Where to Eat in Bend Oregon: The 15 Best Restaurants
This guide to where to eat in Bend Oregon breaks down the best food trucks, coffee shops, breweries, restaurants, and dessert shops that you need to try on your Bend vacation.
I’d always heard that Bend Oregon was a foodie town, but I was a bit skeptical. How could of food could a small central Oregon town have? The answer is very good.
Bend has a ton of restaurants that range from casual food truck roundups to nice sit-down options. There are a ton of great places to eat in Bend, and it can be hard to choose where to go.
This list of the top restaurants in Bend includes everything from a local bakery serving croissant breakfast sandwiches to a northern Thai restaurant serving some of the best Khao Soi I’ve had.
There are charcuterie food trucks and Asian steamed rolls. The breadth of food options in Bend is astounding, and the quality is great across the board.
Keep reading to learn where you need to visit for brunch, lunch, dinner, and drinks in the town of Bend Oregon.
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Coffee Shops and Cafes
1. Sparrow Bakery
What Makes it Great: Sparrow Bakery hits it out of the park with both the food and ambience.
This coffee shop is located a bit outside of the main town, conveniently next to the Saturday Farmers Market. Stop here before the market for breakfast and a coffee for the perfect Saturday morning.
What to Order:
Ocean Roll – Breakfast pastry similar to a cinnamon roll, but with sticky sugar and warm spices such as ginger and cardamom.
Bacon Breakfast Sandwich – Poached egg, herb aioli, bacon, and arugula on a flaky croissant. This is one of the best breakfast sandwiches I’ve ever had!
Vanilla Bean Latte – Espresso, homemade vanilla bean syrup, and your choice of milk. This latte tasted just like melted vanilla ice cream in the best way.
2. Boss Rambler Coffee
What Makes it Great: This coffee shop has a large outdoor patio with Adirondack chairs and fire pits, great for a warm summer morning. The coffee is high quality and service is great.
3. Dump City Dumplings
What Makes it Great: Although Dump City Dumplings isn’t exactly a café, I had to fit it on this list of the best restaurants in Bend somewhere.
I found this casual restaurant through the Food Network show Diner, Drive-Ins, and Dives with Guy Fieri.
They create Asian-style steamed buns in unique flavors that are absolutely delicious. This is a great lunch spot.
What to Order:
Pizza Bun – Steamed bun stuffed with melty cheese and pizza sauce
Chinese Style Pork Bun – Chinese-inspired pork and vegetable filling
Food Truck Roundups in Bend
One of my favorite things to do in Bend is visit a food-truck roundup with a group of friends. It allows everyone to pick the type of food that they’re craving, plus there is usually great beer.
Bend is home to a few different food truck lots around the city. Below are my top three places to visit. Â
4. Podski
What Makes it Great: This lot is my personal favorite with the most food options. I love how unique the food trucks are with more interesting food truck cuisines such as pierogis, oysters, or sushi.
This lot is usually quite busy which creates a fun and lively atmosphere.
Current Trucks:
Tacos la Catrina – tacos, burritos, other Mexican options
Juno Japanese Sushi Garden – sushi
Big Ski’s Pierogis – Pierogis
Little Slice of Cheesecake Heaven – Cheescake
Thailandia – Thai curries and noodles
Bigfoot Barbecue Company – Kansas City barbecue
Toasty – Plant-based vegan food
Americana – Burgers and sandwiches
Board – Charcuterie and snack boards
Mother Shuckers – Oysters and Seafood
5. The Lot
What Makes it Great: This food truck lot is one of the smaller ones, but it’s also typically less crowded and easy to find a table.
The below four trucks surrounded a covered picnic area where there are large tables for groups and a roof to hide from intense sun or rain.
Current Trucks:
A’la Carte – Fries, salads, and tacos
Burgz n Dogz – Burgers and hot dogs
Fricken Faco – Fried chicken and tacos
Maki Maki Sushi – Sushi
6. On Tap
What Makes it Great: This food truck roundup is centered around a great tap list for beers. Come here to try the best local brews and enjoy great food as well.
Current Trucks:
Barrio – Mexican food
Curbbq – Barbecue
Himalayan Bites – Dumplings, stir fry, curries
The Bleu Rooster – Sandwiches and gyros
Phillystyle – Philly cheesesteaks
Rush’s Squares – Sicilian style pizza
The Top Breweries
Bend has a huge beer scene. One of the best things to do in town is visit the local breweries and sample the beers.
While there are many different breweries and tap houses in Bend, the below three are my favorite. They have a winning combo of great beer, tasty food, and a fun atmosphere.
7. 10 Barrell Brewing
What Makes it Great: I think 10 Barrell Brewing has the best food of any brewery in Bend Oregon. I also love their large outdoor patio with an open bar area, and table service.
