Central Oregon is known for many things, and exceptional eateries are one of them. The benefit to being here is that you can practically find good food anywhere, but it can be hard to know where to start. As a region full of foodies, we know these tried and true restaurants have the best burgers, sushi, Mexican food, Thai food, barbeque and more in Central Oregon.
The Best Burgers
A classic sandwich—the burger—can be found at most pubs and grills. Rest assured, these restaurants in Bend and Redmond are a good place to start when searching for a top-notch burger around the region.
Bend Burger Company
1939 NE 3rd St.
Bend, Oregon 97701 and
249 NW 6th St.
Redmond, Oregon 97756
Bend Burger Company started as a small, family-owned business and has become a household name in Central Oregon with locations in Bend and Redmond. The signature burger, the Bend Burger, is a classic cheeseburger with Bend Burger Sauce—the homemade, hallmark sauce can be found on nearly every burger made here. Each burger is named after a beloved landmark in Central Oregon; try the Broken Top: bleu cheese, smoky bacon, lettuce, tomatoes, pickles and, of course, Bend Burger Sauce.
Worthy Brewing
495 NE Bellevue Drive
Bend, Oregon 97701
and
806 NW Brooks St.
Bend, Oregon 97703
Worthy Brewing made its mark on Bend after being established in 2012 and opening as a solar-powered brewery on the eastside in 2013. Both locations operate with sustainable practices, sourcing locally and even using ingredients from the onsite garden at the eastside brewery. At either location, find the Magic Bus Burger: a natural beef patty with blackberry-chipotle barbeque sauce, fried onions and Tillamook cheddar cheese.
Authentic Sushi
Options for incredible sushi are abundant in Central Oregon. If you have a hankering for fresh, authentic rolls, there are plenty of choices around the region; although, downtown Redmond and Tumalo have some of the best sushi around.
Oishi Japanese Restaurant
511 SW 6th St.
Redmond, Oregon 97756
In Redmond, find Oishi Japanese Restaurant where the mission of healthy, delicious food is at the forefront of the menu. The menu is filled to the brim with options of noodles and teriyaki, and you can trust that the sushi here is outstanding. From classic unagi rolls to signature rolls such as the Oishi Love—spicy tuna, avocado, scallops, salmon roe and octopus—it will be hard not to try a little bit of everything.
NorthFresh Sushi
19860 7th St.
Bend, Oregon 97703
Located at The Bite—a food truck gathering near Tumalo State Park—NorthFresh is a sushi-lover’s paradise. The history of the restaurant began in Salem where the chef opened his first NorthFresh food truck. Now, visitors and locals alike can find poké bowls, avocado tempura and delicious sushi rolls after a day exploring the north side of Bend.
The Best Steak
There are many factors that go into preparing the perfect steak; for example, time, location and patience. In Central Oregon, these restaurants pride themselves on meticulous preparation of the classic dish.
Bos Taurus
163 NW Minnesota Ave.
Bend, Oregon 97701
Bos Taurus has a thoughtful range of steak-cuts on the menu. One can find meat sourced anywhere from the desert plains of Arizona to the diverse landscape of Queensland, Australia. Complete the meal by adding on brown butter bearnaise or Bos steak sauce.
Brickhouse
5 NW Minnesota Ave.
Bend, Oregon 97703
or
412 SW 6th St.
Redmond, Oregon 97756
With locations in downtown Bend and downtown Redmond, Brickhouse is an excellent restaurant for finding the best steak in Central Oregon. At both locations, find a true surf and turf by ordering the Filet and Lobster: bacon wrapped filet and a lobster tail. Then, pair the meal with an option from Brickhouse’s extensive Wine Cellar list.
Authentic Mexican Food
When searching for the best margarita, tacos or enchiladas this side of the Cascades, you’ll find a plethora of delicious options in every town. However, these incredible restaurants in Central Oregon are top of the list for genuine Mexican cuisine.
Coco Loco
223 E Hood Ave.
Sisters, Oregon 97759
In Sisters, Coco Loco is located amongst the food trucks at the popular Eurosports Food Garden. Stop by for fantastic street tacos, quesadillas, burritos or nachos with tons of vegan options as well. Coco Loco offers customers the option to turn any burrito into a bowl served on a bed of rice.
Diego’s Spirited Kitchen
447 SW 6th St.
Redmond, Oregon
Diego’s Spirited Kitchen prides itself on serving traditional and non-traditional Mexican, Italian and American dishes. When looking for traditional Mexican cuisine in Central Oregon, head over to Diego’s and find platters of cheesy, flavorful enchiladas, or the sizzling signature Southwest Fajitas with options of veggie, chicken or steak filling.
Hola!
