First Friday was a pretty big deal in Bend before the pandemic hit — and since then, it’s been making a steady comeback. While downtown Bend is where much of the First Friday activity has been happening, two food and drink events coming up for January First Friday will encourage you to branch out a bit.
Cotto food truck opening
Over at Ale Apothecary, First Friday is marked by the grand opening of the Cotto food truck. The cart, run by chef James Fink, features Italian street food. The menu looks delightful, featuring arancini – fried rice balls – with various ingredients, including cheese, mushroom and chicken varieties. Also on offer is a chicken parm sandwich and a muffaletta sandwich, as well as zeppoles — Italian style fried dough with powdered sugar. The Jan. 5 First Friday event also features music by Blackflowers Blacksun, art by Chris Cole and of course, great beer by Ale Apothecary. The event happens from 4 to 8pm Fri., Jan. 5 at 30 SW Century Drive, Suite 140 in Bend.
Gin and snacks
Over at Oregon Spirit Distillers, spend First Friday sampling OSD’s four distinct gins. On Jan. 5, visitors can head to the Bend Central District location to try the four gins paired with an appetizer. The event takes place from 4 to 8pm, and the flight is $20. Oregon Spirit Distillers is located at 740 NE First Street in Bend.
This article appears in Source Weekly January 4, 2023.
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