Spokane's food and drink scene is friendly, unpretentious and increasingly good. The city is surrounded by farms, orchards and wineries, and its restaurants and taprooms lean on regional ingredients. Here is how to eat and drink well without a rigid plan.
Wine first
The Spokane area has dozens of wineries and tasting rooms, many sourcing grapes from other parts of Washington. Downtown rooms are easy to reach on foot, while valley estates such as Arbor Crest offer views and, in season, outdoor concerts. A county wine tasting map is published by the tourism board and helps you string together stops. Tasting fees are common and are often waived with a bottle purchase, and some rooms ask for reservations on weekends. Pace yourself, drink water and arrange a driver or rideshare.
Beer and cider
The region has a lively craft beer culture, with breweries and taprooms scattered through downtown and the neighborhoods. Look for seasonal releases, hop-forward ales and approachable lagers, and ask the staff for recommendations. Cideries appear in orchard country, and farm stands sometimes sell fresh cider in autumn. A relaxed brewery afternoon is as much a part of a Spokane trip as a museum visit.
Farm flavors
Green Bluff, north of the city, is the best place to taste the region's produce. Strawberries and cherries come first in summer, followed by raspberries, peaches and apples, and then pumpkins and cider donuts in fall. Go for the u-pick or just buy from stands, and bring a cooler. Farmers markets operate in season in several neighborhoods, selling produce, bread, honey and prepared foods, and they are a pleasant way to spend a morning.
Restaurants and cafes
Downtown and the neighborhoods have a good mix of casual bistros, steak houses, pizza and ethnic restaurants, plus coffee roasters and bakeries. Rather than chase a famous name, look for places that mention local ingredients and have a lively room. Make reservations for dinner on weekends and event nights, and ask hotel staff for current favorites, since the scene changes. Brunch is popular, so arrive early.
Across the border
Coeur d'Alene offers lakeside dining, brew pubs and patios with water views. A summer evening on a lakefront terrace is hard to beat, so reserve ahead. In the colder months, cozy restaurants and tasting rooms become the draw. Combine a day of Tubbs Hill, the boardwalk and a long lunch for a relaxing food-and-lake outing from Spokane.
Practical tips
Check the hours of tasting rooms and farm stands, which vary by season. Carry cash for small stands. If you have dietary needs, call ahead or look at menus online. Consider a designated driver or a winery tour so everyone can enjoy the tasting. And leave room in your schedule: some of the best meals in Spokane are the unplanned ones, found after a walk along the river or a stop at a farm stand on the way back from a hike.
Sample day of eating
Begin with coffee and a pastry from a downtown roaster, walk the river, then lunch at a casual spot near the park. In the afternoon, taste at a winery or a taproom, with a snack to anchor the tasting. For dinner, choose a restaurant with a regional menu and a local wine or beer list. If you are traveling with children, swap the tasting for a farm stand treat or an ice cream in the park.
Seasonal notes
In spring, look for asparagus, greens and early berries on menus. Summer brings cherries, peaches and patio dining, and fall brings apples, squash and harvest dinners. Winter menus lean toward comfort dishes, soups and braises, with hot cider and warming spirits. Because many farm stands and tasting rooms are seasonal, it helps to check ahead and to ask staff what is at its best.
Finding quality
Look for places with short menus, lively rooms and local sourcing. Ask hotel staff and tasting room hosts for recommendations, since they know which places have changed hands or hours. Be flexible: a place that is full may have bar seating, and a place that is quiet on a weeknight may be your best meal of the trip.
Budget notes
Eating well in Spokane does not have to be expensive. Lunch specials, happy hours, farm stand snacks and picnic lunches in the park stretch a budget, and many tasting rooms waive fees with a purchase. Save one splurge dinner for a special night and keep the rest relaxed.
