 It's Spring break and boy have we noticed, Bend is busy, its exciting to see friends from out of town here visiting for the first time in along time! And to celebrate this we have complied a list of all our favorite spring break ‘Watering-holes’.
Well if are really getting into the spirit of spring break and you’re starting your day early, we highly recommend you start off at… Looney Bean Roasting Co. for the perfect roast to start your day off. Don’t let the name fool you; this is a place for good times, but the Looney Bean team is dead serious about serving up the best brew possible. All their beans are roasted to perfection on site so there’s really no way you could get a fresher cup. For brunch our go-to spot is Lemon Tree, the best spot to get a delicious midday bite like the jumbo crab cake benedict or Amaretto French toast. Paired with Betsy’s Bloody Mary or a Mimosa and you are set to have a great day. Bend Brewing Company, with a massive grass and patio area right on the river, there’s always bound to be some fluffy friends joining for a couple rounds! A great way to kick it off is with a sample tray, we find its hard to choose one beer when there are so many great options. Or maybe you want to hit the brewery that started it all back in 1988, Deschutes brewery is and forever will be a local’s favorite. With classics like Mirror Pond pale ale and new style beers like the Neon Dream hazy. With spring in full swing our favorite lunch spot is Chomp Chomp. With a rotating seasonal menu of Japanese and American comfort food, from delicious burgers to poke bowls, there’s something for everyone. Stuck in the brewery mood? Head over to McMenamins for lunch and beer, with 3 different bars, the McMenamins campus is a great place to spend the afternoon. After lunch swing by Velvet and grab yourself a spot right out front and soak up the sun while you soak up a craft cocktail. Or enjoy a craft beer from one of the largest canned microbrew selections downtown! Before you head to dinner, stop in at JC’s for a cold pint and some fun! You can play pool, giant Jenga or even shuffleboard. One of our favorite spots to take to everyone, because there is endless entertainment. Dinner is best spent at Zydeco Kitchen and Cocktails features Northwest cuisine with a Southern twist and focuses on quality ingredients that are hormone-free, pesticide-free, and organic. Zydeco is a local favorite for starters like their Artichoke & Corn Fritters and Acadian Flatbread, and entrees ranging from NW Reserve “PRIME” Ribeye to Grilled or Blackened Redfish. Maybe in the mood for a margarita, drop in at Hola!, for a margarita list that will leave you wanting to try them all and food menu that manages to outshine the drink list. Serving nouveau Mexican-Peruvian cuisine, including authentic Peruvian ceviche, Hola! has been voted ‘Best Margarita in Bend’ numerous times. There is no shortage of great bars in Bend so you’ve got to be someplace pretty special to be voted “Best Bar” and “Best Specialty Cocktail” in Central Oregon. Dogwood Cocktail Cabin is that place. Located smack in the heart of downtown Bend, their mixologists shake up uber-creative concoctions that are shaking up the cocktail scene across the country To wrap up your evening you can head right around the corner to the D & D, a joint that takes pride in the fact that its bartenders mix the stiffest drinks in town. The bartenders and servers are old school efficient and bring out plates of the best hangover food in town. With a the perfect amount of dive bar vibe, it’s Bend’s oldest bar for good reason. Thank you Visit Bend
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 Spring has sprung and we are excited! With spring break right around the corner we are ready to get out into the sun and have some fun. Nothing beats spending the day in the park with your dog and grabbing a cold pint. As the sun makes its way back into our lives don’t forget to keep your masks up so we can keep cases down.
We had a blast at JC’s bar and grill on St Patty’s Day and we suggest you stop by and play some giant Jenga! With pool, shuffleboard and plenty of TV’s you will always have something to keep you and your friends entertained. This week our favorite spot to grab a lunch is Planker Sandwiches. With a menu that has great options from a breakfast sandwich to burgers for dinner, there’s an option for every time of the day. Our favorite is the roasted tri-tip with caramelized onions and gorgonzola it’s the perfect lunch combo. In-person or online, we've made it easy for you to support local Downtown Bend merchants: For a list of Downtown Bend businesses: click here, for online shopping links: click here, for curbside pick-up and delivery from Downtown Bend restaurants: click here.  The Bend Store is the downtown hub for a variety of local artists, carrying both Bend and Oregon-themed goods. They have a huge sticker collection, as well as t-shirts, hoodies, postcards, candles, and the biggest selection of Bend-branded Silipints in town! You will also find pottery mugs, hand screen-printed shirts and tote bags, stationery, and art prints from a variety of talented “Bendites.” You will find magnets, bottle openers, ornaments, and key chains, made by Via Delia (our “in-house” button art studio). If the playful hunt for a Pacific Northwest Sasquatch has you smiling, this shop has you covered!
Fall hours 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. every day! Thanks Visit Bend for the great Description  The legendary two-strap design from BIRKENSTOCK - the Arizona. Iconic style complemented with the signature comfort of the BIRKENSTOCK footbed. With its additional foam layer, the soft footbed offers extra comfort – all day long. The upper is made from oiled nubuck leather.
