An Old Mill District restaurant is now a pub. After a short closure and a rebrand, the space formerly known as Boxwood Kitchen recently opened under the name Mill Works Pub. Boxwood closed in late January to undergo a rebrand and redesign. The space reopened March 4, with a new look, more beer taps and a focus on the history and culture of the Old Mill — once the site of two lumber mills that drove Bend’s economy for decades.
“The Old Mill has a really rich and interesting history,” owner Riane Rud told the Source Weekly. “We’ve had a lot of fun leaning into that, incorporating the old (historic photos from the mill on a large gallery wall, old rusty lumber saws) with the new (expansive mural by Chalked Creative which celebrates Bend’s beer culture + iconic points of interest) creating a vibrant yet nostalgic ambiance.”
Currently on tap at Mill Works Pub are a number of Oregon favorites, including taps from pFreim Family Brewers, Barley Brown’s Beer, Double Mountain Brewery and Tumalo Cider Company. There’s also a full bar and a list of specialty cocktails. Going with a theme, I opted for the Irish Goodbye, the pub’s take on a Manhattan featuring Irish whiskey, sweet vermouth, bitters and Grand Marnier, and a plate of Corned Beef Pretzel Sliders, rich with salty goodness from the corned beef, and paired nicely with a yellow mustard — great pub fare.
Among the menu standouts, Rud recommends the Porchetta and Open-Faced Prime Rib sammies, the Baja Fish Tacos, the Hot Spinach & Artichoke Dip and the Cobb Salad.
“We’re really excited about Mill Works Pub, and we hope the community embraces our chef-driven take on the Bend Pub experience with elevated pub fare, local beer, craft cocktails & mocktails with fresh juices, and several regional wines,” Rud wrote in an email.
Throughout opening week, Mill Works Pub is also offering a $10 burger special — though, word of warning, it sells out fast.
Mill Works Pub is open from 11am to 9pm daily.
This article appears in Source Weekly March 7, 2024.
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