Chef Jeremy Hansen has opened a slew of new establishments in the past several years: His Santé Restaurant and Charcuterie propelled him to a James Beard Award nomination, which he soon followed with Inland Pacific Kitchen(ipkspokane.com), artisan bakery Common Crumb, and Hogwash Whiskey Den. His three newest ventures are Papa’s Lover Gin Bar, Biscuit Wizard, and Brasserie Ridpath, housed in the newly refurbished Ridpath Hotel, which reopened in 2017 after a $22 million renovation.
He’s not the only local chef crafting a restaurant empire. Chef Adam Hegsted’s Eat Good Group includes Wandering Table and Yards Bruncheon in Kendall Yards, while Gilded Unicorn is a dining staple downtown. Other cutting-edge culinary names include Chad White, a Top Chef contestant and owner of the popular Zona Blanca ceviche restaurant. Tony Brown takes fine dining in an edgy, alternative direction with an eclectic rotating menu at Ruins.
Still hungry for more? Other new Spokane ventures include Durkin’s Liquor Bar(durkinsliquorbar.com), with small plates and entrees to go along with an ambitious drink menu, and Casper Frya Southern-theme restaurant in the popular South Perry district. Meanwhile, longtime favorites Central Food, Mizuna, and Luna continue to please with creative offerings starring regional ingredients.
Wine lovers are in luck, too. Spokane’s ever-growing Cork District features 15 wineries and tasting rooms within walking distance in the downtown core, including the perennial award-winner Barrister. To the east, venerable Arbor Crest never fails to impress from atop a scenic, cliff-top mansion overlooking the Spokane Valley.
When it comes to beer, brewers like No-Li Brewhouse and Iron Goat Brewing paved the way for what is now called the Inland Northwest Ale Trail, a self-guided tour that leads beer aficionados to more than three-dozen craft breweries.
--John Nelson
Photo courtesy Common Crumb Artisan Bakery
