Lunch Break: Where to Grab a Quick Lunchtime Bite During the Week

Spicy chicken sandwich | Eat Drink Media

When it comes to weekday lunch breaks, we don’t always have the luxury of time. Between lack of parking and sometimes longer-than-usual wait times, Then there are the questions of “Who’s open?” and “Who offers online ordering?” We’ve made it a little bit easier to find, choose, and order a quick weekday lunch at these dining spots. Because you deserve a great lunch in Bend, Oregon!

Kefi Fast Fresh Mediterranean

Their name says it all — “fast, fresh Mediterranean.” Kefi, which means “the spirit of joy” in Greek, embraces fresh, healthy, and tasty Mediterranean cuisine to-go or dine-in. Ordering is simple: choose your base (rice, pita, greens, etc.), pick a protein, and then choose from more than 10 toppings and sauces.

With several gluten-free options — including GF wraps and french fries — Kefi offers vegan options for customers with dietary restrictions. If you have a few extra minutes, enjoy Kefi’s sunny patio located in the Robal Road Village. Kefi is open every day from 11 am to 8 pm.

bowl of fresh greens topped with mediterranean toppings at kefi fast fresh mediterranean for lunch in bend oregon
Courtesy Kefi Fast Fresh Mediterranean

ORDER AHEAD: Kefi Fast Fresh Mediterranean online ordering
20520 Robal Ln Suite 120, Bend, OR 97701

Ponch’s Place

This northeast food cart lot is the newest to join the ranks of fast-casual dining. Located at the Veterinary Referral Center off of Brinson Blvd, this collection of food trucks makes it easy to grab a quick lunch in Bend.

With ample parking, Ponch’s Place makes it easy to grab lunch to enjoy on-site or to-go quickly. On warmer days, the patio makes for an ideal spot to sip and savor while dining on a quick lunch. Ponch’s Place’s collection of food trucks includes Sweet Herb (Chinese cuisine), Carmelita’s Authentic Mexican Cuisine, Alley Dogz, and God of Pizza.

Customer favorites include shrimp and pork dumplings, crispy taquitos, German Bratwurst, and the Queen Bee pizza. Choose from local kombucha on tap or sip on refreshers like Korean honey sparkling tea and Hong Kong milk tea from Sweet Herb.

plate of nachos covered in sour cream drizzle, chicken, and topped with radishes
The nachos special at Carmelita’s | Eat Drink Media

Visit Ponch’s Place

Valentine’s Deli

The window to enjoy a Valentine’s Deli sandwich might be small, but it’s worth it! The Box Factory’s resident sandwich shop is open Monday through Saturday from 11 am to 2 pm — just in time for the lunch hour. Valentine’s Deli caters specifically to patrons looking for a quick lunch in Bend.

You’ll find just about every classic and specialty sandwich on the Valentine’s menu. Like the Albuquerque, piled high with turkey, crispy bacon, fresh avocado, arugula, tomato, pepper Jack cheese, red onion, and chipotle mayo on sliced sparrow sourdough! Sandwiches are served on hoagie rolls and sourdough bread baked fresh daily by Sparrow Bakery.

BLT sandwiches are stacked on top of each other showing the inside of the sandwich
Courtesy Valentine’s Deli

ORDER AHEAD: Valentine’s Deli online ordering
555 NW Arizona Ave #25, Bend, OR 97703

Village Baker

Freshly baked sourdough, check! Where better to get a hearty sandwich than from a local bakery making their own bread? Village Baker has specialty sandwiches, like chicken salad and turkey with strawberry salsa, available until 2 pm Tuesday through Saturday.

Not feeling up for a sando? Try a Village Baker salad paired with homemade soup specials. Don’t forget to snag a caramel apple tart or seasonal pastry to pair with lunch!

sandwich sliced in half showing the inside with chicken salad, sliced tomato, lettuce, and avocado served at village baker in bend oregon
Courtesy Village Baker

SEE THE MENU: Village Baker online menu
1470 SW Knoll Ave, Bend, OR 97702

Life and Time

When “free-range fast food” originally landed in Bend, we were naturally curious. Life & Time strives to offer quick, organic, healthy, and, when possible, sustainably sourced foods to Central Oregon. Now, with an eastside location, Life & Time has turned fast-food favorites into healthier, organic fare.

For a more classic drive-through choice, opt for the spicy chicken sandwich or double burger served with Oregon Country Natural beef. If you’re seeking a lighter option, try the line-caught ahi poke salad or the superfood bowl (also available as a wrap). Both locations offer quick counter service, while the westside location has a drive-through.

