Located within the Mt. Hood Village Campground and RV Resort, the Dragonfly is likely the area’s best option for breakfast, whether it’s a pile of house-made biscuits drenched in sausage gravy or the house-made oatmeal bread French toast. The bakery offers gargantuan cinnamon rolls and supplies the restaurant with breads.

This Welches restaurant somehow succeeds in feeling serene and secluded with lush greenery inside and out, despite its location right off Highway 26. “The Vous” can dress up or down: For celebrations, diners cut into New York steaks topped with Gorgonzola butter or pasta with house-smoked sockeye salmon, or for a casual mid-week meal, they can just pop in for a burger or a salad. It’s worth it to peruse the list of seasonal specials, like pan-fried Oregon razor clams or sake-glazed salmon.

Serving “Mountain Mexican” food, in its words, El Burro Loco is a local favorite in Welches for fajitas and quesadillas. Diners sit down to plates of wild boar burritos, pork belly tacos, or smoked pork enchiladas, but hikers and mountain bikers love to stop here for giant plates of nachos — particularly those smothered with chile verde. They’re best paired with a margarita, beer, and mojito.

Found within a Welches shopping center, this Mexican American restaurant is a welcome surprise on the way to or from Trillium Lake. Start with a few margaritas — or a pitcher — and some guacamole, which comes in a few varieties. When visiting with a group, it’s worth it to get the dozen taco platter to share; the rest of the menu includes things like chipotle crab and shrimp enchiladas, chile rellenos, and pork chile verde burritos.

The pseudo-rockabilly hardcore Americana on display at the Skyway Bar and Grill is worth a stop alone: Christmas lights and mismatched light fixtures hang from the pressed tin ceilings, illuminating the countless midcentury paintings and posters lining the walls. Sitting by the fireplace or within the sprawling backyard, visitors snack on smokehouse classics like ribs, pork shoulder, and smoked Mary’s chicken, plated alongside self-described “lumpy mashers” or hand-cut fries. The “Skyway Mac-N-Cheese” is legendary, available with a huge selection of “hook-ups” like pastrami, bacon cubes, and brisket. The bar pours a robust selection of local beers from the taps, along with CBD sodas, cocktails, and house-infused spirits.

Since 1991, Mt. Hood Brewing Co. has been brewing beers with Pacific Northwestern hops and the pure glacial water of Mt. Hood itself. It might be the quintessential stop in Government Camp, Mt. Hood’s relaxed and barely populated ski town. This classic Mt. Hood brewery has named each of its beers after iconic Mt. Hood elements, whether it’s the Ice Axe IPA, Hogsback Oatmeal Stout, Timberline Tucker, or Highland Meadow Blonde. Stop by for a classic pub selection of food, including pulled pork poutine, clam chowder, burgers, or even Oregon rockfish fish and chips. Parents will dig the excellent kid’s menu options, as well. 

When in Government Camp, longtime return visitors often spend their mornings at the Huckleberry Inn diner for — naturally — its huckleberry pancakes. In the summers, huckleberry milkshakes or a slice of huckleberry pie are common favorites; generally, stick to any dish with the namesake fruit involved.

Timberline is home to a number of cozy, casual restaurants and bars — the Wy’East Café and Y’Bar for a quick lunch stop, the Ram’s Head Bar and Restaurant for cocktails and bowl of soup, — but  the fanciest place to eat on the mountain is easily the lodge’s Cascade Dining Room. In a wood-lined dining space with mountain views, diners eat mussels steamed in vermouth or duck breast risotto with farro and fava beans; the restaurant also boasts a very strong wine list, heavily featuring Oregon and Washington bottles. Reservations are highly recommended.

This nautical-themed coffee roaster is one of the best in the Hood River valley, featuring beans roasted onsite in Parkdale. The roaster’s coffee shop in an unassuming garage off Parkdale’s main road is a fun spot for seasonal lattes and espresso — things like cinnamon hazelnut breves or caramel mochas. The shop also sells a handful of pastries for a quick breakfast.

Chef and owner Justin White has created something truly original out of his family’s former Apple Valley Country Store. This Northwest-style barbecue joint in Parkdale smokes all its meat over indirect heat using local cherrywood, for a menu of pulled pork, ribs, jerk chicken, smoked prime rib, and burgers. Dessert is a must here, often involving local fruit pies from the country store or Black Butte Porter brownie sundaes. The shop also sell its own sauce and dry rub, for those who want to bring a piece of Parkdale home with them.

This Parkdale brewery is not just a fun spot for inventive sours, fruit beers, and fresh hop ales; it’s one of the finest spots in the area for lunch. Cubanos, curried butternut squash soup, and sriracha powder grilled cheese sandwiches land at picnic tables around the brewery, with gorgeous mountain and orchard views. Beers are available in pints, growlers, pitchers, and tasting trays.