I was just killing time.
Bella, my chubby Boston Terrier/Frenchie mix, was at the groomers in downtown Chehalis. I’d already killed some time visiting my mom at the In Stitches Quilt Show, a fundraiser for the Centralia Christian School 8th Grade Washington, D.C. Trip. I had maybe another hour of time to kill. I did what I always do in Centralia: I went antiquing. Little shops, good light, zero agenda. I was looking for nothing in particular, which is my favorite way to look for things.
And then I saw the sign.
A non-alcoholic medieval tavern. In Centralia, Washington. Eighty-five miles south of Seattle, in a historic railroad town, on a Saturday afternoon in October.
I slammed on my brakes. (Bella was not in the car. She was getting her nails done. This is important context.) I pulled over. I sat there for a second. I looked at the sign again. I went in.
We’ll get to what I found inside. But I want you to sit with that image for a moment: a sober woman, alone, on an accidental errand, stumbling into the most fun anyone has had with the alcohol-free bar concept in this entire state. That’s how Owl & Cedar finds you. Completely by accident. Right when you weren’t even looking.
I have sat in a lot of bars without drinking. Wedding receptions. Industry happy hours. One very long karaoke night in 2009. Most of them treated the sober person like a designated driver with a club soda and a sad lime.
Owl & Cedar does the opposite. It builds the entire tavern around you.
Tucked at 113 S. Tower Ave. in downtown Centralia, Owl & Cedar is a fantasy-themed, completely non-alcoholic tavern and cafe. Think Renaissance Faire meets your favorite tabletop campaign, minus the guy in chainmail who has had four meads. Wooden barrels. Warm lighting. A wooden bar counter. A mountain mural that makes you want to name your horse.
My verdict up front: this is the most fun I have seen anyone have with the alcohol-free bar concept in Washington, and it is happening 85 miles south of Seattle (halfway between Seattle and Portland, to be exact) in a historic railroad town.
A homestead behind the bar
Owl & Cedar didn’t start as a bar. It started as a family-run, 5-acre homestead that roasts coffee, brews kombucha, makes jewelry and coasters, and even sharpens knives. You may have already met them at the Olympia Farmers Market.
The tavern pulls all of that under one roof. The family describes the space as a “community cornerstone for all characters and creeds centered around mutual respect.” I’d frame that line and hang it in every bar in America.
What’s in the tankard
The drink program is the real flex, because almost all of it is made in-house.
- Jun kombucha. Jun is kombucha’s fancier cousin, fermented with raw local honey and organic, fair trade green tea instead of white sugar. Flavors include Blackberry Basil, Black Currant, Cranberry Spice, Jalapeño Lime, Pear & Cedar, Raspberry Lemonade and Strawberry Rhubarb. Jalapeño Lime is the one I’d order first; it drinks like a spicy margarita that respects you in the morning.
- Wildcrafted soda. Wild-yeast fermented, naturally carbonated, sweetened with raw local honey. The current flavor is Fir, made with actual fir needles. It’s the Pacific Northwest in a glass, and I mean that as the highest compliment.
- Signature fantasy drinks. The tavern pours a rotating list of themed alcohol-free drinks built for the setting.
- House-roasted coffee. Four roasts with names straight out of a quest log: Sunburst (light), Hearthfire (medium), Amber Moon (dark) and Eclipse (decaf). Beans come from a farmers’ cooperative in Guatemala’s Huehuetenango highlands and get roasted on an energy-efficient fluid bed roaster.
One gentle flag for the sober community: jun and wild-fermented sodas are living ferments, and fermentation can leave trace alcohol. Commercially sold kombucha generally needs to stay under 0.5% ABV. If trace amounts are a line for you, ask the bartender. No judgment in this house. Owl & Cedar’s own creed says so.
The food side keeps it simple: savory shareables, starters, sweets and artisanal pastries. Tavern snacks, not a tasting menu, which is exactly right.
