Located in central Oregon, Bend is a beautiful town with plenty to explore that attracts many outdoor enthusiasts. Located in the Pacific Northwest, the city also has access to some of the best culinary ingredients. From American to Italian, there are many great restaurants all around Bend.
In the heart of downtown, 900 Wall is a delectable restaurant specializing in modern American cuisine with Italian influences. You’ll find it tucked inside an old, 1920s building brimming with charm. The restaurant’s culinary team, led by executive chef Cliff Eslinger – featured in Best Chefs America – is proud to showcase the bounty of the area and sources ingredients from local purveyors. With something for everyone, including children, vegetarian and gluten-free diners, the seasonal menu is full of flavorful options, including risotto with beets, brown butter, poppy seeds and cremeux de Bourgogne cheese, and the flatiron steak with rapini, kale, pickled mustard seeds, potato purée and roasted-garlic butter. An award-winning wine list is available, with many wines from central Oregon, as well as cocktails and beers.
Nestled inside a lovely Craftsman bungalow, Ariana Restaurant is a wonderful place to sample classic European dishes with a modern spin. Procuring the best ingredients from local purveyors, the culinary team creates delectable dishes to showcase the freshest in-season products, which means the menu changes frequently. Diners can find entrées such as wild cod and clams simmered with bacon, creamed leeks and fingerling potatoes, or filet mignon with garlic aïoli, roasted scallion potatoes and wild Oregon mushroom jus.
Opened by owner-chef Steven Draheim and located in the heart of downtown, Barrio is a lively venue featuring Latin cuisine. Inspired by the bold flavors of Mexico, Spain and South America, this eatery offers the perfect environment for a casual lunch or great night out with friends. The menu offers tasty options including the classic patatas bravas, fried red potatoes with sofrito sauce and cotija cheese; Cuban sliders with Spanish jambon, pork carnitas, escabeche, jack cheese and mustard; and four different varieties of paella (meat, meat and seafood, veggie and seafood, and vegetable).
The Blacksmith takes its name from the historic building in which it is located: Pierson’s Blacksmith Shop. Offering guests a distinctive dinner menu and tasty libations, the venue features a cozy interior enhanced by its stone and brick walls, low lighting and comfortable leather seating. The menu is a meat and seafood lover’s dream, with succulent options such as wild halibut on a bed of chorizo-saffron risotto, with red onion and roasted red pepper emulsion. There is also a tempting array of desserts, such as bread pudding with crispy bacon and salted caramel-maple sauce, served with house-made vanilla ice cream.
Chow is a delicious farm-to-table breakfast and brunch eatery located in a converted house. Beautiful surroundings, including an on-site garden, add to the charming, homely environment in which guests can enjoy an array of sweet and savory dishes. Executive chef David Touvell creates enticing options, such as the ‘hippy dippy’ sandwich, with roasted pickled veggies, house-made cheese and olive tapenade all on house-made bread. The restaurant is also more than happy to create raw, vegan and gluten-free dishes.
Inside a 1916 converted Craftsman-style bungalow sits the lovely McKay Cottage Restaurant, a daytime venue serving comfort classics with a creative twist. Open daily, the eatery also features a bakery that produces an array of baked goods, including muffins, scones, cinnamon rolls, pecan sticky buns and desserts. In a relaxing atmosphere, diners have a chance to savor delectable breakfasts, such as McKay Cottage potatoes: potatoes, bacon, ham, tomatoes and green onions scrambled with eggs and topped with cheddar (a vegetarian alternative is also available). As for lunch, the zesty crab melt with red crab salad topped with melted white cheddar, tomatoes and avocado on thick sliced Parmesan sourdough bread is a definite must-try. Brunch cocktails and wine are also available.
Part of Bend’s culinary scene in one form or another since 1936, the Pine Tavern is a beloved dining establishment offering American cuisine. A beautiful interior with two pine trees plus an outdoor space, complete with views of the river, awaits guests who are visiting for lunch or dinner both of which are served daily. The menu offers everything from appetizers to meat, poultry and seafood entrées to vegetarian items. They’re also particularly well-known for their mouthwatering hot scones with honey butter.
Established in 2006, The Sparrow Bakery is a warm and inviting venue specializing in an assortment of home baked goods. Visitors can enjoy the bakery’s signature item, ocean rolls – buttery croissant dough sprinkled with cardamom, sugar and vanilla then rolled and baked – alongside other treats, including Parisian macarons, coconut macaroons, and pastries. Breakfast and lunch menus are also available, with dishes such as the bacon breakfast sandoh with a poached egg, smoked bacon, avocado and arugula aïoli on a croissant. With two locations, one intimate and homey and the other light and airy, this delightful bakery is a must-visit spot.
Established in 2009 as a mobile kitchen, Spork became a brick-and-mortar shop in 2013. A casual venue open for lunch and dinner every day, the menu features a tasty array of dishes inspired by global flavors, including those from Latin America and Asia. Using the best ingredients procured from local sources, the culinary team creates flavorful dishes, including tacos with pork carnitas, fried catfish or fried organic tofu, and spicy fried chicken with spicy-sweet sambal chili sauce, green onion, toasted sesame and jasmine rice. A selection of classic and original cocktails – try the plum foolery with rye, aperol and plum wine – is also available.
Zydeco Kitchen and Cocktails is a downtown fine-dining establishment featuring an eclectic menu imbued with Southern influences. The kitchen seeks out the freshest ingredients available, which often include organics. In its chic interior, guests can savor delightful options, such as the filet au poivre, with a peppercorn crust, shallot-brandy-cream sauce, seasonal vegetables and crispy fries; vegetable risotto with butternut squash, leeks and mushrooms topped with hazelnuts plus fried fennel; and shrimp étouffée served over basmati rice. There is also a gluten-free menu, great desserts and an impressive wine list with international and Pacific Northwest varieties.
