Lake Theater & Cafe

Specialties

Lake Theater & Café offers a casual lakeside dining experience on Highway 43. For those who visited when we were Lake Twin Cinema, you will barely recognize us. We now offer both indoor and outdoor dining, a full bar with an extensive selection of wine and beer on tap, plus events and attractions for all ages. Along with adding the kitchen and bar, the main auditorium has been transformed with plush, modern seating and state-​of-​the-​art sound. We screen new releases, $ 1 kids and classic films, as well as host live music, trivia, and even your own private event.

In our kitchen, we believe the quality of our ingredients speak for themselves, and we focus on simple preparation. Our pizzas are crafted in true neopolitan style, with our tomato sauce, mozzarella, and dough prepared fresh, in-​house daily. With a vegetable-​driven menu, we source our ingredients from local farmers to highlight the quality produce of our region.

Please join us for a bite, a drink, a movie, or all three!

History

Established in 1940.

Designed by celebrated local architect Richard Sundeleaf, the Lake Theatre first opened its doors in 1940, charging 25¢ for admission and screening Another Thin Man. Over the decades, it fell into disrepair, and 1996 brought the Willamette Valley flood, and with it, the seeming destruction of the theater.

The theater was rescued in 1997 and given a much-​needed facelift and restoration while maintaining its quaint charm and nostalgic air. The theater was retitled Lake Twin Cinema, and attendance thrived for a time, but the dual rise of the megaplex and the arthouse cinema provided increasingly difficult competition. Some films drew crowds, most did not. The theater maintained a loyal customer base, but the future did not look sustainable. Change was needed.

After a year of extensive renovations and additions, the reimagined Lake Theater & Café emerged in 2014. Boasting a full kitchen and bar serving beer, wine, and liquor, it is no longer about just going to the movies.

Meet the Manager

Jordan P.

Manager

Jordan has worked here since 1997 and knows enough about running a movie theater and enough about managing a website to do both for us. He is wary of the mainstream. His eyes are often distracted by nearby wildlife. He has a taste for unusual films even though he often finds them boring. He describes himself in disjointed sentences. If you’re buying him a drink, make it a Vesper. And he enjoys classic literature, too, but he’s a slow reader.