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Phoenix Dripp Cafe brings plant-based dining to the Rogue Valley

Phoenix Dripp Cafe dining room inside the Oregon Cheese Cave.
Valerie Schank
Phoenix Dripp Cafe dining room inside the Oregon Cheese Cave.

Phoenix Dripp Cafe in downtown Phoenix, Oregon, offers a fully plant-based menu. Owner Valerie Schank, who moved to Oregon from Brooklyn in 2015, opened the cafe on Valentine’s Day 2025 inside the Oregon Cheese Cave.

Schank emphasizes whole foods, using items such as chickpeas and kelp granules to create a plant-based “tuna” salad. The menu features Griffin Creek Coffee, artisanal sandwiches and fresh-baked goods.

“I don’t serve anything that I can’t eat, but it absolutely has to be stuff that I want to eat,” Schank said.

Several sandwiches are priced under $10, reflecting Schank’s goal of keeping the cafe accessible.

As the business approaches its first anniversary, she continues to focus on simple, fresh foods, including brownies and a Buffalo tempeh sandwich.

Schank also participates in Phoenix’s Second Friday art and food walk, a monthly event that highlights local artists and businesses.

Guest

  • Valerie Schank, owner of Phoenix Dripp Cafe