AI-generated illustration; not a photograph of the reported event.
- calendar_today November 6, 2026
Historic Black Culinary Heritage Takes Center Stage
On November 14th, Astoria’s Lovell Taproom at Fort George Brewery will host a five-course dinner event inspired by a notable figure in Oregon’s Black culinary history. In partnership with Oregon Black Pioneers, the state’s only African American historical society, the brewery will recreate "McCleary’s Meats," an imagined steakhouse inspired by Alvin McCleary—a pioneering Black butcher and fisherman from the Oregon coast.
The Life and Legacy of Alvin McCleary
Alvin McCleary was born in 1866 in San Francisco to an Afro-Caribbean father and a Native American mother, and was orphaned as an infant. He was adopted by Mary Cooper, a Black woman who later married Louis Southworth, a prominent Black pioneer of the Willamette Valley and Southern Oregon. The family eventually settled in Alsea after stops in Salem and Buena Vista.
McCleary’s connection to Oregon’s coast began in Lincoln County, where he worked in the fishing industry. He found positions in Waldport and Newport canneries from 1887 and became a commercial salmon fisherman between 1893 and 1913. In 1906, McCleary opened a butcher shop in Newport, selling both conventional meats and game. He later returned to Waldport to open another butcher shop and soon managed the dining room at Waldport’s Wakefield Hotel. His list of achievements includes election to Waldport city council in 1934, making him one of Oregon’s first Black elected officials.
A Menu Rooted in Regional Cuisine
The event’s menu will showcase traditional and regional Oregon coast dinner specialties, such as steak, octopus, elk, mushrooms, and crab. The focus is on locally sourced meat and produce, offering guests a direct taste of the coast’s culinary diversity—an approach reflective of McCleary’s own butchering and cooking traditions.
Continuing the Celebration of Black Culinary History
This dinner marks the third collaborative Black history restaurant pop-up by Oregon Black Pioneers and Fort George Brewery. Last November, participants were transported to an 1880s Astoria oyster saloon originally run by Roscoe Dixon, while this past May saw a tribute to William and Emma Badger’s fried chicken dining room from Gearhart, active in the 1920s and 1930s.
Oregon Black Pioneers’ Executive Director Zachary Stocks emphasizes the unique educational aspect of these events: "Seeing a presentation on a historic Black restaurant is great, but it's another thing entirely to get to experience the tastes and smells of that restaurant too." Stocks also praised Fort George Brewery’s team for their role in highlighting Oregon’s Black culinary history.
Event Details and Supporting Local History
The five-course dinner is scheduled for Saturday, November 14th at 6:00 PM at the Lovell Taproom in Fort George Brewery. Attendance is limited to 50, with tickets available for purchase on Fort George Brewery’s website. All net proceeds will benefit the Oregon Black Pioneers, further supporting their mission to preserve and share the state’s African American history.
This notable Astoria event blends food, history, and regional culture, providing both locals and visitors with an immersive experience into Oregon’s Black-owned restaurant legacy and coastal cuisine traditions.
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Source: beachconnection.net.
