March 25th, 2021

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