Foodie’s Diary: Hearthstone Bakery and Tea House, Kamiah

Finding a restaurant that serves anything beyond burgers and fries in the 216-mile mountain corridor between Lewiston and Missoula may seem like a fool’s errand, but two blocks off Highway 12 in downtown Kamiah is a small gem.

Hearthstone Bakery and Tea House is a remodeled 1912 building decorated in the Art Deco style of the era with jewel-tones and Tiffany-style stained glass lamps. Fourteen-foot tall embossed tin ceilings reflect the light. Massive windows afford views of the surrounding forested hills where the red fir floor was harvested. “There’s a lot of history in this building,” said our waiter, who explained that the town’s six telephone operators used to sit at the rear of the building, which once housed a pharmacy.

Breakfast is served all day, daily and includes omelets ($8.25) and Sweet Crepes with a choice of Nutella, banana or cream cheese and raspberry with whipped cream ($6.95). Sandwiches are the bulk of the daily lunch menu and range from turkey and tuna to pesto and hummus ($7.25-$6.95). They come with salad or soup and are made with handmade artisan bread in old world ovens. Among the 12 choices of bread on the menu were Blue Cheese Bacon, Jalapeno Cheese, Sun Dried Tomato, and Hazelnut Date. Desserts include homemade pie and ice cream. Gourmet dinners are served three nights a week.

502 Main St., (208) 935-1912