Jeff Slemaker

Stephanie Inn (update), Cannon Beach, OR., August 19 & 20, 2025

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exterior – 2740 Pacific Ave, Cannon Beach, OR 97110-3164

We returned to the Stephanie Inn for another 4 nights like last year.  You can read last year’s posts by clicking here and here or searching for Stephanie Inn.  The building is pretty much the same as are some of the staff and that’s just fine by me.  Really friendly folks work in the dining room and hotel.  This year we had an ocean view the whole time and I highly recommend that as there’s lots to watch for relaxing entertainment but all the rooms offer easy access to the beach and water.  The tasting menu in the dining room is 5 courses with an amuse bouche and the only choice being the main course.  I did see some substitutions for dietary restrictions,  Wine pairings are offered on two levels and there is a good menu of by the bottle or glass wines.  Cocktails are available but there is no bar to go to.   The view with dinner is of the mountains and nearby homes but one night we also were treated to some elk that wandered through.  White tableclothes and muted music are the set up for this lovely dining experience.  Executive Chef Jeff Slemaker was on hand most nights but we did not see Executive Chef Aaron Bedard.  The food is fresh, much coming from their own farm (Public Coast Farm), and the seafood is mostly local.  The menu changes plenty from night to night so we did not mind coming again and again.  It’s a great vacation spot that I highly recommend you try.  I’ve already made reservations to go again next year.  Hope to see yo there! Continue reading →

The Stephanie Inn, Cannon Beach, OR., 8/15 & 16/24

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back of the inn – 2740 Pacific Ave, Cannon Beach, OR 97110

The Stephanie Inn’s dining room holds about 17 cloth-covered tables in the second-floor round room on the mountain side of the hotel.  A wooden domed ceiling is over the front half of the room and a lower flat ceiling is over the back darker portion of the room.  With the tablecloths, padded chairs, table spacing and carpet on the floor the noise level was wonderful.  You could easily hold a private conversation but with light music in the background, you could still enjoy the hum of the other people.  Children under 12 are not permitted in the dining room.  Service was excellent all the nights we were there with good attention to detail, particularly special requests.  They start each evening by offering to get you a cocktail from the bar and take your other beverage requests.  An amuse bouche is served and then some bread before the first course hits your table.  At this point, Chef Jeff Slemaker took the floor to discuss the upcoming meal.  He was to the point and invited all to continue eating as he talked.  He was a delightful host and came around to talk with the guests.  For our last meal, Chef Johanna led the kitchen team.  Portioning at the tastings was wonderful – there was plenty to taste but not too much to make you feel stuffed.  They brought additional bread if you needed filler.  Each meal was fairly different so it was fine to eat there multiple nights.  The staff were all fabulous, friendly and helpful.  I can’t wait to go back and hope to see you there too! Continue reading →

The Stephanie Inn, Cannon Beach, OR., 8/13 & 14/24

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exterior – 2740 Pacific Ave, Cannon Beach, OR 97110

The Stephanie Inn was a 3 story hotel on the Oregon coast owned by Ryan and Stephanie Snyder.   We visited two years ago and enjoyed it enough that we decided to come back and stay here 4 nights.  Rather than making five posts I’ll group two of the dinners in separate posts and do some comments on the breakfast in another post.  The first change you noticed was that the place had been painted blue.  According to one of the bellmen the place closed for 4 months for an extensive re-do of the facility.  On one side of the hotel are beautiful flowers, people’s homes and views of the mountains and on the other side is the beach and rolling ocean.  Guests and townpeople alike can also enjoy their 4-course tasting menu at dinner.  Chef Aaron Bedard showcases the flavors of Oregon with a daily changing menu.  They also highlight many items from their own 40-acre Public Coast Farm, which we saw midway to Portland.  Three of the courses are set but there was a choice on the entree course.  Wine pairings were available but there was a good list of bottles and wines by the glass to choose from as well as a bar that made good cocktails.  In the summer there are 2 seatings, 5:30 and 8:00 but in winter they only offer 5:30.  Those staying at the hotel have priority for reservations and there’s plenty of free parking around the hotel.  Chef Bedard left his most capable Executive Sous Chef Jeff Slemaker in charge of our first 3 meals.  This is a definite recommendation for dinner if you are in the area or have the opportunity to plan a trip here. Continue reading →