Ending the 2025 review year with the most memorable dining experience of the year for my husband and me. Yes, a pizzeria.
BACKSTORY FOR WHY A PIZZA PLACE IS WORTH A 45 WAIT IN LINE OR HOUR PLUS WAIT FOR TABLE: The irony was not lost on us, as we waited in line for 45 minutes before the doors opened, that when Ken's Artisan Pizza mothership opened in Portland in 2006 we lived in Bend and yet, as many trips for multiple day visits we made to Portland in those years to eat here and there, we never could get into Ken's pizza there because of lines and long waits and well...we didn't. (Up to our Bend Ken's visit, I had waited in line for a table at only two places: Toro Bravo in Portland and Ciccio in Yountville.) The irony was that we left Bend in 2014 and here we were, after a 6 hour drive on a pilgrimage visit from our home in Boise to wait in line at Ken's to be sure we got two of the 117 seating capacity spots when the doors opened because if you're not seated in that first wave, you will wait an hour'ish (plus maybe) for a seat.
The trio of local people standing behind us mentioned that they had lived in Bend for more than thirty years and they had never seen this kind of line to get into a restaurant, and in particular a pizza place. One of them said, "It will be good in a couple of months to come again when there are no lines." And we said, "There will ALWAYS be lines at Ken's Artisan Pizza." They didn't know of Ken's Artisan Pizza's history and showing up on "best of" lists in the US and Internationally so we filled them in. Pizza pilgrims will come here.
A HOORAY: They do not take reservations (in Portland or Bend) and at the time we visited, they also didn't have take out. But the Bend location has recently adopted the Portland store's policy that take out orders can be place IN PERSON at the restaurant.
SERVICE: When the founder and master baker and pizza maker Ken Forkish retired from Portland to Hawaii a few years ago, he turned Ken's Artisan Pizza and Artisan Bakery over to long time employees who he knew would carry on the traditions of excellent food and service not only as offered at Ken's Artisan Pizza but also Ken's Artisan Bakery and in its' time the terrific Trifecta Tavern eatery he launched. A customer at Ken's feels well tended by service professionals and never rushed. We left a 30% tip.
FOOD: Is it worth it? You betcha. There is a reason why Ken's Artisan Pizza has gathered national and international acclaim. We stuck with glasses of wine, they have a good list but they also have a full bar, and a shared pizza, although we knew they had excellent salads and apps, including their popular meatballs, too. It was a smart decision for us because we could barely finish the pizza. (Pizzas are 12" and range in price from $19 to $27. Our choice of Italian sausage with fennel and Calabrian chili was $26.) We also took a chance on a shared dessert, having had great ones at Ken's bakery and his Trifecta Tavern, but the S'More's style panna cotta struck out here.
AMBIANCE: This used to be Seven nightclub space that was dark, funky and even a little creepy, but the Ken's team has transformed it to something perfectly classy-rustic meets industrial with wood floors, plaster (I think) over brick walls, exposed ductwork and open kitchen at back. So well done. But it is LOUD when full and I imagine it is full all the time.
CONSIDER WEATHER FOR WAITS: Bend winters can at times be very cold with lots of snow and that is good to keep in mind if you're going to wait in line in winter months. (Those winters and the over abundance of tourists is what had us move from Bend after almost twenty years and not necessarily in that order.) Plan accordingly.
PARKING: Downtown Bend parking is awful and made more so by the not so brilliant idea to turn several of the rare on street parking spots in into seating for various restaurants during covid. Those "parklets remain". Alas. There is a parking garage a couple of blocks from here but heads up for those who don't know the town, there have been safety issues there.
ACCESSIBILITY: There are a couple of on street ADA spots on this block but reality is they are often taken during eating out hours. Ken's is level in from the sidewalk, all on one floor and there were some tables with space for a wheelchair user of which I was one on the night we visited. read more