Sandpoint, Idaho Dining and Entertainment: A Local's Guide to the Food Scene, Breweries, and Culture

The Pack River Store: Seven Miles from Our Front Door

The most important restaurant recommendation on this page is a gas station.

The Pack River Store sits on Rapid Lightning Road in the Pack River corridor, 12 miles northeast of downtown Sandpoint and seven miles from 340 Birch Grove Drive. It is a gas station, general store, laundromat, and — improbably — one of the best restaurants in Bonner County, Idaho.

Chef Alex Jacobsen graduated from the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco in 2006. He trained under Chris Lee at Eccolo in Berkeley — Lee came from Chez Panisse, the Alice Waters restaurant credited with launching the farm-to-table movement. Jacobsen cooked throughout the East Bay for eight years before returning to Sandpoint, where he had moved as a high school freshman. He now runs the kitchen at the Pack River Store, and the result is a place where you can fuel your truck and eat food with a direct lineage to one of the most influential kitchens in American culinary history.

Breakfast

Breakfast is the daily draw. Huevos rancheros ($11), eggs Benedict ($13), biscuits and gravy ($8), and fresh-baked cinnamon rolls every morning. The breakfast crowd starts early and the counter fills fast.

Sandwiches

Sandwiches are what built the reputation. The shaved prime rib sandwich ($11, Saturday special, made from Friday's leftover prime rib) is worth planning your week around. The Turkey Crunch is a local favorite. The deli case stocks house-smoked chicken, Nova Scotia lox, pastrami, Canadian bacon, and cured pork loin with fennel.

Monthly Fine Dining Excursions

The Pack River Store's best-kept secret: five-course tasting menus at $130 per person (before tax and tip), with wine and beer available for purchase. Past menus have featured pan-roasted swordfish topped with salsa agresto — green grapes, walnuts, almonds — and chocolate butterscotch torte with nutmeg crème anglaise and huckleberry compote. Prime rib is served on the last Friday of every month. These events sell out. The Inlander, Spokane's major alt-weekly, ran a feature titled "Chef Alex Jacobsen has transformed Sandpoint's Pack River Store into a culinary destination." They were not exaggerating.

Hours: Monday–Saturday 7 AM–7 PM, Sunday 8 AM–2 PM. Call ahead: (208) 263-2409.

Where the Locals Eat

Every small town has a split between where tourists eat and where residents eat. In Sandpoint, the overlap is larger than most — quality is high across the board. But certain places feel like home base.

Baxter's on Cedar

Baxter's on Cedar (109 Cedar St) is Sandpoint's top-rated restaurant on both TripAdvisor and Yelp. Opened in 2014 by two guys and their black lab, Baxter. Everything is made from scratch with ingredients sourced directly from the Sandpoint Farmers Market. The lobster roll rivals Maine. The meatloaf sandwich with mushroom gravy is a must-try. Dog-friendly patio. Open daily noon–8 PM.

Eichardt's Pub

Eichardt's Pub (downtown, on the lake) has been home for live music since 1994. The Monday Night Blues Jam, hosted by John Firshi, rotates musicians weekly and has run for decades. Rotating microbrews, cider, and wine. The food is pub fare — not the reason you come. You come for the room, the music, and the feeling that this is the living room of Sandpoint. Gluten-free options available.

Connie's Cafe

Connie's Cafe (323 Cedar St) traces its history to 1952, when it was a Conoco gas station and lunch counter. Breakfast served all day. Full bar. Afternoon deck in summer. Live music in the lounge. The omelettes come with home fries or hashbrowns and your choice of toast or pancakes. This is where locals go on a gray February morning when they need something warm and familiar. Open daily.

Jalapeños

Jalapeños (314 N 2nd Ave) has served quality Mexican food in Sandpoint for over 30 years, opening on Cedar Street in April 1993. Ranked in the top 15 restaurants in town on TripAdvisor. A genuine local institution. Open Sunday–Tuesday 11 AM–8 PM, Friday–Saturday 11 AM–8:30 PM, closed Wednesday–Thursday.

Hoot Owl Cafe

Hoot Owl Cafe (30784 Hwy 200, Ponderay) occupies a building that has been there since 1942. The biscuits are the size of half a loaf of bread — closer to cake than bread, baked fresh every morning. Famous corned beef hash. Plate-wide pancakes. Huckleberry iced tea. Eclectic vintage decor. Open Monday–Friday 5 AM–2 PM. Cash-friendly, no-frills, and exactly what a breakfast spot should be.

