It’s true that travel writers, vacationers and roadtrippers alike visit Bend for its wealth of adventure. In the past, hiking through the lush Deschutes National Forest or relaxing beachside at one of the crystalline Cascade Lakes may have been the top experiences that drew visitors to Bend. While the endless opportunities for adventure remain, there is a new, delicious drive pulling visitors into town: food.
Best New Restaurants in Bend
The culinary boom brought a surge of new restaurants to the forefront of Bend’s foodie scene. Dotted along the streets of downtown, the Old Mill District and everything between, find new restaurants and food trucks eager to impress and bursting with flavorful energy.
Bosa
For fresh, seasonal ingredients that transport your taste buds to Europe, Bosa specializes in regional Italian and French cuisine. The restaurant was inspired by the rich food and wine history of the old world and enhance that experience by making homemade dishes from local ingredients.
Blue Eyes Burgers and Fries
A Bend restaurant transporting visitors to a different time is Blue Eyes Burgers. A classic, retro style diner, Blue Eyes Burgers uses local ingredients whenever possible, and offers vegetarian options. Another hit are the beer battered onion rings and specialty cocktails.
Justy’s
Justy’s is the only place in Bend where a bar, grill and beach volleyball pit can be found in one place. Stop by for dinner or sharable bites like the Loaded Tot-Chos (nacho toppings loaded on tater tots) and terrific cocktails—try the St Mule with Crater Lake Vodka, cucumber, mint, St. Germaine and Cock n Bull ginger beer—while playing a game of volleyball, or just hang out on the large outdoor patio.
The Cellar – Porter Brewing Co.
The Cellar Underground in downtown Bend is the latest venture from the owners of Porter Brewing, based in Redmond. At The Cellar, find Porter Brewing’s signature English-style ales, which are unfiltered, cask-conditioned and non-carbonated, just like they’re served at traditional English pubs. Inside The Cellar, visitors will also find Vi’s Pies—a made-from-scratch bakery established by Porter Brewing—featuring vegan, veggie or chicken curry pot pies to enjoy alongside a beer.
Sen Thai Hot Pot and Noodle House
Sen came to Bend ready to impress. Opened by the same owners of downtown Bend’s Wild Rose Thai, Sen brings a unique, unmatched experience to Bend’s culinary scene: traditional Thai Hot Pot. As the broth cooks your food tableside, enjoy the stunning view of Sen’s location next to Mirror Pond.
Top Restaurants in Bend
900 Wall
A fine dining restaurant located at—you guessed it—900 Wall Street, 900 Wall has been a fixture in downtown Bend since 2009. Described as modern American with French and Italian influences, find exquisite pasta, pizza and the signature 900 Wall Burger made with Vaquero Ranch beef. The restaurant is situated in a historic two-story brick building built in 1920, offering historical charm in an industrial chic space, with the option for dining along the sidewalk to take in the atmosphere of downtown Bend.
Bos Taurus
Bos Taurus is a boutique, chef-driven American steakhouse located in the heart of downtown Bend. The restaurant has been featured in writeups in the New York Times, Los Angeles Times and Forbes, enticing visitors from around the country to get a taste for themselves. This experience in fine dining features steak cuts and meat from not only across the country, but all over the world. Try Angus beef from Arizona’s cattle country or ribeye all the way from Australia. Pair with a glass from the considerable wine list and enjoy.
Nome
Nome Italiano wows the food scene in Bend with the cozy atmosphere and quality Italian cuisine. The restaurant is a new addition to Bend, opening in 2022, but comes from the same Sixtop ownership group as the highly-regarded Bos Taurus, along with Bend’s Miyagi Ramen and Hablo Tacos. A popular spot for fresh oysters and calamari for tasty appetizers, Nome also specializes in pasta dishes such as rigatoni with black truffle.
This food truck located in The Bite—a gathering of food carts in Tumalo—serves some of the best sushi one can find around Bend. At NorthFresh Sushi, enjoy featured dishes like avocado tempura and the signature NorthFresh Poké.
Spork
What started as a mobile restaurant in an Airstream trailer is now a newly remodeled, permanent space on Bend’s west side. An eclectic restaurant with global inspiration, Spork is a go-to spot for many Bendites, and is known for its casual space and delicious eats. Try anything from the pork rice bowl to a refreshing Thai steak salad.
Ariana Restaurant
An adventure in fine dining, Ariana Restaurant has stunned visitors and locals alike with a seasonal a la carte menu and a daily six course chef’s tasting menu for years on Galveston Avenue in Bend. This restaurant is only open for dinner, so grab a reservation quickly to secure your spot in this culinary experience.
Located in Bend’s Box Factory, a hot spot for great food, Miyagi takes its ramen seriously. Starting with base dishes like Spicy Miso that are spectacular on their own, diners can add ingredients from the a la carte menu such as spicy pork or vegan chili oil.
Bend Restaurant Guide
Although these restaurants may be the pinnacle of Bend’s booming culinary scene, they only scratch the surface. Check out the Bend Restaurant Guide: Savor for other restaurants in Bend that are shaking up the local food scene.
Other stories
More inspiring stories, adventures, and tips & tricks for planning and experiencing the best Central Oregon has to offer.