I ordered the Jun Kombucha in Spiced Plum and a warm, toasted croissant. The kombucha was complex in the best way: tart, a little spiced, not sweet in that trying-too-hard way. The croissant was warm and buttery and I ate it slowly because I was too busy looking around to rush. I forgot to take a photo of my purchase. I did not care even a little bit. (That is the highest compliment I know how to give a place.) I did, however, take video of everything else. (Oh, the irony) And you can peep my IG Reel of the space here.
One more thing: the tip jars. There were two of them, and they both featured photos of Cary Elwes. One from Robinhood and one from The Princess Bride. Take my money, as you wish.
Roll of initiative
Here is why Owl & Cedar matters beyond the drinks. Dungeons & Dragons groups are explicitly welcome. So are solo readers. The tavern also hosts rotating retailers and community events.
For years, game night and bar night were the same night. If you got sober, you lost the table along with the beer. Owl & Cedar gives the gaming crowd a third place where nobody is pressuring the rogue to take a shot. That is sober culture doing what it does best: keeping the community and dropping the hangover.
The verdict
Owl & Cedar is not a sober bar apologizing for being sober. It’s a destination with a point of view, and the point of view is joy. If you’re driving I-5 between Seattle and Portland, this is your pit stop. If you run a D&D group in the Pacific NW, this is your new home base.
Get sober, stay curious, and bring your dice.
Plan your visit
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Address | 113 S. Tower Ave., Centralia, WA 98532 |
| Hours | Wed to Thu noon to 8 p.m.; Fri to Sat noon to 10 p.m.; Sun noon to 8 p.m.; closed Mon to Tue |
| Phone | 360-623-1360 |
| Website | owlcedar.com |
| Social | @owl.cedar on Instagram, Facebook and TikTok |
| Getting there | Downtown Centralia, roughly 85 miles south of Seattle off I-5 |
SOBRIETY IN THE CITY: This is your guide to substance-free adventures and events in cities across the United States. We’re bringing you hidden gems, local hangouts, art exhibits, unique attractions and pop-up events, limited shows, and tours. Being fully present allows us to enjoy life to the fullest. But we’re still taking it all in, just one day at a time.
What a Trip! Our Goonies-Inspired Adventure in Astoria, Oregon
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Is Owl & Cedar completely non-alcoholic?
Yes. Owl & Cedar is a fully non-alcoholic tavern and cafe in downtown Centralia, Washington. There’s no beer, wine or spirits on the menu. The drink list is house-made jun kombucha, wildcrafted soda, signature fantasy-themed drinks and house-roasted coffee.
Where is Owl & Cedar, and what are its hours?
Owl & Cedar is at 113 S. Tower Ave., Centralia, WA 98532. It’s open Wednesday and Thursday from noon to 8 p.m., Friday and Saturday from noon to 10 p.m., and Sunday from noon to 8 p.m. It’s closed Monday and Tuesday. Call 360-623-1360 to confirm before you drive.
What drinks does Owl & Cedar serve?
The headliners are jun kombucha in flavors like Jalapeño Lime, Pear & Cedar and Blackberry Basil, plus a wild-fermented fir-needle soda sweetened with local honey. There’s also a rotating list of fantasy-themed signature drinks and four house coffee roasts: Sunburst, Hearthfire, Amber Moon and Eclipse decaf.
Does the jun kombucha contain alcohol?
Jun and wild-fermented sodas are living ferments, and fermentation can leave trace amounts of alcohol. Kombucha sold as non-alcoholic generally has to stay under 0.5% ABV. If trace alcohol is a line for your recovery, ask the bartender or order coffee instead. Your sobriety, your rules.
Can I play D&D or host a game night at Owl & Cedar?
Yes. Owl & Cedar explicitly welcomes Dungeons & Dragons groups and other tabletop games, and it hosts community events throughout the year. For a bigger group, call ahead so they can save you a table.
Is Owl & Cedar a good stop between Seattle and Portland?
It’s my favorite one. Centralia sits right off I-5, about 85 miles south of Seattle and about 85 miles north of Portland. Owl & Cedar is in the historic downtown, a few minutes off the freeway, which makes it a perfect sober halfway stop.
