The West Plains is experiencing a surge in growth on many fronts. Home to Fairchild Air Force Base, Spokane International Airport, two continuously expanding tribal resorts and — most recently — a massive Amazon fulfillment center, the area encompassing Spangle, Cheney, Medical Lake, Reardan, Davenport and Airway Heights has seen a boom in building of both homes and businesses.
That's one reason McKenzie DonTigny decided to open Billie's Diner in Airway Heights in September of 2022. The other reason? Growth of a different sort: on farms.
"There is obviously a strong consumer base," says DonTigny, "but I wanted to be in a place that was easily accessible to work with the farms."
It may not be obvious from one's perch on the South Hill or a drive through downtown Spokane, but the county as a whole is home to an estimated 2,500 agricultural areas yielding produce, livestock, dairy and more.
Billie's West Plains burger, for example, features Spangle's Browning Beef and onions from Spokane-based co-op LINC Foods. The Northwest Garden Benedict and bread pudding French toast are made possible by eggs from the Reardan-based Spokane Hutterian Brethren.
Sourcing locally means seasonal menus and communicating with diners about their process, DonTigny says.
"Now we're just having to be very creative, which is an exciting opportunity for us and really gives us an opportunity to start that conversation with customers of 'Oh, you're not seeing tomatoes on your burgers right now because we're out of tomato season.'"
DonTigny knows that her farm-first approach means more work, but that's OK with her.
"One of the goals that I went into this adventure with is I don't ever want to get to the point where I'm doing something just because it's convenient," says DonTigny, who named the diner after her father, Billie, and features her mother's watercolor paintings on the diner's walls.
"I take farmer-first very, very seriously, and I don't really want to depart from that, unless absolutely necessary," DonTigny says. "And so it's important to me that we do go the extra mile because it also reflects on the quality of our food, which is why I feel people are excited about us."
MORE TO CHECK OUT
Red Lion Pub
126 N. Division St., Spokane
It's likely that even if you've never been to Red Lion Pub, your parents, or someone you know has been to the downtown eatery, which dates back to 1959.
"I didn't realize how much people loved it until it was closed," says Jon Tampien, who bought the building in 2020 and spent two years refurbishing it.
The menu has changed, of course, but it's still the place for stick-to-your ribs food like barbecued brisket, mac n' cheese, burgers, and Samual Adams beer-battered fish and chips. Add a beer or bloody mary for brunch time game-watching with friends or bring the littles for a family-friendly outing at this longtime favorite lunch-and-dinner spot.
Lokey Cafe
903 W. Riverside Ave., SpokaneTalk about conveniently located. In December 2021 LoKey Café opened in Spokane's downtown hub across from the post office and county courthouse, offering convenience foods that are actually health-conscious, especially for people on keto-friendly diets. Try the veggie bowl, dark chocolate chia pudding or bread-free Monte Cristo egg bites. And to drink, LoKey serves local Indaba Coffee, as well as Revival Tea Company brand tea.
Chowderhead
825 N. Monroe St., Spokane
The soup is definitely on at Chowderhead, which features standard bowlfuls like smoked steelhead chowder and classic New England clam chowder, as well as rotating specials. Also look for sandwiches, salads and breakfast items designed for people on-the-go.
Chef Travis Tveit opened Chowderhead in spring 2022 on North Monroe Street in a cozy location previously home to McRuins and before that, Ruins, both owned by chef Tony Brown, for whom Tveit used to work. And like his predecessor, Tveit likes to keep things fresh with a seasonal menu and frequent specials like spicy Korean fried chicken and scratch made pasta.
