The Coeur d Alene seasonal hibernation of our downtown businesses is officially here.
Walking downtown this past Sunday it was refreshing to not see as many tourists. BUT it always makes me a little scared when I see businesses that would normally be open on a Sunday closed. That’s usually the first phase of closing your doors.
I hate seeing cool businesses not make it during the winter because of the lack of tourist traffic. I’d like to do a shout out of some of my favorite additions this year and urge people to go support these restaurants so they hopefully don’t become a casualty of the winter hibernation in Coeur d Alene.
**I have NO idea of these businesses finances and am in NO way saying they might be out of money. Just pointing out some of my new local favorites that I hope are still here in the spring. **
#1 new favorite restaurant of 2011 in Coeur D Alene.
Dangerous Dog!! 108 N. 4th Right downtown. What’s not to love about 18 different types of gourmet hot dogs. My personal favorites are the #9 Blue Demon (Celery, carrots, gorgonzola chees, blue cheese dressing, and buffalo sauce.) or any of the Indian or Mexican ones.
#2 new favorite restaurant in CDA
The Grille From Ipanema. 601 Front street in the newer condo tower downtown. Hard to go wrong with getting nonstop servings of 8 different kinds of rotiserie meets and a unique salad bar before hand. Bring some money though!! This place is expensive…
#3 Fire oven baked Pizza at 517 Sherman
This place is like a getaway into Los Angeles. Makes you feel a little trendy again and the pizza is good… but small. It’s just plain good pizza. Fire hasn’t been open very long so I hope they can sustain the slow winter economics of Coeur d Alene Idaho.
These 3 new restaurants are part of what makes CDA Idaho cool. I hope they start their hypernation early enough or have enough cash to make it through to the next invasion of tourists in Coeur d Alene. I think the food is good enough that they will. In my opinion it’s the restaurants that don’t have great food that usually can’t make it through the long winters.
Go spend some money and keep our downtown vibrant!