As the founder of Lone Pine Coffee Roasters in Bend, Scott Witham believes in the magic that happens over coffee. People talk. Some do business. Once, a couple got married. “It makes me really happy when I see a punk kid next to a lawyer next to a mom and remote worker, all in here, because these people probably wouldn’t normally brush shoulders,” he says. “Cafés are community hubs.

A fantastic beverage expertly prepared sits at the heart of that community, and Witham knows his beans. Like many great entrepreneurs, his venture started in his garage in 2007, when he roasted small batches to sell at the farmers market. People loved it. Since then his operation has grown to include two brick-and-mortar cafés in Bend with a menu that goes well beyond coffee. The team at Lone Pine makes its own almond milk, syrups, and pastries, including a delicious take on the Liège waffle that is so scrumptious with caramelized bits of sugar that they’ll all be gone by mid-morning. 

Head roaster Caleb Hooley—who met his wife at Lone Pine—plays a key role in the operation, having learned in Guatemala the art of using time and heat to create a roast that coaxes out the rich, complex flavor interwoven into every style of coffee. Sustainability and ethical sourcing are core values at Lone Pine, where each cup reflects a global chain of hard work and intentionality, from farmer to barista. In that way, Witham says the café is more than just another business, too; it’s part of Bend’s thriving ecosystem of independent coffee roasters and shops that collaborate and support one another. “You don’t always see that in other places,” he says. “Bend is special that way.”