Talking Cedar is a Native-owned brewery, distillery, and restaurant. The Chehalis people opened Talking Cedar, located just off interstate 5 in Rochester, Washington, in 2018 after lobbying to overturn an 1834 law that forbade distilling alcohol on Native land. Today, Talking Cedar features good food, beer, and liquor, all made with locally-sourced ingredients.

Talking Cedar is a large, multi-level complex with a host of different rooms and areas for eating and drinking. The decor is industrial and spaces are large, but the restaurant still feels warm and inviting. The restaurant features a number of burgers and salads, along with several different entrees that include pasta, fish, and steak. We split a pear and feta salad and a burger, both of which were so delicious that we wished that we were able to have some more. Along with our food we enjoyed a tasting flight that included some of Talking Cedar’s flagship beers and more specialty beers. The beers were a nice complement to the food and were quite tasty.

While we weren’t able to try any of Talking Cedar’s liquor, we enjoyed our time there so much that we would like to make another trip. Since Talking Cedar is located right off I-5, it’s quite easy to make it a stopping point along the drive, though we think it’s good enough to make a trip just to go to Talking Cedar. In either case, we highly recommend Talking Cedar.