Coffee Shops and Breakfast

Downtown coffee lovers head to Thump (25 NW Minnesota Ave., 541/388-0226, 6 a.m.–5:30 p.m. Mon.–Fri., 7 a.m.–5:30 p.m. Sat., 7 a.m.–4:30 p.m. Sun.) for Stumptown brew, good pastries, and friendly conversation. If you’d rather sip a cup of tea, try Townshend’s (835 NW Bond St., 541/312-2001, 8 a.m.–10 p.m. Mon.–Thurs., 8 a.m.–11 p.m. Fri., 9 a.m.–11 p.m. Sat., 9 a.m.–10 p.m. Sun.), which serves high-quality teas in an atmosphere that’s more hip than stuffy. South of downtown, near the Old Mill District, Strictly Organic Coffee (6 SW Bond St., 541/383-1570, 6 a.m.–8 p.m. Mon.–Sat., 7 a.m.–7 p.m. Sun.) is a great place for coffee or tea and a snack.

Chow (1110 Newport Ave., 541/728-0256, 7 a.m.–3 p.m. daily, $6–11), in a charming little house across from the Newport Market, is a deservedly popular breakfast spot. Chow’s aim is to keep their business sustainable and true to the food, and this care is evident. It’s hard to choose between the smoked salmon and bacon hash and the breakfast tamale with local goat cheese and roasted peppers. Lunch sandwiches are inventive, and lunch isn’t limited to sandwiches and salads; there’s also a good spicy African chickpea and eggplant stew. In nice weather the deck seating is great.

In downtown Bend [1], the Alpenglow Cafe (1133 NW Wall St., 541/383-7676, 7 a.m.–2 p.m. daily, $4–14) is a local institution, and one that’s still worth visiting. The food, much of it from local producers, is fresh, and the breads, including English muffins, are house-baked. A summer seasonal favorite is the berry-stuffed French toast, extra-thick slices of the restaurant’s own special bread filled with fresh blueberries or raspberries.

Just outside of downtown, breakfasters linger at the Victorian Café (1404 NW Galveston Ave., 541/382-6411, 7 a.m.–2 p.m., $6–12), one of the few breakfast and lunch joints that has a full bar. Bloody Mary or no, breakfasts here are an extravaganza.