8 | SUMMER 2026 EDIBLE CENTRAL OREGON Central Oregon’s ever-growing wine scene has something for everyone. But if you’re seeking a community where your wine experience is matched by a powerhouse menu drawing on local ingredients, Amaterra Kitchen + Social Club is the spot. The second location for the Portland West Hills winery, located in downtown Bend on the corner of Bond and Minnesota streets in the former Domaine Serene location (an antique shop before that), is a gorgeous, modern space with as much substance as style. Meaning “for the love of the Earth,” Amaterra takes its responsibility toward the soil seriously, in both the vineyard and the kitchen. This suits Executive Chef Jeff Kelly perfectly. Kelly joined Amaterra with a luminous resume that includes working under James Beard Award–winning chef Jeffrey Buben in Washington, DC; helping to prepare White House dinners with the White House executive chef; and opening lauded Stella’s Southern Brasserie in Greenville, NC, as executive chef. Incorporating seasonal ingredients that can be sourced locally is crucial to Kelly; with that goal in mind, he now works directly with Sungrounded Farm for peak produce. The partnership began with Kelly heading to the Wednesday farmers market in Brooks Alley every week to pick up what he needed for the restaurant. As he and Sungrounded co-owner Ashley Thompson began getting to know each other from those regular visits, “the relationship really grew naturally from there,” he says. “Coming from the farmers market scene in Eugene, where it is commonplace for chefs to shop the market for their restaurant specials for the week, it is something that we were sorely missing here in Central Oregon,” says Sungrounded co-owner Caleb Thompson. “We encourage more chefs to come on out to the market and see what the growers in the region have to offer.” According to Kelly, building a seasonal menu requires balancing not only what’s growing but also adjusting to what the farms actually have available. “The goal is to stay flexible and let the ingredients lead,” he says. FOR THE LOVE OF EARTH The menu at Amaterra Kitchen + Social Club reflects Central Oregon terroir Photo by John Valls/Amaterra Kitchen + Social Club Photo by John Valls/Amaterra Kitchen + Social Club
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