Best Sit-Down Restaurant To Go To After COVID

1. Izakaya Meiji 345 Van Buren St. 541-505-9349. IzakayaMeiji.com.

2. Cornucopia 295 W 17th Ave. 541-485-2300; 207 E 5th Ave. Ste. 109, 541-485-2676; 521 Main St., Springfield, 541-485-2879. CornucopiaEugene.com.

3. Public House 418 A St., Springfield. 541-246-8511. PublicHouseHub.com.

Relying heavily on to-go during the pandemic, Izakaya Meiji has allowed outside seating on the patio. “It’s been hard to predict anything, but to-go has been pretty steady,” Manager Rick Jones says. “For now we’re doing more ramens, but as far as food goes it’s ultimately up to chef and part owner Joel Poston.”

The food is delicious, and the cocktails hit the spot perfectly. Eugene Weekly sat down for a meal and was not disappointed. If you’re sitting outside, the warm rye and cider will make you comfy real quick. The shiitake skewers are incredibly complex, buttery, tangy and savory; perfectly seasoned and delicious, they have the exact amount of salt. The fried chicken teriyaki burger is quite simply the best chicken sandwich ever made (at least in the opinion of this EW writer). The simplicity and comfort of the English muffin as the bun, the pickled veggies mixed with the teriyaki, and whatever magic they use to fry the chicken to such perfection, creates nothing short of an exuberance that isn’t normally associated with food. In addition, the staff is kind, the energy is calming, and the ambiance is peaceful.

A Note From the Publisher

Dear Readers,

The last two years have been some of the hardest in Eugene Weekly’s 43 years. There were moments when keeping the paper alive felt uncertain. And yet, here we are — still publishing, still investigating, still showing up every week.

That’s because of you!

Not just because of financial support (though that matters enormously), but because of the emails, notes, conversations, encouragement and ideas you shared along the way. You reminded us why this paper exists and who it’s for.

Listening to readers has always been at the heart of Eugene Weekly. This year, that meant launching our popular weekly Activist Alert column, after many of you told us there was no single, reliable place to find information about rallies, meetings and ways to get involved. You asked. We responded.

We’ve also continued to deepen the coverage that sets Eugene Weekly apart, including our in-depth reporting on local real estate development through Bricks & Mortar — digging into what’s being built, who’s behind it and how those decisions shape our community.

And, of course, we’ve continued to bring you the stories and features many of you depend on: investigations and local government reporting, arts and culture coverage, sudoku and crossword puzzles, Savage Love, and our extensive community events calendar. We feature award-winning stories by University of Oregon student reporters getting real world journalism experience. All free. In print and online.

None of this happens by accident. It happens because readers step up and say: this matters.

As we head into a new year, please consider supporting Eugene Weekly if you’re able. Every dollar helps keep us digging, questioning, celebrating — and yes, occasionally annoying exactly the right people. We consider that a public service.

Thank you for standing with us!