To call Perugino a restaurant is probably overstating it a bit -- it's a coffee and wine bar, and a great one. It draws its inspiration from the elegant espresso bars of Italy, but Perugino doesn't overdo it with the Italian theme. There's beautiful handpainted Italian deruta pottery hanging on the wall in the back of the shop, but there's also art by local artists near the front of the shop. The space, designed by a local architect who teaches at the University of Oregon, is one of the most beautiful interiors in Eugene, and on a rainy day you want to hang out here all day in the little front window alcove area. The baristas really know how to pull a shot, too -- a surprisingly rare skill in coffee-obsessed Eugene. The food here is quite good, too -- the biscotti and panini, salads and sweets. A gem.
more