Few people who pass by Baker City as they speed along Interstate 84 in eastern Oregon know what a gem of a town they are missing. A former gold and copper rush area located on the historic Oregon Trail, what appears to be a simple collection of motels and gas stations just off the interstate, holds a unique culture and collection of attractions that reveal themselves when you peel back the layers.

Revitalization of downtown Baker City has been brewing (beer pun very much intended) for years, and they’re only getting started. I have been here several times, but my recent trip to Baker City really opened my eyes to the amazing businesses that are thriving and the passionate people who are making it happen.

Not only will you find families that have been here for many generations, but younger people are moving into the area to enjoy a slower pace of life. Here in rural Oregon, it’s easier for folks to find their true calling without the hectic pace of the big city to muddy the waters. It’s a place where people can really make a difference in the community.

Copper Belt Winery

Travis Cook knew since he was 13 that he wanted to be a winemaker. He grew up in Baker County and moved to the Willamette Valley in western Oregon for a while to study the winemaking process. But his focus and passion (and what he was educated on) was the biology of grape production. Not only does he know intimately what goes into a good glass of wine, he knows how to cultivate the vineyards and the intricacies of what constitutes a good grape.

He founded Copper Belt Wines in 2010. His family came over on the Oregon Trail in the late 1800s and homesteaded here just outside Baker City, the very spot where his winery estate is today.

But recent times (hello, pandemic!) have challenged his business in the supply-chain arena, much like others all over. When I met with him, he was having trouble getting enough corks for his bottles to meet demand. On top of that, harvest season was fast approaching. So he is looking to use more screw tops to meet demand. I asked him what the difference was between corks and screw tops with respect to the quality of the wine.

“The perception among Americans is that screw tops are synonymous with cheaper wine. But actually, screw tops preserve the wine’s flavor better than corks (which are made of tree bark) and let oxygen in that dilutes the flavor of the wine very shortly after opening. The Australians know this and have been using primarily screw top bottles for many years, even with more expensive wines.”

When harvest time comes, it can be a tricky process in that the grapes can be ready to harvest suddenly, and so he needs a team to help pick them quickly. The grapes must be picked off the vine as soon as they’re ready; they need to stay cool so they can be ready to process. Because of the elevation of his estate, Travis’ grapes retain an acidity and brightness that grapes in other regions don’t.           

Travis’ sister is the “Cheese Fairy” in town. She has her own little gourmet cheese corner in the Copper Belt tasting room in Baker City. I visited their tasting room, and they have a wonderful selection of Pinot noir, syrah, cabernet sauvignon, and red blends that all have a sophisticated, full-bodied flavor. Copper Belt’s chardonnay and riesling is wonderfully light and delicious.

Ruby D Tonic – Bella Main Street Market

Beverly Calder owns a shining star among the wonderful variety of shops and restaurants that line Baker City’s Main Street. Bella Main Street Market has a line of amazing tonics called Ruby D. They are made from all-natural ingredients. She has been a staple in the community for decades – she even claimed to have inspired Travis in his life-long love of winemaking! She has known him and his family since he was a boy.

Her market is just one of the many female-owned and operated businesses in Baker City. In fact, 80% of the businesses on Main Street are owned by women. The future is truly female here. Beverly will be the first to tell you in her delightfully gung-ho way that Baker City is an up-and-coming destination. With new blood moving in, as well as the children of long-time residents blazing the way with their own businesses, it won’t be long before Baker City is known as a true Oregon attraction.

Bella Main Street Market is the place to go for that special local gift to take back to the person who already has everything. Even if that gift is for yourself.

Watch out, Portland. It seems you have some competition.

North 7 Brewing

This is the newest addition to the Baker City craft beer revolution. Kevin Multop has a great little taproom for everyone to enjoy his signature brews. Two barrels in the back are used to brew the beer, which takes about a week or two per batch. Sometimes he lends one of the barrels for use to the local guy who produces the hard cider in town, which is also on their tasting menu.

Back before he started his brewery, he spent many years home-brewing beer and perfecting his craft until his wife convinced him to quit his day job and start a brewery full time. Living in Bend, Oregon at the time, he figured Baker City was just the place to do it. And so for a while he regularly commuted between Bend and Baker City, in which the last gorgeous stretch of road, known as the North 7 highway, became the inspiration for the name of his new business.

In keeping with the local farm-to-table theme, in this case, ‘farm-to-pint,’ Kevin’s fresh and tasty ales are made with local Baker County barley.