Spicy chicken sandwich | Eat Drink Media

ORDER AHEAD: Life & Time online ordering
WESTSIDE – 320 SW Century Dr #100, Bend, OR 97702
EASTSIDE – 1462 NE Cushing Drive, Suite 120 Bend, OR 97701

Bangers and Brews

There’s no lack of variations at hometown favorite, Bangers & Brews. The gastropub, now with westside and eastside locations, offers your choice of sausage served many ways. Choose from the classic banger on a bun, with a Big Ed bun. Or, have your sausage prepared over a garden salad, skinny fries, sweet potato fries, Mac & Cheese bowl, chili bowl, or mashed potatoes. Talk about comfort food!

As always, you get your choice of sausage plus two toppings and one sauce. Choose from options like their popular chimichurri mayo, or classics like caramelized onions and sauerkraut. For the quickest option, order ahead using their online ordering system. Not to mention, Bangers and Brews has been voted the best lunch in Bend, Oregon on Yelp! for three years.

Design your own banger | Eat Drink Media

ORDER AHEAD: Bangers & Brews online ordering
Bangers and Brews Westside – 1288 SW Simpson Ave Suite A, Bend, OR 97702
Bangers and Brews Eastside – 1462 NE Cushing DR #140

Nancy P’s Bakery and Café

For locals and born-and-raised Bendites, Nancy P’s is the quintessential neighborhood bakery. Breakfast pockets, quiches, and frittatas are easy to grab-and-go, along with morning sweets to pair with that second cup of coffee. Lunchtime is just as easy to grab a savory meal for quick dine-in or timely takeout. Nancy P’s lunch specials are simple and straightforward: choose from a salad, sandwich, or half of each.

Housemade soups in rotating daily flavors are offered by the cup or bowl. Build your own sandwich, or choose from one of Nancy P’s signature offerings — like the chipotle chicken. This sandwich comes with provolone, marinated chicken, chipotle mayo, lettuce, and tomato, served on the in-house baked bread of your choice.

White bread roll sandwich is cut in half to show of the chipotle diced chicken, sliced cheese, tomatoes, and leaves of lettuce.
Courtesy Nancy P’s Café & Bakery.

SEE THE MENU: Nancy P’s Café & Bakery online menu
1054 NW Milwaukee Ave, Bend, OR 97701

Active Culture

Eating a healthful lunch in Bend doesn’t have to be expensive or boring. Active Culture offers a mostly vegetarian menu, with the exception of bone broth and a prosciutto egg sandwich. Breakfast is available all day, which is a win for those of us who don’t discriminate the time of day during which we eat our eggs.

Customer favorites include the huevos rancheros (we can vouch!), the “Big” salad, and potato tacos. With options from bowls to burritos, you’re sure to find a hearty and satisfying option at this natural foods café, which is located across the street from Drake Park. Active Culture is open daily from 9 am to 8 pm.

Dine-in or take-out | Eat Drink Media

ORDER AHEAD: Active Culture online ordering
285 NW Riverside Blvd, Bend, OR 97701

Parrilla Grill

Another local favorite (and staple) for nearly 22 years, Parrilla Grill is popular for its cocktails, prominent patio location, and gratifying food options. The Mexican fusion restaurant strives to source their produce and meat locally, and fish sustainably.

Flexible menu options allow for dishes to be made as a wrap or a bowl, and tacos come as a set of three. Their popular Hefe’s fish tacos are possibly the best option on the menu, but that depends on who you ask. The Nashville serves up spicy fried chicken, tots, pickles, vinegar slaw, and “Comeback Sauce” as a bowl or a wrap, while the Jambalaya comes exactly as you’d imagine.

three flour tortilla tacos in a basket filled with fried fish, cabbage slaw, and dressing at parilla grill.
The infamous Hefe’s tacos! Courtesy Parrilla Grill

ORDER AHEAD: Parrilla Grill online ordering
635 NW 14th St, Bend, OR 97701

Lucy’s Tacos

With two locations in Central Oregon, Lucy’s Tacos makes it easy to grab authentic Mexican favorites from the family-owned establishment. Redmond’s 6th Street location offers quick counter service, while Bend’s 3rd Street location includes a drive-through. Lucy’s has inexpensive and speedy choices, from massive breakfast burritos to your favorite lunchtime tortas, burritos, and combination plates. Lunch in Bend and Redmond just got tastier!

