The Painted Lady Restaurant
A Pacific Northwest gem with Victorian charm
A Pacific Northwest gem, The Painted Lady Restaurant is located in the heart of Oregon pinot noir country, where chef Allen Routt revels in the bounty from local farmers and fisherman, foragers and farmstead cheese makers. The restaurant is exquisitely run by the husband-and-wife team of chef Routt and Jessica Bagley. The two taste through boutique local wines and seasonal ingredients daily to discover the most stimulating matches for five and seven-course dinners to pique all the senses.
Though The Painted Lady Restaurant is located in downtown Newberg, only 40 minutes south of Portland, the namesake of the Forbes Travel Guide Four-Star restaurant alludes to the painted lady colorist movement that began in San Francisco in the late 1960's. The spirit was to restore turn-of-the-century Victorian homes with flair, painting them with vibrant colors to embellish and enhance the historical details. The Painted Lady pairs the charms of a small-town setting with world-class cuisine.
Though The Painted Lady Restaurant is located in downtown Newberg, only 40 minutes south of Portland, the namesake of the Forbes Travel Guide Four-Star restaurant alludes to the painted lady colorist movement that began in San Francisco in the late 1960's. The spirit was to restore turn-of-the-century Victorian homes with flair, painting them with vibrant colors to embellish and enhance the historical details. The Painted Lady pairs the charms of a small-town setting with world-class cuisine.
Our Inspector's Highlights
- When you imagine The Painted Lady, think Audrey Hepburn. The secret to the exquisite experience at this Four-Star restaurant is elegance and simplicity.
- The 10-table restaurant is set in an intimate, historic Victorian home where candles flicker from every corner, and a candelabra casts a warm glow from the hearth. The cuisine is refined, yet modern with a touch of whimsy.
- The Painted Lady has two all-Oregon wine pairing options with each prix fixe menu. This is an opportunity to learn about the geography, history and wines of the Willamette Valley and across the state from approximately 150 pinot noirs of more than 400 wine selections.
- Essentially, on an evening at The Painted Lady, everything sparkles. Candles twinkle like stars, with one wall of glimmering lights and glassware set like a night sky constellation, antique mirrors and candle sconces adorn the walls and delicate white chandeliers dangle from a white-washed ceiling.
Things to Know
- The Four-Star restaurant is open for dinner Wednesday through Sunday from 5 to 10 p.m. and in any season, the dining experience will be one to remember.
- The Painted Lady Restaurant is one of the most romantic dining destinations in the region, so prepare to be swept off your feet and dress accordingly. Women can don an elegant cocktail dress or business attire with flair and jackets are suggested for gentlemen though Portland overall has a more casual sartorial vibe.
- Since The Painted Lady Restaurant is one of the most popular dining destinations in Oregon’s wine country, reservations are a must. It’s simple to make your reservations through the restaurant’s website via OpenTable or by calling directly (503-538-3850).
- The Oregon restaurant offers one tasting menu, varying between seven and 10 courses.
The Food
- Chef Allen Routt revels in the bounty from local farmers, fisherman and foragers at The Painted Lady restaurant. The prix fixe menu spotlights simple, local ingredients, and plates are planned around the seasons.
- A prix fixe vegetarian menu is also an option, with equally exquisite fare. On a recent evening at the Four-Star restaurant, one of our most memorable dishes was the cardamom scented crepes with roasted vegetables, couscous and red wine soubise sauce.
- The ingredient-driven menu changes weekly, but a recent fall menu featured Oregon shrimp cannoli with cucumber, avocado and pine nuts, a glazed breast of pheasant with house made ravioli, baby beets and figs, and seared diver scallop with cauliflower, grapes, golden raisins and almonds.
- We highly recommend the cheese course; The Painted Lady offers a changing selection of seasonal artisan cheeses. A recent cheese course arrived with an almond pâté, black mission figs, a housemade English muffin, pickled fennel stalks and bulbs, red leaf sorrel and whipped olive oil.
- The desserts at The Painted Lady are intricate works of art. While they change with the season, we recently savored a chestnut chocolate cake with white chocolate mousse, vanilla citrus marmalade ice cream, and satsuma.
The Drinks
- The cocktail menu at The Painted Lady is similar to the cuisine, offering both classics and creative concoctions with a Pacific Northwest twist.
- Oregon is a top producer of pears, so be sure to try the pear martini.
- Gin devotees will want to sip the Ransom Gin Cocktail. The gin is made a few miles up the road by Tad Seestedt, who is talented in the alchemy of both wine and spirits.
- For wine lovers, The Painted Lady has an extensive and ever changing collection of boutique wines from Oregon, California and around the world. Salute with a flute of local bubbles for an aperitif or pick a small-production gem from the glass list of Oregon pinot noir.
Getting There