Barley Brown’s Brewery

Tyler is a long-time beer maker extraordinaire here in Baker City. Barley Brown’s Taproom always has a wide selection of their current beers on tap to enjoy, along with the original family restaurant right across the street. In fact, the restaurant has been in his family since the 1970s. Tyler branched out from the family business and followed his passion for beer making. The result is a Baker City institution that is beloved by locals and visitors alike for over 20 years.

The surrounding regions of the Yakima Valley, the Willamette Valley, and Idaho produce some of the best hops in the country. The barley malt is also locally sourced from Gold Rush Malt from nearby Enterprise, Oregon. Along with fresh water from the nearby Blue Mountains, it is the main reason why Barley Brown’s Beer tastes so incredibly good.

Having that local connection is really important to Tyler and his team. His beer has won numerous awards since 2005, including being the only regional brewery invited twice to the Brussels Beer Challenge for their international brewery competition.

Pallet Jack is their best-selling beer and can be found in bars and restaurants throughout the region (even in Halfway, OR!). It’s an IPA with the perfect combination of malt, hops, and tender loving care. Many of us Oregonians are IPA lovers – it’s one of the reasons why Pallet Jack is so popular here. They also like to experiment with different flavors and varieties of beer with their 4-barrel brewing tanks.

Stellar Provisions Ranch

One of several bison ranches in Baker County, Kerbie and Garrett Virtue are among the new generation of producers in the area. They came here from Montana to grow their ranching business. They are passionate about regenerative agriculture – taking care of the land just as much as they do their hundreds of bison.

Their dedication to regenerative ag involves taking wonderful care of everything, from the grass the bison feed on to the free-range chickens they keep tucked under the shade of a tree and an old trailer used as a shelter and where the chickens lay their eggs.

Bison have been conditioned over thousands of years to be free-roaming – the effect of being hunted as prey – so they like to be on the move. Garrett will move the herd to different sections of the ranch every week or so, so that the bison are following their natural instincts. This also helps the grass to regenerate. This is different from cattle ranching, where the cows pretty much stay in one field for long periods of time, and where the grass can become thin from all the grazing.

To be in the middle of an open field surrounded by these majestic creatures was an amazing experience. Bison by and large are quite docile, and they are used to Garrett and his truck hanging around.

They provide the meat for the Bison Burger at Latitude 45 Grille and other places in the area. Kerbie and Garrett both have a passion for the land, their animals, and making sure they are well cared for, all the way to the end where the bison are humanely processed for their meat.

In addition to all of the responsibilities that come with being a bison rancher, Kerbie also has a fresh egg route. She is known by some residents here as the “Chicken Lady.” But I was soon to find out that is only a small part of her role here on the ranch. She has aspirations of adding an Airbnb to their property someday and hosting private dinners with their incredible bison meat, paired with wine from Copper Belt and Cheese from the Cheese Fairy.                                                                                  

I asked Garrett what Bison steak tastes like. I’ve tasted bison burgers before, but never bison steaks. “It’s definitely leaner,” he said. “The meat has a slight sweetness to it. It’s not gamey at all, as you might expect. It’s delicious.”

And I believe him.

With just a cursory look at the restaurants, breweries, wine/cheesemakers, and distilled spirit producers, it’s easy to see that Baker City has become a true farm-to-table destination. And so close to the main drag of Interstate 84.

You have no excuse not to make a detour off the main road and come visit.

Where to Eat in Baker City

Latitude 45 – they often have Bison Burger on the menu. The meat comes directly from Stellar Provisions, which supplies bison meat on the regular. Everything on their menu is a true farm-to-table experience.

Sweet Wife Baking – a fantastic bakery serving breakfast and lunch. At first glance, this place seems a bit too fancy for Baker City. But rest assured, that stereotype will fly out the window once you step inside, have an incredible cup of coffee, and the best pastries in Eastern Oregon. Along with breakfast sandwiches and tasty lunch specials, they offer freshly-baked breads, and the best scones money can buy.

Where to Stay in Baker City

Blue Door Inn – Mackenzie Warner-Arzang and her husband Saam have recently bought the property from the previous owner and are making it their own. Set to open in September 2021, this is a fantastic bed and breakfast with fabulous amenities and friendly hospitality that impressed me to bits. I stayed in the Grand Suite and felt like a princess. 

**Disclaimer: I was hosted by Travel Baker County for my trip to eastern Oregon. However, all statements and opinions expressed in my blog posts are entirely my own.