North Idaho And Spokane?

[cruelshoes]

We are planning a family trip to Blanchard and Sandpoint, Idaho as well as Spokane, WA in the next few weeks. Does anyone have any recent experience traveling to these areas? I would love to know what restaurants, groceries and bakeries are in the area. We will be packing most of our own food, but you never know when a food emergency might arise.

Thanks for any replies!

[julirama723]

There's a store called Huckleberry's in Spokane that is FABULOUS--organic foods, health foods, gluten-free foods!

Open Original Shared Link

I know there are a couple restaurants, too, but can't remember their names at the moment...

[steveindenver]

I was in Sandpoint earlier this month, so great timing on your question. The dining choices are a bit limited there, but totally manageable.

There is a mexican place downtown (Jalapenos, on 2nd Avenue) that has a gluten free menu. Food was fair, nothing great, but nothing horrible. The hostess was this young girl who was SO excited when I asked for the gluten-free menu, as she is Celiac and said they almost never have folks in asking for it. When I asked her for help with other places in town she said, "Oh I don't eat out, I just eat all natural." I'm not sure how much they "get it" but it's an option.

There's a pizza joint called 2nd Avenue Pizza which has gluten-free crusts, however when I went in at an off hour to talk with them, the snot behind the counter was rude and told me they wash their pans/racks once a day, so the risk of cc is HUGE there. We didn't eat there.

We did eat twice at Spuds, which is downtown on 1st Avenue and YUMMY. There is a server there that has Celiac (I can't remember her name) and the chef was this nice girl who read my Triumph cards and helped alot. I wish I could remember their names, as they and the other server (tall/brunette) were great. We at there two nights in a row. Very comforting/cozy food.

Skip the Safeway in town for gluten-free groceries/goodies, and go to the Yokes grocery store out by Bonner Mall (and I use the word "mall" loosely - there's nothing in the mall at all really). Yokes has a great gluten-free/health section, including dry goods and frozen goods. The Safeway had a bunch of nothing. There's also a Wal-mart out that way, so you could hit them up for some food. There are Yokes in Spokane as well. They had a LARGE selection of food that I've never even seen here in Denver.

There's a small independent coffee shop in the bridge over the creek at Sandpoint. The syrups were all safe from what I remember, and I had a creme brulee latte one morning. There is a small health food store in town, but nothing great selection wise, and when we walked in and around the store, we barely got a grunt out of the salesperson, so I wasn't eager to give my $ to them.

Safe travels.

[nannyb]

Hi

Sorry I have been away from the board for a while and did not catch your post. Check out the Spokane and North Idaho Celiac group website at Open Original Shared Link . I think most of the answers to your questions should be there. There are a number of restaurants in both Spokane and Coeur d'Alene that serve gluten free.

As another poster said Huckleberries is a good place to shop as is Yoke's. The variety of what you can buy has improved so much in just a few years. I doubt you will go hungry but we may not stock the same brands you are used to. Pre-baked items are still an issue as there are not many local options. Cricket's Cookies and pizza crusts are the exception. Sold at both Huckleberries and many Yoke's but you might have to hit a delivery day to catch them.

Good Luck. And have a great trip. Sandpoint is a beautiful area.