On Thursday, we ate at Abe Capanna’s Neighborhood Pizzeria. They opened in Bend, Oregon on Friday, July 18^th.

You can order 4-slice or 8-slice square pizzas here. Their Detroit-style pizzas have thick, delicious crusts. You can also get combos that include one or two pizza slices, a small Caesar salad, and a fountain drink. Besides pizza, they also serve a few appetizers, sandwiches, salads, and pasta dishes.

I had the Mr. White pizza. The toppings include ricotta, mozzarella, parmesan, roasted garlic, olive oil, and fresh basil. I thought it tasted pretty good. I could taste the garlic, but it wasn’t overpowering. With its thick crust and rich ingredients, I could barely eat two of the four pieces.

My companion decided on a make-it-yourself option. He had pepperoni, sausage, pineapple, and extra cheese on his 4-piece pizza. He liked his pizza but probably won’t add extra cheese next time. Yes, it had a lot of sauce! Like me, he could only eat half of the pizza.

On another visit, we ordered two large pizzas since we had a buy one get one free coupon. We had A LOT of leftovers. Fortunately, these pizzas freeze well.

I had The Franklin pizza. It includes BBQ chicken, mozzarella and gouda cheese, red bell pepper and red onion slices, topped with a drizzle of BBQ sauce and fresh cilantro. I thought this was a very good pizza. The toppings are light, just the way I prefer them.

My companion ordered The Janimal pizza. It has slices of pepperoni, Italian sausage, salami, and a thick layer of red sauce. This pizza was also tasty. When Detroit-style pizzas are made, they often add the sauce after the pizza comes out of the oven.

The restaurant has an industrial design, but it wasn’t too loud. Tables are covered with white paper and have a package of crayons if you’re feeling artistically inclined. They have their sign up for alcoholic drinks but are waiting for their liquor license to be approved, which shouldn’t take long.

I took a couple of pictures of the inside and of the courtyard they share with Hablos Tacos. Note that we usually eat out on Thursdays at around 4:00 to 4:30 pm. There will be more customers during busier times.

Do the Abe Capanna’s pizzas remind you of other pizzas in town? Yeah, they are similar to Rush’s Squares at the On Tap food truck pod, a mere 200 yards away. Their Pesto Marg is my current favorite pizza. I think the menus are different enough that these two pizza restaurants can co-exist.

Abe Capanna’s Neighborhood Pizzeria address & hours

Abe Capanna’s Neighborhood Pizzeria is located at 1462 N. East Cushing Ave. # 140. The restaurant is in the same complex as Hablos Tacos, Lone Pine Coffee, and Cuppa Yo. They are in their soft opening phase right now, so I’m not sure of their hours. I’ll try to update this later.

Be sure to check them out!

Foodie Friday

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Last week, we visited San Simón, in downtown Bend. This restaurant is known for its unique cocktails.

They have a small menu, featuring make-your-own charcuterie boards. The board comes with dates and crackers, and the customer decides what else to include.

Here is their menu that includes charcuterie board offerings and a variety of wines.

Here’s their cocktail and mocktail menu. Yes, they came up with some creative names.

San Simón has plenty of seating, inside and out. This business is located in Tin Pan Alley. I have previously featured the tiny Tin Pan Theater that’s right next door to San Simón. I covered the outdoor artwork in the Alley in another post. This alley is small, but full of charm.

I went here to celebrate a big accomplishment and was a bit disappointed. Our bill for five charcuterie items and two cocktails, plus a tip, came to $76.50. That seemed sort of high for what we got. We liked the bread, cheese, and chutney we ordered. Though the menu indicates you get dates and crackers for free, they only gave us two small, sad dates.

I would have liked to have been able to order charcuterie boards that included things meant to go together. A thoughtfully created board may have been more satisfying than what I threw together. Just my opinion…

The cocktails were fine, but they are all priced the same, regardless of size and ingredients. The cocktails are priced at $14, while the mocktails are priced at $11.

The staff members were polite and prompt. I liked the decor and cozy atmosphere of San Simón. I remember visiting Lone Pine Coffee when it was here and enjoying its coziness.

San Simón location and hours

San Simón is located at 845 Tin Pan Alley in Bend, Oregon. It’s open daily from 3:00 pm to “late.”

Foodie Friday

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Red Beard Barbecue is a great place to order barbecue in Bend, Oregon. Their food truck is located at the Dogwood at the Pine Shed food truck lot. They have an additional truck at Otto’s Landing in Redmond, Oregon.

The photo below shows the Three Meat Combo. There are several choices for meat. This one includes Pork Ribs, Tri-tip, and Chicken. Red Beard offers seven sides. We had the Coleslaw. The sauces with this order included the Spicy Honey Garlic and the Honey Garlic.

The smoked meat tastes good with or without the sauce. That’s how I judge a barbecue place. I also liked how they serve a generous portion that gives you plenty for leftovers.

This picture shows a few of the food trucks at the Pine Shed lot. Red Beard Barbecue is the red one in the back. Note, this picture was taken in February when there was a little snow on the ground. They have a wonderful indoor seating area here and they serve unique cocktails.

Foodie Friday

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