Thistle

The Willamette Valley & Wine Country


Small but top-drawer restaurant run by Eric Bechard, an award-winning chef who fiercely believes in using local, organic ingredients whenever possible. The menu changes daily and is posted on a chalkboard, and while portions are small they are well created and truly delicious. If you're having decision fatigue after a long day, your table can opt for the 'Chef's Whim.'


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby The Willamette Valley & Wine Country attractions

1. Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum

2.42 MILES

A mile east of McMinnville, this museum showcases Howard Hughes' Spruce Goose, the world's largest wood-framed airplane. In 1947, with Hughes at the wheel…

2. Hoover-Minthorn House

12.63 MILES

This house is where Herbert Hoover (the 31st president of the USA) grew up. Built in 1881, the restored home is now a museum of period furnishings and…

3. Pioneer Mothers Memorial Cabin

14.74 MILES

A 1931 log cabin reconstructed by the local Daughters of the American Revolution, this interesting museum is filled with objects brought across the Oregon…

4. Robert Newell House

14.77 MILES

The 1852 Robert Newell House was the only one to survive the 1861 flood. It holds Native American artifacts and inaugural gowns worn by the wives of…

5. Champoeg State Heritage Area

15.52 MILES

A state heritage area and popular family destination, Champoeg is 25 miles southwest of Portland. There are 615 acres of old-growth woodland, grassy…

6. Gilbert House Children's Museum

19.72 MILES

Built to honor Salem native AC Gilbert, who invented the Erector Set, this hands-on children's museum – located in two colorful arts-and-crafts houses –…

7. Elsinore Theatre

20.21 MILES

This dazzling Tudor-Gothic landmark, opened in 1926 and once a silent-movie theater, is now primarily a venue for theater and concerts. Classic movies are…

8. Hallie Ford Museum of Art

20.31 MILES

Willamette University's Hallie Ford Museum of Art boasts the state's best collection of Pacific Northwest art, including an impressive Native American…