Oh sure, everybody knows Bend is a beer town. But long before beer was the drink of choice, hard cider was as American as apple pie, drunk by our founding fathers and original patriots dating back to the 17th century. Now, starting at the end of May, hard cider will nuzzle into the beverage landscape […]
Little Bites
Posted inFood & Drink
Little Bites: Can You Find Us Now?
Old Mill Brew Wërks moves!
The knock against Old Mill Brew Wërks has always been its abysmal location; it was like finding the witch in the wardrobe. Tucked on the bottom floor of a multistory office complex on the fringes of the Old Mill shopping area, the little pub was hard to find even if one went looking for it. […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Little Bites: Cinco de Drinko
The official feliz roundup
Cinco de Mayo is an odd holiday for gringos to celebrate. It would be a bit like Mexicans celebrating Gettysburg. In 1862, a very young General Ignacio Zaragoza Seguín scored an unlikely defeat of the French troops at the Battle of Puebla, and helped turned back Napoleon III’s forces (which, really, what were they doing […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Little Bites: Ch-ch-ch-changes
A sampler platter of Bend’s
dining developments
Palate, A Coffee Bar is the new timber-and-corrugated-steel, hipster-friendly cafe that moved into Maragas’ old spot on Colorado Avenue. Owners Jodi Groteboer and Jason Rhodes were longtime employees of Portland’s storied Albina Press, a coffeehouse that has spawned several notably venues in Portland. Offering Stumptown beans, they should also have beer and wine, too (6 […]
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Little Bites: Worth a Trip South
Farmer Brown’s a great winter produce stop
On the southeast side of Bend, just off Knott Road, is one of the best little gems in town—Farmer Brown’s farm stand. There’s no sign showing the name of the market. The owners don’t advertise the business around town. And the place is only open eight hours a week in winter. I first heard about […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Little Bites: Time to Get Crabby
Delayed season leads to sweeter meat
Dungeness crabs thrive on the West coast. They live in Pacific Ocean waters that run all the way from San Luis Obispo, Calif., to as far north as Juneau. In Oregon, Dungeness crab season typically opens on Dec. 1, but this year crabs up and down the coast were too small to catch until the […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Little Bites: More Good Food Heading Downtown
Taylor’s closes and old hands take over prime locations
There’ll be a lot happening in downtown Bend in the next few months. And it’s all really good news! But first, the sad thing, at least for Taylor’s Deli and Pub fans. Terry Taylor, co-owner of the Cave Junction-based sausage company, said the restaurant couldn’t afford the labor costs along with the electric bills any […]
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Little Bites: Pho-shure! Steakerrific!
Best restaurants in Bend heading downtown
All that junky-looking brown paper on the windows of what was once Amalia’s? It’s coming down! And something fabulous will soon be happening behind those windows! That’s right. Amalia’s is doneskis. But the even bigger news is that PHO IS COMING TO DOWNTOWN. Tan Vo, the owner of Pho Viet on Third Street, confirms that […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Little Bites: Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Carts Club
Dedicated food carts stay
open despite the cold
Central Oregon winter has officially arrived. Bachelor is open, Jubelale is on the shelves, and I had to scrape a thick layer of ice off of my car windshield this morning. As we settle into hibernation mode, ready to gorge ourselves on fatty holiday meals, don’t forget about local food carts, some of which are […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Little Bites: Hideaway Gives a Shot to Southeast Bend
After several months of interior makeover work, the neighborhood bar and restaurant reopened this past week as the Hideaway Tavern.
I recently moved out of northeast Bend, a virtual wasteland when it comes to food and nightlife. (The last vestige of culinary civilization, Little Pizza Paradise, picked up stakes and moved to Cascade Village Mall earlier this summer.) I didn’t improve my lot much by moving to southeast Bend, particularly when it comes to nightlife.
A few scattered pubs on Third Street and an outpost at Reed Market were an improvement, but hardly a sea change. To make matters worse, my favorite South side watering hole/pizza place and blues club, Grover’s, recently closed.
