On your next morning commute or for a study session, consider stopping by Tay Tay's Cafe at 507 S. Howard St. on the southern edge of downtown Spokane, which opened on March 19.
Named after owner Taylor Edwards' childhood nickname, Tay Tay's occupies a spot previously home to the Meeting House cafe, which closed in October (it's still operating in South Perry).
The location's turnkey state attracted Edwards, a first-time business owner who added personal touches to the space. A pet portrait wall is open for patrons' contributions, and Edwards' baby portrait rests on a shelf, alongside other quirky Easter eggs for people to find.
Having worked in the food industry for over 15 years, Edwards pays close attention to offering quality drinks and food options.
"We bake everything in house: the bread, the scones, the cookies. Make all the dressings for the salads, all the hummus, all the pesto, anything that we can make, all the syrup for our coffee. Pretty much anything that we can make from scratch, we do," he says.
The current baked goods selection includes cheddar and green onion scones, double chocolate chip cookies, and snickerdoodles, however, Edwards says the menu will change and expand seasonally.
If you want something a little more substantial, order one of the sandwiches — like the breakfast sandwich ($8) with egg, cheese, sausage or bacon, and tomato jam on a house-made biscuit — or a salad, great for an on-the-go lunch.
Tay Tay's works with Spokane-based Anvil Coffee roasters, using its Sweater Weather blend for espresso and Straight Drippin' for drip coffee.
"Because we're two blocks from the hospital we get a lot of health care folk, and that's been really positive and nice," Edwards says. "I think that they're pretty grateful that we're here."
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Replacing Cole's Cafe inside Eastern Washington University's downtown Catalyst Building, Bella's Cafe & Cocktails opened in late January. Stop by to get your daily dose of caffeine with the cafe's coffee options or to relax while sipping on a craft cocktail.
Bella's food menu includes quick options like sandwiches and paninis, but also offers bowls, pizza and more. For more information, follow on Instagram @bellascafecocktails.
Whether you're a novice or longtime wine-lover, the Spokane Winery Association's new Sip Spokane Passport should be on your radar. The $50 booklet is full of discounts, experiences and other special offers from winery association members, worth over $300.
"We're hoping that the Sip Spokane Passport will introduce customers to new business while also letting them explore businesses they've known and loved for years," says Alex Bridenbaugh, the winery association's interim executive director in a press release.
To buy the pass or learn more, visit spokanewineries.com.
Another big win for the local wine scene: Liberty Lake Wine Cellars took home 13 medals for its 2022 vintage at the 20th Annual Seattle Wine Awards last month.
"We always try to find ways to improve and are not afraid of changing how we do things," winemaker and co-owner Mark Lathrop says in a press release. "That has led to us being one of the first wineries in the American market to use particular yeast strains and barrels. We now know some of the changes have paid off, although you wait three or four years to find out when you are making wine."
To try this award-winning vintage yourself, visit Liberty Lake Wine Cellars' tasting room at 23110 E. Knox Ave., and head to libertylakewinecellars.com for more info.
The local beer scene also has cause to celebrate as No-Li Brewhouse's Wrecking Ball Imperial Stout landed a gold medal at the 2025 World Beer Cup. The stout is recognized for its espresso, dark chocolate and roasted caramel notes, standing out amid 8,375 beer entries from 49 countries.
"For our community, this is about more than a medal," says No-Li owner John Bryant in a press release. "It's about Spokane. It's about a belief that our No-Li brewery team and our fellow Spokane craft brewers are making some of the best beers around the globe. It's about showing the world that truly exceptional beer is being brewed right here in Spokane."♦
