjoy lunch, happy hour, weekend brunch or dinner. In a hurry? Their ToGo area also offers fresh-and-ready sandwiches, beverages and desserts. They also have covered, heated seating for year-round indoor and outdoor dining options. 

Where the Orange MAX Line and Trolley Trail meet at the south end of downtown Milwaukie, you'll know you've reached Milwaukie Station Food Cart Pod when you see several murals covering entire buildings' sides. From BBQ, bagels and sandwiches to sushi, tacos and Thai (and beer, cider and wine, of course!), there are options to meet your mood. And covered seating makes it possible to eat there or take your food to go year-round.

Across the street from Milwaukie Station, Decibel Sound & Drink is where craft cocktails pair with a well-crafted sound system. The incredible interior atmosphere is an elevated nod to the 70s. And their food is pretty awesome, too! Some local favorites include their deviled eggs, veggie taco and the Edwardo sandwich with house smoked brisket, spicy mayo, pickled red onion and arugula served on toasted ciabatta. It's drool-worthy. Look out for ongoing special events, like monthly tiki night, and take in the fresh air on their beautiful, wood patio.

Casa de Tamales is not just a restaurant. The owners also run Canby Asparagus Farm, so you can bet you'll find some yummy asparagus options here, including deep fried spears. In fact, most of their ingredients are sourced from their own farm or neighboring farms. Their tamales, mole and chili rellenos are standouts, along with handmade tortillas and homemade salsa. Since tamales are their top speciality, they'll make any custom tamale for you that may not be on their extensive menu.

The Beer Store in downtown's north end offers more than beer. Hard kombucha. Hard seltzer. Cider. Wine. It's all there. But what you might not expect to find is the old PDX Airport carpet, much beloved by locals and anyone taking an airport foot selfie. (Yes, that's a thing). One of a few carpets with its own Instagram channel, @pdxcarpet now lines The Beer Store's bar. There's also a nice chunk of it where you can place your food or drinks for, yes, a social media photo. For food, they have a whole list of Impossiburgers, plus flatbreads and sandwiches. Aaaaaaaand back to the beer. Check out thier 20 rotating taps and don't miss their regular tap takeovers. 

In business for over 50 years, Mike's Drive-In has a lot to celebrate. It may be a drive-in, but it's not "fast food." Everything is made to order, which takes a bit longer, but they feel you're worth it. From their half-pound steak burger and buffalo burger to their milkshakes featuring local berries, they know how to make your mouth water. And don't forget to take advantage of their year-round happy hour Tues-Thurs from 2:30-4:30pm. Or grab a soft cone for $0.99 all day, every day! 

Opened in spring 2020, Ma-Kin Thai & Sushi has quickly become THE place for fresh flavorful Thai dishes and sushi rolls in the Milwaukie and Oak Grove area. They have the expected classic dishes, of course, but you'll also find specialty items like Nam Tok Moo, grilled pork neck and mixed salad in spicy lime sauce and half a BBQ chicken made with a house sauce! You'll even find some must-try Japanese dishes, such as the salmon skin salad with crispy salmon skins. And speaking of specials, when looking through their extensive list of special sushi rolls, don't miss the Milwaukie Roll with smoked salmon, cream cheese, asparagus, avocado and seared salmon on top.

Opened in early 2021, Milwaukie Pizza Co. uses only the freshest and best ingredients to bring their favorite pizzas to you. For example, they use Shepherd's Grain flour, which is grower-owned and focused on the sustainability of the soil. They can look at their bags of flour and enter the code on the side to find their growers on Shepherd's website. Pretty neat! Oh, and they also make their own cookies.

Tucked away on unassuming 32nd Ave, Milwaukie Café and Bottle Shop is the hidden gem every city needs, located in a nondescript stucco building that would be easy to miss were it not for the large, colorful mural adorning its side wall by Jerry Schmidt and the North Clackamas Arts Guild. Homemade biscuits, brisket and collards and polenta bowls (using Bob's Red Mill polenta, of course!) are their specialties. Tip: Pesto sauce on most any of the bowls is amazing!

Gramma's Corner Kitchen is the place to go when you, well, wanna feel like you're dining at your own relative's home. This family owned restaurant uses fresh ingredients and Gramma's recipes for tasty meals every time. Their in-house baker makes a combination of classic homemade pies, cakes and pastries mixed with her creative custom recipes to keep you wanting more. They also do what they can to support the local community and always offer free coffee to anyone who brings in a can of food for them to donate. And coffee is always free for veterans.

Voodoo Doughnut is as known for its long lines and wait times in downtown Portland as it is for its unconventional doughnuts and pink boxes. But we have a secret we're willing to spill. Voodoo has a new location in Oak Grove, just outside of Milwaukie on Highway 99 that is not packed to the gills. No lines, just awesome doughnuts, such as one featuring Captain Crunch, the popular bacon maple bar, the iconic Voodoo Doll filled with raspberry jelly and even one highlighting Tang.

With its popular beginnings in SE Portland, Clay's Smokehouse Grill grew its catering business enough to require a different location, a most adorable Quonset hut just a block or two outside of Milwaukie. Lucky for us, they still serve lunch and dinner four days a week with indoor or outdoor seating options and takeout. As they like to say, they've been offering "love and smoke and rubs since 1998!" Clay's Smokehouse isn’t just for carnivores; they offer vegetarian friends a lot of love, too.