Right off the bat, let me tell you why I call Macgregor’s Whiskey Bar a “secret”: I cannot tell you how many people I run into who do not know anything about this fantastic whiskey bar!
If you love whiskey, you have to get yourself to MacGregor’s Whiskey Bar located in Manzanita, Oregon on the Oregon Coast. Manzanita is about a 40-minute drive north of Tillamook and about an hour drive south of Astoria.
Get this – at any one time there are more that 200 bottles of whiskey at MacGregor’s. When say I whiskey I am talking about really GOOD whiskey – whiskey you are not likely to find many other places.
What is available changes on a weekly basis, so I am not even go to try to list what amazing whiskey you can find here. Trust me on this – they ALWAYS have some awesome gems.
Better yet, consider the whiskey flights being being offered at MacGregor’s at the time that this article is being published – Feb 2022. Just look at that list up there. 10 different whiskey flights including a Japanese whisky flight, a Bourbon flight, a Scotch flight, an Irish Flight, a Glenmorangie Flight, and a Premium Whiskey Flight that features Willet Pot Still Bourbon, WhistlePig 10 Year Rye, and Ardbeg Uigeadail Scotch.
Mac’s Old Fashioned
I love a good Old Fashioned and the Mac’s Old Fashioned at MacGregor’s is stellar! Four Roses Small Batch Bourbon, bitters, house simple syrup, a dark cherry, and orange. The photo above is a Mac’s Old Fashioned.
Black Manhattan
The Black Manhattan is another fantastic Whiskey cocktail you can get at MacGregor’s Whiskey Bar. Rittenhouse Rye, Angostura aromatic bitters, and Averna (a classic Italian digestif) stirred, and served up. Photo below is the Black Manhattan.
Angel’s Envy Caribbean Rum Cask Finish Rye Whiskey
This a such a good rye whiskey!!!! If you like rye whiskey do yourself a favor get a shot of this one! It’s one of the MacGregors’ favorite whiskeys, and you can almost always find it available at MacGregor’s Whiskey Bar Manzanita.
The Ambiance
You sit around your very own firepit and enjoy your whiskey. Give me a cool or chilly Oregon day, sit me in front of a firepit and let me choose from over 200 whiskeys – I will be a very happy man.
Don’t get me wrong – I have a great time at MacGregor’s Whiskey Bar on a warm summer day. I just happen love enjoying whiskey on those chilly days we have here in Oregon every once in a while.
If you love Whiskey – do yourself a favor, head out to MacGregor’s and thank me later.
Scroll down, for more info and more photosabout MacGregor’s Whiskey Bar
That’s all for now! Wishing you Savory Travel Adventures!
To see all of the Culinary Treasure Network’s Oregon Coast content – Culinary Treasure Podcasts, Craft Beer Podcasts, as well as Travel articles and This is Culinary Treasure articles go to www.AdventuresOnTheOregonCoast.com
MacGregor’s Whiskey Bar Manzanita, Oregon – When You Go to the Oregon Coast!
When you find yourself on the Oregon Coast – if at all possible, whether you like whiskey or not, you need to pay a visit to MacGregor’s Whiskey Bar located in the quaint town of Manzanita.
MacGregor’s Whiskey Bart is about a 40-minute drive north of Tillamook and about an hour drive south of Astoria.
Why MacGregor’s Whiskey Bar?
So, why MacGregor’s? It’s a charming place to have an exquisite meal, and a great cocktail, a craft beer, a glass of wine, or, of course, whiskey.
The Food!
The “kitchen” is ridiculously small at MacGregor’s Manzanita and the magic they make happen in it is downright stunning!
My favorite thing to eat at MacGregor’s is the Lobster Bisque.
Goodness! This delectable dish is one of my all-time favorite dishes. I am not saying one of my favorite dishes at MacGregor’s, I mean this dish makes my list of the best dishes I have had in my life. The lobster bisque is decadently rich, silky smooth and served with a baguette and salted Irish butter. Get it and thank me later.
Another stand out is the Mac and Cheese. During one of my visits to MacGregor’s I was seated outside in the front next to my very own personal “fire pit”. The gentleman at the next fire pit over requested 3 orders of the mac and cheese – one to eat now and two orders to go!
Of course, I had to ask him why he was doing such a thing. He went on to wax eloquently about how much he loves this mac and cheese!
They have various boards at MacGregor’s including a Pâté Board that features Olympia Provisions’ Green Peppercorn and Wine Pâté; a Charcuterie Board, a Cheese Board that features Rogue Creamy Smokey Blue, a Northwest Board with smoked salmon, and a Pastrami Board!
