After a brief hiatus I have returned to find the most affordable and yummiest grub in the Palouse area, and oh have I missed it. Though there are plenty of places I have not been still, I decided to return to a classic to highlight the things I may have missed because I really could not talk about it enough. 

I am of course talking about Zoe Coffee and Kitchen.

Despite me somehow mispronouncing a three-letter word, this local restaurant is one of my favorite spots in Pullman for food of all varieties. Just a small walk away from campus next to Sella’s and Tokyo Seoul, Zoe is easy to access for all wanting to get a good meal. 

Zoe Coffee and Kitchen is open seven days a week from 7 AM-8 PM, (7 a.m. to 8 p.m.)though on the weekends it is open for one extra hour. This, unfortunately, does mean that getting the late-night munchies will leave you Zoe-less, though if you can not get out there, there are plenty of ways to get the food delivered. 

Zoe’s is a popular restaurant, especially on football weekends so if you and your friends want to get a table either you need to get there early or expect a long wait time. That does not mean that the staff is slow, the opposite is true as the wait staff is quick and friendly. We were shown to our table without much of a wait despite the restaurant being busy. 

I love the aesthetic of Zoe’s, a nice sit-down restaurant with a coffee/bar really sells a local Pullman vibe and gets you in the mood for some good food. People happily chatting with each other throughout the restaurant yet it not being deafening only serves to enhance the already welcoming atmosphere. It really feels like Zoe’s is a small diorama of Pullman as a whole. 

Now to the most important part: the menu. 

The extensive and frankly impressive breakfast menu is served all day, meaning that chicken fried steak and pancakes are available to any hungry college student. Expect the standard fair, but one filled with customization for your preference. Lunch and dinner are served 11 a.m. to close and continue to deliver good-quality portions. 

The lunch and dinner include some delicious BBQ, large and juicy burgers, and some dinner entrees including steak and Chicken Alfredo. That is only scratching the surface of Zoe’s menu and there is plenty to explore and try. One of the surprise standouts beside the breakfast menu was the BBQ Chicken Mac and Cheese.

I hear you asking the paper or webpage you are reading – “But Carson, you keep listing out all of these food options but are any of them actually any good?” Well, disembodied reader’s voice you do not need to worry here, I have never been disappointed by anything that I have ordered from Zoe’s. 

But the cool factor of Zoe’s does not end there. 

I like most college students run almost entirely off of microwave meals and caffeine and Zoe’s puts the coffee in Zoe Coffee and Kitchen. With a whole page of their menu devoted to their coffee offerings, you are sure to find something that appeals to you, or the caffeine you need to study for the chem class. 

To put the cherry on top of this metaphorical cake, the prices are very reasonable for the food you get. While not an everyday sort of restaurant you can certainly afford to swing by more than often, trying different menu items as you go. 

Maybe the only bad thing is how sleepy you will get after having lots of good food, though the wait times during important weekends are something else entirely. 

Whether you are on campus or in the various off-campus housing of Pullman, Zoe’s is a cornerstone of the Pullman cuisine community. You would be doing yourself a disservice by not stopping by even once.

Take the short walk down to Zoe Coffee and Kitchen today, because if the smell of the smoking BBQ outside does not draw you in then the food will make you stay. 

If you know of some food spots that I have not tried yet that you are just dying to brag about to your friends let me know!