Six locations throughout Bend, Redmond, Sunriver and Camp Sherman
Hola! is another Central Oregon household name. Their Mexican-meets-Peruvian cuisine is hard to beat when you have that specific craving for nachos or a colorful margarita. The guacamole is made at your table as Hola! is committed to serving the freshest ingredients. At any of the six locations, find signature dishes such as Ahi Chile Rellenos while enjoying views of Redmond, Bend, Sunriver or the Metolius River area.
Best Thai Food
When searching for Thai food in Central Oregon, you’ll find an abundance of options. Rest assured that Central Oregon has incredible Thai food around every corner. If you can’t make up your mind, here are a few places to try out.
Wild Rose
150 NW Oregon Ave.
Bend, Oregon 97701
This unique restaurant has a menu focused on bringing food from Northern Thailand to the forefront of Bend’s palate. With specialties such as Khao Soi Curry—yellow coconut curry with veggies and spices, topped with your choice of protein—Wild Rose is an authentic culinary experience in the heart of downtown Bend.
Noi
550 NW Franklin Ave. Ste. 148
Bend, Oregon 97703
Noi, settled in downtown Bend, was the first of many locations including two in Seattle and one in Honolulu. This is a popular spot for signature cocktails and the house specialty: Crispy Garlic Chicken. The goodness doesn’t stop there; Noi has an extensive dessert menu with traditional after–dinner treats such as Black Sticky Rice Pudding.
Notable Vegan and Vegetarian Restaurants
Wholesome, healthy and delicious ingredients? There’s not much more to ask for when looking for the best vegetarian and vegan options. Luckily, Central Oregon is on top of it when it comes to tasty, veggie-packed meals.
Active Culture
285 NW Riverside Blvd.
Bend, Oregon 97701
With breakfast, lunch and dinner (and snacks), Active Culture in Bend serves some of the best plant-based goodness out there. Try a vegan BBQ burger made with a lentil patty, and pair it with a kombucha mojito.
Terra Kitchen
509 SW 6th St.
Redmond, Oregon 97756
Terra Kitchen is the soul of plant-forward dinner menus in Redmond. Located in the SCP Hotel, Terra Kitchen’s menu is inspired by Mediterranean-style and Pacific Northwest food. Stop by for the Farm Vegetable Paella, or Papas Bravas—fingerling potatoes with lemon cashew aioli.
Best Barbeque
Pulled pork, chicken wings, and a smorgasbord of coleslaw and baked beans sound like the perfect summer picnic. Luckily, Central Oregon has impeccable options for barbeque all year long.
Baldy’s Barbeque
Three locations throughout Bend and Redmond
With three locations spanning Bend and Redmond, Baldy’s Barbeque is a must-visit spot in Central Oregon. The juicy signature plate, The Extravaganza, is a full rack of baby back ribs, pulled pork, beef brisket and smoked chicken. It’s the perfect shareable meal for a group of people feeling indecisive, or those wanting a sampling of everything.
Pop’s Southern BBQ
171 East Main St.
Sisters, Oregon 97759
This barbeque food truck is located in The Barn—a gathering of local food trucks. Here, find made-from-scratch, quality meat. Try Pop’s Loaded Chili or the Roasted Poblano Slaw if you’re looking for a signature or unique dish. Take a scenic drive over to Sisters and stop by Pop’s Southern BBQ for a bite before heading out for a hike or exploring town.
Other stories
More inspiring stories, adventures, and tips & tricks for planning and experiencing the best Central Oregon has to offer.
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Pumpkin Patches + Petting Zoos = Fall Family Fun
As soon as the first hint of autumn rolls around, my three kids ask on a regular basis when we can go to the pumpkin patch. This is not simply because they’re eager to gather Halloween décor. To my kids (all under the age of 12), fall means visiting the farm and getting all the animal petting, ropes course playing and barbecue eating they can squeeze into one afternoon.
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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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Get Your “Ah-Ha” Beer Moment at Sunriver Brewing Company
Central Oregon can claim more breweries than quite a few states. We’re not exaggerating. Our region has 30+ breweries. That shows how much we care about craft beer but, it can make it tough to choose where to taste local brews, we get it!
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Brew it Yourself at Bend’s Immersion Brewing
Central Oregon’s thriving craft beer scene is a hugely popular experience for visitors to the High Desert. You can drink it. You can take a brewery tour and learn about it. And now, you can brew it yourself.
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Grab a Pint & Catch a Game Central Oregon Style
Yes, Central Oregon is known as an outdoor adventure paradise where hiking, mountain biking and skiing are a way of life and the reason many people visit. But sometimes your team’s got a big game. And all you really want to do – even on your vacation – is find a great spot to watch it with a few more diehard fans.
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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.