Zydeco Owners bringing delicatessen to the Old Mill District
BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- The couple behind Zydeco Kitchen and Cocktails is expanding its footprint into Bend's Old Mill District, with a Pacific Northwest-inspired gourmet deli called Stacks Dinner and Delicatessen, which they hope to open before the holidays.
Cheri and Steve Helt also opened Bistro 28 at the Athletic Club of Bend, a popular spot for locals before it closed during the COVID-19 pandemic. The restaurant space remains empty to this day.
Cheri Helt is also well known in the Bend community for representing Bend in the Oregon House of Representatives in 2018 and serving on the Bend La Pine School Board. She also unsuccessfully ran for Oregon's Labor and Industries Commissioner in 2022.
Here's the full press release below:
Cheri and Steve Helt, owners of Zydeco Kitchen and Cocktails in downtown Bend, along with their Chef Eric Joppie and management team, are set to open Stacks Dinner and Delicatessen, a gourmet delicatessen in the Old Mill District. The deli will sit on Center Plaza in the heart of the district in a space that formerly housed Gap Kids. Stacks Dinner and Delicatessen will serve a from-scratch menu that guests can choose to enjoy inside the restaurant, on the patio by the river, or with grab-and-go options.
SunWest Builders and many incredible local electricians, plumbers, carpenters, masons, and technicians are diligently working with a goal of opening before the holidays.
“It has been incredible to see the hard work of our local tradesmen and women transform this retail space into the restaurant we have been dreaming about for years,” Cheri Helt said. “We are incredibly grateful.”
Last year, the Helts and their staff celebrated 20 years of serving “casual, upscale American food with a southern flair” at Zydeco Kitchen and Cocktails. For more than two decades, Zydeco has been a local Bend favorite, regularly earning rave reviews and community choice awards from patrons and local media alike.
In 2021, Zydeco was even featured in an episode of the popular Food Network show, “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives,” which is hosted by celebrity chef Guy Fieri.
"We couldn’t be more excited to welcome the team behind Zydeco to the Old Mill District,” said Beau Eastes, marketing director for the Old Mill District. “They’ve already helped shape Bend’s dining scene, and this new deli’s going to be another home run.”
Stacks Dinner and Delicatessen chef Eric Joppie and the rest of the culinary team will offer a menu featuring in-house cured and smoked meats and fish, fresh-caught fish, and local farm-fresh vegetables. Signature dishes are expected to include cured in-house pastrami and corned beef, beet-cured salmon lox, latkes, and rotisserie-roasted meats. Customers will also be able to purchase charcuterie, smoked fish, artisan cheeses, farm-fresh salads, and pickles by the pound.
“Our team is excited to bring the traditional style of a New York City deli and combine it with the farm-fresh ingredients of the Pacific Northwest,” added co-owner Steve Helt.
Located in a high-traffic space, the Stacks will offer a modernized dining approach; a place to grab a quick sandwich, have a traditional dinner, enjoy a drink with a friend, or take a fine dining quality meal to-go, creating a lively, European-style atmosphere where you can choose your own dining adventure. Guests at Stacks Dinner and Delicatessen will enjoy their meals while taking in scenic views of the Deschutes River and the pedestrian bridge, making it an inviting place to gather with friends and family.
“With one of the most visible and dynamic locations in the Old Mill District — right on the plaza by the pedestrian bridge — this spot is primed to become a go-to gathering place for locals and visitors alike,” Eastes added.
Stacks Dinner and Delicatessen can be found on Instagram and Facebook at @stacksdinneranddelicatessen.
