New Deli Set to Open in Mt. Hood RV Village

Get ready for a new restaurant coming soon to the Mountain. Mt. Hood Village Deli and Sweets is set to open in the Mt. Hood Village RV Resort right off Highway 26 in Welches. Mother and daughter owners Alexis McElheran and Kelley Jee are thrilled to be adding another restaurant option for locals. 

The long-time Mt. Hood residents are hard at work making repairs and sprucing up the space in advance of their opening. The anticipation is palpable and contagious.

“I know people are really excited,” says McElheran. “[Our first Facebook post] got almost 1900 views within 24 hours.”

While the mountain has its share of standout restaurants, there’s been little in the way of a solid middle-ground option — something that isn’t a long sit-down meal or quick grab-and-go. You’re either sitting down and investing a few hours in a luxurious meal at Chicali Cantina or the Rendezvous Grill, or you’re heading to the Dairy Queen or the food carts behind Goodwynn’s. 

With the introduction of Mt. Hood Village Deli and Sweets, however, locals will have a place that sits somewhere in between, a place where someone can stop in for a quick muffin or a takeout sandwich.

Jee and McElheran are excited to deliver several delicious soups and sandwiches plus a rotating variety of seasonal dishes. The duo isn’t stopping at staples, however. McElheran is excited to put her prodigious baking skills to the test. Visitors to the restaurant can expect everything from cheesecake to cookies to banana bread.

Both women are long-time residents of the Mt. Hood area. At one point, Jee owned Mogul Mountain Pizza. She sold her interest in that business in 2019 and resigned herself to a quiet life on the mountain. She, her husband, and McElheran worked at the Mt. Hood Oregon Resort in the intervening years, and they’ll continue to work there to make ends meet until the deli takes off.

Judging by the excitement coming from the community, that shouldn’t be too long. Even as I’m on-site asking them a few questions, a curious passerby pops in the door to ask when they’ll be opening. The community is genuinely buzzing.

At the moment, there isn’t a set date for the opening of Mt. Hood Village Deli and Sweets, though Jee and McElheran are hopeful that their final approvals from the county will come in shortly. “Fingers crossed before Thanksgiving,” says McElheran.

Until that exciting day arrives, you can get all the exciting updates from Mt. Hood Village Deli and Sweets by following them on Facebook.