Fiesta Bonita

Fiesta Bonita (Ponderay) serves traditional Mexican food and is, without exaggeration, one of the most consistently recommended restaurants among Sandpoint-area residents. The kind of place where you run into everyone you know.

Fine Dining and Date Night

Sandpoint's fine dining scene punches above its weight class. The dress code across the board is casual — even at the most upscale establishments, jeans and a flannel will not get you a look. This is North Idaho.

113 Main

113 Main (113 Main St) makes everything from scratch — pasta, gnocchi, stocks, sauces, desserts. The citrus pesto gnocchi with Chilean sea bass is the signature dish. Handcrafted cocktails with fresh fruits and house-made syrups. The space is modern and intimate. Reservations recommended on weekends. $$–$$$

The Bank

The Bank (105 S 1st Ave) opened in July 2022 inside a historic former bank building. The cocktail program is the standout — inventive, seasonal, and carefully constructed. Patio overlooks the marina. The menu changes with the seasons and leans into surprising concepts. Closed Sunday–Monday. $$$

The District Bistro

The District Bistro (313 N First Ave) combines creative food, unique cocktails, and a curated wine shop in one location. Located in the heart of the Sandpoint shopping district. Reservations encouraged. Closed Monday. $$$

The Hydra Steakhouse

The Hydra Steakhouse (115 Lake St) is Sandpoint's original steakhouse, operating since 1975 — a half-century institution. Walking distance from the boat marinas. Perfectly cooked steaks, generous portions, and a menu that also covers seafood and classic American dishes. Open daily 11 AM–9 PM. $$$

DISH at Dover Bay

DISH at Dover Bay (651 Lakeshore Ave, Dover) sits on Lake Pend Oreille and has been there since 2011. Spectacular lake views, modern seasonal dishes. Open daily 4–9 PM. $30–50 per person. $$$

Candle in the Woods

Candle in the Woods (5751 E Hwy 54, Athol — about 30 minutes south of Sandpoint) is a category of its own. A 12–14 course prix fixe dinner with wine pairings, served family-style to an average of 25 guests per night. Each course paired from a cellar that won Wine Spectator's Award of Excellence. Four-hour dining experience. $139–199 per person. Not recommended for young children. Reservations required — this is not a walk-in. Text (208) 661-8085.

The Brewery Scene

Sandpoint has four craft breweries, a dedicated taproom, and a winery — one brewery for every 2,250 residents. That density rivals Portland neighborhoods. The scene grew organically — no corporate imports, no franchise operations. These are locals making beer.

MickDuff's Brewing Company

MickDuff's Brewing Company is the anchor. Founded in 2006 by brothers Mickey and Duffy Mahoney, who relocated from Seattle. Two locations in downtown Sandpoint: the original brewpub at 419 N 2nd Ave and the Beer Hall at 220 Cedar St, housed in one of Sandpoint's most historic buildings. Draft-only. Uses Idaho-grown hops and Idaho-grown barley. The Tipsy Toehead Blonde Ale and Hazy Galaxy Juice IPA are flagships. Full food menu at both locations with vegetarian and gluten-free options. The Beer Hall expanded in 2014 and has become a gathering point for the town — trivia nights, live music, and the kind of place where you walk in knowing you will see someone you know.

Matchwood Brewing

Matchwood Brewing (513 Oak St) specializes in English, German, and American ales using traditional European techniques with Pacific Northwest hop blends. Won a bronze medal at the 2022 Great American Beer Festival — the highest national recognition for any Sandpoint brewery. Counter-service food menu features pasties, bison burgers, and dishes sourced from Blue Finger Farm. Patio seating, family-friendly, live music. Open daily.

Utara Brewing Company and Curry House

Utara Brewing Company and Curry House is genuinely unlike anything else in Idaho. A seven-barrel brewing system producing British-style ales paired with a full Indian-inspired curry menu. Two locations: Pine Street Pub (214 Pine St, open Tuesday–Saturday) and Boyer Street Brewery (2617 N Boyer Ave, tasting room Friday–Saturday). Curry comes with your choice of chicken, Utarawurst (locally made pork sausage), soy curls, or paneer, served with basmati rice and garlic butter naan. Kid-friendly and dog-friendly on patios. British ales and Indian curry in a North Idaho mountain town — it works because it is driven by genuine passion, not market research.

