We are proud to say that we have served Cottage Grove locals and Interstate travelers since the 1970’s! Located at 1590 Gateway Blvd, we are a go-to spot for travelers and locals alike, offering a warm, family-friendly atmosphere and a menu that blends classic American comfort food with a few modern twists. Our restaurant is open daily from 6:00 AM to 10:00 PM and is conveniently situated just off of Exit 174 on I-5, making it an ideal stop for breakfast, lunch, or dinner!
Our menu features a variety of hearty dishes, including favorites like country fried steak, surf n’ turf, eggs, biscuits and gravy, burgers, sandwiches and a full service bar. Breakfast is served all day, ensuring that guests can enjoy their morning favorites at any time. We’re also known for our generous portions and friendly service, with many visitors praising our attentive staff and cozy ambiance. Whether you’re in the mood for a classic breakfast or a comforting dinner, Vintage Inn offers a satisfying dining experience that feels like home.
The Vintage Inn Restaurant was opened in May of 1979. It was opened by four local guys with a dream and a goal… To serve good food, offer friendly surroundings and employ the finest and most courteous help to be found. Now, decades later, it is still owned by three of the original four and the dream continues.
All around us growth has taken place and The Vintage Inn Restaurant continues to grow also. In 1990, The Vintage Inn Restaurant was remodeled and enlarged to seat its current 140 guests. In mid – 1996 we decided to make the Vintage Inn Restaurant a nonsmoking restaurant.
You can be sure as long as there is a Vintage Inn Restaurant you will be as welcome as a best friend. You will be treated courteously and the food will be the best there is to serve. Every effort will be made to keep our facility clean and fresh and Lynn, Darrell and Bill, those three original guys, want to hear from you if it’s not what you expect.
Eliisa and Dale’s story:
Eliisa Olson was born and bred into the restaurant industry. Her father, Roger Beckenhauer, moved the family from Atlanta, Georgia to Roseburg, Oregon when their kids were youngsters. He purchased all 3 of the Taco Times in the surrounding area and Eliisa went to work at 13 cleaning the dining room and taking orders at the register. A few months later, Roger bought the only IHOP franchise in Oregon, which at the time was on Broadway in downtown Eugene.
As time passed, Eliisa moved up the ranks and finally became her fathers VP, overseeing 12 locations.
In 2013 the opportunity to purchase the Vintage Inn became available and the family branched out with their very first independent restaurant.
Between 2013 and 2016, Eliisa’s family sold out of their franchises and split the company in two. Eliisa’s brother took the remaining Taco Times and Eliisa took The Vintage Inn. Since then she has made The Vintage Inn her 100% focus.
In 2018 Eliisa moved to live here in Cottage Grove. She feels that it truly has been a pleasure to work and be a part of a small community.
In 2025 the company has decided to make a small change to The Vintage Inn by adding “Bar & Grill” to their name and removing the word “restaurant”.
Eliisa’s husband, Dale Olson, was born and raised here in Cottage Grove and still lives here today. He retired from EPUD and became a member of EPUD board of directors. Dale has become a valuable asset in the day to day operations of the Vintage Inn.
Eliisa and Dale are so excited to see what the future will bring!
The first inhabitants of the southern part of the Willamette Valley and the watershed of the Umpqua River were the Calapooya Indians. Their vast domain included part of Lane and Douglas counties.
The Indian population, when settlers first arrived, numbered in the hundreds. Their villages dotted the banks of the Coast Fork of the Willamette and its tributaries: The Row River, Silk Creek and other smaller streams. The local Indians were friendly to the settlers but their days were numbered upon the arrival of the white man. Their numbers gradually diminished as some moved westward and others were relocated on reservations.
First established on the west side of the Coast Fork of the Willamette, Cottage Grove was incorporated in 1887. The west side was called Cottage Grove and the east side “East” Cottage Grove. The east was very unhappy with this so they began to call their side of town Lemati, an Indian word meaning “peaceful valley.” However, on February 20, 1901, both sides were permanently incorporated as a town in the State of Oregon.
In 1905, gold was discovered in the Bohemia Mining District. A vein of high grade ore, valued at $30,000 a ton, made the streets of Cottage Grove run high with excitement.
In 1906, the women left their kitchens to clean up the town. Under their influence and as a forerunner to Prohibition, Cottage Grove was voted dry.
In 1880, the first school was built in the city limits. It was a two-room, two-story building located east of the Willamette River. A high school followed in 1892, with its first class graduating in 1896.
In 1870, the railroad reached Cottage Grove. The ore from the Bohemia mines gave birth to the first short line out of the city. The short line made a trip to the Bohemia area to pick up ore concentrates before connecting to the main line. Famous for its history and unusual scenic beauty, the railroad has been the base for several motion pictures. Buster Keaton made a civil war story, “The General” and in 1973, Lee Marvin and Ernest Borgnine made “Emperor of the North” using some of the old equipment and traveling the rails used by the miners in 1871. Downtown Cottage Grove was also the setting for the movie “Animal House.”
All the staff of The Vintage Inn welcomes you to Cottage Grove and hope you enjoy your stay!
This article adapted from information obtained from the Chamber of Commerce