SEE THE MENU: Lucy’s Tacos online menu
916 NE 3rd St, Bend, OR 97701
542 SW 6th St, Redmond, OR 97756

Great Harvest Bread Co.

Located in the heart of Downtown Bend since 1992, Great Harvest makes from-scratch bread, pastries, and goodies. Pair their house-baked breads with their sandwich menu, and you have a deliciously fresh lunch recipe.

Choose from hearty sandwiches like the Big Sky chicken salad, Baja chipotle turkey, and veggie Baja. Its downtown location makes it easy for nearby professionals to take a quick stroll for pick-up after ordering a sandwich online. Don’t forget to add a bag of chips or chocolate chip cookies! Dare we say the perfect lunch in Bend for downtown workers?

Close up of sandwich on sourdough bread with chicken salad, slide tomato, lettuce, and red onion
Courtesy Great Harvest Bread Co.

ORDER AHEAD: Great Harvest online ordering
835 NW Bond St # 1, Bend, OR 97703

Mother’s Café

When you’re looking for lunch in Bend, don’t forget about Mother’s Café. They’re not just a juice bar! Mother’s Juice Café and Mother’s Eastside Kitchen are more than juice and smoothies — they have a full breakfast and lunchtime menu! Now, this is not to minimize their juice bar and incredibly nutritious and delicious smoothies.

But if you’re missing out on Mothers’ food menu, you’re… missing out. The café isn’t scared of a good pun, which is just one reason to love their Mother Clucker and Bohemian Wrapsody. Perhaps you’d prefer a bowl or salad, in which case the Buddha bowl and Eye of the Thai-ger are a must.

OVERHEAD view of pale blue plate holding a salad of lettuce, avocado, bleu cheese crumbles, hard boiled egg, and pickled onions.
Courtesy Mother’s Café

ORDER AHEAD: Mother’s Juice Café WESTSIDE online ordering
West – 1255 NW Galveston Ave, Bend, OR 97703

ORDER AHEAD: Mother’s EASTSIDE Kitchen online ordering
East – 62090 Dean Swift Rd Suite 100, Bend, OR 97701

Provisions Market

Located inside of the SCP Hotel in Downtown Redmond, Provisions Market serves dishes in line with the SCP’s mission. SCP Hotel is all about “soul, community, planet.” The boutique hotel contributes to many humanitarian organizations and aims to better our earth by eliminating single-use plastic bottles, using eco-friendly materials in renovations, and incorporating new energy-efficient systems and solar power.

Locally, they partner with companies like Laird Superfoods, Backporch Coffee and Mother’s Café to nourish the mind, body, and soul. For a cozy lunch option, try the loaded grilled cheese. However, if you’re looking for something lighter, we can’t recommend enough the PNW lemon chicken wrap and Cline Fall salad. Menu rotates seasonally.

view of a local market, stocked shelves with snacks and pretzels. table at the forefront with specialty chocolates and treats.
Courtesy SCP Hotel.

GET IT DELIVERED: Provisions Market at SCP Hotel delivery

SEE THE MENU: Provisions Market at SCP Hotel online menu
521 SW 6th St, Redmond, OR 97756

Quick Lunch in Bend

Should one find themselves unable to venture out for lunch, we’ve got good news for you. Bend Take Out, local delivery food service, offers delivery straight to your door from local restaurants. And, they make it easy to get a quick lunch to your Redmond or Bend hotel.

Some local restaurants offering food delivery through Bend Take Out include:

  • Toomie’s Thai Cuisine
  • Salud Raw Foods
  • Gyro Power
  • Abe Capanna’s Pizza
  • Da Nang Vietnamese
  • Curb B Q
  • Don Gabino’s Mexican Grill

Author

  • Nancy Patterson

    Nancy Patterson is a food writer, recipe developer, and content creating connoisseur. In addition to Eat Drink Bend, she owns recipe site Fed & Fancy, creating simple yet elevated everyday recipes.

    View all posts

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About Eat Drink Bend

Nancy Patterson of Eat Drink Bend takes a picture of beer on a table outside in Bend, Oregon.
quote

I wanted to share more than where to eat, but what to eat. And not just what, but why? From where is the food resourced? Should it be paired with a beer, or a cocktail—and what kind? But most importantly, share the faces and tell the stories behind the people who make it all happen, showing support for small business in and around Bend.

– Nancy Patterson, Founder