Cuban Cafe’s owner, Antonia Garcia, is proud to be the only coffeeshop in Salem that serves traditional Cuban coffee. “Cuban-style coffee is the best in the world and I wanted to do something different,” she says. Garcia makes each Cubano by mixing a couple teaspoons of sugar with a splash of espresso, whipping it into a sweet froth, and then pouring in the remaining espresso. Pair it with a Cuban sandwich and you’ll be buzzing all day.

Owner and chef Azi Hussen found the perfect way to share the culinary culture of Ethiopia with his community. As Salem’s only Ethiopian restaurant, the slow-cooked stews, lentils and fragrant vegetable dishes at Gursha Eats are eaten by hand, scooped up with a piece of injera, a spongy, tangy flatbread made with teff grain. Try the traditional doro wat, a rich chicken stew, or the sharable awdamet Gursha lets you sample several dishes.

From smoky Korean BBQ to pan-seared dumplings and spicy pickled sides, Salem’s Happy Bibimbop House is a deep-dive into complex Korean flavors. The bibimbop, a dish that dates back to the 10th century, is a great place to start. A combination of rice, veggies, meat and an egg served in a hot stone bowl, just mix it together and spruce it up with a little sauce.

Owned by husband-and-wife duo chef Francis and Emily Ho, you’ll taste the love in every bite at Salem’s Manna Japanese Comfort Food. “Our goal is Japanese food that tastes like it’s from heaven,” Emily says. Manna means “food from heaven” and the menu is divine. From enormous sushi burritos to traditional street food, such as the mildly sweet Japanese curry rice and okonomiyaki, a pan-fried seafood pancake — it’s all scrumptious.

For the owner of Damascus Kitchen, Mohammed Alawad, his restaurant may be new, but the recipes are not. His mother’s cooking influences everything on the Middle-Eastern menu. From shawarma, slowly-roasted meat seasoned with garlic and spices, sliced thin and served in flatbread, to kabobs and homemade baklava, the laid-back vibes — and food — are addictive. “We want people to sit down and enjoy a meal without feeling rushed,” Alawad says.

Caitlin Lula of the cute Café lula shares her baking talents acquired in France with house-made baguettes, while her husband, master chef Nik, works his magic in the kitchen. They offer seasonal weekly specials such as confit de canard (tender duck leg served with green beans), plus mouthwatering desserts like crème caramel. The wine list is also French and fabulous.

Award-winning Oso serves creative Spanish and Mediterranean-inspired cuisine that feels like a special occasion. Order a sharable series of small, from-scratch plates like truffle-honey roasted carrots and fromage y fungi (baked cheese and mushrooms). Or opt for a hearty flank steak or arroz marinero (rice with pan-seared cod, shrimp and clams).

A trip to Woodburn’s family-owned Trapala Mexican Restaurant should definitely be on your eating agenda. Come hungry because the flavors are fresh and the portions are large. Try the Trapala enchiladas or the slow-cooked chicken mole paired with a michelada preparada, ice-cold beer mixed with fresh lime juice and salt. The kid’s menu is equally hearty.

At Woodburn’s Pierogi Place, every dumpling is pinched by hand and cooked with the kind of care you'd find in your grandma's kitchen. They fill each plump pierogi with farmer’s cheese, potatoes and other fresh ingredients every morning. The beef stroganoff is also standout, or start your day with a Russian breakfast favorite, a piroshki hand pie filled with bacon.

When Jim Hoke and his son started making and selling sausage at Salem’s Saturday market in 1999, he never dreamed he’d one day own a Bavarian restaurant, two German beer gardens and a European market. Mt. Angel Sausage Company has a sit-down menu stacked with German eats such as a Reuben sandwich loaded with sauerkraut. Wash it down with a beer and buy some packaged handcrafted brats on your way out.