Food & Drink in West Spokane

The Northwest Museum of Art & Culture preserves and illuminates an extensive collection of material about the Plateau Indian culture of the Pacific Northwest. Traditional textiles and carvings coexist with more than 10,000 photographs that document the indigenous culture. Historic regional paintings include works from Spokane's Works Progress Administration arts center, which created a vibrant space for artists in the depths of the Great Depression.

In addition to its staggering exhibits and regular collections, the museum immerses guests in turn-of-the-century culture with the Campbell House, which is nestled on the campus. Originally built by Idaho mine owner Amasa Campbell at the end of the 19th century, the neoclassical revival home designed by Kirtland K. Cutter provides a window into the life of a wealthy northwestern family at the turn of the century. A handsome Tudor façade welcomes visitors before they venture into the elegantly restored interior, which deftly mixes architectural styles with a French-style reception area, a Middle Eastern–style game room, and a library outfitted with an inglenook fireplace and an authentic steam-powered flat-screen TV.

When topological surveys uncovered a richly flowing chocolate vein under Spokane, a sure-footed band of chocolatiers set to work building a premium confectionarium on site. That passionate team of gastronomes and sweet tooths synthesize the succulent sustenance at The French Quarter, their products lovingly infused with locally sourced and handcrafted ingredients wherever possible. Rich Guittard chocolate populates each of the hand-rolled and hand-mixed truffles, which are made in small batches and trained in aikido fortnightly. Each chocolate comes energized by its natural beginnings from genuine plants, herbs, and fruits, while also being happily sheltered from the meddling influence of artificial flavors. Choose from a variety of confections for your 18-piece package, with flavors including burnt-caramel truffle, the citrus smooch of cloved orange, and the coffee kick of Vietnamese moka bean espresso. Purchasers can keep the 18-count container of The French Quarter's chocolate concoctions all to themselves, or gift them to the chocoholic in their life, further feeding a tragic dependency on candy bars and cereal box vampires.

Slick Rock Burrito's streamlined menu offers up fresh ingredients made daily. Build your own burrito up from one of five different foundations—chicken ($6.55), steak ($6.75), carnitas ($6.55), ground beef ($6.55), or vegetarian ($6.55)—and then pile on ingredients such as cilantro, black beans, and sour cream at no cost (guacamole and fajita veggies, however, are extra). A Duran Duran cover band's worth of different homemade salsas are on hand to spice up tongue buds, with two mild options, a medium style made with roasted chile corn, a hot style made with tomatillo and red chile, and the "damn hot" style salsa made with habanero and mild profanity. Slick Rock Burrito's specialty burritos include the Thai chicken burrito ($6.95), a symphony of rice, black beans, and chicken that's harmonized with peanut sauce, and the bar-b-que burrito ($6.75), bedecked in rice, pinto beans, pulled pork, and house-made barbecue sauce.

The Pacific Ave Pizza dining room overflows with comic book memorabilia such as vintage lunch boxes, superhero posters, and individual issues of popular comics placed on tables. Captain America keeps watch over skilled pizza makers as they craft more than 20 specialty pizzas in thin crust, deep-dish, and vegan and gluten-free varieties. Diners can sip microbrews before biting into warm oven-baked strombolis, crispy fried apps, or the handle of a colorful lunch box depicting Knight Rider.

Cannon Coffee & Cone gets its coffee beans from Anvil Roasting and its ice cream from Brain Freeze Creamery. The result is locally sourced scoops of dessert and cups of espresso, cappuccino, and latte served in a space that the Pacific Northwest Inlander calls “cleaned up and cozy”. Baristas also use a special pour-over drip coffee device called the Chemex, a brewing apparatus highlighted in the James Bond flick From Russia with Love, in which Mr. Bond defeats the villain by staying awake longer. The team even presents a selection of gluten-free and vegan baked goods to complement the standard café options.

Spokane House Hotel Restaurant & Lounge's menu of American fare echoes the simultaneously laid-back and elegant décor of its dining space. Parmesan-dusted calamari and lobster stifle their sneezes before slipping into a pool of fire-roasted tomato sauce, while tenderloin beef teriyaki, pineapple chicken and chipotle prawn saunter onto one plate to form the satay trio. As fettuccini pasta intermingles with steamed seasonal veggies in a creamy alfredo sauce, diners can slip on their running shoes before attempting to handstand walk a marathon. House made crème brûlée crumbles onto tongues, swigs of fountain drinks, coffee, or tea wash down solid grub, and a full bar mixes an assortment of cocktails perfect for pairing with the evening's sustenance.