The beverage and nightlife scene in Central Oregon is the stuff of legend, with countless places to grab a drink in Bend and beyond. Breweries in Bend, Oregon, are celebrated on the Bend Ale Trail—but the craft beverage scene also includes fruit-forward cideries, chic wine bars, and creative cocktails at exciting lounges.
So whether you’re ready for a cool drink after a day outdoors or are eager to experience the work of our passionate makers, we put together a guide that breaks down drinking in Central Oregon. That includes:
Keep reading for some of the best sips around Bend and across Central Oregon.
Tackling the Legendary Bend Ale Trail
The popular Bend Ale Trail celebrates Central Oregon’s legendary craft beer scene with nearly three-dozen sip stops across the region. The self-guided beer trail offers prizes for visiting Central Oregon breweries throughout the region. The year-round passport program takes center stage every November, when Bend Ale Trail Month celebrates the scene with events, giveaways, and special promotions in conjunction with some of the biggest Bend breweries.
Crux Fermentation Project
Without a doubt, Crux Fermentation Project is one of the biggest and best-loved Central Oregon breweries. Housed in a former transmission shop, Crux takes a well-rounded approach to its lineup, pouring crisp lagers, a variety of IPAs, and a handful of barrel-aged brews. Enjoy them all inside the friendly taproom in Bend—or on the sun-kissed patio, where families spread out on picnic blankets and a handful of food carts dish a variety of cuisines. Wide-open Cascade peak views to the west add to the charm.
Deschutes Brewery
In 1988, Deschutes Brewery launched out of a converted law office in downtown Bend. Today, Deschutes is a cornerstone of the Bend Ale Trail and one of the most popular breweries in Bend, Oregon. Stop into the spacious pub to try a wide-ranging lineup of craft beers, all of which pair well with a creative menu of Pacific Northwest-inspired food items. If you’d like to learn how it’s done, head across the Deschutes River to visit the brewery’s production facility; behind-the-scenes tours cover the brewery, barrel room, and research-and-development facility.
Monkless Belgian Ales
Since opening, Monkless Belgian Ales has become one of the most unique Central Oregon breweries. Monkless specializes in Belgian-style beers, eschewing IPAs and pale ales for witbiers teeming with orange zest and abbey-inspired ales full of caramel and toffee flavors. Order a flight, and savor the pours on a patio that overlooks the Deschutes River and the Old Mill District near downtown Bend.
Silver Moon Brewing
At the edge of downtown, Silver Moon Brewing has been one of the most fun places to grab a drink in Bend since 2000. Today, Silver Moon specializes in original takes on classic styles—like a pale ale brewed with mangoes and a handful of IPAs with a wide range of bitterness and hop-forward flavor profiles for every palate. Five on-site food carts occupy the back patio, which adds to Silver Moon’s allure as one of the liveliest breweries in Bend, Oregon.
Handcrafted Cocktails & Hidden Lounges in Bend
We are best known for our beer, but don’t be mistaken: We love our cocktails in Central Oregon. Across the region, creative mixologists craft dialed-in takes on classic drinks and come up with inventive recipes that incorporate thoughtful ingredients. Keep reading for laid-back, yet cutting-edge places to grab a drink in Bend.
San Simón
Based in downtown Bend’s Tin Pan Alley, San Simon takes a playful approach to thoughtful cocktails. Drinks are made with fresh-squeezed juice, homemade syrups, and regional spirits—and are served alongside custom charcuterie boards. Mocktails and seasonal selections round out the menu. Whatever you order, enjoy it around the fire pit or inside a cozy tasting room.
Velvet Lounge
In downtown, Velvet Lounge has taken a lot of inspiration from Central Oregon’s outdoor scene—complete with lanterns hanging on the walls, greenery throughout, and wood paneling that creates a log cabin-like interior. But Velvet Lounge isn’t one of the best bars in Bend, Oregon, just because of its outdoorsy atmosphere. Local flourishes, for instance, can be found throughout the cocktail bar’s spirited menu; the Blue Velvet is infused with Oregon blueberries, and the Old Fashioned is made with house-infused honey and topped with an Oregon cherry.
The Flamingo Room
On Bend’s westside, The Flamingo Room transports you from the Central Oregon high desert to a more tropical locale. Sip fun mocktails and cocktails infused with fresh fruit under hanging plants that line the ceiling and cover the shelves. The food menu, meanwhile, keeps the airy vibes going with dips, seafood, empanadas, and other light bites.
