If drinking on patios this summer is your aim, Inlander Restaurant Week has you covered. Most of the following recommendations are from participating venues' Drink Local section, a portion of the menu highlighting local spirits, wine, beer, cider and seltzer producers. While most of these drinks aren't included with your meal, we also noticed a few places that have a beverage or two as a third-course option (Twigs and Gilded Unicorn included).
Seasonal flavors abound amongst this year's Drink Local offerings, like the uber-refreshing watermelon martini ($8) made with Warrior Liquor's vodka at Black Pearl Casino. The local distillery's creations are also on display at the Backyard Public House, which is offering two summer cocktails featuring Warrior's flavored vodkas: a tropical margarita ($9) and a huckleberry lemonade spritz ($8).
House spirits — rum, gin and vodka, to be specific — are naturally on the menu at Bardenay in Coeur d'Alene. The distillery-pub's beverage highlights are a ginger rum cocktail ($7), the Basil Instinct ($8) and Bardenay Bond ($7.50)
There's little else that can compete with an ice cold pint of beer on a hot summer day, so if that's more your style, we've got you covered, too. Can't decide which of the many outstanding, locally made craft beers to order? No sweat at the Melting Pot, which offers a flight of three ($10) No-Li Brewhouse IPAs, each in six-ounce pours. Stella's is keeping things local, too, with featured brews from YaYa, Lumberbeard and Black Label. Iron Goat Brewing is naturally serving up some of its latest creations, including a farmhouse ale, bourbon barrel-aged porter and Northwest hazy IPA.
Cocktails in a can are great for a day at the lake or night around the campfire, but they also happen to pair well with the menu at Fai's Noodle House at Northern Quest Resort & Casino. The pan-Asian spot is serving three varieties of Dry Fly Distilling's popular canned cocktails for just $6 each.
If you prefer wine, many spots are offering bottle specials, like Europa's house Myropa Red ($44), a special blend created by Coeur d'Alene Cellars. Meanwhile, SmokeRidge BBQ is using Arbor Crest's red blend in its house sangria ($8/glass). ♦
