The high-profile food scene in Bend tends to overshadow what's cooking in Sisters. At first glance, the tight-knit community seems to be behind the times with 1880's facades and the downtown blocks you can count on two hands—but in reality the home of the world's biggest little rodeo is also home of some of the best dining in the region. And now, thanks to Eurosports, the town has joined the food cart craze, too. These little mobile units tend to fly under the radar until they produce something phenomenal, as we so proudly saw with Spork. Maybe it's because they seem to come out of nowhere, from every direction, and they move around. It's hard to keep up, until a handful land in a pod next to a gear shop pouring beers.
The iconic Sisters ski and bike shop Eurosports has been a go-to for locals and tourists for the past 28 years, and its owner has been looking to add the food cart component for quite some time. Still, it's clear that owner and former mayor Brad Boyd is doing more than just drumming up more revenue; he's also growing the community and serving a neighborhood that loves to be outside.
The four cart owners seem to be on that same wavelength. They come from an array of former lives, from commercial fishing in Alaska to commodity trading in Chicago, but the common thread is their passion for their plated products.
The Food Cart Garden is a sweet little spot tucked away off of Hood Avenue in Sisters. Nestled under pine trees, it features tables and chairs in the grass and picnic tables closer to the street near the bike shop. It's cozy and not overwhelming as some food cart pods can be. Meanwhile, the gear shop is ready to service your toys and your thirst all at once. They do it right with great local beers like Rogue's Hazelnut Brown, local ciders and kombucha on tap, plus over 20 specialty bottled beers. The Garden is pet and family friendly to say the least, hosting weekly events like all-ages trivia on Wednesdays (sign-up at 6:15 pm), a Thirsty Thursdays happy hour from 4 pm to 7 pm, benefiting the Furry Friends Foundation, and a summer live music series on Fridays from 5 to 7 pm.
And the food? There's a little something for every palate:
Dog Town Hotdogs serves German smoked sausage, brats, kielbasa and traditional all-beef hot dogs.
Mangia TV Tuscan Chuckwagon dishes up Italian-inspired barbecue, including barbecue shrimp, wood-fired flatbreads, tacos and more. The award-winning dry rubs used on all the dishes are for sale at the cart and on Mangia.TV, where the owner Bob vlogs about food, recipes and joining people together through nourishment. He even livestreamed last Wednesday's trivia night.
The New Public Cafe crafts healthy dishes from local, organic whole foods with a predominance of vegan and gluten-free selections. Choose everything from the Tempeh Reuben to brown rice bowls to nachos and burritos. The cold-pressed juices, brewed coffee and tea are all made in-house (or in-cart if you want to get technical). Tell Anna if you have any allergies; she will set you up.
Fresh fish in the desert? Absolutely. Rock -n- Troll guarantees the freshest Wild Alaskan seafood and barbecue, featuring wild salmon skewers, fish-n-chips, salmon wraps and burgers. Kenny was in the fishing industry for years, so he knows exactly what he is serving you. Ask him about it.
The Eurosports food cart pod is pretty low-key, extremely welcoming and lots of fun. It's totally worth the drive from Bend or a stop on the way to the Valley. It has only been open for a few months, but I wouldn't be surprised if any of these carts make the jump to a brick-and-mortar.
Eurosports Food Cart Garden
223 E Hood Ave., Sisters
541-549-2471
Wed-Sun 11 am-7 pm
Open later for events like trivia and live music (*Hours may vary from cart to cart)
