Best Downtown and Old Mill Restaurants
Downtown Bend is the center of all this great city has to offer, and that goes for its restaurants as well. Within walking distance along Bend’s two main drags — Wall and Bond streets — are dozens of spots to find any food you might be craving. To the south, the chic Old Mill District features a number of locally owned restaurants near the banks of the Deschutes River.
Deschutes Brewery
For a truly authentic Bend experience, visit Deschutes Brewery — the oldest brewpub in town. Deschutes launched in 1988 in a converted law office and today offers excellent American pub fare with local ingredients, nearly two-dozen craft beers (some of which flow only through its taps), and an unmatched Central Oregon atmosphere.
Wild Rose
The best Thai restaurant in Bend doesn’t even have pad thai on the menu, and we’re all the richer for it. Wild Rose, a downtown Bend spot, focuses on northern Thai fare — curries and noodle-rich soups that can make you sweat (and also ask for seconds).
Bar Rio
The renovated Bar Rio is a funky lounge serving up delicious, Mediterranean-, Mexican-, and South American-inspired small plates and cocktails. The extensive tapas list includes homemade tamales with farm-fresh eggs, chicken shawarma skewers, and Cuban sliders. They all pair well with a fun list of cocktails and mocktails.
Amaterra Kitchen + Social Club
Amaterra Kitchen + Social Club, the Bend-based outpost of Amaterra Winery, hosts a wood-and-brick-lined tasting room in the heart of downtown Bend. Sample Amaterra’s Oregon-grown pinot noir, chardonnay, and other varietals from its gravity-flow winery — and save room for a seasonally focused, upscale food menu of Pacific Northwest-inspired fare. Note that the tasting room is a members-only outpost; if you’re not an Amaterra member, you can pay a one-time fee of $25 — which can be applied to two bottles of wine.
M’s Bakery
The Hispanic-owned M’s Bakery is based in the Old Mill District and dishes an eclectic lineup of breakfast and lunch fare that’s crafted, whenever possible, with homemade ingredients. That includes naturally fermented breads and pastries that are baked fresh daily, Mexican-inspired brunch dishes, and a stellar lineup of coffee drinks.
Lady Bird Cultural Society
Also in the Old Mill District, the Prohibition Era-inspired Lady Bird Cultural Society blends vintage decor and retro vibes with a full menu of contemporary Italian fare — much of which is prepared in the eatery’s wood-fired oven. Sip creative cocktails, choose among dozens of wines from around the world, and enjoy it all with a wood-fired pork chop, ricotta gnocchi, or one of Lady Bird’s artisan pizzas.
Best Fine Dining
Gore-tex might be the official dress code on hiking trails around Bend, but this outdoorsy town knows how to get dressed up for a night on the town. Whether you’re celebrating something special or simply have an appreciation for the finer things in life, check out these fine-dining restaurants in Bend.
Zydeco Kitchen + Cocktails
If it’s fine dining you seek, consider one of Bend’s best restaurants — Zydeco Kitchen + Cocktails, which takes the tastes of the South and gives them a unique Pacific Northwest twist. Zydeco offers farm-to-table and seasonal dishes, as well as an exceptional wine list and cocktail menu — making it the spot for a Bend-based celebration.
Bos Taurus
Steak lovers, unite! Bos Taurus starts your meal by inviting you to pick out the perfect knife for your preferred cut of meat — and continues to enchant from there. The name of the game is steak, including Wagyu flown in from Japan and Australia, but don’t miss out on the smoked cocktails or the tasty sides.
Ariana
Ariana is one of the best Bend restaurants and sits in a cozy bungalow on NW Galveston Avenue. The seasonally changing menu incorporates Italian and Mediterranean influences into an eclectic food lineup that leans heavily on Pacific Northwest ingredients. For adventurous eaters, go for the six-course tasting menu, which changes weekly, and get ready for a mind-expanding experience.
Learn more about Chef Ariana Hernandez and some of the other notable chefs in Bend.
Trattoria Sbandati
Trattoria Sbandati is so authentically Italian that it has been known to shut down so the owners can go to Italy in search of more delicious foods to serve. Everything here is made from scratch, many of the dishes come from family recipes, and this homemade, hand-cut pasta will truly change your life.
Best Casual Dining
Looking for a quick bite? Plenty of casual restaurants in Bend pair their laid-back vibes with acclaimed food menus.
Spork
Bend’s restaurant scene continues to evolve, and while this may have been a meat-and-potatoes mill town once upon a time, you can find some exciting international cuisine here, too. An oldie but a goodie, and a locals’ favorite, is Spork — which began its life as a food cart run out of an Airstream and is now a hopping brick-and-mortar restaurant on NW Newport Avenue. This spot is known for its spicy curry, epic fried chicken, and innovative cocktails.
Miyagi Ramen
In the Box Factory, the newest and hippest restaurant enclave in Bend, you’ll find Miyagi Ramen. Start with a base broth, then add ingredients like a soft egg or chicken katsu to your piping-hot bowl. If you’re not in the mood for soup, try Miyagi’s steamed buns, edamame, fried chicken sandwich (whose flavorful flourishes are aided by kimchi and spicy mayonnaise), or crispy shrimp skewers.
