18 Best Restaurants in Spokane and Eastern Washington, Washington

Clinkerdagger

$$$$ Fodor's choice

In a former flour mill with great views of the Spokane River, Clink's has been a Spokane institution since 1974. The seafood, steaks, and prime rib are excellent; the Broadway pea salad, French onion soup, and beer-battered fish-and-chips are all popular at lunch. Some favorite dessert choices include seasonal bread pudding, molten chocolate cake, and key lime pie.

Frank's Diner

$$ Fodor's choice

Right off the Maple Street Bridge, this is the state's oldest railroad-car restaurant; built as an observation car in 1906, it has original light fixtures, stained-glass windows, and mahogany details. Generously sized breakfasts are the specialty here, including unique items like Creole Benedict with lobster, shrimp, and crab. On the sweeter side, there's orange cranberry French toast and cinnamon roll waffles. For dinner there's such comfort food as turkey with mashed potatoes, meat loaf, and chicken-fried steak.

Casper Fry

$$
In Spokane's South Perry District, this restaurant has food and ambience that would fit right into a hip Seattle or Portland foodie neighborhood, the menu includes such comfort foods as cast-iron-skillet mac and cheese, buttermilk fried chicken, blackened catfish, po' boys, and shrimp and grits. Biscuits (with sausage gravy or fried chicken), beef brisket, and cinnamon French toast are some of the fare served up at weekend brunch. Desserts include chocolate-peanut-butter pie, banana-bread pudding, beignets, and house-made ice cream.
928 S. Perry, Spokane, Washington, 99202, USA
509-535--0536
Known For
  • barrel-aged cocktails and an impressive list of whiskeys
  • dishes hot from a charcoal-burning oven
  • great brunch spot
Restaurants Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon.

Recommended Fodor's Video

de España

$$$

Local restaurateur/chef Adam Hegsted keeps coming up with new restaurant concepts—de España, which opened in 2022, brings a Spanish tapas bar scene to downtown Spokane in a colorful and lively setting. The small plate choices include deviled eggs with n’duja, a spicy Italian sausage with a spreadable texture; gazpacho; and a filling Tortilla Española, while larger appetites will be satisfied with the paella—offered both in the traditional form and in a roasted vegetable version. The twice-daily happy hour is a good way to try more of the menu. Sangria is one of many Spanish-inspired beverages from the bar. The dessert menu features baked treats and some warm after-dinner drinks, too.

909 W. 1st Ave., Spokane, Washington, 99201, USA
509-443–4215
Known For
  • flavorful, varied menu
  • friendly, energetic staff
  • great happy hour
Restaurants Details
Rate Includes: No lunch

Elk Public House

$$

This casual eatery in the relaxed Browne's Addition neighborhood serves tasty pub food like grilled lamb sandwiches, blackened chicken alfredo, and a Korean pork bowl, and you can wash it all down with one of the 16 beers on tap. A copper bar stands along one wall, backed by a mirror and lots of memorabilia, giving the interior a saloonlike appearance.

1931 W. Pacific Ave., Spokane, Washington, 99201, USA
509-363–1973
Known For
  • good selection of microbrews, most from the Northwest
  • hipster vibe, but families are just as welcome
  • nice patio for outdoor dining

Europa Restaurant and Bakery

$$$

Artisanal pizza is featured here (including gluten-free), along with lots of pastas, calzones, salads, seafood, steak, and chicken dishes. Candles on the tables, murals, exposed brick, and wood beams give a European flavor to the dining room and adjacent pub. If you can't save room for dessert, take home treats from the in-house bakery.

125 S. Wall St., Spokane, Washington, 99201, USA
509-455–4051
Known For
  • a popular spot for happy hour
  • really good desserts
  • easygoing atmosphere
Restaurants Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. No lunch

Francaise

$$$$

After acclaimed restaurant Caspar Fry closed in 2022 following a decade-long run, Francaise opened in the same spot just a couple of months later, bringing the flavors of France to the South Perry district. Much of the interior is the same and it's still a great spot to meet friends for brunch, and to enjoy an array of cocktails with such dishes as croque madame, rolled French toast, omelets, or the ultra-rich macaroni with truffle sauce. The dinner menu includes coq au vin served with smashed potatoes, dry aged pork ribeye, escargot, and French onion soup. Beignets are available for brunch and as an after-dinner treat.

