3 Best Restaurants in Spokane and Eastern Washington, Washington

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.

In a refurbished railroad dining car, this small and charming Italian restaurant is fun for the whole family, but it's also a nice choice for a romantic meal. The traditional fare includes bruschetta, chicken and veal Parmesan, and several steak and seafood options. The house specialty, tortellini Oreste, features rose-shaped tortellini stuffed with ricotta cheese and sautéed with tomatoes and walnuts in pesto sauce; scallops or prawns can be added. Family-style dinners are available for take-out, too.

This local favorite expanded into a larger space just up the street, so now even more people can enjoy the contemporary Italian food, along with the neighborly feel of the two-level dining room, the cozy bar, and the hip upstairs lounge. The menu focuses on bold flavors and fresh, local, and organic ingredients for dishes like pappardelle bolognese, grilled king salmon with risotto cake, and braised lamb chop. Weekday lunches offer tasty choices, too, including Waygu beef burgers, root vegetable salads, and seasonal soups. Customers are often greeted by the friendly owner, Walla Walla native Tom Maccarone.