Foodie Tour - Oktoberfest Edition

by Erin Peterson

featured in Spokane Cd'A Living Magazine

From schnitzel and sausages to cabbage and pretzel, Oktoberfest has it all. You don’t have to celebrate just one day of the month--we have a city full of options to curb those classic German cravings. My grandfather could turn out a soft pretzel faster than anyone I know, largely because he grew up in a German bakery. As you can imagine, I inherited a great deal of his taste in great, handmade food - especially fantastic pretzels.

We live in a brewery-dense region, and the accompanying dishes will tame even the surliest hunger beast. You can get your beer crawl on in the historic district downtown Spokane, or pop in after work for some fall-friendly bites in virtually every corner of the Inland Northwest. We thought we’d share a few of our favorites with you just in case you happen to love this celebration as much as we do.

One of our favorite stops for a brew and a bite is No Li Brewhouse in U-District. They are famous for their wide variety of local brews, and for this crazy-huge “epic” salted pretzel with hop infused butter, creamy jalapeño cheese, and corner coast house mustard. It’s perfectly paired with their Jet Star Imperial IPA. We also recommend the Brewmaster’s Burger which has a juicy all-natural, grass-fed Angus patty from local farms in Washington and Idaho, served on a brioche bun with guac, bacon, and Boar’s Head pepper jack cheese. It also has lettuce for good measure. Even better - they host skee-ball tournaments every Tuesday if you feel like burning off those calories with competition and laughter.

Another great spot to gather with friends is the freshly-renovated Steam Plant in downtown Spokane, which was recently recognized nationally for being one of the coolest places to drink craft beer in America by Men’s Journal. That’s right - in America! They also have some really great freshly prepared food in their state-of-the-art kitchen. Their richly flavored beer cheese soup with Firebox IPA, aged Tillamook cheddar, bacon lardons, and roasted jalapeños will warm you up, as will their smoked gouda chicken. The cream sauce is a hearty and welcome accent to the spinach and sun-dried tomatoes.

New on the scene downtown is Pocketbar, which is an intimate beer and wine bar featuring handmade savory and sweet hand pies. Many of their products are locally sourced including beer, wine, and everything they utilize to make their hand pies at Doughlicious. Located in Spokane’s historic theater district, their hand pies are so fun and easy to eat with one hand while you hold your beer in the other while grabbing a bite on your way to a show. From the chicken pot pie and roasted vegetables to the classic pasty with steak, caramelized onions, and potatoes, it is easy to find something for everyone. There is even peanut butter and jelly pie for the kids (or grownups, no judgment). A fruity, refreshing brew with a touch of malt sweetness, the authentic and Northwest-born Leavenworth Biers Hefeweizen goes with so many of their pies and is a great choice for Oktoberfest season.

On the north side, you cannot forget Das Stein Haus for the most authentic German restaurant experience in Spokane. They have a great list of beer to choose from, and the food gives you all the German favorites you’re hoping for. Their brat sampler is a great option if you want it all - all three of their homemade bratwurst on one lucky plate served with stone-ground and dijon mustard. The Sauerbraten, a roast beef marinated in red wine sauce, is cooked slowly to tender perfection. It’s a German specialty you can’t find anywhere in Spokane. They have all the schnitzels (traditionally made with meat that has been pounded flat, breaded and fried). You can’t beat this old-school local favorite.

With so many Oktoberfest-approved dining options in our city, we are lucky there are 31 days in the month! Are there any other places you’d like to add to the list? Share your picks at #spokanefood for a chance to have your photo shared on Instagram on our feed - @scaguild.