Pig Out in the Park 2025: We tried over a dozen food stands to help you narrow down your choices

To celebrate the end of Spokane’s summer, The Spokesman-Review’s news staff is here to help you navigate Pig Out in the Park. We sent them out for lunch on Thursday, and while this list is by no means an exhaustive review of Spokane’s annual celebration of gluttony, our journalists found a lot of satisfying eats worth pursuing.

Lylo’s Original Teriyaki

Meal: Teriyaki chicken with stir-fry noodles, rice and vegetables

Cost: $18

The tent is run by the family of Lylo Vu, who formerly operated Lylo’s Oriental Cafe at the corner of Sprague Avenue and Stevens Street.

The restaurant closed in 2004, but the family continues to offer Vu’s homemade, family-recipe teriyaki sauces at events like Hoopfest and Pig Out in the Park.

“We’ve been doing Pig Out for probably 34 years. When we started, there were just 10 tents,” said Pany Vu, Lylo Vu’s daughter. “We serve everything from the restaurant.”

The Number 1: teriyaki chicken with stir-fry noodles, rice and vegetables, which runs $18. It offers an ample supply of noodles and grilled chicken that does not disappoint.

The events help the owners reconnect with former patrons.

“For us, it’s about the customers. We’ve had generations come to eat, and we get to enjoy that,” Pany Vu said. “These events keep us going. We can teach our kids the family business.”

– Thomas Clouse

Raspados del Sur

Meal: Mango Shaved Ice and Tostilocos

Cost: $10 for Shaved Ice and $17 for Tostilocos

If you’re looking to try a different Mexican snack at this year’s Pig out in the Park, Raspados del Sur might be the food stand for you.

Eduardo Murillo, worker at the stand, said Tostilocos contain a combination of cut up mango, cucumbers, jicama, Japanese peanuts, tamarind bits, chips and pickled pork rinds. At the end, they drizzle chamoy, tajin and lime to complete this crazy mix.

But while it sounds bizarre, he said it’s one of their top sellers.

“I think people like it so much because it’s such a weird mix that tastes good,” Murillo said.

Their Mango and Tamarind Shaved Ice are also top items, he said. The Mango Shaved Ice contains mango bits at the top and the bottom.

He explained Tamarind contains a more sweet but acidic taste, sometimes coming off sour – a popular taste when it comes to Mexican cuisine and street food.

– Monica Carrillo-Casas

African Cuisine Spokane

Meal: Jollof rice with chicken, coleslaw and shito combo. Plus ginger drink. Plus meat pie.

Cost: $14.99 for the combo. $5 for ginger drink. $6 for meat pie.

You may not have heard about the Jollof Wars in West Africa, but they’re serious – or maybe passionate is a better word.

Jollof rice is a prized dish in the region, and it has sparked friendly, but sometimes rowdy, competitions with pride at stake.

The contests could have a Spokane entry thanks to sisters Dorcas Awuah, Yvonne Frimpong and Perpetual Barnes. They’ve lived in Spokane for about 15 years and last year opened their business, African Cuisine Spokane, inspired by their roots in Ghana. The don’t have a brick-and-mortar location yet, but this is their second year at Pig Out.

“Let the Nigerians know that we make the best jollof rice,” Awuah said, as I chose the jollof rice meal after she described all of my choices.

The rice is made with chicken stock, tomatoes, bell peppers and, giving it a bit of kick, cayenne peppers.

The coleslaw includes the usual cabbage and carrots, but adds eggs and cucumbers.

The best seller so far, Frimpong said, are the sisters’ biscuity and savory meat pies.

As for jollof rice, I haven’t had the Nigerian version, but I’m ready to declare the sisters’ Ghanaian version the best.

– Jonathan Brunt

Azar’s Fresh Pressed

Meal: The Hot Mess

Cost: $17 (plus $1 fee if you pay with a card)

Those who want to indulge, even by Pig Out standards, need look no further than Azar’s Fresh Pressed. They specialize in smash burgers, footlong hot dogs and buckets (yes, actual buckets that you get to keep) of fries.

If you love traditional fair food and are hard-pressed (pun intended) to decide what kind to get, there’s the Hot Mess: a bucket of fries, fried mozzarella sticks, fried mac and cheese bites, chili, jalapenos and, of course, cheese sauce. But be warned that it’s definitely an item better to share. Otherwise, you’ll have three options: waste your money, eat until you’re uncomfortably full or walk around for the rest of day carrying a half-full “Fun at the Fair” bucket that for some reason features caricatures of Arnold Schwarzenegger, Roseanne Barr and other vaguely famous-looking people.

There could have been more fried mac and cheese bites (mine only seemed to include maybe three small ones), and it would be cool if the buckets were Pig Out-themed. But either way, it works as a fun and silly souvenir.

Other fry buckets on offer include plain fries ($14), the cheesy jalapeno variety ($15) and chili cheese ($16). As for the rest of the menu, the footlong dogs are said to be a 1/2 pound of all beef on an amoroso roll, while smash burgers all come with special “zar sauce” and are offered in a variety of flavors. This stand also serves regular and flavored lemonade for $13 to refill all day long.

Fair enough.

– Alayna Shulman

Makiel’s Lobster Rolls

Meal: Lobster Roll (Connecticut Style) and Ivars Clam Chowder

Cost: $23.99 for roll and $9.49 for chowder.

The South Howard St. Bridge transformed into an east coast boardwalk as I sat down at one of Pig Out in the Park’s tables to relish a buttery lobster roll paired with a creamy cup of clam crowder from Makiel’s Lobster Rolls.

