SOUTH HILL
PROPRIETORS JON STEJER, JULI NORRIS, JONATHAN SWEATT, DARRIN GLEASON BRETT FONTANA PHOTO
REPUBLIC PI OF THE PEOPLE; FOR THE PEOPLE
What do you get when you fuse together a love of community with a passion for food? Great local restaurants that create a gathering place for the surrounding neighborhoods, a destination hot spot for foodies, and the perfect location for out-of-towners to get a taste and feel of the local Spokane scene. Chef and proprietor, Jonathan Sweatt, and his partners, have successfully done just that with all three of his restaurants: Downriver Grill, The Flying Goat and his newest venture, Republic Pi. “All three restaurants share the common goal of strengthening our local community, and it’s been that way from the beginning,” says Juli Norris, co-owner of Downriver Grill and operations director of Flying Goat and Republic Pi. “Each location was chosen and a plan developed to enhance, build and complement the local neighborhood as well as other small businesses in the area.” Downriver Grill, located in the 50
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cherished Audubon Park neighborhood, was Jonathan’s flagship concept—a casual fine dining restaurant focusing on fresh, local and seasonal Modern-American cuisine. As the original executive chef himself, Jonathan designed the menu and space to be a welcoming addition for the local neighborhood—a place where you could get a gourmet burger or salad, a fresh pasta or a grilled steak any time of the day. Jonathan’s goal was for Downriver Grill to offer Seattlestyle cutting-edge menus and cooking techniques, yet be relatable to Spokane with its own local flair. The Downriver doors opened in June of 2003, and the success was immediate. Now, more than 12 years later, the restaurant continues to thrive with the talented Chef de Cuisine Tyler Gardner at the helm of the kitchen. “We take pride in what gets put on the plate, just as the farmers' took pride in harvesting the ingredients,” says Chef Tyler. “Our goal
is to create the best Pacific Northwest cuisine we can, the kind of food people remember and come back for.” Local pride is so important to the Downriver, that the menu features beef from the Northwest, wild fresh seafood from the Pacific Ocean, potatoes and beans from Washington State, fruit from farms in Greenbluff, wine from local wineries, spirits from local distilleries and drafts from local breweries. They also grow fresh herbs and vegetables in their patio garden boxes (if you’re lucky enough to be seated near one, you’ll love all the fresh smells), and create the best handcrafted cocktails with fresh herbinfused liquor and garnishes picked minutes before they arrive at your table. In addition to lunch and dinner, Downriver Grill also offers a unique and delicious breakfast on weekend mornings from 9:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m., and Happy Hour every day in the bar or on the patio. The success of Downriver Grill lead