From exceptional dining to a downtown park home to marmots and a garbage-eating goat, there’s no shortage of things to explore in Spokane.
Located in Eastern Washington, not too far from the border of Idaho, you’ll find the smallest city to ever host the World’s Fair—Spokane. Walking through the streets lined with mainly local shops selling everything from books and art to groceries and kitchenware thoughtfully arranged in window displays, one can’t help but feel that this is a city you can actually take a deep breath in. And not just get swept up in the hustle and bustle. And while you’re taking your time and wandering around, you’ll find exceptional restaurants, fantastic coffee, and much more.
Day One
Around 7:30 head to House of Brunch for breakfast. Jackson Connery, owner of the House of Brunch began working in restaurants when he was 15 as a dishwasher. He then worked his way up to serving as a waiter, bartender, line cook and several other positions throughout the years. But all the while “I always had this dream of opening my own restaurant,” he says.
But Connery had a particular vision. One that he hadn’t seen quite done before. It was a restaurant that was strictly open for breakfast and lunch, had elevated versions of classic brunch fare, and catered to guests ranging from those looking to start their day with a light breakfast and some green juice or boozy mimosas.
In 2023 Connery’s vision came to fruition and House of Brunch opened its doors. “It’s essentially three restaurants in one,” he says. “We have a full café, full bar, and a full-service restaurant as well.”
Every three months the menu changes. But there are some customer favorites that are staples year round with seasonal tweaks, like the chicken and waffles, for instance. In the summer months it’s served with homemade huckleberry jam. Whereas in the fall, the dish is topped with brown butter and maple syrup. If you’re looking for something on the lighter side try the French omelet, also available all year. The cooks, Connery explains, all have to go through special training to prepare this style of omelet as it’sits known for its light and airy texture.
Additionally, House of Brunch has a pretty extensive “wellness program” of green juices, fresh-pressed juice, vegan protein smoothies, and more. For those looking for a caffeine fix, don’t worry. They offer coffee to go as well as at the tables.
“I made sure we had a full espresso program with proper cappuccinos and lattes,” says Connery. “We really take the coffee side of things seriously and even offer a rotating list of single-origin pour-overs.
Of course, for those looking for something a bit stronger, they have thoughtfully curated wine, beer, and cocktail lists.
Around 9:30 am head to Mount Spokane, which is about an hour drive from downtown. This state park is home to over 12,000 acres, 100 miles of hiking trails of varying difficulties, and a summit that is just under 6,000 feet above sea level. Definitely give yourself plenty of daylight and a few hours to fully explore everything the state park has to offer.
If you do find yourself there in the winter months, you can still explore the park. Starting in December, you’ll need a pass to explore their nearly 40 miles of groomed Nordic ski trails and lodges. Downhill skiers can try their hand at the 52 runs and terrain park.
Around 2 pm head to the Browne’s Addition neighborhood (yes it’s a late lunch we admit but House of Brunch’s meals are quite filling). This is the oldest neighborhood in Spokane. And tucked among the rows of historic Victorian mansions, you’ll find Italia Trattoria.
Owned by Anna Vogel, a James-Beard-Award-nominated chef and Bethe Bowman, general manager, this restaurant has been a community staple for well-over a decade. Their menu changes seasonally and based on what’s available locally, but some favorites include roasted quail, fresh fish of the day, and lamb ragu.
Once lunch is done, it’s just over a five-minute walk to Spokane’s Northwest Museum of Arts & Culture. The museum first opened its doors in 1916 and has been a community staple for well over 100 years. And over the next couple of hours , you can browse their expansive halls that include the largest known collection of Plateau Indian art and artifacts in the world and other permanent exhibitions. They also have a series of rotating shows like “It Happened Here,” which was a deep dive into the 1974 World’s Fair. Not only did they pull together an expansive collection of notes, art, video, clothing, and other items from the event specifically, but also had cars and other items from the time to give viewers a real sense of what that era felt like leading up to the big event.
