One of the benefits that comes along with the improved weather in springtime is the ability to go to a restaurant in Eugene and eat outside again. There are some great local spots that have outdoor seating available when the weather cooperates.
Campus Area
If you’re always on campus, you don’t have to go far to take advantage of great outdoor dining. Rennie’s Landing and Taylor’s Bar and Grill@@checked@@ are more than just the campus bars; they have great food too. The college environment in each makes them the perfect places for a Duck to relax in the sun and grab a burger and brew.
Just a little farther down 13th Avenue is Glenwood@@http://www.glenwoodrestaurants.com/@@, which may have one of the best breakfasts in Eugene. On a warm spring morning this is the ideal spot to pull up a chair outside, drink a cup of coffee with breakfast and get your day started off right.
West of Campus and Downtown Area
One of the consistent favorites of University students is McMenamins on High Street.@@http://www.mcmenamins.com/261-high-street-brewery-cafe-home@@
“It’s just a perfect place to relax and have great food,” University student Kim Davis said.@@http://directory.uoregon.edu/telecom/directory.jsp?p=findpeople%2Ffind_results&m=student&d=person&b=name&s=Kimberly+Davis@@ “I’ve never been disappointed there, it’s always good.”
McMenamins has a nice outdoor setup that is a perfect place to enjoy specialty pizza bread, a fresh salad or just a drink. The food is well worth the walk from campus.
The Vintage@@www.thevintageeugene.com@@ is another terrific local restaurant in Eugene that has a beautiful outdoor seating area. Located on 8th and Lincoln@@checked google maps@@, the restaurant’s food is fantastic, but the desserts are what make The Vintage a perfect spot to take a date and enjoy a nice spring evening meal. It’s cozy and intimate, and it’s a restaurant that has the atmosphere you want from a local hotspot.
If you’re looking for a good burger in town and want to take in some rays while you do it, Cornucopia on 17th Avenue and Lincoln Street@@http://www.eugenecatering.com/@@ is the place to go. The notorious burger place is a favorite of University students, and it hardly ever disappoints.
The seating can be limited due to the spot’s popularity, so plan ahead, but Cornucopia may be the ideal college burger shack in Eugene.
Whiteaker District @@http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=bFJWAAAAIBAJ&sjid=_usDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6735,1215400&dq@@
For the vegetarian and vegan crowd and there are plenty of options. Pizza Research Institute@@http://www.pizzaresearchinstitute.com/@@ is a great place to eat fresh pizza on the outdoor dining patio. The menu is creative and the whole experience is artfully oriented for a refined pizza experience. PRI is a unique spot in Eugene and a perfect place to enjoy a fresh pizza in the warm sun.
There are plenty of good options if you’re looking for a burger and a beer, so many you probably can’t go wrong. But if you want a delicious barbeque meal for a reasonable price, Papa’s Soul Food Kitchen@@http://www.yelp.com/biz/papas-soul-food-kitchen-eugene@@ is the place to go. Everything from fall-off-the-bone ribs to fried okra is so good it has made the small restaurant famous with the college crowd. Papa’s has a perfect outdoor deck for eating in the nice weather, which University student Joey Edwards@@http://directory.uoregon.edu/telecom/directory.jsp?p=findpeople%2Ffind_results&m=student&d=person&b=name&s=Joey+Edwards@@ said makes the food even better.
“Barbeque is just meant to be eaten outside, so there’s no doubt that it makes the whole experience better,” Edwards said.
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In the spring when the weather is nice, there is no doubt that Eugene is absolutely beautiful and all anyone wants to do is enjoy the outdoors and spend as little time stuck inside as possible.
“I like those outdoor spots because being in the sun just makes me happy, especially after being cooped up inside all winter,” University journalism major Danielle Frack@@http://directory.uoregon.edu/telecom/directory.jsp?p=findpeople%2Ffind_results&m=student&d=person&b=name&s=Danielle+Frack@@ said. “I like being outside in general, so eating outside is perfect in the spring.”
These restaurants are just a few of the places that college students love to frequent and each offers great opportunities to enjoy the food and drinks where everyone wants to be, outside. Taking advantage of the weather and having a great meal at the same time is a perfect way to spend spring term.