Visiting Kendall Yards in Spokane, Washington

Across the Spokane River from downtown Spokane, Washington, lies the neighborhood of Kendall Yards. Just over the historic Monroe Street bridge, this up-and-coming neighborhood runs alongside the Centennial Trail, making it easily walk-able to downtown and other Spokane destinations along the river. With views of the Spokane River Gorge, plenty of open park space, and art installations throughout the community, Kendall Yards is a beautiful and bustling development of mixed used spaces that has proven quite successful.

You’ll find some of the very best local restaurants, coffee shops, bakeries, boutiques, and businesses that Spokane has to offer in Kendall Yards. The strong sense of community in Kendall Yards is fostered by an enthusiastic local following partnered with opportunities for connection, like during the summertime night markets or simply having gathering spaces that are walk-able from nearby neighborhoods. If you haven’t visited Kendall Yards in Spokane just yet, now’s the time. Read on to learn more about this growing community and all the places that make it a great place to visit in the heart of Spokane, Washington!

Indaba Coffee

Indaba Coffee is one of the best local roasters in Spokane and makes a wonderful addition to Kendall Yards with not one, but two locations. The business is incredibly community focused and strives to create spaces where every person who walks through their doors feels welcome. They serve top notch coffee and their list of signature lattes includes a house-made butterscotch latte that is phenomenal. Plus, they offer tasty treats to pair with your coffee, created by Made With Love Bakery.

The shop on Summit Pkwy was born in 2017 based off of a collaboration with Fleet Feet, as they were inspired to create a space that encouraged an active lifestyle, community, and coffee. Their location on Nettleton is on the centennial trail and shares space with Hello Sugar, because who doesn’t love freshly roasted coffee paired with freshly made donuts? It’s a larger space that is collaborative and spirited – the perfect space to meet friends and to use as a launch point for a walk along the Spokane River.

Hello Sugar

Say Hello to Hello Sugar! This donut shop offers up made to order mini donuts that are the cutest and tastiest little treats you’ll find around. Hello Sugar opened in June of 2018 and has been a hit in the greater Spokane community. Their selection rotates on a regular basis, taking flavor inspiration from movies like Harry Potter or the seasons by including the flavors of summer. And they’re definitely not afraid to use plenty of edible glitter when called for.

Crowd favorites include their Dutch Lemon and Frosted Blueberry donuts. The bakery shares a light-filled space with Indaba Coffee Roasters, so it’s the perfect place to grab sparkly doughnuts, fantastic coffee and either relax in their beautiful space or take a leisurely stroll down the Centennial Trail.

Brain Freeze Creamery

Brain Freeze opened their doors in Kendall Yards in 2014 and has won the Best Ice Cream in Spokane in the Inlander readers’ poll every single year since opening, and with good reason! They offer high fat, and high-quality scoops of delicious ice cream, and their flavors are unique and innovative, like creamy banana pudding or maple butter. They source ingredients locally whenever possible and it comes through in the fresh, natural, and mouthwatering flavors they scoop up.

While Brain Freeze is an integral part of a modern community, they retain a local neighborhood ice cream shop feel. There are classic arcade games in the shop and families with young kids hanging out and enjoying themselves. It’s a great addition to Kendall Yards and well worth a stop in to try out some of the best ice cream in Spokane.

Maryhill Winery

Maryhill Winery opened their Spokane Tasting Room in late 2017, though they’ve been producing high quality and affordable wines from the Columbia Valley since 2001. The Kendall Yards Tasting Room is in a word – stunning. It is a 5000-square-foot space with sweeping views of downtown and the Spokane River Gorge.

When it’s warm enough, enjoy the views, fresh air, and great wine on their large patio. The tasting room offers tastings that range from $10-$20 depending on the selection, and the tasting room attendants are welcoming and knowledgeable concerning details like slope direction, weather patterns, and locations that affect the grapes

Maryhill offers a solid variety of reds, whites, and sparkling wines, but it’s one of only three wineries in Washington State that offers a Zinfandel varietal, which generally requires a lot of sun, warmth, and a mild climate. Due to the specific micro-climate of their vineyards, Zinfandel grapes can flourish and Maryhill can produce a Reserve Zinfandel that is rich in fruit pie and toasted wood notes. If you get hungry while tasting, there’s a menu featuring flatbreads, sandwiches, salads, and starters, so you’re sure to find the perfect food pairing for your wine selection.

My Fresh Basket

My Fresh Basket Spokane is a specialty grocer that has the layout and feel typical of a high-end vendors market. They offer quality produce, a great wine selection, organic groceries, a cheese counter, a deli, a bakery and even offer cooking classes for those inclined to learn more. Their bakery offers fresh breads, cookies, cakes, and macarons, and the deli offers fresh sandwiches, wraps, and salads. Local coffee roasters, Roast House, has a space here, and they offer some of the best, high-quality, single origin coffee and espresso in town. My Fresh Basket offers spacious seating upstairs, so you can enjoy your coffee, pastries, sandwiches, sushi, and more from a comfortable space overlooking Kendall Yards and the Centennial Trail.

Paper & Cup

Paper & Cup is one of the most Instagram-able bakeries in the Inland Northwest. From its coral pink walls to its light fixtures and hanging vases, everything in this space radiates coziness and warmth. The bakery opened their doors in 2017, but the owners have been running Chaps Restaurant, a Spokane institution, for many years. Chaps is notorious for excellent pastries, and they bring those to Kendall Yards with offerings like perfectly laminated chocolate orange croissants and morning buns. Paper & Cup makes stellar scones, cookies, and croissant sandwiches, also offering a range of hot and iced drinks and recently started serving Ladder Coffee, a local roastery, which is phenomenal.

Located just inside of the Inlander building, they’re the perfect spot to stop and grab top quality coffee and pastries. There’s limited seating, but their seating bar lines huge windows and makes for a great place to take in the downtown skyline or the happenings of Kendall Yards.

The Yards Bruncheon

The Yards Bruncheon has done us all a favor and extended a meal that is predominantly relegated to the weekends to every single day of the week! They have a mid-century modern meets classic café look, with huge windows and subsequently plenty of light. With vibrant teal walls, this brunch hot spot is cheerful and teeming with customers seeking out their updated take on brunch classics. And with options like the Brunch Burger on a French Toast bun, or Bruleed Banana Pancakes, it’s easy to see why this place is so popular.

The Yards’ focus on high quality ingredients comes through in their delectable avocado toast on seeded whole grain toast, as well as the fresh and delicious eggs and Roast House coffee that they serve up. A crowd favorite is the Dutch Baby, an egg-rich puffed pancake with lemon zest and topped with butter and powdered sugar. Their menu has a lot of variety, and the standard Brunch drinks like Mimosas and Bloody Marys certainly make an appearance on most tables. The service is friendly, and they’re located in the heart of Kendall Yards, making this eatery one of the best ways to begin your day in Spokane.