Once lunch is done, it’s time to check out Spokane’s 20 breweries—many of which are within walking distance of each other so no car is required. For instance, there’s Whistle Punk Brewing, located in the heart of the city and known for its wide array of styles and continuously rotating tap lists. Up next is Humble Abode Brewing, a family-owned- nano brewery, which offers everything from your standard IPAs to a blackberry cobbler sour ale. But don’t sleep on the city’s cider either. Take Liberty Cider, for instance, which exclusively uses fruit from small, local, family-run farms. Of course, to get the full experience, check out Spokane’s beer and cider pass. Simply download the pass and get savings and prizes at participating locations. If you need a beer and cider break or are in the mood for something with just a tad more edge, checkout Dry Fly Distilling. There you can sip on spirits while looking out on the massive copper stills and watch the distillation process take place. As for the drinks, they make an array of vodkas, gins (pink gin, anybody?), whiskeys, and even canned cocktails. Of course, if mixed drinks are more your thing, the distillery is known for its exceptional cocktails that range from well-known classics to inventive creations. (Pro tip: check out the events page on their website as they periodically offer cocktail-making classes).
Around 630 or 7 pm head to dinner at Ruins. Walking into the restaurant, your eyes are immediately drawn to the open kitchen situated in the back, with its mustard yellow backdrop and large wooden table in the center stacked with plates, utensils, vegetables, pickled vegetables, and other ingredients. You’ll want to give yourself some time to fully enjoy chef-and owner Anthony Brown’s inventive dishes. Don’t sleep on the cocktails either. Along with inventive boozy options, Brown’s drink program has a number of non-alcoholic options that are unlike most others.
No trip to Spokane is complete without exploring the city’s nightlife. And if you’re still up for it after a day of hiking and museum wandering, head to nYne Bar 232. This is the perfect spot to try local brews or big name brands, in other words there’s something for everyone. But the best part? The karaoke. With a designated stage and performance area, you’ll have plenty of space to bust out your award-winning performance.
Day two
At 8 am, head downtown for breakfast at the Bruncheonette. Owner Joile Forral started her career in the culinary world as a high schooler in San Diego at Nothing Bundt Cakes.
“This was my first professional baking job, and I loved it. I quickly took over the reins in the kitchen and wore all the hats,” says Forral. “ I was the baker, dishwasher, and also did ordering and inventory.” She then went on to culinary school before graduating and moving to Spokane to work in the bakery at the Northern Quest Resort and Casino where she became the only pastry chef.
But through it all “I have always loved breakfast,” says Forral and she wanted to have a spot that exemplified that. And after starting and operating her own food truck for a few years, opened the doors to Bruncheonette in October of 2017. And over the last almost decade, it’s become a community staple.
“At the time, Spokane had a lot of “diner breakfast restaurants,” but not really any “brunch focused” establishments,” says Forral. And since opening its doors a decade ago, customers have come to like dishes such as the tamale waffles. Unlike a typical waffle, Bruncheonette’s version is made with tamale masa and topped with Mexican spiced shredded beef, eggs, crema, house pickled jalapeños, and more. Or there’s the chicken fried steak, made with breading that’s both wheat and gluten-free and topped with housemade gravy.
And if drinks are on your mind, don’t worry Brunchenotte has definitely got you covered with their more than 20 mimosa options.
Up next, it’s time to take in some of the best of Washington wine. And luckily, you don’t have to travel all that far. The downtown area is home to 12 tasting rooms. Like the Cougar Crest Estate Winery, which has been around for more than two decades, uses fruit from the Walla Walla region, and offers everything from Malbecs to Rieslings. Or try Helix Wines, the family that owns it has been farming in Oregon and Washington since their family moved to the region via the Oregon trail generations ago. There’s also Overbluff Cellars, housed in an 1891 building that originally produced crackers. Of course, the best way to get a feel for Washington wine is to put on some good walking shoes and bring a full water bottle to walk to several different tasting rooms.
