Ask a local about Bend, Oregon

14.12.2023 - 15:15 / lonelyplanet.com / Chiang Mai

I don’t ski anymore, but I will always love the mountain town vibe. I am blessed to have a second home in Bend, Oregon , located on the eastern edge of the Cascades along the Deschutes River in Central Oregon.

Aside from its well-earned reputation as Beer Town, USA, you’ll find downhill skiing and snowboarding on Mount Bachelor, craft breweries, distilleries, and food trucks offering everything from breakfast burritos to tater tots (TOT TRUCK!). There is also a charming downtown packed with chic boutiques, restaurants and cocktails that rival their big city counterparts. 

In fact, my absolute favorite place to eat in Bend is  Wild Rose . The menu features authentic Northern Thai dishes that will set your mouth aflame (in a good way). This is the perfect spot to warm your belly and delight your taste buds after a cold day outdoors.

I recently caught up with Bend restaurateur Rosie Westlund, the owner of the always-jam-packed Wild Rose (and Sen Thai Hot Pot & Noodle House ) for a local’s perspective on life in Bend, what makes it so special, and why it is worth a visit any time of year .

My dad is a big golfer and loves Bend. He operated a Thai restaurant in Port Townsend, WA for decades, which serves typical Thai Food. I didn’t eat that; I grew up eating Northern Thai food that wasn’t on the menu, my dad’s family recipes. His family is from Chiang Mai (mom’s family is from Bangkok), and so that's the food that we ate, that we cooked for ourselves. When my dad saw Bend, he thought we could open a spot here, but we could offer something different. 

Bend is a mix of old-school rancher, logger types and newly-arrived young professionals who live for being outdoors. I feel like the newer people came to Bend because they want the quality of life that Bend has. I feel like a lot of people compare Bend to parts of Montana or parts of Colorado, but it's so different because we are very much the West Coast. 

There is a bar that opened up a few years ago called San Simone in Tin Pan Alley. It has that Speakeasy vibe because it's dark, it's cozy, the cocktails are great, and the cocktail names are great. They have mocktails as well. It's not a dive bar, but it's not over-the-top fancy either.

I like to go to Ju-bee-lee, a little gift shop that's super cute. It has great gifts and home goods. And then there's Jack and Millie, which is a great clothing boutique.

Another boutique I go to is Vanilla in the Old Mill District. It’s kind of like sporty Bend, and you’re right along the river. Old Mill is also a great place to spend time.

Hands down, my favorite restaurant is Ariana . It's always good, and they're really great people. I like it more than my restaurant. It is fine dining, but it doesn't feel