Bardenay Restaurant and Distillery As the nation's first restaurant distillery, Bardenay may be most famous for their spirits that are made in the building, but the food is just as spectacular, and the list of entrees rival their selection of spirits; dishes span from pad Thai, to cider-brined pork chops, black bean and sweet potato chimichangas to meatloaf sandwiches. 1710 W. Riverstone Dr., Coeur d'Alene • Idaho • 208-765-1540
Bistro on Williams Lake On the banks of Williams Lake, 15 miles southwest of Cheney, the Bistro (formerly Klink's on the Lake) has quickly elevated itself to destination dining status, thanks to delicious surf-and-turf selections and well-priced breakfasts, lunches and dinners. Live music on Fridays and Saturdays enhance the beauty of the atmosphere during the summer. 18617 Williams Lake Rd., Cheney • Wash. • 235-2391
The Boathouse Bar & Grill The name of the restaurant has changed over the years, but the gorgeous view from Hayden Lake Marina has not. Recently under new management, the Boathouse has filled in the menu with chef Gabe Cruz's signature Southern- and New Orleans-style comfort foods like Spunky Crawfish Chowder ($10) and Pulled Pork Enchiladas ($11), or the Green Eggs and Ham Burger with tangy cotija cheese and Cruz's spicy salsa verdé ($11). 3799 E. Hayden Lake Rd., Hayden • Idaho • 208-772-5057
Cedars Floating Restaurant The Lake City's most authentic lakeside dining experience — because it's literally floating on the water — recently debuted an entirely new outdoor deck to allow for year-round, open-air dining. The year-round element comes into play with heating options and enclosures to protect diners from the weather during the cooler months. Besides the new deck, the restaurant also has spruced up its popular salad bar, upping the number of toppings and ingredients to 40 items. 1514 S Marina Dr., Coeur d'Alene • Idaho • 208-664-2922
Dockside Voted best dessert by Inlander readers, Dockside Restaurant at Coeur d'Alene Resort specializes in killer cheesecakes, pies, German chocolate cakes and huckleberry cobbler made fresh in its in-house bakery. But don't forget brunch. Or lunch or dinner. The lunch and dinner menus have a dedication to locally sourced ingredients and a sprawling menu that runs from steak and fettucine, to burgers, rib-eye steaks and sesame-crusted ahi tuna. Coeur d'Alene Resort, 115 S. Second St., Lobby Floor, Coeur d'Alene • Idaho • 208-765-4000
The Floating Restaurant On Hope Marina with views of Lake Pend Oreille, this destination seafood restaurant offers fresh seafood and soups, sauces, breads, and desserts made on-site from scratch. The seafood mixed plate has scallops, prawns and a tender calamari steak over angel hair pasta. Reservations are recommended. 47392 Hwy. 200, Hope • Idaho • 208-264-5311
Hill's Resort Nestled between the trees, right on Priest Lake, sits Hill's Resort, which has been owned and operated by the Hill family since 1946. George Hill wanted to open a resort on the lake he loved after returning from World War II; combined with his wife Lois' love for the region, they made their dream resort a reality, still visited by many today. Their son Scott has been the chef at Hill's for the past 20 years, cooking up the family's Italian recipes. 4777 W. Lakeshore Rd., Priest Lake • Idaho • 208-443-2551
Tony's on the Lake Tony's sits alongside one of Lake Coeur d'Alene's many inlets, a location that allows diners to feel far from Coeur d'Alene's summer bustle. The Northern Italian-influenced menu includes appetizers like arancini, breaded meat risotto balls stuffed with cheese and served with marinara sauce, along with more familiar antipasto salads. The menu is full of seafood options — scallops, prawns and salmon — but turf is also well-represented 6823 E. Coeur d'Alene Dr., Coeur d'Alene • Idaho • 208-667-9885
Trinity at City Beach Ask savvy tourists the best time for lakefront dining and they might say off-season. That's when places like Trinity at City Beach really shine. Catering to tourists and townies alike, the restaurant is located inside Best Western's adjacent Edgewater Hotel. A daily full-service menu, breakfast through late night, and full bar allow it to run the gamut from fine dining to festive community events. 58 Bridge St., Sandpoint • Idaho • 208-255-7558
