John Nolan loves to entertain. That much was clear when the Victorian Café owner/executive chef, took part in our photo shoot for Best Bloody Mary — an award that Nolan’s brunch destination has won, what, nearly 20 times in a row? Chatting with Source reporters, Nolan insisted that no conversation about Bloody Marys was appropriate without, well, Bloody Marys. He presented us with four cocktails: three Proud Mary Bloody Marys — the 24-ounce, Victorian Café’s crown jewel — and another 16-ounce Pickle Bloody Mary.
As Nolan plunked them on the bar, we were mesmerized by the veritable meal topping each drink. The Proud Mary is burdened by a charbroiled, smoky prawn, house-made andouille sausage, a cubic inch of pepperjack cheese, olives, pepperoncini, red onions and tomatoes. Don’t forget the pickle spear. The Pickle Bloody Mary comes with enough house-candied bacon to satisfy a side order. We laughed in happy disbelief — so much food.
The Victorian Café offers two Bloody Marys: the heavily fortified 24-ounce Proud Mary Bloody Mary, and the 16-ounce Pickle Bloody Mary, served with enough candied bacon to fill a side plate. Photo by Sophie Rentschler
“Our Bloodys get that reaction a lot,” Nolan said.
While wait times for a table at the Victorian Café can last more than an hour, Nolan’s staff serves drinks to guests whose line wraps around the building’s exterior. The generous toppings settle empty stomachs and otherwise “take the edge off” from the night before, Nolan said with a grin.
Originally from Connecticut, Nolan moved to Bend in the ‘90s. He began working at the Victorian Café in 1996 and bought the business in 2002. Nolan admits that he’s scaled back his East Coast energy, but “fresh food, fresh attitude” is still the Victorian Café’s unofficial motto. He’s like Tony Soprano in a neighborly mood — and he still writes the weekly specials. His Proud Mary Bloody is in high demand at his brunch tables. What sets them apart may be the house-infused vodkas; guests can choose between pepper and pickle infusions.
Runner up: Washington Dining & Cocktails
Victorian Café
Daily 7am-2pm
1404 NW Galveston Ave., Bend
victoriancafebend.com
This article appears in Best of Central Oregon 2025 and the Source August 21, 2025.
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