Best of Drink Local & Nightlife

click to enlarge

Best Hotel Bar
PEACOCK ROOM LOUNGE, HISTORIC DAVENPORT HOTEL
There's nothing quite like drinking a cocktail beneath the exquisite stained glass ceiling at the Historic Davenport Hotel. Between the flamboyant décor reminiscent of a jazzier era and the dedicated bar staff working to maintain a sophisticated vibe, it's clear why the Peacock Room Lounge is considered the pinnacle of Spokane's hotel bar scene. Its downtown location also makes it the perfect place to meet up before an event for a few award-winning double martinis, or afterwards to wind down the night with a decadent house-made dessert. (CR)
2nd PLACE: The Safari Room, Davenport Tower
3rd PLACE: The Lounge at Masselow's, Northern Quest
NORTH IDAHO'S BEST: Whispers, Coeur d'Alene Resort

Best Beer Bar
Best Pub Food
THE VIKING
Located near the Spokane Arena and the Podium, the Viking has everything you'd want from a pub. Good beer. Hearty food. Trivia nights. Happy hour. Live music. Pool tables. Shuffleboard. Sports on TV. Good vibes and friendly faces. The interior has a cozy wood panel aesthetic with vintage beer signs and a horned viking helmet on the wall. Readers choose the Viking this year for both best local beer bar and best pub food. The menu has all the classics you'd expect from a pub: massive pretzels with cheese, burgers, wings, tacos, nachos, fried pickles, steak bites, chicken strips and all sorts of other cheesy fried goodness. (NS)
BEST BEER BAR
2nd PLACE: Community Pint
3rd PLACE: Manito Tap House
NORTH IDAHO'S BEST: Pour Company, Moscow

BEST PUB FOOD
2nd PLACE: Cascadia Public House
3rd PLACE: Logan Tavern
NORTH IDAHO'S BEST: The Crown & Thistle Pub, Coeur d'Alene

Best Craft Cocktails
Best Old Fashioned
HOGWASH WHISKEY DEN
As the name suggests, the old fashioned cocktail dates to the 1800s and is one of the oldest drinks in the classic cocktail canon. You can find a variation of it at almost any bar in Spokane, but it's Hogwash Whiskey Den that takes the top overall spot for best old fashioned this year. At Hogwash, old fashioneds are made with Benchmark Bourbon, simple syrup and bitters. The drinks are garnished with an orange slice and cherry. The bar also makes a seasonal version of the drink that mixes the bourbon with spiced pear liqueur, vanilla, burnt sugar and clove bitters. But it's not just old fashioneds — readers also voted Hogwash as having the best craft cocktails overall. (NS)
BEST CRAFT COCKTAILS
2nd PLACE: Durkin's Liquor Bar
3rd PLACE: Purgatory Whiskey Bar
NORTH IDAHO'S BEST: The Goat Lounge, Coeur D'Alene

Best Old Fashioned
2nd PLACE: Purgatory Whiskey Bar
3rd PLACE: Durkin's Liquor Bar
NORTH IDAHO'S BEST: The Goat Lounge, Coeur d'Alene

click to enlarge

Best Place for a First Date
FLATSTICK PUB
What makes a terrific first-date place? Somewhere fun and casual — with good food and drink — and that allows you to get to know each other without too much extra pressure. Flatstick Pub in downtown Spokane checks all the boxes and then some. There's a nine-hole mini-golf course, Duffleboard (Flatstick's own combo of mini-golf and shuffleboard) and wickets. You can even do date night on Monday during bingo or Thursday with Bearded Trivia. Order a brick oven-baked pizza, salad or tasty snacks to share, like mini corn dogs. Flatstick has 34 beverages on tap, almost all from Washington producers. Perhaps the best date night value is during happy hour (Mon-Fri from 3-5 pm), which offers any drink and unlimited gameplay for $15. (CSh)
2nd PLACE: Wooden City
3rd PLACE: Nyne
NORTH IDAHO'S BEST: Stylus Wine and Vinyl Bar, Coeur d'Alene

Best Local Brewery
Best Local Seltzer
NO-LI BREWHOUSE
This brewery has — no lie — some of the best beer and vibes in town. Family owned and fully independent, No-Li Brewhouse sits on the banks of the Spokane River in the Logan neighborhood. In addition to "best local brewery," Inlander readers also recognized No-Li for its new line of hard seltzers this year. Hard seltzers exploded in popularity during the pandemic, thanks in part to Gen Z TikTok memes about how there "Ain't no laws when you're drinking [White] Claws." Big corporations like Bud Light and Four Loko have tried entering the sugar-free carbonated alcohol water game in recent years, but No-Li's seltzers — with flavors like huckleberry and peach tea — pack far more local flavor and are the perfect way to unwind on a sunny summer evening. (NS)
BEST LOCAL BREWERY
2nd PLACE: Brick West Brewing Co.
3rd PLACE: Whistle Punk Brewing
NORTH IDAHO'S BEST: Post Falls Brewing Co.

BEST LOCAL SELTZER
2nd PLACE: Four-Eyed Guys Brewing Co.
3rd PLACE: Brick West Brewing Co.