Idaho Pour Authority

Idaho Pour Authority (203 Cedar St) is Sandpoint's craft beer bottle shop and taproom. Sixteen rotating taps including two ciders, plus over 300 unique cans and bottles in stock. Not a brewery, but the place to discover what is happening in Pacific Northwest craft beer. Regular tastings and live music. Open daily, afternoon hours.

Pend d'Oreille Winery

Pend d'Oreille Winery (301 Cedar St) has been family-owned since 1995, making award-winning wines using traditional French methods with grapes sourced from Northwest vineyards. Daily tastings featuring five pre-selected wines or customizable flights. Small bites and pizzas with local ingredients. Live music every weekend. Paint and Sip events. Piano nights. The bar is made of molded concrete and refurbished hardwood, built by local craftsmen. Open Tuesday–Sunday.

Coffee Culture

Evans Brothers Coffee (524 Church St, Granary Arts District) is Sandpoint's premier specialty roaster. Full espresso bar, wholesale roastery, and cafe seating. Founded in 2009. Barn doors open wide during summer. A coffee operation serious enough that people drive from Coeur d'Alene to buy beans. Free parking and Wi-Fi. Open daily 6:30 AM–5 PM.

The coffee ecosystem extends to City Beach Organics downtown, Paneah's Bistro for specialty teas and fresh eats, and up on Schweitzer Mountain where Cabinet Mountain Coffee and Mojo serve the ski crowd. Morning coffee culture in Sandpoint is real — the town runs on it.

On the Mountain: Schweitzer Dining

Schweitzer Mountain Resort, 35 minutes from 340 Birch Grove Drive, has its own dining ecosystem that ranges from cafeteria to upscale.

Chimney Rock Grill

Chimney Rock Grill is the heart of Schweitzer Village — log cabin atmosphere, fireplaces in winter, patio in summer. Family-friendly. Burgers, meatloaf, ahi poke, and a bar that makes a serious hot white Russian. Reservations recommended. Open daily, hours vary by season.

Sky House

Sky House sits at Schweitzer's highest point with 360-degree views across four states and into Canada. Two options: The Nest (full-service bar and restaurant) and Red Hawk Cafe (winter-only quick bites). The view alone justifies the trip.

Crow's Bench

Crow's Bench inside the Humbird Hotel offers the most refined dining on the mountain — locally sourced, craft cocktails, and dishes like Thai chicken salad, lamb shank, and house-made huckleberry cheesecake.

The St. Bernard and Lakeview Lodge

The St. Bernard serves signature curry bowls, burgers, and salads in a neighborhood restaurant and lounge setting. Lakeview Lodge offers cafeteria-style breakfast, ramen, coffee, and Powder Hound Pizza for takeaway.

The apres-ski to downtown pipeline is a daily winter ritual for locals: last run at 3:30 PM, boot change in the parking lot, 35-minute drive down, and seated at MickDuff's or Eichardt's by 5.

Entertainment and Nightlife

The Panida Theater

The Panida opened in 1927 — a Spanish Mission-style vaudeville and movie house designed by Portland architect Edward A. Miller. The name combines PAN(handle of) IDA(ho). By the late 1970s, it faced demolition. A community-led effort raised $75,000 to purchase the building in 1985, and it has operated as Sandpoint's cultural center ever since.

Listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Past performers include Bonnie Raitt, Arlo Guthrie, and Wynton Marsalis. Current programming spans film festivals, live theater, dance recitals, comedy, educational speakers, and touring musicians. The fact that a town of 9,000 saved a 1927 theater from the wrecking ball and has maintained it for 40 years tells you something about the character of this place.

The Hive

Sandpoint's premier concert venue with a 750-person capacity, state-of-the-art sound and lighting. Hosts local and regional artists weekly at reasonable covers, plus occasional national touring acts and tribute shows. Also hosts dance lessons and community events. Located at 207 N First Ave.

219 Lounge

In business for over 80 years. The most beers on tap in Sandpoint. Outdoor patio and bar. Live music every Friday and Saturday. A proper old bar — no gimmicks, no theme.

