6 Historic Restaurants In Mt. Hood Territory Worth The Drive

By Guest Author: Matt Wastradowski

History is everywhere around Mt. Hood Territory. You can learn about the Oregon Trail in museums around the region, for instance, and then see it up-close on sections of the nearly 200-year-old Barlow Road.

Another fun (and filling) way to learn about local lore is to dine at some of the restaurants that reflect our history in a variety of creative ways. In some cases, the restaurants have been around, in their current incarnations, for decades; other times, that history can be felt in the bones of the buildings, which might have lived many lives before you ever sat down for a meal.

Whether you want to sip whisky in full view of Willamette Falls, indulge your inner "Twilight" fan or pig out on smoked meats on the slopes of Mt. Hood, here's a look at a few of the historic restaurants I can personally recommend in Mt. Hood Territory — and why each is worth a stop on your next visit.

The old-school Carver Cafe dates back to the 1950s, when it was built by a husband-and-wife duo at the eastern edge of its namesake community. As the story goes, the husband had been left injured from a logging accident, and the couple needed a new source of income to make it by.  It became a local favorite and has lived on, in some form or fashion, ever since.

The menu has changed over the years — the modern-day Carver Cafe has been a doughnut shop and bakery at various points — but the diner today specializes in down-home dishes for breakfast and lunch. Chicken-fried steak, omelets, pancakes, waffles and other breakfast favorites are available all day; burgers, soups, salads and sandwiches round out the lunch menu.

If the Carver Cafe looks familiar, there might be a good reason for that: The restaurant famously served as a local hangout — also dubbed the Carver Cafe — in the hit 2008 film "Twilight." (The corner table where Bella and Charlie sat is always quick to fill.) Thankfully, the restaurant looks much as it did when the crew filmed there nearly 20 years ago.

History is everywhere at the Skyway Bar and Grill in Zigzag — even in the name. The barbecue restaurant's moniker is inspired by a short-lived tram that brought visitors between Government Camp and Timberline Lodge on converted buses in the 1950s. (You can learn more about that amusing chapter in local history at the Mt. Hood Cultural Center & Museum in nearby Government Camp.)

The eatery itself has been a local mainstay since the early 1970s and leans into more than 50 years of history with old-school tin ceilings, a massive mural of Mt. Hood that towers over a 1906 fireplace, vintage chandeliers hanging from a vaulted ceiling and a mosaic of stained-glass windows dotting one colorful wall. In spring and summer, a massive, leafy patio seats hundreds and provides the perfect backdrop for live music. (Performers move indoors during the cooler months.) 

Skyway's food menu, meanwhile, leans heavily on barbecue. The tender brisket has been smoked for 14 hours before reaching your plate, the brined and smoked chicken is perfectly juicy and the pork ribs fall off the bone. Save room for the macaroni and cheese, topped with breadcrumbs and baked to order; optional fillings include bacon, pulled pork and pastrami.

The Battle Axe Inn opened in 1925 in the shadow of Mt. Hood's snow-capped peak, becoming one of the first quasi-ski resorts around Government Camp. For a bit more than two decades, the inn offered overnight stays, hosted a ski shop, sold groceries and served as a community gathering space. 

It burned down in 1950, but what rose in its place has endured as a local institution. The Huckleberry Inn opened in 1966 and remains a family-owned-and-operated restaurant and hotel today. Spend your night in one of the cozy, comfortable rooms upstairs — and follow it up with a hearty meal at the eatery downstairs. As you can imagine, the Huckleberry Inn specializes in down-home fare prepared with its namesake fruit, a delicacy on Mt. Hood. Fuel up for a day on the slopes with huckleberry hotcakes for breakfast (accompanied by huckleberry syrup), or end your evening with pie or milkshakes crafted with the succulent fruit.

In 1950, a small diner named the Rainbow Café opened in Colton, quickly building a reputation among locals for homemade ice cream and fresh-baked pies. The eatery has changed hands over the years and, today, the Colton Cafe retains plenty of historic charm along Oregon Route 211. 

Breakfast, lunch and dinner are all accounted for here, with several diner-influenced dishes incorporating ingredients from local farms. A number of historic photos and paintings line the wall — and, in a nod to the Colton Cafe's earliest days, the house-baked pies and handmade milkshakes are the stars of the menu.

Even so, the Colton Cafe is embracing more modern dining experiences with an on-site food cart. The Colton Cruise-In Cafe sits out front, dishing Philly cheesesteaks, burgers, sandwiches and other grab-and-go fare when you're in a hurry or are looking for a quick picnic meal to enjoy back at your site in Camp Colton just down the road.

The Markum Inn has lived many lives since opening its doors in 1895. It's been a saloon where ranchers can kick back after a busy day. It's been a hotel for travelers passing through the fields and farmland around Molalla. It was a family restaurant. And, over the course of about 130 years, the Markum Inn has survived at least two fires. 

You feel that history and old-school influence in every inch of the laid-back steakhouse, even if the building itself has only been around since reopening in 2017. Old boots from patrons hang over the wood bar, coat racks are fashioned from horseshoes and a colorful barn quilt hangs from the wood-paneled wall.

It all pairs well with the casual, meat-forward menu. Cuts of fire-grilled steak come from regional ranchers, wood-fired pizzas are adorned with ingredients from local farmers (some of whom have been tilling the area's soils for generations), chicken wings are slathered in a marionberry glaze and one burger comes with an earthy elk patty. If you can't decide, the French dip sandwich, served with crispy fries cooked in rendered pork fat, is a decadent favorite. The friendly steakhouse makes a hearty stop at any time — but is particularly fun when paired with a night at the Whiskey Hill Store and Mountainview Suite nearby.

The Highland Stillhouse Pub has only been around since 2006 — but its building has been welcoming Oregon City locals and visitors alike since 1925. Its earliest iterations were as a service station and cafe, and the modern-day pub brings old-school charm to every bit of its cozy, friendly experience.

The brainchild of an owner whose grandparents were from Scotland, the Highland Stillhouse opened 20 years ago and today bears all the hallmarks of a long-running Scottish pub. The food menu includes pub favorites like fish and chips (available with Oregon-caught rockfish and served alongside homemade tartar sauce), cottage pie and traditional pasties stuffed with beef or chicken. A dedicated gluten-, dairy- and shellfish-free fryer makes the eatery an easy allergen-friendly option.

Enjoy it all inside a dining room teeming with character — where walls run at odd angles and antique tables creak beneath wall decor from Scotland, Wales and Ireland — or on a summertime patio that overlooks Willamette Falls. You'll find a number of beers from around the world, including Guinness, and a globetrotting lineup of more than 750 bottles of whisky.