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Winter Tours You Have to Try in Bend and Central Oregon
Twinkling lights, fresh snow and fire pits bringing people together; it’s winter in Central Oregon! Bend and the surrounding towns within Central Oregon are great places to cozy up when the snow falls, and even better places to take part in winter recreation. Locals love to explore the nearby Cascade Mountains, with Mount Bachelor and plenty of sno parks located just a 30 minute drive away. Back in town, there are several breweries, cideries, wineries and distilleries waiting to be sampled. With so much to do, it can be tough to know where to start. Luckily, tours in Central Oregon that showcase the best outdoor and indoor recreation are available to help visitors make the most of their winter vacations.
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Make the Most of Your Bend and Central Oregon Ski Vacation
Dreaming of skiing in Bend, Oregon? The Central Oregon region is an incredible destination for a ski getaway. While the average snowfall in Bend is a little more than thirty inches, Central Oregon ski resorts boast annual numbers of more than 450 inches. From Bend, visitors can drive to Mt. Bachelor resort in just 30 minutes or the Hoodoo Ski Area in less than an hour. Outside of the resorts, there are boundless backcountry trails for cross-country skiing to glide into pristine and untouched wilderness. With tons of snow, a plethora of winter activities in Central Oregon, and seemingly endless miles of terrain to explore, Bend and Central Oregon make the perfect ski getaway. Read on to discover how to make the most of your ski-cation in this winter wonderland.
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Ice Skating Rinks You Have to Try in Bend and Sunriver
Bend and Sunriver are two excellent winter destinations. The offering of winter activities in Central Oregon are immense. Snow typically falls fast and heavy and visitors get to experience a winter wonderland filled with snow capped Ponderosa pines and fresh powder. In such a winter wonderland, it makes sense that Bend and Sunriver would have a selection of ice skating spots. Whether guests choose to twirl on the ice, casually glide or just kick back with a hot cocoa while the kids play, a trip to the ice skating rink can help cap off any Central Oregon winter getaway.
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The Ultimate Guide to Pumpkin Patches in Terrebonne, Oregon
Nothing signals the coming of fall quite like spending the day at a pumpkin patch. It’s tough to not feel the cozy spirit of the season when you’re solving a festive corn maze while bundled up and sipping a hot apple cider. Pumpkin patches in Central Oregon benefit from our desert climate and still get plenty of sunshine, even in late October. While smaller family farms all around the region will sometimes host fall events, the two most popular pumpkin patches both reside in Terrebonne: the Smith Rock Pumpkin Patch and the DD Ranch Pumpkin Patch.
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Notable Chefs at the Best Restaurants in and around Bend, Oregon
A little known fact that visitors are picking up on, Bend is a foodie paradise. There’s something about our creative, non-traditional attitude and emphasis on local ingredients that just makes great food. Luckily for visitors and locals alike, there are several chefs running Bend kitchens that constantly push boundaries, experiment, and create delicious and innovative dishes across a diverse array of cuisines.
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Best Shopping in Bend and Redmond, Oregon
Shopping in Central Oregon has evolved over time, thanks to an influx of outdoor enthusiasts, organic farmers, antique purveyors and entrepreneurs of all kinds moving in, and subsequently sharing their products with the community. This mixed bag of motivated individuals creates a marketplace full of locally sourced, handcrafted items that can’t be found anywhere else. In addition to small, local businesses, Central Oregon’s growth in population in recent years has garnered the attention of some larger retailers, who have opened up shop in Bend and Redmond. Shopping in Bend, Oregon and likewise, shopping in Redmond, Oregon, provides visitors with a look inside our local industries, while simultaneously providing opportunities to purchase from well known retailers. It’s also worth mentioning that shopping in Central Oregon and throughout the state is tax-free, offering shoppers a built-in excuse to buy whatever catches their eye.
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Casual Family Weekend in Sunriver
Imagine this: you’re riding your bike through a rolling meadow, the Cascade mountain range in the background, and the only sound is from the whir of a prop plane taking off against a crisp blue sky. Up ahead, your children pull carrots from their pockets and present them to a gathering of friendly horses in an adjacent pasture.
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Elk Lake Resort a Great Winter Getaway – And Getting There is Half the Fun
There’s a couple of ways to look at the annual winter closure of Cascade Lakes Scenic Byway: You can see it as cutting off your recreational access beyond the gate until the snow melts in the spring.
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Bend Area Breweries: Where to Go and What to Get
It used to be our little secret: That along with the countless recreational opportunities in Bend and Central Oregon, there was a burgeoning craft beer scene. That trying to decide which brewpub to hit after a day skiing at Mt. Bachelor was a two chairlift ride discussion. There were options. And lots of good beer.
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Winter Ales: How Deschutes Popularized the Style-and How Breweries Have Followed Suit in Central Oregon
In the summer of 1988, Deschutes Brewery opened in a converted law office in downtown Bend. In the decades since, the brewery has produced one memorable beer after another—from Black Butte Porter and Mirror Pond Pale Ale in Deschutes’ earliest days to the hit Fresh Squeezed IPA, which became a staple on store shelves in 2013.