At first glance, Jackson's Corner Eastside closely resembles its westside counterpart: it's a bright space filled with large wooden tables, an open kitchen with a brick oven, and a counter with affable staff standing next to a glass case filled with eye-catching pastries and slices of pie. There are two counters, one for quick access to coffee and ready-made food and another for ordering breakfast, lunch or dinner from the menu. In the back, there's a case filled with craft beer, wine and other beverages. And, just like the westside restaurant, the eastside location knows its community and is already catering to the particular needs of its customers just three weeks after opening.
Located across from St. Charles Medical Center, on the corner of NE Neff Road and NE Medical Center Drive, Jackson's Corner Eastside offers healthy food options to patrons on the east side of Bend. For hospital employees on a quick lunch break, hospital visitors and others who might be passing through and don't have time to sit down for a meal, there's a grab'n'go case with fresh-made sandwiches. Like everything on Jackson's menu, the sandwiches are made with local ingredients (everything is sourced within a 100-mile radius) and served on bread that's made in-house. Yes, that's right, Jackson's Corner Eastside is developing its bakery, offering homemade pastas, fresh bread that's also used for French toast, and select pies and pastries.
Learning from six years' experience on the westside, as well as looking to businesses like Worthy Brewing that have added some character and community to the east side, Jackson's Corner seeks to expand its atmosphere of communal sharing to serve the eastside residents. There's a large patio with a fire pit and outdoor seating, prompting dreams of happy hour on warmer days to come, and a comfortable, family-friendly vibe.
"We're excited to be a part of this community in a greater aspect," said Palmer Noble, manager of Jackson's Corner Eastside. "Our goal is to offer our customers the best possible experience."
To this end, Jackson's Eastside offers flexible hours to meet the needs of its patrons. Although the restaurant officially opens at 6 am on weekdays, "We don't say no," says Noble, "If someone comes in before then and our bakers are here, we're not going to turn them away. We'll give them coffee and a pastry." This is why Jackson's Eastside hasn't posted hours, Noble says. "We'll continue serving people as long as they come in."
The menu at the eastside location offers the same fare that has seen so much success on the west side. In addition to a "why change something that works" reasoning, Jackson's menu uses the freshest local ingredients available, so the offerings depend in large part on what's in season. That being said, Jackson's seeks to be flexible in tailoring to the individual needs of its clientele. "It's not about what we want, it's about what makes people happy."
Jackson's Eastside seems to be doing just that. In a mere three weeks since opening, Jackson's Corner Eastside has drawn excitement and a warm welcome from the community—and the restaurant is already starting to see regulars. "We're excited and grateful to be here," says Noble.