El Sancho
With two brightly painted restaurants and one food cart in town, El Sancho is a Bend institution — serving classic Mexican street fare that packs plenty of flavor into every bite. Grab a few tacos with your choice of roughly a dozen proteins, order a salad with local greens, and wash it all down with one of several house-made margaritas (made using fresh-squeezed citrus).
Best Brunch
Getting up early ahead of a full Saturday? Sleeping in on a lazy Sunday? Looking for a quick, yet satisfying bite throughout the week? Whatever the case, start the day right with brunch at one of the top breakfast restaurants in Bend.
Jackson’s Corner
Jackson’s Corner takes the idea of “farm to table” seriously, creating a page on its website to shout out the local partners who provide the eatery with fresh ingredients — including coffee roasters, farmers, ranchers, bakeries, and growers. Those items help build a hearty breakfast menu that includes a flavorful omelet, massive breakfast burrito stuffed with seasonal greens, and avocado toast topped with shaved local radishes.
If you’re curious about other eateries the whole crew will love, check out the best family restaurants in Bend, Oregon.
The Victorian Café
The Victorian Café prides itself on taking creative approaches to well-worn breakfast favorites. For proof, look no further than the French toast (topped with a house-made caramel sauce and sliced apples) or the chicken “in” waffle benedict (whose decadent take on eggs benedict includes chicken strips coated in crushed waffle and a candied bacon biscuit). Pair your order with a bloody mary (one of The Vic’s house specialties) or one of nearly 10 mimosas. Heated outdoor seating keeps the fun going all winter long.
The Lemon Tree
At the western edge of downtown, bordering Drake Park, The Lemon Tree puts an upscale spin on well-worn breakfast dishes — usually with seasonal ingredients and fresh-baked pastries. You can’t go wrong with whatever you order, but the amaretto French toast (topped with fresh berries) and crab cake benedict are local favorites.
Best Late-Night Eats
If you’re not quite ready for the day to end, find a globetrotting mix of elevated pub fare, creative cocktails, and crackling fire pits at some of Bend’s best late-night eateries.
The Stihl Whiskey Bar
Sip your way through the best whiskey lineup in Bend at Stihl Whiskey Bar. The old-school lounge offers more than 400 whiskeys from around the world, as well as a creative small-plates menu that includes poké nachos, prosciutto-wrapped asparagus, and a Hatch chili chicken pot pie.
McMenamins Old St. Francis School
Whether you’re returning to your whimsical room after a long day, just getting out of a movie next door, or feeling refreshed after some time in the on-site soaking pool, a few of the bars at McMenamins Old St. Francis School are happy to welcome you long after the sun goes down. Housed in a 1936 Catholic schoolhouse, the property’s pubs dish pub grub sourced with local ingredients, as well as house-made beer and cider. If you brought a jacket, cozy up around one of the many fire pits on the patio.
Best Dog-Friendly Restaurants
All over Bend, restaurants know that no meal is truly complete without Fido — so a number of eateries roll out the red carpet for your four-legged friend. Here are some of the best dog-friendly restaurants in Bend.
Worthy Brewing
On Bend’s bustling east side, Worthy Brewing is a top spot for dogs and their human companions. Visitors of age can drink Worthy’s ales and lagers, many of which are crafted with new and exciting hop varieties, while their dogs relax on the brewpub’s spacious patios (and next to roaring fire pits). A server may even bring out a water bowl to keep your pup cool.
Bend Brewing Company
Where downtown meets the Deschutes River, Bend Brewing Company hosts a grassy, partially shaded patio that’s perfect for dogs and their thirsty owners. Dogs can’t take a dip in the Deschutes here, but a gentle breeze drifts in off the water, keeping everyone cool and providing idyllic conditions for savoring the veteran brewpub’s wide-ranging pub food menu and lineup of award-winning ales and lagers.
Looking for more ideas? Show Fido the best of Central Oregon with our guide to the top dog-friendly restaurants in Bend, Oregon.
Best Vegan and Vegetarian Restaurants
Keep it fresh with health-minded eateries across Bend—and check out these vegan- and vegetarian-friendly eateries around town.
The Podski
One unique way to enjoy Bend’s great food scene for breakfast, lunch, and dinner is by swinging by one of the city’s many food truck pods. At The Podski food cart lot, between downtown Bend and the Old Mill District, you’ll find a wide variety of options — including Toasty. The long-running trailer’s playful, plant-based menu features crunchwraps, quesadillas, burritos, avocado toast, and a handful of sides. A number of gluten-free items are available, as well.
Sen Thai Noodles & Hot Pot
Swing by Sen Thai Noodles & Hot Pot, which shares the same family ownership as Wild Rose, for meals with a wide range of proteins. The Thai hot pot and noodle shop serves up flavorful dishes in a beautiful setting right on the Deschutes River. It’s easy to see why Sen is one of the top restaurants with a view in Bend.
Still hungry? Check out the best new restaurants in Bend to see what’s fresh and exciting around town.