You can get delightful cocktails both with and without whiskey, wine by the glass or bottle, they have well curated list of craft beer & craft cider, non-alcoholic drinks like soda & hot chocolate, as well as non-alcoholic cocktails, cognac, and various specialty liqueurs.
The list of featured cocktails changes seasonally. I love cocktails and I have always been very pleased with the creative cocktails I find on the menu when I visit.
Dessert!
Get dessert when you visit MacGregor’s! They usually have at least 5 dessert options on the menu, including Scottish Shortbread with chocolate & whiskey caramel sauces, Spotted Dick (Scottish sponge cake & real imported Devonshire cream) and more.
You can sit outside in the front, there is outside seating in the back, and there are a few tables inside as well. If you arrive and there is a bit of a wait, know that this a culinary experience well worth you time.
Address
MacGregor’s Whiskey Bar
387 Laneda Ave, Manzanita, OR 97130
To see all of the Culinary Treasure Network’s Oregon Coast content – Culinary Treasure Podcasts, Craft Beer Podcasts, as well as Travel articles and This is Culinary Treasure articles go to www.AdventuresOnTheOregonCoast.com
Adventures on The Oregon Coast
If you scroll down, you will see more than 20 photos from my visits to MacGregor’s Whiskey Bar
That’s all for now! Wishing you Savory Travel Adventures!
To see all of the Culinary Treasure Network’s Maine Coast centric content – Articles, Podcasts, Shows, and more go to www.AdventuresOnTheMaineCoast.com
Mama Catzz Eggrolls is located at 3749 Leif Erikson Dr Astoria, Oregon 97103
Adventures on The Oregon Coast
To see all of the Culinary Treasure Network’s Oregon Coast content – Culinary Treasure Podcasts, Craft Beer Podcasts, as well as Travel articles and Culinary Treasure articles go to www.AdventuresOnTheOregonCoast.com
As I am writing this article it is April 2021. A little over a year ago, back in March 2020 I spent a few magical days in Greece.
This article and it’s accompanying video are the first in a series of 11 articles highlighting the wonderful adventures I had on this trip.
Most of my time for this trip was delightfully spent about an hour north of Thessaloniki in the regional unit of Kilkis.
Greece – 13 Regions and 74 Regional Units
As my Greek readers already know, in 1986 Greece was organized into 13 regions (14 if you count the Monastic Republic of Mount Athos – but that’s a story for another time)
Those 13 Regions are comprised of 74 regional units.
One of those 13 regions is Central Macedonia.
The wonderful Greek city of Thessaloniki in located in Central Macedonia.
Central Macedonia is comprised of 7 regional units – Chalkidiki, Imathia, Kilkis, Pella, Pieria, Serres, and Thessaloniki.
Yes – Thessaloniki is both the name of a fantastic city in Greece, and the name of a regional unit located with the region of Central Macedonia.
Kilkis, Kilkis, and Kilkis! – a Regional Unit, a City, and a Municipality!
Look – I don’t really want to go over this, however, I am certain that after about reading the adventures I had in Kilkis that you are going to travel there yourself, so we need briefly cover the three Kilkis’.
As I already mentioned, Kilkis is the name of one of the 7 regional units located within the Region of Central Macedonia.
Remember the regional unit of Kilkis is located about a North of the City of Thessaloniki.
Now check this out – the regional unit of Kilkis is made up of two areas known as municipalities – Paionia and wait for it – Kilkis!
For my American readers municipalities in Greece are kind of like counties in the US.
Now get this lovely madness – located within the Municipality of Kilkis there is a city named – you guessed it Kilkis!
In the Western United States within the State of California we have a good size city named Riverside. I grew up not too far from Riverside. In fact, I still remember seeing the movie Star Wars at the Tyler Mall (now the Galleria at Tyler) which is in the city of Riverside.
The City of Riverside is located within Riverside County. Imagine if the state of California was instead named the state of Riverside – You would have Riverside (the city), located with Riverside (the county) within Riverside (the state).
That’s kind of what is happening with these 3 different Kilkis’ – The City of Kilis is located in the Municipality of Kilkis, which is located in the regional unit of Kilkis, which is located within the region of Central Macedonia.
Stay with me now – my amazing adventures took place in the regional unit of Kilkis.
There are number of delightful villages, towns and cities in the regional unit of Kilkis including but not limited to — Evropos, Goumenissa, Griva, Kastaneri, Kilkis, Megala Livadia , Mouries, Plagia (Paionia), Pentalofo, Polykastro, Pontokerasia, and Skra.