928 S. Perry St., Spokane, Washington, 99202, USA
509-315–4153
Known For
  • rich and filling brunch options
  • poutine made with Idaho potatoes
  • deviled eggs with caviar
Restaurants Details
Rate Includes: No lunch, brunch only on weekends

Fresh Soul

$$

Operated by a neighborhood nonprofit that helps young people learn job skills, Fresh Soul blends a worthy purpose with really good Southern food. At lunchtime, a pulled pork or catfish sandwich will hit the spot, and for dinner, the big combo meals (think fried chicken legs with beans, potato salad, and cornbread) are tasty and filling. The colorful cafe has a few tables, but everything is also nicely packaged for take-out.

3029 E. 5th Ave., Spokane, Washington, 99202, USA
509-242–3377
Known For
  • tasty ribs are fall-off-the-bone tender
  • favorite beverages include sweet tea
  • family combos are a good value
Restaurants Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. and Mon. in summer, Sun.–Wed. in winter, and mid-Dec.–Feb.

Gilded Unicorn

$$

This speakeasy-style restaurant/bar, steps down from the Montvale Hotel, has a cool vibe, with brick and stone walls that feel medieval, juxtaposed with very modern comfort food. Menu choices include a tater tot casserole with brisket and roasted wild mushrooms, salmon n' grits, harissa meatloaf, and wild mushroom stroganoff. Coconut cream pie with banana whipped cream is a delicious end to a meal.

110 S. Monroe St., Spokane, Washington, 99201, USA
509-309–3698
Known For
  • great spot for pre- and post-theater eating and drinking
  • 20 unicorns in the decor
  • early and late evening happy hours
Restaurants Details
Rate Includes: No lunch

Huckleberry's 9th Street Bistro

$

Set inside Huckleberry's Natural Market, this bistro has a coffee and juice bar, pre-made sandwiches and salads, and lots of items that can be made fresh to eat in or take-out, including sandwiches, salads, burgers, and wraps. If you're in a hurry, call in your order so it will be ready when you arrive; otherwise there may be a wait during the busy lunch hour. Evenings are more leisurely and you can kick by with a beer or glass of wine while your food is prepared, or try the pasta bar available Friday and Saturday evenings.

Latah Bistro

$$$

Tucked into a strip mall in south Spokane near the Creek at Qualchan Golf Course, this neighborhood restaurant serves a wide-ranging menu that changes frequently. Some standards include salmon with asparagus and fingerling potatoes, seared scallops, bistro salad with gorgonzola and figs, and rich desserts. For a sweet ending to your meal, try the seasonal fruit cobbler, peanut butter chocolate cake, or the "bucket of love" (gluten-free flourless mini-chocolate cakes dusted with spices). Sunday brunch features varied choices, from English-toffee-banana-pecan French toast to corned-beef hash with apples.

4241 S. Cheney–Spokane Rd., Spokane, Washington, 99224, USA
509-838–8338
Known For
  • pizzas baked in a wood-burning oven
  • diverse wine list
  • fun menu of cocktails
Restaurants Details
Rate Includes: Brunch on Sun. only

Luna

$$$$

You'll find inventive approaches to classics here, from grass-fed beef burgers to duck with kumquat marmalade. Salmon charcuterie, coconut curry prawns, and oxtail sliders are good choices from the small plates menu. The luscious desserts are worth a visit on their own—especially the Grand Marnier beignets, cookies and cream layer cake, and house-made gelato. There's a curbside menu if you want to enjoy your meal in another setting; it includes some family-style options for salads and small plates.

