Salish Lodge and Spa has stood as a Pacific Northwest icon since 1916. Nestled on the edge of Snoqualmie Falls in Snoqualmie, Wash., the 86-room lodge boasts extraordinary views and cozy furnishings, providing the ideal space to spend the night whether you’re looking for a local staycation or a home base for a Northwest vacation.
The lodge opened more than 100 years ago as the Snoqualmie Falls Lodge, and at the time there were only eight rooms. But even with a smaller capacity, the lodge was known for its exceptional dining service and hearty meals as it welcomed travelers who were heading over Snoqualmie Pass. And that history of providing outstanding food and beverage options remains as an integral part of the lodge experience to this day.
The two main dining spaces on-site are The Attic and The Dining Room. The Attic, located upstairs in the lodge, features picturesque views of the falls thanks to large picture windows. Bites are small and shareable, with a more casual atmosphere. The Dining Room captures the essence of the Pacific Northwest with warm wood tones and plenty of windows to view the falls. Both spaces are designed to be comfortable, providing the perfect spot to enjoy a meal.
What sets both the food and drink menus apart at Salish Lodge and Spa is the lodge’s loyalty to local producers. “We love to showcase from the bounty we have – we are so blessed to live in Washington state and to use all that’s around us,” says Gwynne Chase, director of food and beverage for the lodge. With that focus, Salish has developed partnerships across the state with local beverage producers to highlight the incredible wines, beers, ciders and spirits Washington has to offer.
On the menu are two Salish Lodge private label wines – a chardonnay and a red blend. They’re produced by Terra Blanca Winery located in Benton City, Wash., with winemaker Keith Pilgrim at the helm. Terra Blanca is Salmon Safe certified, meaning they don’t utilize chemicals or fertilizers that ultimately run into streams and harm fish. According to Chase, the Salish team goes out to the winery and works on the signature blend with Pilgrim. It’s a symbiotic relationship that embraces collaboration, all while featuring the fantastic wines coming out of the Red Mountain AVA.
Other mainstays on the drink menu include sparkling options such as a brut, a brut rosé and a dry honey cider. Salish works in partnership with winemaker Christian Grieb at Treveri Cellars, one of few sparkling wine houses in Washington. And while the brut and brut rosé are certainly big hits, it’s the honey cider, also crafted by Treveri, that stands out on the menu. “Our claim to fame has always been the honey, so it was a no brainer with the honey cider,” says Chase. It offers guests a different kind of beverage, and it is utilized in a variety of ways at the lodge. From serving it on its own to mixing it into cocktails and welcome drinks, the honey cider is front and center. And it’s made from honey produced by Salish Lodge and Spa bees.
The honey program at the lodge highlights the bounty provided by honeybees who call the property home at the on-site apiary. The bees produce honey not only used for the signature honey cider, but also for sweet and savory menu options for breakfast, lunch and dinner. According to Chase, buckets are rolled in for the culinary team, and the fresh Northwest honey enhances a variety of dishes. And vice versa, the bees are kept very happy thanks to the flowers planted in the chef’s garden.
While the partnerships with Treveri Cellars and Terra Blanca Winery are certainly at the top of the wine list, Salish has also partnered with Northwest producers such as Seattle’s Copperworks Distillery and Pike Brewing Company in the past. And currently, Salish features an eponymous straight bourbon whiskey made by The Distillarium in Yakima.
“We have so many great relationships across the state,” says Chase. And those relationships have continued to allow Salish Lodge and Spa to offer a truly unique, Washington beverage experience for guests visiting from near and far.
