Blair Boulevard: Eugene’s Eat Street

By: Jackie Varriano | June 25 2011
Posted in Eugene - Find It - Eugene

Have a south-of-the-border adventure at El Pinche. All Photos by: Jackie Varriano

Along tree-lined Blair Boulevard in Eugene’s Whiteaker neighborhood, restaurants to please any palate stretch as far as the eye can see. Enticing folks with everything from apple pie to umeboshi onigiri, a stroll down Blair promises a culinary adventure. Because every great adventure needs a bit of a map, you’ll find a guide below to some of Eugene’s hippest hot spots and watering holes, all conveniently located within a three-block radius.

For a south of the border adventure, try El Pinche Taco. This no-frills restaurant reels you in with 99 cent tacos, and hooks you with incredible taste. Spicy, fresh house-made salsa is available by the squeeze bottle (best to be liberal) and the shop boasts the "biggest burritos in town." For those looking to get an early fix, El Pinche opens at 9:30 am - just in time for huevos rancheros.
541 Blair Boulevard

Cameron at Pizza Research handpaints a box for a hungry customer.

When the moon hits your eye like a, well you know… Pizza Research Institute is there to help you quench your pizza cravings. The devil is in the details at PRI, where the staff hand paints pizza boxes for to-go items, and rolls out dough in an old train car. Specials feature seasonal ingredients, and the menu focuses on vegetarians/vegans.
530 Blair Boulevard

Long, rough-hewn benches line the room at Sam Bond’s Garage, where a beer in a mason jar is never far from your fingertips. Featuring Irish jam sessions Sundays, Monday night BINGO, and bluegrass jam sessions on Tuesdays, Sam Bond's is the place for both happy hour and late nights. The pub is also a café, and serves pizza by the slice all night long.
407 Blair Boulevard

 For a meal that will leave you licking your fingers, try Papa’s Soul Food. They’ve got barbecue sauce-slathered ribs worth obsessing over and classic Southern sides; from smoky red beans and rice to gooey mac and cheese. No matter how full you are, try a piece of Papa’s bread pudding – the caramel sauce alone is worth its weight in gold. 
400 Blair Boulevard

So many choices at New Day Bakery...what are you in the mood for?

The toughest decision to make at New Day Bakery is what to eat. The expansive menu spans four giant blackboards, and covers all breakfast and lunch bases. The best part? All menu items are served all day, meaning burgers and beers for breakfast or French toast for dinner.
449 Blair Boulevard

While sushi is just about the only thing you can’t find in this slice of the Whiteaker, Izakaya Meiji (the resident Japanese whiskey bar) can make you forget about nigiri. Creative cocktails rotate seasonally and pair wonderfully with the creative (and amazingly cheap!) dinner and lunch menus. Go Sunday nights when you can get a beer, burger, and bourbon for just $10.
345 Van Buren Street

Also boasting a few food carts, try the Garbanzo Grill, tucked in next to the Tiny Tavern (hello veggie gyros!) or Saigon Street Cart parked across the street from Ninkasi Brewery days, and in the Ninkasi courtyard Wednesday nights - serving up crave-worthy Vietnamese banh mi sandwiches.
267 Van Buren Street

Jackie Varriano is a freelance writer who loves pinballing around Whiteaker restaurants. Keep up with her at seejackewrite.tumblr.com.