Best International Cuisine & Best Casual Dining

Whenever people visiting ask me where to get food in Bend, one of my first mentions is always Spork. The atmosphere is great, the selection is wide and the price is right. Plus, it doesn’t hurt that the food kicks ass.

Recently, I was able to try the spicy cauliflower alternative to the fried chicken, along with kimchi, and it was mind-blowing. To paraphrase, I said something along the lines of, “This is the best thing I’ve eaten in Bend.” So, it’s no surprise that they’ve won both Best International Cuisine and Casual Dining in this year’s Best Of.

“We are honored to get both of those things. It feels great to be seen and appreciated for what we do,” said owner Erica Reilly. “I feel like we’ve put a lot of love into our work, which is challenging given how busy we often are.”

Spork started out as a food truck in 2009, with the restaurant opening in 2013. This summer presented new challenges for many in the food service industry, so Spork turned back the clock a bit, returning to its roots. Using their Airstream food truck and outdoor seating only, Spork has created an easy and welcoming system in the age of COVID-19.

“I think that we are really fortunate to have started with a food truck and have takeout in our DNA. Prior to Spork and alongside Spork, we’ve also done a lot of events—so I kind of feel like we got to reach back into our skill set to the past as well and pull it all together,” says Reilly.

“Getting to feed our community is a really sweet thing. Thank you for your continued support, which allows us to create (and sometimes re-create) this space to gather in our shared humanity. It’s what we all need most right now.”