Review: Green Spoon Restaurant, Walla Walla

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enjoying blueberry juice, a pink tulip, and people-watching at the Green Spoon

Yes, there really is a Walla Walla, Washington. It’s a little town in the boonies far from any major city, but it’s a gem with cute shops, restaurants, and tasting rooms run by nearby wineries. We visit to cart our son to or from college and don’t have time to get too touristy, but we do get in a meal or two, in this case lunch at Green Spoonon Main Street.

Green Spoon bills itself as fresh, healthy, and delicious, and lived up to that with lots of vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options. Prices were moderate, $11 or $12 dollars for burgers, lunch salads, and most entrees, more for the priciest meals ($18 for seared halibut or flat iron steak).

We sat outdoors near some well-planted flower boxes. The indoor area has a pressed tin ceiling, flower-petal hanging lights, and a changing selection of art for sale on the walls. The walls (and the Green Spoon’s logo) are a bright, vibrant spring green. Both the outdoor and indoor seating areas are pleasant and inviting.

Tin ceiling, flower light, and spring green walls in the Green Spoon

Our waiter was attentive. When my husband couldn’t decide between the two soups (portobello mushroom or curried carrot, $5 for a cup) he brought a small bowl of each to sample. Both were creamy and flavorful.

My husband ended up getting a lovely purple, pink and green Malibu salad with micro greens, grapefruit supreme, roasted beet, and fresh goat milk chèvre from the awesome California cheese maker Cypress Grove (Humboldt Fog, people! With the little line of volcanic ash down the middle?).

The tacos can be ordered vegetarian with a substitution of grilled tofu, and that’s what I did, requesting the steelhead taco with tofu instead of trout. The tofu was grilled golden and came in corn tortillas with a mildly spicy pink sauce, jicama/green apple slaw (crunchy and fresh) and sides of fire-roasted salsa, guacamole, and green salad.

Malibu salad with grapefruit, avocado, chèvre, micro greens, white citrus vinaigrette

All the burgers can be made with the lentil-based house veggie burger, and my son ordered one with Tillamook cheddar, avocado, tomato, and sweet onion. Sweet onions are big here, specifically the Walla Walla sweet onion that hails from here. Whitman College sends a box of them when you say yes. Here’s his burger:

Co-Blat burger with red leaf lettuce, Tillamook cheddar, avocado, tomato, sweet onion

The menu included options for making almost all items, including the burgers, gluten-free, and a vegan option for many. There’s a different rice bowl for each day of the week, topped with tofu, chicken, or salmon and served with a green salad. I’d also like to try the quinoa stuffed portobello burger. We’ll be back.

Tofu taco with mildly spicy pink sauce and jicama/green apple slaw

Green Spoon Restaurant
13 E. Main St.
Walla, Walla, WA

Open 7 days a week 11 a.m.- 9 p.m.