10 Barrel is located around a mile from downtown, so the crowds tend to be a bit smaller.
What to Order:
The Jaca Pizza – Garlic cream sauce, mozzarella, pepperoni, pulled pork, sausage, pineapple, jalapeno
Blue Goat Burger – Bacon, blueberry jam, goat cheese, arugula, onion, garlic aioli
8. Deschutes Brewing
What Makes it Great: Deschutes is located conveniently in downtown Bend is probably the most popular brewery.
Their beers are very popular and can be found in other states such as Washington or California. Come here if you love beer and want to try some from their long list of options.
What to Order:
Pretzel with Beer Cheese – Warm pretzel with beer cheese and Dijon mustard. Soft pretzels are one of my favorite foods and the Deschutes’ version is one of my favorites.
The cheese dip is served warm in a skillet and is perfectly paired with the mustard for a sharp bite of flavor.
Elk Burger – Venture out from typical beer food by trying this Elk version of a classic.
9. Bend Brewing Company
What Makes it Great: Bend Brewing has the best outdoor atmosphere of any restaurant in Bend. They have a large outdoor lawn that overlooks the Deschutes River.
When you visit Bend brewing, you can opt for table service in the restaurant or self-serve on the lawn. If you sit on the lawn there are food trucks and outdoor bars. I highly recommend the lawn option!
What to Order:
Smashburger – Thinly pressed beef burger layered with cheese, tomato, onion, and lettuce on a soft bun with a side of fries or tater tots
Fish and Chips – Crispy fried white fish with twice-fried French fries. This can be ordered in a full or half portion depending on your appetite. I found the half portion to be plenty.
Best Sit-Down Restaurants in Bend
10. 900 Wall
Cuisine: Modern American
What Makes it Great: 900 Wall is a modern American restaurant with French and Italian influence. There are indoor and outdoor dining options at their historic downtown brick location.
This is a great spot for a date night or celebratory dinner.
What to Order:
Sockeye Salmon – cucumber, crispy fingerlings, dill, créme fraiche, poppy seeds
Duck Cassoulet – Apricus farm herb sausage, braised Carlton Farms pork shoulder, corona beans, herb bread crumbs
11. Wild Rose
Cuisine: Northern Thai
What Makes it Great: I’d never expect to enjoy Thai food in Bend, but Wild Rose blew me away. The Khao Soi was some of the best I’ve ever had!
If you are wondering where to eat in Bend Oregon, make sure this is on your list. This is a great change of pace from the American food you’ll find elsewhere in town.
What to Order:
Khao Soi Curry – Yellow coconut curry broth made with egg noodles, shallots, pickled cabbage, and topped with crispy egg noodles, green onion, cilantro, and lime
Green Curry – Green curry with coconut milk, eggplant, green beans, bamboo shoots, basil, lime leaves, and lemongrass. Choice of protein
12. Spork
Cuisine: Asian Fusion
What Makes it Great: This is by far the most recommended restaurant in Bend. I unfortunately was not able to visit due to timing, but it’s at the top of my list for next time.
People rave over the handcrafted cocktails and unique Asian-fusion cuisine.
13. The Lemon Tree
Cuisine: Brunch
What Makes it Great: This cute brunch spot looks like its straight out of Italy. It’s the perfect place for a casual Sunday brunch with friends or family.
What to Order:
Shakshuka – Spiced tomato and peppers with poached eggs and crusty bread
Jumbo lump crab cake benedict – Award winning crab cakes atop an English muffin with poached eggs and citrus brown butter hollandaise
Dessert
14. Bonta Gelato
What Makes it Great: This gelateria is absolutely fantastic. The flavors are simple, yet delicious, with fresh and high-quality ingredients.
They have a mix of standard flavors, rotating specials, and vegan options. It was so good, I visited three times in a 6-day vacation.
What to Order:
Lime Raspberry Cream – Creamy and tart lime ice cream with a raspberry swirl. This seasonal flavor is one of the best Gelato’s I’ve ever had (yes, even compared to Italy). If they have it when you visit, you need to give it a try!
Dulce de Leche – Rich caramel gelato. My boyfriend said this was his favorite flavor, and it’s a standard flavor so it is always available.
15. Dakine Grindz
What Makes it Great: An ice-cold snow cone is perfect on a hot day. This shave ice food truck has homemade syrups, unique flavors, and free ice cream.
What to Order:
POG – Passion, orange, guava, coconut whip, and sweetened condensed milk
Map of the Best Restaurants in Bend Oregon
Summary of Where to Eat in Bend Oregon
By this point, you probably understand that there are a lot of great restaurants in Bend. If you are visiting for a long weekend or a week, be sure to try as many places on this list as possible.
If you are visiting for a shorter time, and wondering where to eat in Bend Oregon my top three restaurants I recommend are Sparrow Bakery for breakfast, 10 Barrell Brewing for lunch, Wild Rose for dinner, then Bonta for dessert.
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