I am just going to say it—Sante is the best restaurant in Spokane. Not to take anything away from Mizuna or Latah Bistro or any of the others I have a love affair with. They’ve not gotten worse. It’s just that Sante, in my not so humble opinion, is better.
So in case you still haven’t enjoyed Sante, here are ten reasons you need to go there. Right now. Before it’s too late:
- The food is out of this world. I mean, it’s as simple as that. The food is consistently great, and always creative.
- The portion sizes are just right. I’m tired of plates filled with food you won’t eat anyway. Sante serves true portions.
- It’s affordable. And surprisingly affordable at that. Grab some brunch and we’re talking something close to diner prices. Dinner, too, is a lot cheaper than you’d expect from a place that—pretty literally—makes everything from scratch. Even the ketchup.
- They have a to-go charcuterie menu. Grab some of their duck prosciutto and put it in your pasta or with your steak—I did both. (This isn’t the dumbed down prosciutto you might be used to, though, this is the real, super-salty, Better Taster stuff.)
- The coffee is awesome. Four Seasons, and brewed really quite well. I admit to enjoying an espresso con panna.
- Vegetarian/vegan options. Even I have ordered from the vegetarian menu. That’s just how I roll.
- Best waiter in Spokane. Go during dinner service and you can experience what I consider to be the best waiter in Spokane. This guy really puts pride into his job, and watching him work is poetry in motion.
- The ambiance. Hey, feels just like a Southern European cafe. Plus being inside a bookstore is just kind of cool.
- Best gnocchi in town. Not that the competition is stiff, but the gnocchi is what dreams are made of.
- No really, it’s just really, really, really good. I mean, I hate ketchup, but I’d eat their homemade stuff by itself. Gourmet ketchup? I’ve heard the word used, but here it’s actually true.
I’m honestly worried that not enough people visit Sante. This should be a reservation-only place, yet we have never had any issues getting a table. And that’s not good enough. While I only listed ten reasons to visit the place, I could have gone on. $25 three course brunch should be its own bullet point. As should desserts.
But whatever, skip out of Lesser Taster places, and visit Sante, right now! Chef Jeremy Hansen just recently won Taste’s grilled cheese cook-off and word has it it’ll be on the menu this week.
Address: 203 N Washington, in Auntie’s building.