Spokane

Latah Creek is a small family winery doing more interesting things than its strip-mall-adjacent address suggests — the Barbera and Chenin Blanc alone make it worth a detour if you're anywhere near Spokane Valley. We'd send a curious friend here on a Saturday afternoon without hesitation.

Barrister is the rare tasting room that earns a trip on its own terms — the setting is legitimately great, the wines are honest representations of what Eastern Washington can do, and the vibe doesn't take itself too seriously. If you're in Spokane and ignoring this spot, that's on you.

Luna isn't trying to be a wine destination, but the half-price happy hour program, a few genuinely interesting bottles, and a kitchen that takes its ingredients seriously add up to more than most Spokane spots bother with. Go on Sunday, order the Penner-Ash at half price, and stop overthinking it.

Boiada isn't here to win wine awards, but the Washington-forward list has more personality than your average steakhouse, and the Col Solare connection shows someone in the building gives a damn. Come for the Picanha, pick your bottle carefully, and you'll leave happy.

The Riv isn't reinventing the wine list, but it's doing the right things for a seafood restaurant in downtown Spokane — regional focus, fair pricing, and a Tuesday half-price deal that makes it genuinely worth planning around. Send your friends here and tell them to skip the Chardonnay.

Martinis is a cocktail bar that happens to pour decent, fairly priced Pacific Northwest wine — and honestly, there are worse things to be. Send a friend here if they want a solid glass of local wine without overthinking it; just don't send them expecting a deep cellar.

Durant's isn't a wine destination, but it's a perfectly functional steakhouse list — and that Wednesday half-price bottle night is a genuine reason to show up. Order smart, avoid the high-markup prestige pours, and you'll drink well enough with your ribeye.

Indigo Kitchen is a reliable wine play for downtown Spokane — fair-ish prices, a coherent Pacific Northwest focus, and a Wednesday half-price bottle deal that makes it genuinely worth planning around. Not destination wine drinking, but a solid companion to a good meal.

The Black Bird is a genuinely great spot to eat in Spokane, and the wine list won't ruin your night — but it won't elevate it either. Order something approachable, focus on the food, and save the serious bottle for a restaurant that put in the work.

24 Taps doesn't pretend to be a wine destination, and honestly, respect for that clarity — but the five-pour, grocery-shelf wine list is strictly for people who forgot they don't drink beer. Order the craft draft and don't look back.

Europa has genuine ambition in its Washington State selections and the bones of a list worth respecting — but the markup strategy on everything below the $100 mark is hard to forgive. Go for the Pepper Bridge, skip the grocery-store bottles at restaurant-robbery prices.

The Melting Pot in Spokane is not a wine destination, but it's not a wine disaster either. If you're already committing to a two-hour fondue experience, the list is functional enough to carry you through — just lean into the local Washington bottles and skip anything you recognize from a gas station endcap.

Spencer's is a dependable steakhouse wine list that leans into its Pacific Northwest backyard without getting adventurous about it. If you're here for the steak and want a solid Washington bottle to go with it, you'll leave satisfied — just don't expect the list to surprise you.

Sorella is the Italian wine list Spokane needed — focused, fairly priced, and Italian enough to feel honest. It's not going to blow minds, but it'll absolutely do right by your dinner.

Anthony's at Spokane Falls gives you honest, fairly priced Northwest wines in a setting where they make sense — a waterfall view, fresh seafood, and bottles under $45. It's not a destination for wine lovers, but it's a genuinely solid choice for the meal you're already here to eat.

Italia Trattoria isn't trying to win any wine awards and it doesn't need to — the list is honest, the producers are legit, and the pricing won't make you wince. If you're in Browne's Addition looking for a bottle of Barolo with your handmade pasta, you've found your place.

Churchill's has earned its reputation — a 200-plus bottle list with fair markups and genuine regional range makes it the best wine bet in downtown Spokane. It's not a destination wine experience, but it's exactly the kind of reliable, well-stocked room you want behind a great steak.