One bite of Cascade Alchemy Bowls’ Mt. Hood Bowl and I immediately regretted every visit I had ever made to Blacksmith Public House without ordering it from the food truck. The creamy Thai-inspired peanut sauce was bright and citrusy. Tender marinated chicken, crunchy pickled carrots, sautรฉed bok choy and cool cucumber slices came together over […]
Food & Drink
Rockinโ Away Hunger
Eight local bands are teaming up for a free concert to help fight local food insecurity. The idea started last year when a member of the Bend band Long Operators wanted to do something to honor his late grandfather, a preacher in Seattle. After learning his family had been assisted by St. Vincent de Paul […]
Summertime Pimento Cheeseย
Hereโs an easy summertime recipe, perfect for making sandwiches to tote along on whatever adventure youโre setting out upon. Where I grew up, everyone had their own family recipe for pimento cheese and pimento cheese sandwiches were in everybodyโs cooler at the lake or picnic in the park. I shared two versions of pimento cheese […]
Worth the Wait: Bamboo Sushi Brings Sustainable Style to Bend
Bamboo Sushi has finally arrived in Bend and judging by the crowds, Central Oregon has been waiting patiently. Originally expected to open back in December, the restaurant finally welcomed its first guests during the first week of June. Since then, word has spread quickly. On my recent early evening visit, the wait for either […]
New Japanese/French Inspired Bakery Opening in Downtown Bend
The owner of the Pika Pika, Vivienne Mariotti, is expanding her business next door into the former Red Chair Art Gallery space on the corner of NW Bond Street and Oregon Avenue to open a cafe. โOur vision for the adjacent space is to create an elevated Japanese and French-inspired pastry concept that focuses on handcrafted […]
Base Camp: Bend’s West Side Is Getting a Food Truck Destination Unlike Any Other
By mid-July, a corner of Bend’s west side near Powder House Ski & Patio is going to look a lot different. Where a narrow lot once sat largely underused, a 7,000-square-foot building has risen โ barn wood walls, 40-foot ceilings, a 50-foot belly bar and a rooftop garden perched atop repurposed shipping containers. Welcome to […]
Small Pocket, Big Taste
Every morning, a warm and inviting aroma comes from the center of the Village in Sunriver, where Hot Lava Bakery is serving up delicious pastries, coffee drinks and blended smoothies to locals and tourists. Along with an extensive breakfast and lunch menu, Hot Lava Bakery makes custom cakes and cupcakes for events and special occasions. […]
A Small Batch Sourdough Kitchen Launches in Bend
Jessica Natvig recently moved across the country from Marco Island, Florida, to Bend with her dehydrated sourdough starter in tow. She and her husband are from Oregon. They have a busy household with three sons, ages 7, 4 and 6 weeks, but still manage to operate a small batch sourdough kitchen called Lady Sourdough out […]
Foam Sweet Foam: Why Cold Foam is Floating to the Top This Summer
If there is one thing that seems to be crowning every iced drink in Bend this summer, itโs cold foam. From cold brew and iced lattes to colorful fruit teas and energy drinks, cold foam has become the fluffy finishing touch that coffee shops and tea houses cannot seem to stop pouring. What started as […]
Wine, Music, Vibes
I know it can be one of the most basic things in the world to talk about geography, but bear with me for a second because Iโm trying to paint a picture and you must consider the scenery. If youโve ever driven north on Highway 97 between Bend and Madras, you know the dramatic shift […]