 Most of our efforts this week went into four main projects:
Updating our Bylaws was really important because we made changes to allow for more specific expertise in on the DBBA board. By changing the bylaws to allow for community members outside of the EID to serve on our board, we can now participate in board recruitment for specific needs that our organization has. Creating Downtown Bend as THE Central Oregon holiday experience is one of our goals, so we are getting bids from professional decorating companies and brainstorming ways to fund a large-scale project. Selling directory kiosks ads is important because not only does it help direct traffic into our local businesses, but it also allows us to create the revenue to continue to invest in Downtown Bend's economic vitality. .. and (of course!) we continued all of daily services with excellence and pride! The DBBA is a small non-profit dedicated to increasing the vitality of Downtown Bend.
 Welcome to the Downtown Bend Newsletter, News from the ️heart of Bend!
With winter reminding us its not quite spring yet, we are excited to see the sun make an appearance this weekend. With Deschutes county moving into moderate Covid risk level, we are daydreaming of a fun summer. As we move into spring and summer be on the look out at all your favorite restaurants for seasonal menu changes, as well as winter clearance sales at our local retail shops and boutiques. As the streets start to fill with tourists and visitors, we always love to remind people, be kind, think about how you would want your family to be treated while they are visiting our amazing town. As Bend grows and expands, we like to remember to think small and shop local, small business are the lifeblood of Bend and what make it so unique and fun! This week our favorite spot to grab a drink Deschutes Brewery. Nothing beats sipping on a cold pint of Neon Daydream “it is as yellow as the sweltering sun, refreshing as a dip in the pool and as hazy as the heat waves”, and there is no better place to enjoy this Hazy Summer Ale, than on the newly built patio. We’ve also been loving Beach Hut Deli, with the sun out and a great patio view of the Brooks promenade, it’s the perfect place to crush some sandwiches and soak up the heat. Our favorite is the ‘Shark Bite’ with ham, Swiss, cream cheese, Bulls-Eye BBQ sauce and bacon, its hard to ask for much else!  Manuel dos Santos, owner of Café Sintra in downtown Bend, named the restaurant after his hometown in Portugal, near Lisbon. Café Sintra specializes in delicious, flavorful dishes that pay tribute to Portuguese cuisine. Breakfast and lunch is served daily, with a focus on Portuguese favorites like linguica and eggs, Portuguese stew and gazpacho. Café Sintra recently expanded its menu and hours and now serves dinner Wednesday through Sunday, with a menu featuring the ocean, the ranch, and the garden. You can also bring the taste of Portugal to your next event with catering from Manuel and his team, or rent the restaurant and bring your private event to the intimate space with its unique European charm. A warm atmosphere and friendly service makes Cafe Sintra the perfect place to gather with friends and a cozy stop for a good espresso drink and homemade pastries; the ideal pick-me-up in the middle of a shopping spree through downtown Bend. Almost as near and dear to Manuel’s heart as great cuisine is soccer. He invites family and friends (that includes you!) to watch games at the café and a current game schedule can be found on the café’s website.
 These graphic ball caps with whimsical messages are sure to be the perfect gift whether you’re treating yourself or a friend! These ball caps are vintage worn with adjustable back strap, curved brim and mesh back.
Desperado captivates a bohemian inspired wardrobe to fit any lifestyle. Featuring a vast array or women’s clothing, footwear, and accessories plus gifts for women, men, kids, and baby at a broad price point with outstanding customer service. Recognized for our incredible selection of custom boots and glamorous apparel- featuring Johnny Was, JW LA, Biya, Old Gringo, Liberty Black Boots, XCVI, Double D, PJ Salvage, Bed | Stu, Sofft, denim by Driftwood, Dear John, Stoneridge, and many more. Nearly 24 years ago Desperado began in Portland’s historic Pearl District as a high-end Western lifestyle store carrying everything from custom boots to handmade rugs. In 2007, owner and proprietor Joanne Sunnarborg moved her business to Bend, Oregon’s Old Mill District which was our home for nearly 13 years. In the late summer of 2020 we made the move to Downtown Bend where we now proudly have our shop on Bond Street in the heart of Bend’s best locally owned shopping district. We hope you’ll love our new location as much as we do. Downtown Bend offers some of the best boutique shopping, dining, and people-watching anywhere in the Pacific Northwest. Come see us at 933 NW Bond Street next to Bend’s oldest Bar & Grill the iconic D&D. Visit Desperado for a refreshingly unique shopping experience that can always include a complimentary local brew or fine wine. Don’t miss this eclectic boutique and shoe store where you may come in as a stranger but will always leave as a friend. This week was filled with community meetings filled with wonderful people who love Downtown! How can we find more funding for Downtown? What does the future of Downtown streets and parklets look like? How can we communicate better about parking in Downtown? What changes need to be made to DBBA bylaws to allow for the organizations growth? Who would need to be on a future of Downtown visioning committee? .... and so much more! People working very hard to answer these questions, solve problems, and bring the future vision into focus. If you are interested in being a part of these conversations, or have feedback that you'd like us to take to these conversations on your behalf, please contact us.
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