A Central Oregon staple, Jake’s Diner is staying open for a little while longer, but the truck stop is going to close down (I can’t see the diner staying open much longer now that truck traffic won’t be stopping there). So first Pilot Butte closes down for dinner (I haven’t had a burger there since they did that), and now Jake’s will probably disappear. Lovely.
What is happening to Bend’s homestyle cafes and diners? I almost cried when the Snow Bunny shut down, as our family ate breakfast there nearly every Sunday for several years. Jake’s has great food and huge portions. And it will probably disappear. Is there any old style cafes left? I still go to the Juniper Cafe on occassion. The Westside Cafe is a bit too yuppie for my tastes (though their food is good). Palmer Cafe is good, but I never get a chance to go there (they don’t have much seating, so they’re usually pretty packed). I haven’t been to Sargents for quite a while. But is that all that’s here? Five or so good, homestyle cafes in a city this large is horrible. I love being able to go out to one of these places, sit up at the counter, order a heaping meal, chat it up with the wait staff, and have a good time (and have it not be a national chain like Denny’s, Shari’s, or IHOP). It’s hard to find a place to do that anymore.
Maybe that’s the problem. Maybe Bend has forgotten its log mill roots (when there were less people, but probably just as many cafes). We’ve gotten too big, too yuppie, and too specialized. We’ve got restaurant for every palate, but what about a place you can bring the kids, have a great meal at a good price, and enjoy pleasant service and conversation?
Sorry, I’m just a good ol’ boy, but that’s the way it was, and I liked it. I want my diners and cafes back.
Comments
I feel for ya, Jake, but I can’t quite reach;-) Restaurants are sorta the ultimate democracy – if people like em, they thrive. And yep, chains are familiar, and people like familiarity in our mobile society. They also buy in bulk and … well, some places shut because the people who own them are tired of beating their head against the wall. So they move on. We have more restaurants per capita than any place in the state (except Lincoln County.) Maybe you’re just pining for the past, starting with the stomach;-) Or maybe some folks here have some recommendations?
Well, I like the Victorian Cafe and I really like the Original Pantry, both for breakfasts. The Black Bear Diner, while relatively new and part of a chain, fits the bill for being kid friendly, having big portions, and feeling like a diner.
But I hear ya. Diners are a dying breed. It’s all about the chains and the franchises and the brand recognition, these days. And that means more Red Robins, Olive Gardens, and Starbucks…
Brooklyn Cafe has always been a good solid breakfast, plus no lines and always a table open. 🙂
Victorian, Original Pantry, and Brooklyn cafes are all a bit too yuppie for my taste (and for this debate). They cater, primarily, to the upper crust of folks on the West side.
Black Bear isn’t bad, Jon, but they are a chain, and the couple times I’ve been there, I wasn’t really all that impressed with the quality of the food, nor the service.
I haven’t been to Brooklyn, but yeah, the Victorian is on the yuppie-ish side. Original Pantry, though, for me seems very homey and “regular”.
Hey, the quality of food (or lack thereof) is what makes Black Bear part of the dining experience 🙂
What are you people complaining about? There are plenty of good restaurants in this town, it’s one of the main things that makes this place livable. Seargants is great and very affordable, they just redid their menu, raised the prices but the food is better now. Jakes was gross anyway, how much greasy eggs and hash browns does one person need? Their huge portions weren’t doing much towards helping with the obesity epidemic in this country. Jake’s was sleezy, too. And any food lover would think twice before criticizing the Westside or the Victorian, their ingredients are of a far higher quality then any “diner” and it is well worth the money. As far as the yuppies go, that just comes with the territory: if you don’t like yuppies and Californians you’re in the wrong town.
I haven’t been to Sargents for quite a while. I’ll have to check them out again. I never argued that the Westside or Victorian had bad food — I ate at the Westside quite a bit when I was on my parents’ dime — but “diner” they are not (and that was the reason for this rant).
And Angelique, I have lived here LONG before the yuppies and the Californians took over — I remember when there was a mill here — so am I in the wrong town or are they?
Jakes’s isn’t goin anywhere. All they need is the public’s support. The gang over there’s doin all they can to keep it going and the changes are for the better!
Stop in there, get a burger, give the waitress a big tip and tell them thanks for keepin it goin.
try the copper kettle cafe in shanklin isle of wight, great food and service and takes you back years to the good old days of cafes.
I hope this place dies, it sucks
New York Times Comes to Bend
I think this New York Times article perfectly describes what I miss about Bend:According to the author William Kittredge, who grew up on a ranch in southeastern Oregon, “Out West…