Since moving to Bend, I have been searching for a coffee shop that welcomes you with a warm embrace.

I had worked as a barista during my senior year of college in Portland and missed having a place where I could learn about the community while sipping coffee and eating tasty pastries and sandwiches.

After almost giving up, I stumbled across Café des Chutes on my way to Redmond. Located on Southeast Scott Street, next to Howl Goods and Sweet Pea Cole, lies an ashy bricked building — previously home to Sparrow Bakery’s first location.

The European-inspired café offers a variety of traditional, gluten free, vegan pastries and sandwiches alongside coffee using beans from Still Vibrato Coffee Roasters and other beverages.

From the outside, it seemed like there might not be a lot to offer with its muted tones, but I was pleasantly surprised when I walked in.

A refrigerated case greets you with specialty sandwiches ranging from a classic ham and cheese sandwich on homemade slab bread, a loaded croissant with chimichurri, bacon and tomato jam, to a baguette with smoked trout, dill compound butter and radish pickle.

My first time going, I had an iced vanilla matcha latte, $5.25, paired with the croissant sandwich, $11.95. To my surprise, the bacon went well with the sweet citrus flavor coming from the chimichurri and tomato jam. The matcha was a great at washing the sweetness down and didn’t let the vanilla syrup overpower the tea.

As I sat enjoying my late breakfast, I saw customer after customer greeted with the same energy and enthusiasm as the ones before them, some obviously regulars and others travelers on their way through Central Oregon. It was refreshing to see attentiveness over getting quickly pushed out.

Alongside the breakfast and lunch items sat a range of pastries taunting you with their eye-catching presentations — some of which included a mini marionberry bundt cake with bright fuchsia frosting over the top, pistachio croissants topped with crushed and whole nuts and a hazelnut milk chocolate chip cookie. All of which looked too good to eat.

On my second visit to the cafe, I opted for a honey cinnamon hot latte, $5.25, with a peanut banana brownie, $4.25, and the savory bread pudding, $7.25. The latte had a nice balance between the punchy aromatics of the ground cinnamon and sweet honey with a beautiful finish of crystalized honey on top.

The peanut banana brownie, gluten free, was richer than expected, most likely baked with a dark chocolate. While I like my brownies on the sweeter side, it paired well with the coffee — especially if you like a sugary latte.

For me, the savory bread pudding was the winner on the menu. Loaded with spinach, roasted mushrooms, Swiss cheese, red onion and clove and was reminiscent of stuffing, my favorite Thanksgiving side. I recommend having it warmed, as it’s perfectly toasted with a crunchy outer layer and a warm and moist center.

Looking for a place to sit when eating all of my snacks was not a problem since the café extends to a back room full of tables and chairs. The decorations make it feel both bright and comforting with black and white checkered tiles on the floor and vases of flowers on each tabletop.

It’s the type of place where I wanted to continue to do work, an oasis from my deskless room at home. Light music played in the background while aromas from the coffee and savory goods washed over the café.

You can enjoy a nice latte and sweet treat yourself from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. from Sunday to Thursday. If you’re looking for a café open later than that, look no further on Fridays and Saturdays, when it stays open until 9 p.m. with a natural wine and cocktail selection.

During the “dinner hours” last week, most of the sandwich selections were available, along with “grandma’s pizza,” which included two selections: pepperoni or a caramelized onion and potato pie.

The caramelized onion and potato pizza stole the show for both reporter Sukhjot Sal and I, satisfying our palates with the pairing of herbs and sweet onions. One slice between the two of us was enough to hold us over throughout the café’s first open mic event on Friday, but I had to stop myself from getting another.

The event added to the ambiance of the shared outdoor patio with performers singing original songs, poems and covers of popular tunes.

Sipping a late-night latte while being serenaded was the perfect way to end my work week, and I would advise to keep a lookout for more events on the cafe’s website.

For now, as my internship ends with The Bulletin this summer, you might find me scouring for my next avenue in the corner of Café Des Chutes, sipping away at a macchiato or the seasonal pistachio iced latte.

Location: 50 SE Scott St. #22, Bend

Contact: (541) 668-6114 cafedeschutes.com

Hours: 8 a.m.-2 p.m., Sunday — Thursday; 8 a.m. — 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday

Price Range: $2 — $12.95

Cuisine: European inspired café