Cover photo courtesy of Bri Loveall
Spokane’s Fresh and Foraged owner Chere Perrigo isn’t just serving up delicious salads and soups in compostable to-go containers, she’s paving the way for a new type of fast-food industry: one that’s actually healthy. Chere is Fresh and Foraged’s newest owner; after nearly 30 years standing behind a salon chair, she set aside her scissors and picked up a different kind of apron. “I’ve been a vegetarian for 40 years,” she says, adding that she always had a vision of finding faster, more readily-available food to fit her dietary needs.
Fresh and Foraged’s menu features house-made soups, salads, and baked goods, and, while they are not a certified gluten-free kitchen, they have gluten free, vegan, and dairy-free options for most of their menu items. I (with the help of my spouse and children) personally sampled their soup and salad combo, an acai bowl, mushroom coffee, smoothie, and coconut bliss bites (a concoction that is both wild and delicious).
With farmers’ market weather approaching, Chere is hoping to begin ordering more of their produce from local growers. “We go through a lot of lettuce,” she laughs over the phone. Some of their most popular menu items are the Cobb and Caesar Salad, although baked potatoes in the colder months are also a big hit.
Patrons of Fresh and Foraged will find a build-it-yourself type menu bar and can feel good taking a freshly made salad in eco-friendly packaging on a hike through nearby Haynes Estate Conservation Area or on a bike ride through Bowl and Pitcher.
