Food

The local wine industry’s recent boom seems to have been the catalyst for a number of excellent new Medford [1] restaurants.

For a locally owned restaurant that offer casual meals, try the “Dagwood style” sandwiches that can be found at Zach’s Deli (1310 Center Dr., 541/779-8272, 8 a.m.–4 p.m. Mon.–Fri., 9 a.m.–4 p.m. Sat., sandwiches $4–9). Medford’s best pizza is at Kaleidoscope Pizzeria and Pub (3084 Crater Lake Hwy., 541/779-7787, 11 a.m.–9 p.m. Sun.–Thurs., 11 a.m.–10 p.m. Fri.–Sat., $10–25), located a bit north of town on Route 62. In addition to traditional toppings, Kaleidoscope also features unusual pizza choices like chipotle steak and spicy Thai chicken. There’s also a good selection of local microbrews.

Bambu Asian Café and Wine Bar (970 N. Phoenix Rd., 541/608-7545, 11:30 a.m.–2 p.m. and 5–9 p.m. Mon.–Thurs., 11:30 a.m.–2 p.m. and 5–9:30 p.m. Fri., 5–9:30 p.m. Sat., $12–24) features updated and reinterpreted Pan-Asian cooking with a mix of small and large plates that encourages sharing and exploring.

For fine dining in Medford, go downtown to the old rail depot, where Porters (147 N. Front St., 541/857-1910, www.porterstrainstation.com [2], 5–9 p.m. daily, $10–22) serves pasta, steaks, and plenty of local seafood options, including steelhead trout crusted with hazelnuts and drizzled with blackberry vinaigrette, or slow-cooked prime rib seasoned with rosemary and garlic.

38 Central (38 Central Ave., 541/776-0038, 11:30 a.m.–10 p.m. Mon.–Fri., 4–10 p.m. Sat., $13–30) has a very swank dining room and a cool cocktail nation vibe. The menu offers a number of appetizers that could easily be assembled into a meal, or choose from comfort-food selections like “all grown up” mac and cheese or more upscale preparations like halibut and herbed butter steamed in parchment paper.

One of the top places for a relaxed meal with excellent food is Elements (101 E. Main St., 4–10 p.m. Tues.–Sun., $7–15), a tapas and wine bar. The food is very sophisticated, but the atmosphere is friendly, which makes dishes like serrano-wrapped prawns, cinnamon-cherry seared duck breast, and chorizo-stuffed dates all the more enjoyable.