For the Foodies

For all those addicted to good eats in all its shades, be it you like to make or you like someone else to make, this page’s for you. Below are a list of grocery store options followed by a list of the restaurants. Do note the restaurant list is not intended to be a complete list but instead, a list of the more popular eateries be them casual or formal.

Grocery store & other for-your-home options

CO-OP is not just a grocery store but for many, the hub of our community.
the patio is awesome for eating out and your bike (to the right in the pic) will be protected from weather

It’s eatery is always hopping, no matter if it’s Saturday breakfast, Monday lunch or Wednesday dinner-the place is busy, and many dietary options are available from good old carnivore meals to gluten free to vegan-something for everyone can be found at their bar at every meal. If you are not familiar with a CO-OP, it is a small grocery chain that is focused on healthy foods, a healthy community, supporting local business and promoting environmentally friendly practices. Organic products take up most the store but not all. They also have a good health section and their bakery and sausage departments are top notch. A fishmonger comes down from Coeur d’Alene every Friday to sell in the parking lot, and all his fish is off-the-chain or hook, you could say! Also, the CO-OP is right downtown.
WinCo Foods is a grocery store that is in some ways a blend of CO-OP (envision those barrels of foods you can scoop up into plastic bags to the exact amount you want) and CostCo (finding ways to pass along the discounts to its customers). Thanks to no credit cards and no baggers, you can count on lower prices in this store. It is also a “local, employee owned store” so that explains the good service as well. Fish is really good here too. WinCo is directly across the street from the University of Idaho, so expect students to flood in right at the beginning of each semester when they come to stalk their fridges for the semester.
Rosauer’s is another grocery store that has rows of barrels filled with good stuff. They recently expanded their natural food section called Huckleberries as well as their bakery and deli, adding an expanded dine-in area to include a massive fireplace and 70 inch TV. I’d also say they are known for their meat department. Great cuts of meat and good sales too. Lastly, if you are a connoisseur of good brews, their beer selection is the largest I’ve ever seen in ANY grocery store no matter how fancy it was. Rosauer’s is large and the beer cooler begins in the middle of the store and continues to the end. Rosauer’s is located north of downtown on Main St.
Safeway is another grocery chain. Things people like there: Starbucks inside, good quality produce and their deli selections. A real popular item is the Super Food Kale Salad or their new Farro fruit salad. They’re south-east of town, off of Highway 8 and Blaine St.
There’s also a Super Wal-mart which needs no explanation I hope!
There is a Target
And Costco is a quick trip to Clarkston and back. 🙂
Ampersand Oil & Vinegar is a gourmet food shop that offers high-end, infused balsamic vinegars & oils (I am shamelessly addicted to these!), sauces & marinades, recipe books & kitchenware, but my favorite is their cooking classes. A good girl night out attending one of their classes is a must.
The Panhandle Artisan Bread Co. is another specialty shop that focuses on baking bread in the old world fashion and using only local ingredients. Check out their menu and photos to get an idea of what they make and how beautiful each loaf is. I’ve heard nothing but raves for their baked goods.
Colter’s Creek Winery’s Tasting Room is a new addition to Main St. that offers many yummy wines to try that may leave you planning a winery trip in your near future. The picture to the left here doesn’t show it, but it now has a lovely deck from which to enjoy good weather while sipping your wine with friends.

Popular Restaurants

I’d say one of Moscow’s strengths is its food scene. For a town its size, the dining options are pretty varied and of great quality too. Beyond fast food, you won’t see much in the way of big chain restaurants. Applebee’s and Buffalo Wild Wings are the two biggest that come to mind. All the family owned restaurants are clearly run by people who have a passion for what they do, and the proof is on their menus and plates. For that reason, I’d have to list 98% of the restaurants if I aimed to put exactly those restaurants deemed popular. Instead, I crafted a long list but mostly complete list. If something is not here, in no way is that to be interpreted as the place ain’t no good.

If you’re a Moscowvite, feel free to vote below.

I purposely left out chain restaurants here as they fall in a rather short “Food Chain” list below this one.

