Part gift shop, part bakery, part coffee shop, the Tollgate Inn Bakery and Mercantile sells house-made pastries in a historic and quaint cafe. Look for the white covered wagon outside and sample a strong selection of baked goods, like banana muffins, whole pies, and marionberry bearclaws. The restaurant serves chicken-fried steaks and buttermilk pancakes in the mornings, followed by evening platters of smoked brisket or turkey and stuffing. It’s worth it to bring a whole pie home on the way out.

The Boring Brewery creates a cozy space that is anything but dull but with game nights, open mics, trivia, and live music on varying nights of the week. Brewers here use a nice range of Pacific Northwestern hops with their beers: For instance, the Big Yawn IPA, a West Coast IPA, is dry-hopped with classic-c hops (Cascade, Citra), while the Honey Ginger Rye uses hard-to-find Ciara hops for a citrus note to play off the ginger and honey. It’s dog- and family-friendly, too, making it a convenient stop following family trips to the mountain.

Known as “Taco Shell” by the locals, this Shell gas station is a hidden gem for those in the know, thanks to its breakfast burritos with fresh, house-made salsa. Breakfast burritos come with eggs, cheese, and choice of bacon, chorizo, or potato, as well as two salsas — a red salsa or a green salsa verde with a creamy avocado and cilantro base. Trust us.

Once a Portland-based creperie, Le Happy has brought its French flair to Sandy’s Proctor Boulevard, ladling bowls of onion soup and filling buckwheat crepes with Gorgonzola and mushrooms. Those who prefer their crepes sweet can choose from fillings like Nutella and banana or coconut custard, or land somewhere in the middle with the Monte Cristo, a crepe filled with egg whites, black forest ham, Swiss cheese, and strawberry preserves. Beverages include cocktails like mimosas and margaritas, as well as a wide range of espresso drinks.

“When you’re here, you’re family,” might be the inane catchphrase of the Olive Garden, but it actually applies to Thai Home restaurant of Sandy, where the owners and servers know nearly every diner’s name and the food can hold its own against most Thai restaurants in Portland. The menu offers dialed-in takes on standards like pad Thai, pad see ew, and various curries, but the range of Thai-Chinese dishes are worth a perusal. Pros know to opt for the “Thai barbecue chicken,” the restaurant’s take on gai yang.

Since 1974, Joe’s Donuts has been serving raised glazeds, old fashioneds, and fritters in Sandy, steps away from Meinig Memorial Park. Locals and tourists consider Joe’s a must-visit stop along Highway 26 on the way up to the mountain. Varieties range from longstanding favorites like chocolate cake doughnuts, blueberry fritters, and apple turnovers, as well as more newfangled options like pumpkin rum cake doughnuts or peanut butter and jelly-filled raiseds.

Serving brats and burgers made with meat from Pacific Northwestern ranches, this family friendly restaurant serves all-American comfort food. Those seeking something familiar will dig Brady’s take on a bacon cheeseburger, but really, it’s worth it to try some of the sausages specific to the restaurant — think: adobo chorizo or elk-juniper berry brats. Vegetarians and vegans will have a range of options made with Beyond meats, and all sausages and sandwiches come with toppings like grilled mushrooms or sauerkraut.