When they were traveling across the nation as a military family, Kristy Cross, her husband and her four kids always found themselves at cozy, homey, eclectic diners. Inspired and imaginative, they would sketch on paper napkins what their own cafe could look like. Seventeen short years ago, when Cross’s husband began building homes in Redmond […]
Chow
Posted inChow
The Hole Story on 5th Street Bagels
The garlic cream cheese is worth the trip too!
Tucked into Ponch’s Place in NE Bend, 5th Street Bagels is more than a food truck — it’s a full-on family operation rolling out small-batch sourdough bagels with intention, heart and a “hole” lotta time and hustle. In a world drowning in sourdough starters, if yours pays the bills, it’s not just bread—it’s gold. Owner […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Pho 88 Brings Vietnamese Comfort Food to the Old Mill
New restaurant offers classics like pho, banh mi and vermicelli bowls in a cozy, familiar space
A new addition to Bend’s Old Mill District is serving up steaming bowls of pho, crunchy banh mi sandwiches and plenty of crispy fried appetizers, all with a welcoming, family-friendly vibe. Pho 88, located in the former Mill Works Pub space, is the newest venture from Alice Nguyen, a seasoned restaurateur who previously managed Mio Sushi […]
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Simón
Esta Bien is sold and rebranded
The restaurant formerly known as Esta Bien on NW Hill Street in Bend has been sold and rebranded as Simón. The new owners are Roberto Cardenas, who’s held leadership roles at La Rosa, Rio, and Fat Tony’s, and Rocio Villalobos, from Rio and Madras Brewing. The two chefs are offering a Latin Fusion concept that […]
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Immaculate Vibes
It’s a hot patio summer
Look, if there’s one thing that Bendites love, it’s a patio in the summer with a happy doggo, a microbrew and some delectable cuisine. In fact, patios have become so synonymous with the Central Oregon experience that you’d be hard pressed to find a spot without one that doesn’t offer some combination of good beer, […]
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The Dry Canyon Club
Redmond’s newest food cart lot also offers hundreds of beverages
A new tap house and food cart lot opened July 1 in the heart of a neighborhood off NW Hemlock Avenue in Redmond. The Dry Canyon Club has six food trucks, a coffee stand and just about any type of beverage a person could think up. The food cart lot is unique in that it’s literally […]
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Farmers Market Finds
Specialty items for sale at the Bend Farmers Market
Farmers markets are no longer primarily produce stands. You can purchase individual items to make a feast by stopping by the Bend Farmers Market on Wednesdays. Dozens of booths spread the length of Brooks Alley, spilling into the plaza in front of The Commons Cafe and Taproom. Start with an appetizer of uniquely flavored hummus […]
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Chia Roadside Stand Offers Sourdough Baked Goods
The Deschutes River Woods stand is an offshoot of Rooted Bakery
Good sourdough only requires three things, says Liz McCarthy. Flour, water, and salt. Oh, and attention. “You have to take care of your starter. If you don’t, it will not make good bread,” says McCarthy, 55, a longtime resident of Deschutes River Woods, where she has her small home-based Rooted Bakery at 19126 Kiowa Road. […]
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New Mexico, Old Bend
Sol Verde remains a Bend classic
Central Oregon (and Bend in particular) has such an embarrassment of riches when it comes to the restaurant scene that it’s easy to take for granted the places that have been around for what feels like forever. So many new concepts and spaces open up every month that it feels like we’re always looking ahead […]
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Two New Neighborhood Hangouts
A Sparrow bodega and a new wine bar opening in west Bend
Sparrow Bakery is opening a second Bend location called Sparrow Mercado. Located in the newly developed Discovery Corner Plaza on the westside of Bend, Mercado, which is the Spanish word for market, is just that. It’s an upscale bodega with grab-and-go lunches, after-school snacks, dinner components, picnic items, Sparrow pastries, breads, cookies, crackers, pizza dough […]