Ask a local about Bend, Oregon

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.

How’d you choose Bend to settle and open Wild Rose?

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.

What are the people in Bend like?

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.

What are a few of your favorite spots in Bend?

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.

What do you recommend, food-wise?

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 over-the-top fussy.

The place that you can find me the most when I'm not at work is at Roundabout Books in Northwest Crossing. Lovely bookstore and cafe. I read a lot, so I'm there probably once a week. And it's right across the street from Sparrow Bakery, which is also a favorite of mine.

I like to take people who are visiting to Sparrow because I feel like people who have never had an ocean role should definitely have an ocean role. It’s a way better cinnamon roll, no sticky glaze or raisins or anything like that. It’s got cardamom and this orange crusty granulated sugar. It’s sweet with a slightly savory aftertaste.

There’s also Nancy P’s on the West Side. She makes these breakfast pockets, the softest dough stuffed with bacon, egg and cheese or ham or veggie. The snowboarders who work at the restaurant always get Nancy P’s before they go up to the mountain.

Are there any cool places to stay in Bend?

I often tell people to stay at McMenamin's. I really like the idea. I've even thought it would be fun to do a staycation there because the building is so cool. [It was once The Old Francis School, but was transformed into a hotel in 1936.] They have little cabins in the back and rooms in the old schoolhouse. It's just got a cool vibe, with this big soaking tub, and I love their theater.

And staying out in Sisters is really cool. My husband and I have stayed at FivePine Lodge a couple times. We have several customers who own businesses in Sisters. People seem to forget about Sisters, but it’s a great extension to Bend.

I’ve also always wanted to stay at Suttle Lodge, but it’s a bit further out there.

Are you very outdoorsy?

See, that's the thing: I'm not. Taking my dogs on a walk is probably the extent of my outdoorsy-ness. But that's the beauty of Bend. It's like you don't have to be super outdoorsy to enjoy being here. I would rather sit inside and read and watch the snow falling than go snowboarding in it.