NEWBERG, Ore. — After a year and a half operating quietly under a limited food-service designation, Cherry Street Bistro has officially secured its full restaurant license, allowing the downtown-adjacent café to openly serve — and advertise to — the wider Newberg community for the first time. The bistro marked the shift with a grand opening on Monday, Dec. 8.
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Cherry Street Bistro opened in summer 2023 as part of Friendsview Retirement Community’s dining program. While the public was welcome to stop in, the business was technically considered an internal dining venue and could not market itself as a standalone restaurant. That constraint shaped its first year in operation.
“Cherry St. Bistro was designed to offer a more traditional bistro or café dining experience to the residents of Friendsview,” said Bistro manager Phillip Berns. “We first opened as a dining area of the Friendsview campus that was allowed to serve the community as well, should they wander in. Now that we are fully licensed through the county, however, we are able to get the word out much more through sources like Newsberg.”
Berns said the decision to attain full licensure had always been on the horizon, but growing interest from the broader community accelerated the timeline.
“It was the influx of customers from our Newberg community that really pushed us to pull the trigger,” he said. “This past year really showed us that Cherry Street Bistro is a spot that the community wants to support, too.”
The café sits just across the street from George Fox University, a location Berns describes as central to its identity. Students and faculty already make up the largest share of customers outside Friendsview residents, and he expects that number to rise now that the restaurant can promote itself. Plans are underway for a GFU appreciation month in 2025.
On the menu, Berns describes the food as “classic American bistro fare with a twist,” emphasizing that everything is made from scratch in-house. Offerings range from rotating soups and sandwiches to salads, bowls, and burgers, with vegan and gluten-free options across both the lunch and brunch menus.
Berns believes the bistro fills a missing piece in Newberg’s dining landscape.
“It’s a great spot for a quick lunch, but by no means a fast-food restaurant,” he said. “Cherry Street Bistro offers delicious, house-made American bistro fare at a price you won’t find anywhere else in the valley — at least not for the quality.”
With new licensing in place, the restaurant plans to expand its community presence, including specials, seasonal events, and participation in the annual Meltdown grilled-cheese fundraiser for Yamhill County Action Partnership, or YCAP, traditionally held in February.
Cherry Street Bistro is open Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., and 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
Berns encourages residents to follow the restaurant on Facebook and Instagram to stay updated. Cherry Street Bistro is now fully open to the public on the Friendsview campus at the corner of Fulton Street and Meridian Street.
