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3rd Street Beverage Wins Best Liquor Store 2026

By September 17, 2026No Comments

Every year, The Source Weekly asks Central Oregon to weigh in on the best of everything the region has to offer — the best restaurants, the best breweries, the best local businesses in dozens of categories. The Best of Central Oregon issue is a genuine community vote, and that’s what makes it mean something.

This year, Central Oregon voted 3rd Street Beverage Best Liquor Store for 2026. Since we opened our doors in 2018, this community has been the reason we do what we do — and being recognized like this, by the people who actually shop here, never gets old. And honestly? We’re a little speechless. In the best possible way.

To everyone who took the time to vote — thank you. This one belongs to you as much as it does to us.

What This Award Actually Means to Us

We’re not going to pretend we don’t care about winning. Of course we do. But what this award really represents isn’t a trophy — it’s a relationship. It’s the regulars who come in every Friday afternoon and already know what they want, and the first-timers who walk in a little overwhelmed and leave with something they’re genuinely excited to try. It’s the birthday gift buyer who needs help picking a good whiskey, and the home bartender who wants to know which gin is worth the extra few dollars.

It’s every conversation that happens between a 3rd Street Beverage staff member and a customer who just needed a good recommendation. That’s what makes this store what it is — not the square footage, not the number of SKUs, not the shelf count. The people, on both sides of the counter.

Being recognized for that, year after year, by the people who actually shop here, in a town that takes its craft beverage culture as seriously as Bend does — that means everything to us.

Why We Think Bend Keeps Choosing Us

We’ve put a lot of thought into this over the years, and here’s what we think it comes down to.

The Selection Is Genuinely Deep

We carry the largest selection of beer, wine, spirits, and ciders in Central Oregon — and we mean that literally. From your favorite local ale to small-production natural wines, hard-to-find single malt Scotches to seasonal ciders, and kegs to go for every celebration in between. If you’re looking for a specific bottle you read about somewhere, there’s a good chance we have it or can get it. If you’re not sure what you want, we have enough range to always find the right fit.

The Staff Knows Their Stuff

This isn’t a store where the person behind the counter shrugs when you ask a question. Our beer buyer is on a Master Cicerone track — one of the most rigorous beer certifications in the world. We have a certified sommelier on staff helping curate our wine selection. Our team spans every category and brings genuine expertise to every conversation. We hire people who are passionate about beverages, and it shows.

We’re Part of This Community

3rd Street Beverage opened in 2018 with a simple goal: be the kind of beverage store Central Oregon deserves. We live here, shop here, root for local teams here, and care about this community the way you care about a place you actually call home. That’s not a marketing line — it shapes how we run the store, who we hire, and how we show up for the people who walk through the door every single day.

We Make It Easy

The store is laid out to make sense. You can find what you came for quickly, discover something you didn’t know you needed, and leave feeling good about what you picked. For people who are new to a category — exploring whiskey for the first time, or trying to understand natural wine, or figuring out what a session IPA actually is — we try to make that process approachable and fun instead of intimidating.

A Note of Gratitude

The Source Weekly’s Best of Central Oregon is a reader vote, and we don’t take that lightly. Since we opened in 2018, the fact that this community has kept choosing us — year after year — is something we think about every single day.

To our customers: you are the reason this award exists. You’re why we show up every morning, restock the shelves, go to tasting seminars, track down that hard-to-find bottle, and spend time on a recommendation instead of just pointing at the wall. Thank you for trusting us with your celebrations, your weeknight dinners, your game day gatherings, and your Sunday afternoon experiments. Thank you for your continued support and trust — it means the world.

To our staff: you earned this. Every day.

And to Central Oregon: we love it here. Thank you for letting us be your liquor store.

Come See Us

If you’ve been meaning to stop in, this is your invitation. We’re at 740 NE 3rd St in Bend’s Midtown/Orchard District.

We’ll be the ones behind the counter, genuinely happy to see you.

Cheers and thank you, from everyone at 3rd Street Beverage.

Yes. 3rd Street Beverage was voted Best Liquor Store in Bend by readers of The Source Weekly in the Best of Central Oregon 2026 awards. It’s a reader-driven vote — no editorial selection, no paid placement — which makes it a genuine reflection of how the Bend community feels about their favorite local businesses.

The Best of Central Oregon is an annual reader’s choice award from The Source Weekly, Bend’s alternative newsweekly. Readers nominate and vote for their favorites across more than 100 categories — restaurants, breweries, local businesses, services, and more. Because the vote is entirely community-driven, a win is a genuine signal of local trust and loyalty.

A few things set 3rd Street Beverage apart: one of the largest spirits selections in Central Oregon, a wine department overseen by a certified sommelier, a beer selection managed by a Master Cicerone-track buyer, and a staff known for genuine, approachable expertise. The store is easy to navigate and the team consistently goes above and beyond on recommendations — which is why Bend keeps voting for them year after year.

3rd Street Beverage carries one of the broadest beverage selections in Central Oregon — whiskey, tequila, mezcal, gin, rum, vodka, specialty liqueurs, an extensive wine selection across styles and regions, and a deep craft and import beer department. They also stock mixers, bitters, and specialty cocktail ingredients. If you’re hunting a specific hard-to-find bottle, the staff are happy to help.

Staff expertise is one of 3rd Street Beverage’s defining qualities. Their beer buyer is working toward Master Cicerone certification — one of the most rigorous credentials in craft beer. A certified sommelier oversees the wine selection. Across every department, the team brings genuine passion and real category knowledge, and they’re known for giving honest recommendations rather than just pointing at the shelf.

3rd Street Beverage is at 740 NE 3rd Street, Suite 5, in Bend’s Midtown/Orchard District. Open Monday–Wednesday 10am–8pm, Thursday–Saturday 10am–9pm, and Sunday 10am–8pm. Phone: 541-797-0028.

Yes. 3rd Street Beverage carries kegs in a range of styles — domestic lagers, local craft IPAs, and more. Call ahead to pre-order and confirm availability, especially for parties and events. The staff can help you choose the right size and style for your gathering.

Absolutely. With a certified sommelier on staff and a team that knows the wine selection inside and out, 3rd Street Beverage can help you find the right bottle across any style, region, or price point — whether it’s a weeknight dinner wine, a special occasion splurge, or something to pair with a specific dish.

Yes — 3rd Street Beverage is a locally owned Bend business. The team lives here, shops here, and cares about this community the way you care about a place you actually call home. Supporting them means supporting a local business that puts real roots into Central Oregon.

Follow 3rd Street Beverage on social media for new arrivals and in-store events, or just stop in and ask the team what’s just landed. They’re always bringing in new products across beer, wine, and spirits and are happy to share what they’re excited about. You can also call at 541-797-0028.