Around 1 or 2 pm head to Indigenous Eats at either the downtown Spokane location in the River Park Square Mall food court or on Boone and Hamilton.
“I am a Yakama Nation tribal member and I grew up on the Yakima reservation in Central Washington,” says owner Jenny Slagle. “My husband and I moved our family to Spokane 24 years ago. And now we call it home.”
After moving to Spokane, Slagle began working with the city’s Powwows, where she would cook and sell food with the proceeds going back to the organization. But over the years she began thinking, maybe this was something she could do full time.
“I grew up in a longhouse. And that exposed me to all the different traditional foods,” says Slagle. “But when we started conceptualizing Indigenous Eats, we took a contemporary approach to native foods, because there’s always going to be a sustainability issue when it comes to sourcing our traditional foods as well as a general ickiness of commercializing something meant to be nutritious for our people.”
The center of most of the dishes is the frybread, an Indigenous dish. And the bread is topped with ground bison, beans, tomatillo salsa, and more. And there are several other customizable options. But a crowd favorite is the frybread with huckleberry sauce topped with powdered sugar for dessert.
Of course, no trip to Spokane is complete without checking out the city’s famous Riverfront Park. What was once a railroad yard, was transformed to a park in 1974 to host the World’s Fair. It’s home to sculptures, the famed trash-eating goat, marmots, the Spokane River, and large waterfalls. The latter of which is best experienced on the park’s SkyRide, which takes you down the river and over these astonishing waterfalls.
Additionally, there’s the Numerica Skate Ribbon, which in the warm months functions as a rollerblading and skateboard ring. In the winter, it transforms into an ice rink where you can rent skates. Or, if skating is not your thing, you can watch others try to stay upright by one of the firepits.
No trip to the park would be complete without a visit to the trash-eating goat, an interactive sculpture that was made for the World’s Fair 50 years ago. There’s also the Looff Carousel, one of the only ones left in the world. It was hand carved in 1909, and features horses, lions, and more creatures.
Around 6 pm head to Zona Blanca Ceviche Bar, which is bringing some of the best seafood to Spokane. Helmed by Chad White, a James Beard Award semi-finalist and Top Chef competitor, Zona Blanca transports diners somewhere far beyond the landlocked city. Chef White’s menu changes often and is based on what local ingredients are available. But his inventive dishes have included Hamachi Tiradito, made with yellowtail jack, leche de tiger, blood orange, and more. And certainly don’t sleep on the extensive cocktail program.
Around 8 or 9 pm head to Cease and Desist Book Club for a night cap. You’ll likely have to hunt a bit to find this spot. But behind a shelf in what otherwise appears to be a closed bookstore, you’ll find a whiskey lover’s haven. The menu is pages of whiskeyspages whiskeys ranging from well known bottles to lesser-known options. But if whiskey isn’t your thing, don’t fret. There’s a whole host of cocktails ranging from classics like the Painkiller to the speakeasy’s own concoctions like the Huckleberry Bee’s Knees, made with Ford’s gin, huckleberry honey, and more.
Possible Side Quest: Fruitland Valley Vineyard & Winery
Established in 2012, Fruitland Valley Vineyards & Winery has quickly become a community staple. The tasting room is open from June–September. And while you might be in it for the wine, don’t sleep on the charcuterie board, full of local meats and cheeses. And while they offer a slew of whites, reds, and rosés, our personal favorite is Brian’s Signature Blend. It’s a bit different every year, but it pays homage to the winery’s founder who passed away in 2022. You will need to plan around the ferry schedule to shuttle your car across the Spokane River.
Coffee Break: Atticus Coffee
Located in the heart of downtown, you’ll find Atticus coffee. Themed after the famed novel To Kill a Mockingbird, you’ll find gifts like stickers and buttons made by local artists, handmade mugs with the iconic novel logo, and much more. But the coffee is obviously the highlight. You can select the beans, which all have notes from the staff as to what type of drinks they will do best in and they have a vast selection of loose-leaf tea.
