Lilac & Pine is settling into its first fall at the Davenport Grand Hotel after a $600,000 renovation transformed the former Table 13 restaurant into a Pacific Northwest-inspired dining concept.

The restaurant opened in May at 333 W. Spokane Falls Blvd. and has built momentum during its first several months, says Melissa Green, vice president and area managing director of Davenport Hotels.

“The early response has been super encouraging,” Green says. “We’re seeing strong demand from both hotel guests and the local community.”

The opening followed more than a year of planning. Discussions about changing the space began in 2024, while formal concept and design work started in April 2025, Green says.

A building permit issued in February valued the remodel at $600,000 with plans calling for a 500-square-foot circular bar, 2,900 square feet of dining space, 730 square feet of entry and waiting areas, and updated restrooms, according to permit information on file with the city. 

Spokane-based Walker Construction Inc. served as the general contractor, and California-based hospitality design firm Bishop Pass worked on the interior design, Green says. Construction was completed on schedule, allowing the restaurant to open as planned.

“We opened exactly the time that we were supposed to open,” Green says. “I can say, with many construction projects I’ve worked on, that usually doesn’t happen.”

Lilac & Pine has 41 employees, including 32 full-time and nine part-time workers, Green says. The 161-seat restaurant also offers a more flexible seating arraingment than its predecessor, and accommodates groups of varying sizes.

A circular bar anchors the redesigned space and reflects Davenport Hotels’ effort to create a gathering spot that appeals to local diners as well as hotel guests. Natural, neutral tones run throughout the restaurant, complemented by timber, leather, and other Pacific Northwest-inspired materials.

The design was intentional, Green says. Each Davenport property has its own identity, and Lilac & Pine was envisioned as an approachable space connected specifically to Spokane and the broader Pacific Northwest.

Josh Rockwell, hotel complex manager, says the name itself combines Spokane’s identity as the Lilac City with the pine trees prevalent throughout the region.

The local flavor extends beyond the name. Spokane artists Ben Joyce and Jesse Pierpoint created artwork incorporating area landmarks and events, while the restaurant has partnered with Spokane-based Spiceology Inc. and Dry Fly Distilling Inc. on custom products, Green says.

Chef Rudy Velasquez developed Lilac & Pine’s original menu, which ranges from cheeseburgers and salads to salmon, pork chops, and steaks. An in-house pastry team produces breads, desserts, ice creams, and other items, Green says.

With its first summer in the books, Lilac & Pine is adding programming intended to give customers more reasons to pull up a chair. The restaurant recently launched happy hour and monthly cocktail classes in The Reserve, a private space that previously served as Table 13’s whiskey bar. Holiday-themed cocktail classes, wine-blending classes, private events, and other seasonal programming also are planned, Green says.

Building a loyal following through consistent food, service, and customer experiences is the restaurant’s long-term objective.

“We’re inspired by those restaurants that have built an incredibly loyal following,” Green says. “Really, really good food, really, really good service, and that’s really what we want to do.”

Lilac & Pine is entering its first fall in operation alongside Davenport Hotels’ second annual Pacific Northwest Food & Wine Festival, which is held Oct. 9 to 11.

More than 30 wineries are participating in the festival, Rockwell says. Chef Shota Nakajima is among the featured chefs, along with Spokane-area chefs Adam Hegsted and Tony Reed.

Nakajima is a Japanese-American chef from Seattle who has competed in multiple cooking competition TV shows, including Top Chef.

Organizers moved the festival after last year’s timing coincided with the grape harvest and prevented some winemakers from attending, Green says.

For Green, the festival and Lilac & Pine share a common ingredient: giving visitors and residents another way to experience Spokane’s food-and-beverage scene.

“The main reason we put this together was not just about the Davenport,” Green says. “There are so many good restaurants and there’s so much good wine in the Pacific Northwest, but the number and quality around Spokane alone is notable.”