Martin’s Square: this square has something to offer for all peeps from 20 somethings to families, dog lovers, to the aging wisely crowd. I’ve seen them all in this square surrounded by a wide array of good eats. Food-wise, there is: Bangladeshi fare (Mela) with fantastic curry dishes; pizza (Slice & Biscuit) many notches above Domino’s & great salads; pub/coffee/ice cream bar -yes, that right; all 3 in 1 place (Steam Coffee); and the BBQ joint has recently closed. Sad, but hopefully, as we round the Covid corner, another will take it’s place. There is a playground to occupy the kids, a fire pit to keep you warm on cool nights, and occasional outdoor music. They allow dogs on leashes so even your furry family members can join the outdoor festivities.
Sangria Grille is off-the-hook, crazy good eats. They provide Moscow with Peruvian or Central American cuisine and with local ingredients. The bar and wine options are excellent too. Not soon but in the making will be a new location for this palette pleasing eatery– the corner of 6th St and Jefferson.
Patty’s Kitchen They have a beautiful outdoor scene with a half hidden building in the back for those not-so-good-weather days. This place is similar to a Qdoba or Chipotle where it is a combo of a restaurant and fast food. You order your food at a bar, pick a seat and go fetch once your order is ready. If you like some live music with your good eats, then be sure to go on a weekend night. Although their Mexican food is truly divine, they do like to charge customer’s for chips and salsa so be ready to pay up when ordering at the bar. Its prices are not what I would call kid friendly when it comes to the kid’s menu, but they are easy going about you bringing your own cheese quesadilla to serve your child while you eat their delectable meals.
Nectar is more formal dining and delicious too. Be sure to try their meatloaf. Also, they have a good wine list here too. They have a nice ambiance and a good patio for people watching or just simply relaxing. Since Nectar is a smaller dining location and is popular, I’d advise making reservations.
Maialina Pizzeria Napoletana
Maialina Pizzeria Napoletana is the place to go in Moscow for an artisan pizza with an old school fire brick oven. Of course, the pizza creations are unique and unbelievable in the flavor combinations and if you like outdoor eating, they have the biggest patio in town lined with hanging lights to set a relaxed and romantic mood. At lunch time, they offer pizza/salad combos worth giving a spin. I’d advise, thought, to make reservations for the dinner hour as it can get booked up some weekends.
The Breakfast Club is more casual than Nectar or Maialina and have massive, fluffy pancakes and really omelets who size could compete with their pancakes. This place is so good, it often has lines. Their lunch menu is good too, but as the name implies, don’t plan on coming here after 2.
Mikey’s Gyros is a the place that’ll take care of that Middle Eastern food itch. This Greek joint is unmatched in personality and casual dining with a back room furnished with a ping pong table and other board games to entertain yourself and/or your kids while delighting in their awesome gyros. You just order from the friendly staff at the counter and they bring the most delicious Greek food right to you. Its only downside is you can’t get your Mikey’s fix on a Sunday.
Bloom’s neighbors Friendship Square beside one of Moscow’s many playgrounds, this one nestled under the trees to the right.
Bloom’s is owned by another family member who owns Nectar and the two must bereally close siblings as the food of both places is equally 5 star quality. Where Nectar is more a lunch/dinner scene, Bloom’s is breakfast/lunch fare. The sandwiches and salads are really tasty and their omelettes top notch. This one also has a patio.
Red Bento’s dubs itself as a taste of Asia and it could not be said better. Located at the mall, Red Bento’s satiate your need for a variety of cuisines– Chinese, Korean, Thai, and Japanese– all under one roof. The staff is above and beyond gracious and friendly. This one is commonly busy and with good reason.
Varsity Diner is a new addition to Moscow and a good one at that. Most of our restaurants are a bit pricey so to now have a burger joint with modest prices I think is a good addition even though some feel the owner went a little crazy on the chrome front. (If you haven’t been to town yet and don’t know what this means, you’ll laugh and get the meaning fairly easily.)
Mad Greek is another Greek restaurant in town which is fantastic. They provide the much missed kebabs that you don’t see on Mikey’s menu. Kebabs can easily be mangled, cooked to the point that the Sahara Desert could provide better moisture than the lumps on the stick left over the fire far too long, BUT this is NOT the case with Mad Greek’s kebabs. I personally can attest to the perfect balance of crispy edges with moist tender centers of smokey delectables sandwiched between roasted veggies on these sticks of heaven. THANK YOU Mad Greek for bringing such mouth fare to our lovely town!!!
Panhandle Cone & Coffee provides delicious, craft homemade ice cream and personally, what I think is some of the best coffee in town. Their ice cream is made form local ingredients which results in some fantastic flavor combinations with chunks of huckleberry (when in season) and other wild card ingredients like stout beer. That’s right, and it’s heaven for your tongue!
Tapped is a special eatery that keeps 25 local brews on tap and wine on tap too. Their seasonal menu has been a winner and the desserts, if you love your drinks, then their desserts will redefine your love of sweets.
Loco Grinz is a casual order and sit down restaurant that offers great Hawaiian BBQ & live Hawaiian music on weekends.
Humble Burger is a simple, hip and casual burger joint that is quite popular with the locals. They also have live music on the weekends.
Lodge Pole is another fine dining restaurant with an excellent American fare menu, great wines and beers, and the service is top shelf right along with their drinks. Heads up, you need to make reservations in advance here.
Rant & Raves is off the beaten path and well worth finding. Aside from their fantastic beer selection and awesome food, they have something I’ve never seen before and absolutely love–their Pay It Forward Board. Buy a friend or two a beer, put their name(s) on the board and send them a pic of you pointing to their name to let them know there’s a beer with their name on it waiting for them, courtesy of you. Somehow, this feels way better than the typical gift card, getting a picture of your buddy next to your name on the Pay It Forward Board.
La Casa has a devoted base of Moscowvites with a relaxing ambiance set by a courtyard garden complete with a fountain in its center. Their bean dip is tasty. Be ware though, if you have a love of carnitas, then you should know theirs is not traditional but instead something of a tasty pork stew.

