PENDLETON — Eden’s Kitchen has relocated to the Hotel Pendleton, offering its beloved menu items in a vibrant new setting for both locals and visitors.

The family-style restaurant, known for made-to-order breakfast and lunch items and fresh-baked desserts, moved its kitchen operation from the Blue Mountain Community College campus to the downtown hotel March 21. Owner Kayla Henshaw described the new space as “great.”

“ I went from the biggest kitchen in town to the smallest kitchen in Pendleton, but then the vibe from the lobby is way better,” Henshaw said. “The atmosphere out here is awesome.”

This is the second time Eden’s Kitchen has moved.

The restaurant first operated in a quaint brick-and-mortar location near Pendleton City Hall on Southwest Sixth Street before moving to the student cafeteria at BMCC, where Henshaw and her crew served students, staff and her regular customer base.

Henshaw said everything started off well at the school, but eventually sales relied too heavily on enrollment numbers for on-campus classes. On top of that, the need to drive up a hill and walk upstairs made it difficult for customers outside the campus to visit her restaurant.

“BMCC was great — they always worked with me really well,” she said. “I just needed to get back to a more accessible spot.”

As the contract with the school neared its end, Henshaw began searching for a new location. She said a mutual friend suggested she contact Sidney True, the owner of Hotel Pendleton, to discuss a potential partnership.

During this time, the hotel struggled with public awareness, especially in demonstrating that it was open to everyone, not just guests, Henshaw added.

After True and Henshaw met and discussed their goals, the two agreed that Eden’s Kitchen and the Hotel Pendleton would be a good fit, sparking a new partnership between the two businesses.

True said part of his decision to partner with Henshaw was to expand the boutique experience at the hotel lounge, noting it wouldn’t make sense to have anything other than a “Kayla-esque” restaurant, where everything is homemade and made from scratch.

“Hotel guests can get an elevated experience for breakfast and lunch and experience something that’s entirely local,” True said. “All the ingredients are sourced locally, and that’s what we’re really trying to emphasize at the Hotel Pendleton.”

Although Henshaw described the move as a “super-positive experience,” she noted setting up shop at the new location came with a couple of challenges and learning curves.

Her new kitchen needed a new oven, which she purchased to continue baking fresh bread and her signature cinnamon rolls. The new space also lacked outlets that fit her panini presses, so she bought grill weights to create smash sandwiches on the flat-tops.

“It has definitely been crazy going from the big kitchen to the small kitchen and going from smallest sales to big sales,” she said, chuckling. “ I had all the tables in here aligned to the door, and we had to close early today at 1 because we were running out of so much product.”

True said the new lounge space, combined with Henshaw and her team’s setup, allowed the hotel to offer a high-end food experience, creating a beautiful blend of their efforts. True’s main message was simple: “Come try us out, see what we’ve done and embrace local food.”

In addition, Henshaw said the hotel is booked for Jackalope Jamboree and other summer events. Although she anticipates busy days ahead, she said she plans to be a part of the upcoming Pendleton Farmers Market and collaborate with other vendors to continue offering locally sourced products on her menu.

“I’m here just to serve good food to people,” Henshaw said. “And I’m excited because people have been so happy and excited — that’s why we’re down here.”

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About Eden’s Kitchen

Eden’s Kitchen is open Monday through Saturday from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Sundays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Hours may vary during large events such as concerts and rodeos. To stay updated with the latest menus and restaurant hours, follow Eden’s Kitchen on Facebook or Instagram or visit its website, where customers can also place orders for pickup.