When Lewis and Clark went in search of a water route to the Pacific Northwest, maintaining a regular supply of food was a major concern. One solution reportedly employed was a 93 lb. soup concoction, boiled until gelatinous, and then left to dry until hard. Hardly a meal to look forward to, but it saved the explorers from starvation on more than one occasion. If you make the trip to the mouth of the Columbia River today you will find much more attractive dining options to explore. With no fear of missing a meal, we explored the dining options of the quaint town of Astoria, Oregon. We found some amazing places and broke bread with some great new friends along the way.
1 Blue Scorcher Café
The early morning fog is just turning into a light rain as we head over to meet the pioneers of the Astoria food scene at Blue Scorcher Café. Located in a former car dealership, this raw and eclectic space is a local gathering place where, in addition to enjoying breakfast and lunch, you can keep up to date on what’s happening around town.
The member-owned bakery and café got its start very much by necessity when in 2004 rumors started swirling that the only baker in town was closing shop. A group of locals decided that Astoria should not relegate itself to a future of only factory bread. They got together to take over the business. With a short apprenticeship under the previous owner they learned the basics of how to provide bread and baked goods to the community, daily. Now, years later, Blue Scorcher is still going strong, with its crew of cooperative owners turning out yummy, local-produce based, loaves of bread and baked goods daily.