There are more places, great coffee shops (love One World!) that provide live entertainment, a great donut shop, pizza places, frozen self-serve yogurt, ice cream stores, and who knows what else I am missing–all are privately own, non-chain places and good. Moscow truly is a foodies’ place to be and once you are here, I’d suggest making a fun adventure of trying all the new places to decide what belongs on your own most popular list.

Chain Restaurants

These need no explanation and is another case of a mostly complete list so if a fan fav is missing, don’t count it out just yet. Google it with Moscow, Idaho and it may show up.

Pizza: MOD Pizza (if you’ve not had it, think Panera Bread model married to pizza- delicious with helathy options too!!!), Domino’s Pizza, Pizza Hut, Papa Murphy’s (many more that aren’t chains and are great)

Fast food: McDonald’s, Wendy’s, Arby’s, Taco Time, Subway, Sonic, Panda Express, Taco Bell, Dairy Queen, Jimmy John’s, Pita Pit

High-quality fast food: Qdoba (if you don’t know this one, it’s like another Chipotle) and Chipolte is soon to open in Pullman, 7 miles-ish away

Restaurants: Buffalo Wild Wings & Applebee’s

Shout Outs to other great eateries in the area

Pullman Joints

Chipotle … need I say more.
Porch Light Pizza is off the hook, my family’s favorite pizza in the area.
Porch Light Pizza
Birch & Barley is, if I can say such a thing, a combo of fine dining and casual dining with great eats and on the Moscow-side of town. Better to make reservations.
The Old European breakfast joint that is always packed and for good cause.
The Black Cypress is an old favorite with great beer, wine & food.

South Fork Public House

South Fork Public House offers beer tastings and dinner events for wine and beer pairings and more. If you have a gluten sensitivity or Celiac disease, South Fork’s kitchen has a separate area where their gluten free menu items are prepared–something quite precious to those in need of home away food treat! Also, this restaurant is really popular in large part to its great menu fare.
Rico’s Pub is an old joint, opened in 1901, and a favorite for the professors and doc students due to the good eats and drinks.
Roost Coffee House is a small coffee shop with a large fan base much devoted to it.
Tokyo Seoul has the best Bimbim Bop in both towns. Period. And their menu is full of tasty sushi and other delights well worth driving to Pullman for, although it’s not much a drive since they are situated on the east side of Pullman on the Moscow-Pullman Highway.

Deary

In this lovely little town, there is one quaint, country locale that serves as a two-fer-one eatery run by some Mennonite women who show you how doing things ‘ol school can be leagues above what we digital-embracing modernites do. One side of the restaurant is called Bush Creek Creamery where you can actually observe the process of turning cow’s milk into all things cheese. They stock assortments of cheddar, brie, feta, Montasio, Blue Orchard, Labneh, and no doubt, I’m missing one. Note: you can order their cheeses online should you not wish to drive 20 minutes to Deary.
The other eatery in this same location is called the Pie Safe Bakery & Kitchen. Fresh made breads and pastries made from scratch are just the starting point. This bakery’s menu includes fantastic salads, soups, sandwiches, and breakfasts dishes that will leave you with one problem–which to choose. Also, these talented women keep in stock a variety of beautifully hand crafted delights to fill your home such as quilts, candles, wood carved platters and bowls, and other unique and beautifully made items. It’s a must see place not just for the food and the warm friendly smiles. Note they are not open on Sundays or Mondays.

CDA Joints

The best fish I’ve ever eaten, and mind you I lived on a coast for a time, is Coeur
Fisherman’s Market & Grille

d’Alene’s Fishmerman’s Market & Grille. Their fish is so stunning it could serve as wall art, if only we’d not eat it-ha! Fat chance of that happening. Also, their sushi is truly amazing. I’d suggest trying the Big Guy roll, but know it really is big, so you won’t have room for more unless you can force yourself to share it.
I haven’t been there yet because of the above, but CDA locals have told me that Ugly Fish Asian Bistro is also great eats.
Pho Thanh & Cafe gets good marks for its Vietnamese cuisine