Calorie counters stand aside
Whether you’re looking for ethnic specialties, fine dining with a continental flair, steak and seafood or a hearty hamburger and fries, Central Oregon’s restaurant scene will provide satisfaction. Dining venues in Bend have grown in number and diversity in response to increased population, changing demographics and more sophisticated palates, and other communities in the region are following suit.We won’t attempt restaurant reviews in this space, but an overview may help whet your appetite. Choices range from basic and hearty to chic and trendy. Most lunch and dinner houses are fully licensed to serve spirits while a few concentrate on beer and wine.
Migration of chefs and restaurant owners from larger cities, attracted by a combination of lifestyle and business opportunity, has infused the restaurant scene here with creativity and style. Gastronomy has been elevated to the point that a Bend communications company launched a slick gourmet magazine, Gusto, that has grown into a regional lifestyle magazine aptly named Central Oregon Magazine. The Bulletin, Bend’s daily newspaper, reviews restaurants every Friday in its Go! Magazine insert. Restaurant directories are also compiled by the Visit Bend (the Bend tourist and convention bureau) and Central Oregon Visitors Assn.
A great many of the city’s upscale and boutique eateries are located downtown, in the Shops at the Old Mill, and along thoroughfares on the west side of Bend. Restaurants choices are available on the east side of Bend, as well, and in NorthWest Crossing. Don’t overlook the resorts, where fine restaurants offer creative menu choices to guests and drop-in visitors alike. Reservations are recommended. There are also jewels to be found in Redmond, Prineville, Sisters and Camp Sherman.
Dining doesn’t have to be expensive to be fun. Excellent pub grub is served up by Bend and Redmond brewpubs and microbreweries to go with a wide and highly regarded selection of locally brewed craft beers and ales.
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