When the tiny prop plane ferrying pilgrims to Walla Walla's vineyards and wineries touches down, there could be any number of final destinations, particularly when it comes to eating and drinking. The town "so nice they named it twice" isn't quite the next Napa yet, but its gastronomic scene is booming. What follows is a far-from-complete tasting.
Whitehouse-Crawford: The area's favorite restaurant is an ideal source for locally grown provisions and winemakers' gossip (whitehousecrawford.com). Saffron Mediterranean Kitchen: Walla Walla's tapas-happy newcomer features wines from far beyond the Columbia Valley (saffronmediterraneankitchen.com). jimgermanbar: This handsome bar—which wouldn't be out of place in, say, Tribeca—opened last summer in an old Odd Fellows Hall in neighboring Waitsburg (509-337-6001). Laht Neppur Brewing Co.: Home-brewed seasonal quaffs in Waitsburg (lahtneppur.com). Monteillet Fromagerie: The Monteillets raise their own sheep and goats in nearby Dayton; their LeRois, Larzacs, and Majean Rouges are Pacific Northwest mainstays (509-382-1917). Walla Walla Roastery: Former skateboarder Tom Reese's caffeine mecca ships nationwide (wallawallaroastery.com). Abeja One of Walla Walla's top wineries also happens to be its best inn (abeja.net).