Festivals and Events

Sandpoint's event calendar is dense for a town this size. These are the anchor events that define the annual rhythm.

Festival at Sandpoint

The Festival at Sandpoint is a multi-night outdoor concert series held at War Memorial Field since 1983 — now in its 42nd year. Eight concert nights spanning late July through early August, with genres ranging from alt-rock (Third Eye Blind, Toad the Wet Sprocket) to country (Brothers Osborne) to indie-folk (Sierra Ferrell, Dispatch) to a full orchestral finale conducted by Spokane Symphony's resident conductor. General admission lawn seating. Community Night showcases local North Idaho musicians. A summer music festival of this caliber in a town of 9,000 is extraordinary — many cities ten times this size cannot sustain something comparable. Tickets through ETix.

Winter Carnival

Running since 1973, the Sandpoint Winter Carnival spans ten days in mid-February and anchors the winter social season. The Parade of Lights rolls through downtown at 5:30 PM. Schweitzer hosts the Let it Glow Parade with fireworks. The K9 Keg Pull on Cedar Street — where dogs pull kegs (large dogs) or beer cans (small dogs) down a snowy course — benefits the Better Together Animal Alliance. The Taste of Sandpoint component brings the dining scene together in one event.

Sandpoint Farmers Market

Operating since 1988 at Farmin Park (Oak Street and 3rd Avenue) in downtown Sandpoint. Saturdays 9 AM–1 PM and Wednesdays 3–5:30 PM, from the first Saturday in May through mid-October. Over 100 vendors selling seasonal produce, baked goods, prepared foods, honey, crafts, and skincare. Live music weekly. The HarvestFest in October closes the season. This is where many of Sandpoint's restaurants source directly — Baxter's on Cedar and Matchwood Brewing both buy from market vendors.

Other Annual Events

Lost in the '50s (mid-May, 38th year in 2025) — One of the biggest classic car shows in the Pacific Northwest. Three days of vintage cars, sock hops, a downtown parade, and 1950s nostalgia. Welcome party at Connie's Cafe.

Long Bridge Swim (first Saturday in August) — A 1.76-mile open-water swim across Lake Pend Oreille via the historic Long Bridge. Started in 1995 with 78 swimmers; grew to 705 participants in 2024. Raises funds for swim lessons.

ArtWalk (mid-June through mid-September) — The Pend Oreille Arts Council organizes a self-guided walking tour through up to 20 downtown galleries and venues. Opening night is the second Friday of June. Free, all ages.

FARE Idaho Field to Fork (August) — A daytime farm-to-table festival at the University of Idaho Sandpoint Organic Agriculture Center (free, open to the public), followed by a separately ticketed dinner in the orchard ($150/person) prepared by local chefs with seasonal ingredients from regional farms and ranches. This event is the institutional expression of Sandpoint's farm-to-table identity.

Bonner County Fair and Rodeo (August) — Livestock, bull riding, and community celebration at the Bonner County Fairgrounds.

Idaho State Draft Horse and Mule International (September) — The Northwest's largest draft horse and mule expo. Pulling competitions, driving exhibitions, and a youth clinic. Third weekend after Labor Day.

The Seasonal Dining Guide

Understanding Sandpoint's restaurant rhythm is essential if you are planning to live here rather than visit.

Summer (June–September)

Peak season. Every restaurant is open, every patio is full. Waterfront spots like DISH at Dover Bay operate at capacity. The Festival at Sandpoint in late July creates the highest-demand dining period of the year — reservations matter during that window. Hours extend. Staff expands. The town population visibly swells with lake visitors and second-homeowners.

Winter (December–March)

Schweitzer ski traffic sustains the second peak. Weekend dining downtown picks up noticeably. Apres-ski flows from the mountain into MickDuff's, Eichardt's, and Chimney Rock Grill. Winter Carnival in February is the social peak of the cold months. Some waterfront and seasonal restaurants reduce hours or close. The places that stay open — Connie's, Eichardt's, Baxter's, MickDuff's — become more intimate and more local.

Shoulder Seasons (April–May, October–November)

This is when Sandpoint belongs to residents. Tourist traffic drops. Some restaurants shift to reduced hours. Mud season (April into early May) is the quietest stretch — snow is gone, the lake is still cold, and the town exhales. October holds its own with fall color, harvest events, and the tail end of farmers market season.