My March 2021 adventures in the regional unit of Kilkis included three stellar wineries, an enchanting dive bar, a pastry shop, a stunningly beautiful church, a very lovely park, enjoying an exquisite piece of cake made with xinomavro wine, and a staying in a delightful guesthouse that was my base of operations – the Dimosthenis Guesthouse in Goumenissa.
This brings us to end of this Adventures in Kilkis article.
Look for the second article in this series Dimosthenis Guesthouse in Goumenissa – A Wonderful Home Base for Your Adventures in Kilkis to be published soon!
Below you will find some photos that preview the forthcoming articles in this series.
Wishing you Savory Travel Adventures!
Steven Shomler
#TravelSavory
#YouHaveToTravel and when you go #HaveMagnificentMeals
“The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page” – Saint Augustine
Walking the Beach in Nehalem Bay State Park – Adventures on The Oregon Coast
It’s October 2020 as I type these words, and last week I was asked to put on my LifeStory Alchemist hat www.LifeStoryAlchemist.com and head to the Oregon Coast to help some fine folks work out the branding and marketing details for a really fun project they are putting together.
It was an absolutely beautiful fall day on the Oregon Coast – the sun was shining, and the temperatures were in the low 70s!
Before my meeting I made a visit to the Nehalem Bay State Park. I had never been to Nehalem Bay State Park before.
Nehalem Bay State Park
Prior to last week, when I was in that part of the Oregon Coast and I wanted to visit a state park, I have headed either north a little to Oswald West State Park, or south to Cape Lookout State Park.
This was my first ever visit to Nehalem Bay State Park and WOW! What an incredible start park!
Walking along that beach was glorious!
Even if you just have an hour, this is a stop well worth your time.
Location
Nehalem Bay State Park in located along the Tillamook Coast www.tillamookcoast.com and the address is:
9500 Sandpiper Ln
Manzanita, OR 97131
I invite you to enjoy my Nehalem Bay State Park photos below!
PS: Yes! I was rocking my Union Hall Brewery hat the day I visited Nehalem Bay State Park.
When I was in Bozeman Montana this past September (2020) I recorded an episode of the Craft Beer Podcast www.thecraftbeerpodcast.com with their Head Brewer Luke Sooy. Look for that episode to come out early next year (2021). When it does, I will be sure to put a link right here!
The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page.” – Saint Augustine“
“Travel to places that speak to you, and when you do find & savor local stories, and have magnificent meals!” – Steven Shomler
Adventures on The Oregon Coast
To see all of Steven Shomler’s Oregon Coast content – Culinary Treasure Podcasts, Craft Beer Podcasts, as well as Travel articles and Culinary Treasure articles go to www.AdventuresOnTheOregonCoast.com
With all that being said, let me tell you about my favorite part of the Stranger’s Guide Mediterranean edition – Greek Wine by (the one and only) Joelle Quinn.
Earlier this year I was honored to attend a wine writer’s trip to Greece.
We had a wonderful time touring some of the many fantastic wineries in the Kilkis regional unit of Greece about an hour north of Thessaloniki. I can’t say enough about the wine and food that we enjoyed!
We also got to spend some time in the enchanting town of Goumenissa. I have a few Savory Travel Adventure articles coming soon about some of the places in and around Goumenissa that are well worth your time.
On a side note – when you go to this splendid part of the world, make sure to book yourself a stay at the Dimosthenis Traditional Guesthouse run by Maria Mouzouri and her family. In addition to being a superb host, Maria is a delightful and very well informed tour guide. Lastly – If you are lucky, Maria might even get you a piece of xinomavro chocolate cake! This wine cake is soooo good!
Anyways let’s get back to Joelle’s contribution to the Stranger’s Guide Mediterranean edition.
Once your copy arrives you will get to read an overview about wine in Greece, and Joelle will introduce you to 3 simply stellar Greek wineries – Chatzivariti Winery, Tatsis Winery, and Sakalaki Winery.
I have been to each one of these lovely wineries and I can vouch for everything that Joelle says about them!
PS – If you ever get the opportunity, make sure to ask Joelle about the legend of the boar hunter. It’s one tall tale best told late at night over a really good bottle of Greek wine!
Wishing you Savory Travel Adventures!
Steven Shomler
#TravelSavory
#YouHaveToTravel and when you go #HaveMagnificentMeals
The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page.” – Saint Augustine