Best Happy Hour
TAVOLÀTA
What do you call a fake noodle? An im-pasta! But what do you call handmade noodles at impastably good prices? Just the well-loved happy hour at Tavolàta. Every day from 4 to 6 pm, you can get the same entrée-sized serving of some of the restaurant's most popular pasta dishes for about $10 less than they cost at dinnertime. (Currently just $13 each at happy hour!) Pair that with a cocktail, wine or beer for $10 or less, or some small plates and a dessert, and you've got an affordable date night, with the AMC River Park Square theater right upstairs. (SW)
2nd PLACE: Zola
3rd PLACE: The Safari Room, Davenport Tower
NORTH IDAHO'S BEST: Stylus Wine and Vinyl Bar, Coeur d'Alene

Best Coffee Roaster
THOMAS HAMMER COFFEE ROASTERS
There's nothing like a good cup of coffee to start your day off right, and Thomas Hammer Coffee Roasters has had locals covered for more than three decades and counting. One of their taglines is "Small batches. Big flavor." And with that, there's something for every coffee lover, like the sustainably sourced Guatemala Adiesto Ecobrew with notes of tangerine, cocoa and cane sugar, or the White Zombie, a brew that's perfect for people who don't really like the taste of coffee but still want a caffeinated charge. With more than 20 locations across the Inland Northwest, from Fairchild to Moscow and Post Falls to Pullman, finding a quality cup of Thomas Hammer's tasty bean brew thankfully isn't too hard. (CSh)
2nd PLACE: Roast House Coffee
3rd PLACE: DOMA Coffee, Post Falls

Best Local Winery
ARBOR CREST WINE CELLARS
Tucked away near the historic Hutton Settlement on the outskirts of Spokane city limits, Arbor Crest Wine Cellars sits in the majestic Cliff House Estate, a grand cliffside manor with sweeping views of the Inland Northwest. The winery offers an extensive menu of fine wines made from Columbia Valley grapes. The wines are thoughtfully paired with charcuterie, hummus plates, fudge truffles, steak, lamb, baba ganoush and other delicacies. In summer, the winery hosts an outdoor concert series featuring local artists. The estate is also a prime spot for weddings, bridal showers and other special events. (NS)
2nd PLACE: Barrister Winery
3rd PLACE: Winescape
NORTH IDAHO'S BEST: Coeur d'Alene Cellars

Best Pet-Friendly Restaurant or Bar Patio
BARK, A RESCUE PUB
Beer, dogs and cats. What's not to love? At Bark, A Rescue Pub, dog lovers can kick back and relax, before or after their meal, alongside a host of rescue dogs and cats who reside on-site. And yes, the animals are available for adoption. All profits from adoptions, reservation fees, donations, and a portion of food and beverage sales go toward supporting the work of the Spokane Humane Society. The animals stay in a separate area from the restaurant with a team of caretakers. And while local regulations prevent visitors from bringing their own dogs inside the restaurant, well-behaved dogs are welcome on the patio. The restaurant even has a separate "pup menu" for them. (NS)
2nd PLACE: Brick West Brewing Co.
3rd PLACE: Uprise Brewing Co.
NORTH IDAHO'S BEST: Laughing Dog Brewing, Ponderay

READER COMMENTS

Best Local Cidery
ONE TREE CIDER HOUSE
"I think I love all their flavors but nothing has beat their Lemon Basil — an easy local favorite!" (Chelsea C.); "Yum! Seasonal options are fun, too." (Ashley L.); "Great atmosphere!" (Shannon K.)
2nd PLACE: Trailbreaker Cider
3rd PLACE: Liberty Ciderworks
NORTH IDAHO'S BEST: CDA Cider House

Best Wine Bar
NECTAR
"Love the location, awesome staff, love the monthly wine club (and beer club) which gets you great discounts and exposure to new wines. Great patio." (Jeremy C.); "Great views, wine and staff. The winterigloos are a great way to have an intimate drink." (Jeff H.)
2nd PLACE: Stylus Wine and Vinyl Bar, Coeur d'Alene
3rd PLACE: Whim Wine Bar

Best Sports Bar
EPIC AT NORTHERN QUEST
"Love the food while watching the game! Great service!" (Kelly D.); "Check out the HUGE screens. Great place to watch your favorite sports team!" (Mary C.)
2nd PLACE: Poole's Public House
3rd PLACE: 24 Taps Burgers & Brews
NORTH IDAHO'S BEST: Capone's, Coeur d'Alene, Post Falls and Hayden

Best Place to Meet Singles
ZOLA
"So much great seating and selection for drinks/food! Also love the live bands!" (Chelsea C.); "Love the live music and the vibe." (Jenny K.); "My favorite drinks in the area; creative and tasty." (Natalie F.)
2nd PLACE: nYne Bar & Bistro
3rd PLACE: Globe Bar & Kitchen

Best Wine Tasting Room
MARYHILL WINERY
"They have a great build-out and patio." (Susan D.); "So many different wines to choose from, their list is extensive and all are amazing." (Beverly F.); "Live music three times a week!" (Mike P.); "It's always SO fun!" (Stephanie R.)
2nd PLACE: Barrister Winery
3rd PLACE: Arbor Crest Wine Cellars
NORTH IDAHO'S BEST: Coeur d'Alene Cellars