The Sunday-Monday Reality

Many Sandpoint restaurants close on Sunday, Monday, or both. This is a small-town rhythm, not a flaw. Staff need rest and post-weekend traffic does not justify full operation. Plan accordingly. Connie's, Spuds, and The Hydra stay open daily.

What Sandpoint's Dining Scene Lacks

Honest assessment. Sandpoint's food scene overdelivers for a town of 9,000, but it is not a city and does not pretend to be.

No late-night dining. Most kitchens close by 9 PM. If you want to eat after 10, your options are a gas station or your own refrigerator. This is not Boise or Coeur d'Alene.

Limited ethnic cuisine diversity. Mexican food is well-represented (Jalapeños, Fiesta Bonita). Indian-fusion exists through Utara's curry house. Korean food trucks appear seasonally. But there is no dedicated Thai, Vietnamese, Japanese, Chinese, or Ethiopian restaurant in Sandpoint proper. Coeur d'Alene (75 minutes south) or Spokane (90 minutes west) fill that gap.

No food delivery infrastructure. DoorDash and Uber Eats do not meaningfully operate in Sandpoint. Takeout is available from most restaurants, but you are driving to pick it up. This is a feature or a flaw depending on your perspective.

Sunday-Monday closures limit options. As noted in the seasonal guide, many restaurants close one or both days. A Tuesday through Saturday resident barely notices. Someone expecting full seven-day restaurant availability will need to plan.

Summer wait times. July and August bring tourist volume that Sandpoint's restaurant capacity was not built for. Popular spots like Baxter's and MickDuff's can have 30-45 minute waits on summer weekends without reservations. Locals learn to eat early, eat late, or eat somewhere the tourists have not found yet.

No Michelin-level fine dining. Candle in the Woods (in Athol, 30 minutes south) is the closest to a destination-dining experience, and it is extraordinary — but it is not in Sandpoint. The in-town fine dining ceiling tops out around $50-75 per person. For someone coming from a major metro, this is either a relief or a limitation.

Sandpoint's Food Scene vs. Other Idaho Towns

Sandpoint's food scene — centered on Cedar Street and the surrounding downtown blocks — occupies a distinctive position: the quality ceiling rivals Sun Valley, the independence rivals McCall, and the depth exceeds both — without the pretension of either. Coeur d'Alene has more volume but less character. For a resident of the Pack River corridor, Sandpoint delivers a dining scene that would be remarkable in a city of 50,000.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nearby Recreation

Sandpoint's dining and entertainment scene sits within a broader recreation corridor. For complete guides to outdoor activities, see:

• Schweitzer Mountain Resort — Skiing, snowboarding, mountain biking, and the full resort dining village. 35 minutes from 340 Birch Grove Drive.
• Lake Pend Oreille — Idaho's largest lake. Boating, fishing, swimming, and waterfront dining. 20 minutes to City Beach.
• Pack River Recreation — Floating, fishing, swimming holes, snowmobiling, and backcountry access. 2 miles to the Pack River/Highway 95 crossing.
• Schools and Family Life — Lake Pend Oreille School District, youth activities, and what daily family life looks like in Bonner County.

Living Near All of This

From 340 Birch Grove Drive in Samuels, the Pack River Store is a seven-mile drive. Downtown Sandpoint is 20 minutes south on Highway 95. Ponderay — where Hoot Owl Cafe and Fiesta Bonita anchor the local breakfast and dinner rotations — is 15 minutes. Schweitzer Mountain is 35 minutes.

The dining scene here is not a tourist amenity you visit on vacation. It is the Tuesday night question — MickDuff's or Baxter's? The Saturday morning choice — Pack River Store cinnamon rolls or Farmers Market pastries? The apres-ski ritual — Chimney Rock Grill or straight to Eichardt's?

Sixty-plus restaurants, four breweries, a community-restored 1927 theater, an eight-night summer music festival, and a gas station with a five-course tasting menu. For a town of 9,000, that is not just a food scene. That is a quality of life.

Published February 2026. This guide reflects restaurant operations, hours, and pricing verified as of early 2026. Sandpoint's dining scene evolves seasonally — call ahead to confirm hours, especially during shoulder seasons (April–May, October–November).