Central Oregon Wine Tasting & Local Ciders
Any article about good drinks in Central Oregon would be incomplete without a nod to our regionally inspired wine tasting and acclaimed cideries. Choose among wine bars that offer pours from across the Cascades in Oregon’s Willamette Valley and from celebrated producers around the world—or head to Tumalo for fruit-forward ciders in friendly tasting rooms.
Stoller Wine Bar
Just south of downtown Bend, Stoller Wine Bar is routinely counted among the best bars in Bend, Oregon—and it’s easy to see why. Grab a seat in the spacious taproom or on the sunny patio, and choose between flights, glasses, and bottles of estate-grown wines. Pours may vary from visit to visit but typically include a citrusy chardonnay and several earthy pinot noirs. The Stoller calendar stays full with live music, trivia nights, and occasional speed-dating events.
Bistro Colette
Bistro Colette brings worldly flair to its neighborhood lounge on Bend’s westside. Diners are regaled with an extensive wine list that includes rare pours from around the world—from Oregon-grown pinot noirs and regional cabernets to Italian and Spanish reds and French Champagnes. If you’re hungry, save room for charcuterie, puff pastries, soups, salads, and European-inspired entrées.
Tumalo Cider Co.
Just northwest of Bend, Tumalo Cider Co. bypasses sweet flavors for dry and semi-sweet ciders that put the fruit first. That means straightforward apple ciders are nuanced and complex, while Pacific Northwest berries, regional cherries, and other fruits imbue each glass with bright, well-balanced zest. More than a dozen house-made ciders are on tap at any given time, most made with creative ingredient combinations (like one seasonal cider that spotlights strawberries and habaneros).
Bend Cider Co.
Less than two blocks away, Bend Cider Co. has also made a name for itself by staying away from overly sweet ciders—and by incorporating botanical influences and ingredients into every batch. Regional huckleberries mingle with ginger in one flagship cider, for instance, while another highlights mandarin and Oregon-grown juniper berries. If you can’t decide, grab a flight and head upstairs to the loft—or onto the grassy back patio, where local musicians routinely take the stage in spring and summer.
Exploring the Taps Beyond Bend
Central Oregon’s legendary craft beer scene doesn’t end at Bend city limits. Head out of the region’s largest city, and you’ll find cozy communities chockablock with inventive breweries. Here are a few local favorites.
Three Creeks Brewing
Near the western edge of Sisters, Three Creeks Brewing is a long-running favorite beloved for a lineup of time-tested recipes. Step inside the Western-inspired brewpub for the Five Pine Chocolate Porter, made with Belgian dark chocolate, or an authentic Czech Pilsner made with traditional yeast for a balanced finish. A number of seasonal beers and barrel-aged pours round out the eclectic taplist. For more inspiration around town, check out our guide to breweries and cideries in Sisters.
Sunriver Brewing Co.
Sunriver Brewing Co. opened in its namesake community in 2012 and has since grown into one of the region’s largest, most award-winning breweries. In the heart of Sunriver, sip IPAs, lagers, pale ales, and small-batch recipes inside a family-friendly pub (home to a children’s play area). For a cozier experience, sidle up to the bar at a tasting room housed in Sunriver’s production facility nearby.
Wild Ride Brewing
For more than a decade, Wild Ride Brewing has been a mainstay in the burgeoning Central Oregon craft beer scene. Wild Ride Redmond opened downtown in 2014, occupying the site of a former lumber storage building, and is as popular today for its wide-ranging taplist as its sprawling patio that’s heated by firepits all year long. In 2022, Wild Ride Prineville opened at the edge of downtown and is a popular spot for small-batch pours. Both Wild Ride outposts feature on-site food carts when you’re feeling peckish.
High Desert Sipping: Drink Responsibly
Whether you’re perusing the Bend Ale Trail or are looking for fun places to grab a drink in Bend and throughout Central Oregon, you’ll want to do so responsibly.
For starters, always have a designated driver or transportation plan if you’re to imbibe—especially if you’re visiting multiple stops. Cascades East Transit provides bus rides around Bend, ride-share options (such as Lyft and Uber) are available throughout Central Oregon, and a number of hotels in prime locations make it easy to walk between stops. For a fun twist, consider gathering a few friends or family members for an outing on the Cycle Pub, or leave the driving to a local expert on brewery and distillery visits through the Bend-based Wanderlust Tours. If one of your crew is fine with not partaking, the Bend Ale Trail Designated Driver Program rewards designated drivers with a unique prize.
