If you ask us where to eat on your first night in Ashland, this is usually the answer. Larks sits on the ground floor of the Ashland Springs Hotel — the tall 1925 landmark on the corner of Main and First that you cannot miss — and it has been quietly doing serious farm-to-table cooking since long before the phrase was fashionable.
The kitchen sources from Rogue Valley growers and ranchers, and the menu shifts with what’s actually available. Expect elevated comfort cooking rather than fussy plates: good local lamb, seasonal vegetables that taste like something, and a proper Sunday brunch. The wine list is the sleeper — a four-time Wine Spectator Award of Excellence winner, and unusually strong on Southern Oregon bottles you won’t find outside the region.
The dining room is high-ceilinged and softly lit, with a bar that’s perfectly pleasant for a solo dinner. It’s a short, level walk from the Plaza and from the OSF campus.
Book ahead, especially on performance nights — pre-theatre seatings between 5 and 6.30pm fill first, and walk-ins are optimistic in high season. Ask for a later table if you’d rather eat properly after the curtain.
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