5620 S. Perry St., Spokane, Washington, 99223, USA
509-448–2383
Known For
  • rose terrace and courtyard dining in summer
  • tasty wood-fired pizzas
  • extensive wine list
Restaurants Details
Rate Includes: No lunch

Mary Lou's Milk Bottle

$

Built in 1933, this restaurant is shaped like a gigantic milk bottle; since 1978 the eatery has been selling homemade ice cream. Fries are made from hand-cut potatoes, buns are made in-house, and burgers, sandwiches, salads, and soup (in winter only) round out the menu. The Milk Bottle makes a cameo in Johnny Depp's rom-com Benny & Joon.

Mizuna

$$$$

Fresh flowers and redbrick walls lend color and charm to this downtown eatery, where a patio is open for outdoor dining when the weather gets warm. Depending on the season, the daily seafood might be steelhead, scallops, salmon, or halibut, usually served with grilled vegetables. Grilled pork tenderloin comes with bacon-fat roasted brussel sprouts, and local produce is the inspiration for such scrumptious vegetarian fare as white-cheddar-and-apple salad. Dessert specialties include vegan carrot cake and flourless dark chocolate and crystallized ginger torte.

214 N. Howard St., Spokane, Washington, 99201, USA
509-747–2004
Known For
  • an entire menu of vegetarian and vegan dishes
  • smoked trout bruschetta gets rave reviews
  • Northwest regional wines
Restaurants Details
Rate Includes: No lunch

Post Street Ale House

$$

Adjacent to The Davenport Lusso, this casual eatery offers standard pub fare like fish-and-chips, beef sliders, and several kinds of burgers. Starters include the signature fried pickles, hand-cut onion rings, and wings with your choice of sauce. Two of the signature cocktails feature huckleberries and there's a beer sampler option.

Steelhead Bar & Grille

$$$

This pub-style eatery, housed in one of Spokane's many historic brick buildings, has an urban contemporary vibe thanks to lots of burnished-metal artwork by local artists. Sandwiches and burgers make this a handy place for a weekend lunch or lighter dinner; halibut-and-chips, whiskey-sauced ribeye steak with roasted potatoes, and (of course) a steelhead fillet with garlic-parmesan butter are heartier fare. The bar menu features reasonably-priced signature cocktails.

218 N. Howard St., Spokane, Washington, 99201, USA
509-747–1303
Known For
  • dig into the half-pound bison burger
  • smoked steelhead chowder
  • great happy hour specials
Restaurants Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. and Tues. No lunch weekdays, No reservations

The Onion Taphouse & Grill

$$

Pressed-tin ceilings, vintage photographs, and a century-old bar with ornate columns evoke the past at this former saloon and pharmacy, enthusiastically serving American fare for decades. There are more than a dozen sandwiches and burgers on the menu, along with heartier dishes like pot roast dinner, two kinds of fish-and-chips, wild Alaskan salmon, and sirloin steak. For sharing, there's the baked Cougar Gold cheese dip with flatbread and a decadent warm chocolate chip cookie for dessert. Area 51 Taphouse is located inside the restaurant and offers 51 beverages on tap.

302 W. Riverside Ave., Spokane, Washington, 99201, USA
509-747–3852
Known For
  • excellent desserts, including huckleberry pound cake
  • six good choices on the "leaner menu"
  • salads are a meal on their own

The Wandering Table

$

If you're adventurous, the chef will create your meal based on what is in season, and is likely to include some of the house standards, such as deviled eggs with maple-bacon filling, fried brussels sprouts, and albacore tuna ceviche. The many small plates make this a popular spot for both a light lunch and tapas-style dinner. There are also a few full-plate options like smoked chicken wings, spaghetti stuffed meatballs, and burgers made of brisket and topped with bacon jam. Save room for the unique desserts, including banana bread pudding and olive oil–dark chocolate gelato.

1242 W. Summit Pkwy., Spokane, Washington, 99201, USA
509-443–4410
Known For
  • three different tasting menus are available each night
  • happy hour food menu is a great bargain
  • most food locally sourced
Restaurants Details
Rate Includes: No lunch Sun. and Mon.