Ponch’s Place: A Food Truck Pod in Boyd Neighborhood

It doesn’t take living in Bend very long to experience one of our many food truck pods. If you are a long-time resident, you most likely lost count several years ago and have now moved on to having your “go-tos.”

If you have never experienced lunch or dinner at a food truck pod, it’s time to get on board. They are, without a doubt, one of Bend’s best culinary experiences. Not only do you get to experience phenomenal local food, but each pod will have several food trucks to try.

Going out with a group of friends? No worries, there will be something for everyone. Is your kid a picky eater? You can get your dinner from the sushi truck and your kids a cheeseburger from the BBQ truck. (Or, in my case, I’m getting the cheeseburger, and my kids are having the sushi.)

Oh, and don’t forget about the beer. Each food truck pod has a centralized taproom with many great local beers.

So it probably doesn’t come as a surprise that I was excited to try out Ponch’s Place, a new food truck pod I passed on Brinson Blvd. Being that I live in the Boyd Neighborhood, I climbed on my bike the next day and pedaled over for an afternoon beer while I worked. Not only was I excited about a food truck pod in my neighborhood, but I came to find that the story behind Ponch’s Place has an incredible story and mission.

Wait, a Pet Hospital?!

Next door to Ponch’s Place is the Veterinary Referral Center of Central Oregon (VRCCO), which happens to be the owner of Ponch’s Place. “VRCCO started in 2018 when three veterinarians came together to start the new practice,” said Dr. Stephen Stockdale, a vet and owner of VRCCO. “At that time, it was operated out of a building on the west side and had around ten employees total.”

Fast-forward six years, and VRCCO has added 100 employees to that initial ten. This includes over 20 doctors, seven of whom are staffed in the emergency room. VRCCO’s vision has always been to provide 24/7 emergency care for Central Oregon pets and unmatched customer support to both their animal patients and their owners.

Aside from its 24-hour ER, VRCCO specializes in internal medicine, dermatology, ophthalmology, medical oncology, neurology, critical care, physical rehabilitation and surgery. It also has a pet-specific MRI scanner, which Dr. Stockdale tells me is new to the hospital and the only one like it in Central Oregon.

VRCCO set out to care for its employees by providing childcare at their facility. If you are a parent, it is probably no surprise how difficult it is to find childcare in Bend. VRCCO wanted to make that aspect of life easier for their employees.

“We wanted to support our employees by offering childcare under the same roof so that young mothers did not have to decide between caring for their growing families and having a career,” Dr. Stockdale said.

Ponch’s Place

Aside from an extensive pet hospital, emergency room and childcare, VRCCO also started Ponch’s Place, named after the beloved Labrador Retriever owned by two VRCCO owners, Dr. Dujowich and Dr. Bentley.

“Ponch was the in-house mascot of VRCCO,” Dr. Stockdale explained. “He was often exploring the halls of VRCCO, saying ‘hi’ to different departments. Because of his sweet nature, he was given the formal role of ‘Chief Morale Officer.’” Ponch’s Place was named after the beloved lab to honor his life and passing.

Currently, Ponch’s Place has four food trucks and a taproom with a selection of ten beers and ciders on tap. The taproom roof extends over eight or so large picnic tables, with heaters in the ceiling for chilly days. Several more picnic tables are scattered in the sun. A large gas firepit is on the east side of Ponch’s, dividing the seating area from the food trucks, with a patio and grass area lying opposite.

Ponch’s Place is a bit of a dream-come-true type of story, as Dr. Stockdale described it as an ongoing office “joke” that never lost traction. However, Ponch’s Place seemed like it was always in VRCCO’s DNA. When VRCCO opened in 2018, they had kombucha and beer on tap for patrons waiting for their pets. Their office joke grew as they got ready to open their new Eastside facility.

“We thought, what’s more ‘Bend’ than having food trucks on site to grab lunch or dinner? And why not have a beer garden as well?” Dr. Stockdale explained.

The “dream” that was Ponch’s Place was initially just thought of as an extension of VRCCO—a place where, once again, patrons can grab a bite and a beer while waiting for their pet. As construction got underway, neighbors and employees of other businesses nearby became excited about a food truck pod in the untapped neighborhood. VRCCO realized they were on to something bigger.

In terms of food and beer, Ponch’s Place is home to Carmelitas (authentic Mexican cuisine), Alley Dogz (Americana, burgers, dogs, brats), Sweet Herb (authentic Chinese and Asian cuisine) and God of Pizza (which is delicious pizza!). They plan on rotating their beer options regularly and are also working on different non-alcoholic options.

As far as future food trucks go, Ponch’s Place is currently focusing on what they do have, letting neighbors know they are there and building community. Live music is already scheduled, and they will also be hosting events benefiting their charity, the Care Fund. Several of VRCCO’s doctors are in the process of getting their alcohol server licenses so they can work the taproom and connect with patrons.

Ponch’s Place shares a rather large parking lot with VRCCO. While they haven’t experienced any parking issues yet, they are anticipating a busy summer and hope those close by might consider riding a bike or walking. Ponch’s Place is located at 62889 NE Oxford Ct, Bend, OR 97701. They will be open from 11 a.m. – 7 p.m. on Sunday through Thursday and 11 a.m. – 8 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.

And, of course, your dog is welcome.

Photos courtesy of VRCCO.