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The owners of Eugene Hot Pot Express shared details about their upcoming space. A beloved Eugene brewery closed, while another announced plans to open a Newport location at the old Rogue Ales headquarters. Plus, a new coffee off a bike path along the Willamette.
After nearly three years of serving up craft beer and family fun, the owners of Arable Brewing Company closed its west Eugene taproom a couple of weeks ago.
The owners — Amy Wells, Cam Wells and Chris Archer — announced Arable’s permanent closure March 1.
“This has been more than a business to us,” the trio posted on Instagram. “It has been years of pouring our hearts (and a lot of beer) into something we believed in deeply. It has been early mornings, late nights, stressful moments, proud moments — and so many memories we will carry with us forever.”
Arable was known for its rotation of small-batch craft beer, from hazy IPAs to dark lagers. It often hosted bike crawls, food drives, paint and pints, game days and other events.
Fans of the highly rated taproom shared memories of their favorite hangout on the post.
“Some of the last couple of times I got to go out and get a beer with my dad before he passed, we went to Arable and we’d sit in that back room together on the couch while we talked,” one person wrote.
As for the food trucks that were parked at Arable, A Little Pizza Oregon moved to PLAY Eugene at 232 W. Fifth Ave. Stretched found its new home at Crow & Cart, 543 Blair Blvd., Eugene. Rico Bueno hasn’t updated its location online yet.
Arable’s closure follows another tough year for Oregon brewers as the craft beer industry continues to mature, with at least 29 breweries, taprooms and cideries across the state closing in 2025.
Eugene brewery will move into former Rogue pub in Newport
Speaking of craft beer, Eugene-based Claim 52 Brewing will open a second location at the former Rogue Ales, an industry giant that abruptly closed all its operations last November and filed for bankruptcy after 37 years.
OPB reported earlier this month that Claim 52 will open its brewpub at Rogue Ales’ former Newport headquarters at 748 S.W. Bay Blvd. They’ll call it Claim 52 Bayfront.
Hot pot spot coming to Eugene
Downtown Eugene has been abuzz over a sign — “Eugene Hot Pot Express COMING SOON,” — hung outside the old Chicken Shanty site, which was formerly First National Taphouse.
Lookout tracked down the business owners to get the brothy scoop on their upcoming eatery, which will open later this spring at 51 W. Broadway.
Owners Ling Li and her husband, Sung Li, said they hope to open Eugene Hot Pot Express by early May.
“We want to cook good, healthy, traditional food,” said Ling Li, who is Chinese. “We want people to see not only American Chinese food. We have different kinds that people never try. I want to bring the culture, too.”
The upcoming hot pot spot promises a create-your-own dining experience, with a variety of homemade soup bases simmered for hours along with a range of meats, noodles and veggies that guests can choose by the pound to steep in the broths. Diners can also dream up their perfect sauce at a designated station, choosing from chili oils, sesame paste, green onions and more.
Gluten-free and vegetarian options will be available, as well as a hefty selection of appetizers. Your hot pot experience can be as spicy or tame as desired.
The couple, who live in Salem, ran a Chinese restaurant for 20 years until the pandemic. They took a break for a few years, but Ling Li missed cooking. When the Broadway space opened, they jumped at the opportunity.
“I still have a lot of passion for running the restaurant,” she said.
Coffee shops galore in Eugene and Springfield
We reported last month that Palace Coffee and Bakery is opening a Springfield cafe. Lookout’s Springfield correspondent Lillian Schrock-Clevenger shared more details this week.
The “coffee-centric” cafe won’t just be a cafe: Palace owner Lisa Truelove and her husband, Billy Truelove, are renovating an 8,000-square-foot brick building in downtown Springfield to include a visible coffee roasting area, kitchen and inventory storage for all Palace locations.
It’s slated for a late 2026 or early 2027 opening.
And in downtown Eugene, Alchemy Coffee House (545 E. Eighth Ave.) will have a soft opening this weekend, March 14-15, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The new spot, not far off the Ruth Bascom Riverbank Path, promises books, more than a dozen board games and locally thrifted furniture to hang out on. Alchemy is partnering with Eugene-based Caffe Pacori to bring customers “the most amazing coffee experience.”
Romulo’s Mexican Grill opens in Eugene
Romulo’s Mexican Grill recently opened its third location — and its first in Lane County — at 1777 Coburg Road in Eugene. The eatery sits at the corner of a shopping center where Chacha’s Hawaiian Grill once operated.
Romulo’s, which has two locations in Douglas County (in Sutherlin and Riddle), offers hefty burritos (including breakfast), tacos (crispy, soft and rolled), tortas and popular specials such as carne asada nachos and quesabirria tacos.
“On the Fly” is an occasional column highlighting Lane County’s latest food and drink news: comings, goings, events and more. Let us know if you have something you think we should include: newsroom@lookoutlocal.com
