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New restaurants sprouting up in Bend — just in time for spring!

By Howard Friedman, CCIM

Pure Kitchen is now open.
Pure Kitchen is now open in downtown Bend.

After a weekend of amazing sunshine and warmer temps, we can safely say that spring is here and with its arrival a plethora of new eateries have sprung up in downtown Bend. In our office alone, multiple restaurant transactions took place these past few months and plans for two additional restaurants are currently in the works.

Here are some of the highlights:

The Brickhouse, one of Bend’s premier steak and seafood restaurants owned and operated by Jeff Porad, is relocating to The Firehall, an iconic historic building on Minnesota Avenue.

Also, look for Drake, an upscale diner, to open soon in the former El Jimador space on the high traffic corner of Wall and Franklin. Ted Swigert, restaurateur supreme, has completely remodeled the spot and looks to open before the summer season kicks in.

In the Franklin Crossing Building, Pure Kitchen has opened at 550 N.W. Franklin Avenue, Suite 118 in the former Bo’s Restobar location. Krit Dangruenrat and his wife Bua previously operated a family bar and restaurant in Manhattan and have brought spirited cocktails and an innovative small plate menu to this great location fronting Franklin Ave.

The fourth transaction to take place was the signing of a new lease at the beautifully remodeled and newly-Green Penney Galleria Building, now known as the 1000 Wall Building. Redside, a Portland development company, has transformed the tired 1908 structure into a LEED Certified downtown gem. Wild Rose Thai, will be taking occupancy following the restaurant upgrade in the former Common Table space. They promise a menu unlike any other Thai eateries in town, boasting ‘Northern Thai Eats’, from operator Paul and Ampawan Itti’s home of northern Thailand’s Chiang Mai city. Their food and concept is sure to knock your socks off.

For more information about these restaurant happenings you can reach out to Compass Commercial brokers: Howard Friedman, CCIM, Darren Powderly, CCIM, Jay Lyons, CCIM and Peter May, CCIM.

Howard Friedman, CCIM is a partner and broker with Compass Commercial. He is also the company’s resident chef.