Foodie News

The restaurant scene in and around Bend has experienced an influx of fresh culinary talent rivaling most major metropolitan cities. No longer thought of as just a recreation destination, Bend is now considered a destination for food lovers, or what we refer to as "foodies".

Click on the links below to see who has garnered awards and accolades and to find out what's flavoring Bend's culinary scene...

Ready to Eat, Drink and Be Merry? A New Kind of Tour Geared towards Foodies

Chef Bette will take you on a creative culinary tour of Bend's fresh food scene. The Well Traveled Fork includes various tours of local Farmers Markets, Pub Crawls, Round-About Bend and a Farm & Ranch Tour. Cooking classes for kids and adults are available so you can cook up a tasty meal from your freshly-aquired ingredients.

Pisano's Pizza of Bend Competes at the International Pizza Challenge in Las Vegas

The International Pizza Challenge hosted in Las Vegas on March 2-5, 2010 at the Las Vegas Convention Center. 60 restaurants from around the world will compete in two disciplines, traditional and gourmet pizza. Last year, Pisano's Pizza of Bend, Oregon finished 29th out of 60, beating some of the most famous pizza restaurants in the world. This year, Pisano's will be making a Kobe beef and grilled Maui onion pizza with a roasted garlic and cream sauce, fresh buffalo mozzarella and a wine reduction sauce on top. Stop by and try an award-winning slice!

Top World Chefs Meet in Bend, Oregon to Help Children & Families at the Deschutes Brewery Sagebrush Classic

What sort of event is so powerful that it attracts the world's most celebrated chefs - all to a summer gathering in Bend, Oregon?

It would have to be big on culinary excellence but, even more so, it would have to do a lot of good. So it's no surprise these top chefs will converge on Bend on July 16-17th for the 22nd annual Deschutes Brewery Sagebrush Classic.

From hot spots like Washington D.C., Dallas, Santa Fe, Napa and New Orleans - and even from Hawaii, France, Vietnam and Thailand - along with some of Bend's own local stars, these chefs return enthusiastically to ply their trade, enjoy camaraderie with peers and support a marvelous cause.

"Every year, these exceptional chefs amaze us with their presence and participation," said Jan Eggleston, executive director of Deschutes Children's Foundation. "We know the event is outstanding and fun for everyone, but they always tell us it's a joy for them to support an organization that helps so many children."

The 2010 Sagebrush Classic is set for July 16-17 at Bend Oregon's Broken Top Club. The first day will feature a fierce, but fun best ball golf tournament on the challenging and exquisite Broken Top course. The second day brings a food and beer pairing feast without peer, all prepared and served at the beautiful Broken Top setting. The celebrity chefs, all of whom participate without being paid, will set up outdoor booths to prepare and personally serve small-plate dishes to more than 1,000 guests.

To date, the Sagebrush Classic has distributed over $2 million that is disbursed to nonprofits that serve children and families through a unique partnership with Deschutes Children's Foundation. DCF has been facilitating the work of other nonprofits that meet this mission since 1990.

Individual tickets for the Saturday feast are $195. Please call 503-332-5000 regarding golf teams, tables and any ticket questions.

New Restaurant Openings in Bend

More Awards & Accolades for Bend Restaurants

Wine Spectator "Award of Excellence" 13 years straight
Crossings at the Riverhouse

San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition Winner
For the third year in a row, Downtown Bend's only micro-winery, Volcano Vineyards, has been awarded Gold at the prestigious San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition for their Syrah.

Culinary Podcasts

Episode: Bend Oregon Fine Dining (Introduction)
First in a series of podcasts about the growing culinary scene in Bend, Oregon.

Episode: Bend Oregon Fine Dining (Part 1)
Victorian Cafe owner, John Nolan, explains that good food and drink is as much of a morning experience as it is a dinner experience. Oregon.

Episode: Bend Oregon Fine Dining (Part 3)
Rose Manning, Pastry Chef at Nancy P's, a local bakery, discusses her appreciation for local food and product merchants in the Central Oregon area, and her respect of the level of food education shown by visiting and local foodies in Bend, Oregon.

Episode: Bend Oregon Fine Dining (Part 4)
Listen to this podcast and discover Ariana's restaurant in Bend's Westside neighborhood.

Culinary podcasts are a production of BuzzTouch Designs