Ashlee’s Favorites: Salem
Food scene
My favorite spot in Salem. Incredible vibes, food, and drinks. You can even catch an occasional live music session :)
http://www.taprootloungeandcafe.com/menu
28 locals recommend
Taproot Lounge & Cafe
356 State StMy favorite spot in Salem. Incredible vibes, food, and drinks. You can even catch an occasional live music session :)
http://www.taprootloungeandcafe.com/menu
This is a close 2nd in my Salem favorites... The decor, drinks, and food are AMAZING!
https://www.archivecoffeeandbar.com/menu
34 locals recommend
Archive Coffee & Bar
102 Liberty St NEThis is a close 2nd in my Salem favorites... The decor, drinks, and food are AMAZING!
https://www.archivecoffeeandbar.com/menu
Another exceptional quality spot for coffee, and a great location to get some work done or meet with friends.
16 locals recommend
Broadway Coffeehouse
1300 Broadway St NEAnother exceptional quality spot for coffee, and a great location to get some work done or meet with friends.
Absolutely delicious Korean food, served by owners that have hearts of gold.
https://www.happybibimbaphouse.com/
11 locals recommend
Happy Bibimbap House
635 Chemeketa St NEAbsolutely delicious Korean food, served by owners that have hearts of gold.
https://www.happybibimbaphouse.com/
This is a small local favorite, in a house turned pub. Great on-tap selection, cozy separate rooms for seating. Reminds me of some pubs I visited in the UK.
F/Stop Fitzgerald's Public House
335 Grove St NEThis is a small local favorite, in a house turned pub. Great on-tap selection, cozy separate rooms for seating. Reminds me of some pubs I visited in the UK.
Small cafe with incredible brunch, for the win. I highly recommend their Monte Cristo :)
12 locals recommend
Annette's Westgate
1311 Edgewater St NWSmall cafe with incredible brunch, for the win. I highly recommend their Monte Cristo :)
My favorite McMenamins spots are the ones in old historic homes, like this one. It had the same great menu and tap choices, but super cozy with upstairs, downstairs, or outdoor seating options.
9 locals recommend
McMenamins Thompson Brewery & Public House
3575 Liberty Rd SMy favorite McMenamins spots are the ones in old historic homes, like this one. It had the same great menu and tap choices, but super cozy with upstairs, downstairs, or outdoor seating options.
Though it be tiny, the eats and drinks here are worth cozying up. Bonus, it’s in a historic building in the heart of downtown.
6 locals recommend
W Wallace
383 State StThough it be tiny, the eats and drinks here are worth cozying up. Bonus, it’s in a historic building in the heart of downtown.
This is another incredible food spot, in a historic house turned bistro. Call ahead as the wait times can be quite long, but worth it! Make sure you go hungry; you’ll still take some leftovers home with you.
49 locals recommend
Word Of Mouth Neighborhood Bistro
140 17th St NEThis is another incredible food spot, in a historic house turned bistro. Call ahead as the wait times can be quite long, but worth it! Make sure you go hungry; you’ll still take some leftovers home with you.
Get ready for a sugar rush. The toppings combos they’ve come up with make it hard to choose...so I choose them all.
Bearscat Bakehouse - Salem
190 High St SEGet ready for a sugar rush. The toppings combos they’ve come up with make it hard to choose...so I choose them all.
My favorite dinner spot in Salem. Amazing food and drinks. Great for a nice date night with your person.
19 locals recommend
Amadeus Restaurant
135 Liberty St NEMy favorite dinner spot in Salem. Amazing food and drinks. Great for a nice date night with your person.
Huge food cart selection on the outside, great taproom and open seating on the inside.
16 locals recommend
The Yard Food Park
4106 State StHuge food cart selection on the outside, great taproom and open seating on the inside.
ACME Cafe
110 Hansen Ave SAnother great cafe to grab incredible brunch fare!
The pan-Latin dishes here are amazing, and the taproom always has top notch offerings!
10 locals recommend
Xicha Brewing Co.
576 Patterson St NWThe pan-Latin dishes here are amazing, and the taproom always has top notch offerings!
Entertainment
You won’t find the usual Hollywood blockbusters here, and that’s why I love it. Check out award winning films and enjoy a yummy snack while doing it.
15 locals recommend
Salem Cinema
1127 Broadway St NEYou won’t find the usual Hollywood blockbusters here, and that’s why I love it. Check out award winning films and enjoy a yummy snack while doing it.
If you have your kiddos with you, this place is pretty neat and will eat up a solid 2-3+ hours of your day. It’s like a very mini OMSI in an old historic house :)
18 locals recommend
Gilbert House Children's Museum
116 Marion St NEIf you have your kiddos with you, this place is pretty neat and will eat up a solid 2-3+ hours of your day. It’s like a very mini OMSI in an old historic house :)
Sightseeing
An icon of Downtown Salem... enjoy a stroll over the taco bridge to Munro Brown Park, catch some live music in the Summer, take a go-around on the carousel, let your kids have a blast in the splash pad. It’s a beautiful park!
49 locals recommend
Riverfront City Park
200 Water St NEAn icon of Downtown Salem... enjoy a stroll over the taco bridge to Munro Brown Park, catch some live music in the Summer, take a go-around on the carousel, let your kids have a blast in the splash pad. It’s a beautiful park!
Enjoy a nice stroll through this beautiful park in the middle of a historic neighborhood. There are a couple of toy options for the kids. A small rose garden on the northwest corner. Great picnic spot!
47 locals recommend
Bush's Pasture Park
890 Mission St SEEnjoy a nice stroll through this beautiful park in the middle of a historic neighborhood. There are a couple of toy options for the kids. A small rose garden on the northwest corner. Great picnic spot!
This building’s historic architecture is pretty amazing. Tours are available to climb up to the “gold man”. The Capitol mall space in front of it is perfect for a picnic downtown, with cherry blossom trees in the spring, and fountains in the summer.
45 locals recommend
Oregon State Capitol
900 Court St NEThis building’s historic architecture is pretty amazing. Tours are available to climb up to the “gold man”. The Capitol mall space in front of it is perfect for a picnic downtown, with cherry blossom trees in the spring, and fountains in the summer.
This is roughly a 20 min drive east of Salem, but worth the visit in the spring and summer.
www.oregongarden.org
87 locals recommend
The Oregon Garden
879 W Main StThis is roughly a 20 min drive east of Salem, but worth the visit in the spring and summer.
www.oregongarden.org
Shopping
One of my favorite shops in Salem :) Booths upon booths of antiques and hand made goodies from local dealers. Give yourself some time to browse!
Aunt Bee's House
2679 Commercial St SEOne of my favorite shops in Salem :) Booths upon booths of antiques and hand made goodies from local dealers. Give yourself some time to browse!
The Fussy Duck
3170 Commercial St SEAnother antique and hand-crafted finds spot. I just love these places!