Restaurants in Eugene

At Cozmic Pizza, the culinary team kneads organic flour made from local Willamette Valley wheat into crusts that are brushed with buttery extra-virgin olive oil. Then, they pile on toppings and set the pies to bake on 600-degree stones. The list of toppings—many of which are also organic, such as the apples and cilantro—breaks traditional pizza boundaries by including unique options such as smoked oysters, kale, and vegetarian meats, which offer an alternative to the eatery’s local sausage, smoked pork, and pepperoni.

These Jersey-Eugene-style fusion pies are the brainchild of Kirk Giudici, also the founder of Rising Moon Organics. When Kirk decided to embark on a second organic foods endeavor by opening a pizzeria, he found himself drawn to a vintage 1945 building that was an Edsel car dealership back when man didn’t travel only by hovercraft. While renovating the 4,000-square-foot auto display room, the same environmental principles that led Kirk to organics undergirded his decorating approach of using only recycled and repurposed materials. As a result, diners sip their homemade fountain sodas and Oregonian microbrews while perched at a bar made from a shuffleboard and lit with dryer-drum light fixtures from Kirk’s Laundromat.

The restaurant space, massive enough to have once housed a fleet of automobiles, enabled Kirk and his partner Alec to create a stage dubbed The Edsel, which has attracted national acts such as Michelle Shocked, The Be Good Tanyas, and eight-time Grammy Award winner Marcia Ball. In addition to musical acts, the pizzeria’s calendar is full of events such as Science Pub, when tipplers learn about topics such as why it’s impossible to teleport your clothes along with your body. Cozmic Pizza also engages in regular charity efforts such as a fundraiser for Greenhill Humane Society that caught the attention of KMTR.

Whether served as a whole pie or by the slice, ll Pomodoro's New York–style pizza benefits from generous layers of mozzarella cheese made in-house. For a pizza that highlights the mild flavors of this cheese, try a slice of the margherita—a traditional specialty that also piles basil and plum tomatoes on its brick-oven-style crust. Not all of the pies are so wedded to tradition. Take, for example, the buffalo-wing pizza, which usurps expectations with its spicy combination of chicken, wing sauce, and blue cheese.

When they aren’t flattening their dough into round pies or Sicilian-style squares, the chefs tie it into aromatic garlic knots or stuff it with mozzarella and ricotta cheeses to make calzones. In another nod to their Mediterranean influences, they toss kosher lamb and chicken with couscous and dice their veggies with authentic Roman swords.

Within the 153-room Holiday Inn, Amici envelops diners in salmon-hued walls as they feast on freshly cut pastas and overflowing paninis. Rob Sigmund of Wild Duck Catering mans the helm of the spacious dining room, where upholstered banquettes, dark woods, and modern lighting fixtures create an atmosphere of contemporary comfort. After excavating a savory strata of lasagna, patrons can search for a wine finale on the outdoor patio or for mermen in the hotel’s swimming pool.

Baristas brew up coffee, espresso, tea, and blended drinks at Global Delights, a quaint, locally owned drive thru that infuses its drinks with worldly flavors. The shop recently began roasting its own, certified organic coffee, adding to a menu that already includes pastries as well as gluten-free and vegan options from Holy Donuts. More than just an energy boost for its customers, Global Delights also demonstrates a passion for improving the community, both by supporting other local businesses and working with Eugene charities.

Pier Sushi's expert sushi chef coils up 23 specialty rolls and an assemblage of Asian entrees, festooning plates with artistic arrays. With no MSG, masago, peanuts, or peanut oil in any of its platters, Pier's menu offerings draw instead upon sesame and soybean oils. Sake and Japanese beers complement meals, cooling down throats more effectively than bowties sculpted from ice.