Located on Washington Street between Main and Riverside avenues, the brick-and-mortar lobster eatery made its way to Riverfront Park (truly a lengthy trek, I know) to serve up delectable shellfish rolls all weekend long.

Despite getting a generous amount of savory lobster stuffed into the toasted roll, my paper food tray was left spotless no more than two minutes after taking a seat. I swear I could have housed three more rolls. Maybe. Probably.

There’s no doubt that the lobster roll would be irresistible on its own, but how could one turn down a serving of Ivars clam chowder to accompany it. And if you like to live on the wild side like me, I suggest dipping the Connecticut style roll into the rich chowder. You can thank me later.

If you’re worried about the booth encountering a lobster shortage (something locals are all too familiar with), there is no need to fret, as Makiel Duncan assures there’s plenty of tender seafood to go around.

– Erik Etherton

Gourmet Soul

Meal: Plate with brisket, soul slaw and mean beans

Cost: $19.49

It’s no secret that good soul food is hard to find on the west coast, but it’s not hard to find under the Gourmet Soul food canopy at this year’s Pig out in the Park.

The brisket is everything brisket should be: tender and smoky, topped with a sweet, brown sugar BBQ sauce that you can’t stop scooping into your mouth. The sides, while not as compelling as the meat, were delightful as well.

The cool, crisp and crunchy coleslaw paired well with the sweet brisket and had a nice touch of lime for extra zing. The mean beans were tasty too, cooked with diced garlic and roughly chopped onion and red peppers. The beans were reminiscent of everything good about canned baked beans – just seasoned and flavored to peak deliciousness.

Gourmet Soul also sells a BBQ sandwich or a portion of just meat, where folks can choose between chicken, pulled pork, brisket or ribs.

In my very limited experience, I’ve learned soul food is only good when the hands that prepared it are practiced and passionate. Now I know the folks at Gourmet Soul food are both.

– Emily White

NW Island Noodles

Meal: Sohba noodles

Cost: $17

Don’t worry, fellow vegans! We too can feast in the culinary delights at Pig Out in the Park. While there are many options that are most likely vegan, I chose to order the Sohba Noodles from NW Island Noodles, because it is the only option on the food vendor’s list that clearly identifies it as a vegan dish.

For $17, I received a cup of sohba noodles accompanied by an assortment of perfectly cooked vegetables. It came with red, yellow and orange bell peppers, broccoli, green beans, cabbage, mushrooms, spinach, onions and carrots.

But who said vegan food has to be healthy? It is Pig Out in the Park, after all. We came here to indulge. While this dish does have a rainbow of vegetables, it is also a classic comfort food with the greasy noodles and delectable umami sauce.

Since the booth faces the water, I recommend grabbing your paper cup of noodles and sitting on the cement steps on the bank of the river. From there, you’ll be in earshot of the live music being played on the east stage. Just remember not to feed the ducks, no matter how cute they are when they beg.

– Brooke Lauerman

Puget Sound BBQ

Meal: Smoked meatloaf sandwich

Cost: $17.50

There are no poster-sized food photos at the Puget Sound BBQ tent. And the spare menu is akin to something appropriate for the sidewalk outside a bistro.

But the food is Pig-Out appropriate.

Pressed between two mainstay barbecue offerings, brisket and pulled pork, was a smoked meatloaf sandwich served with Havarti on grilled sourdough bread.

It was simple, filling and tasty. At $17.50, it seemed a bit expensive, but this was a sandwich with a slab of meatloaf made from brisket and pork.

It didn’t come with any sides, such as beans or coleslaw, which is reserved for the pulled pork sandwich.

– John Stucke

Footlong Corndogs

Meal: A footlong corndog

Cost: $10

If you are looking for classic fair fare, there’s Footlong Corndogs located near the Spokane River entrance.

The tent sells, well … a corndog that is a foot long. Made up of two hot dogs skewered and covered with batter together, the meal is not fancy. But it might strike your fancy if you missed the carnival this year.

The booth is also next door to one of the many spots to hear live music at Pig Out in the Park this year.

– Amanda Sullender

Skewers

Meal: Falafel wrap

Cost: $14, plus a $2 side of sauce

Lebanese-Armenian restaurant Skewers hauls its food truck to Pig Out, serving wraps stuffed with either chicken shawarma or falafel, plus an assortment of fresh and pickled vegetables.

Falafel, made of chickpeas formed into crispy patties, offers a rare vegetarian meal for those looking to satisfy their stomachs with more than fries, cotton candy or pretzels.

A Falafel wrap offers something few and far between at Pig Out: plenty of veggies. Fresh tomatoes and lettuce complement the warm falafel, further elevated by tangy, vinegary pickled vegetables.

The cherry on top of this crunchy wrap is a side of toum, a whipped garlic sauce that I could eat with a spoon.

If you pass over the Skewers truck at Pig Out, there’s more to be had at their brick-and-mortar location on First Avenue downtown.

- Elena Perry

Las Chelaguas

Meal: Three birria tacos, consomé and a giant Strawberry Agua Fresca

Cost: $27

A TikTok and Instagram favorite from Whittier, California, Las Chelaguas lives up to the hype. They were out of their famous birria tortas – presumably because that’s what everyone wanted – but the three birria tacos did not disappoint. It was juicy and cheesy, the meat was marinated in all the best ways, and the staff was friendly.

Las Chelaguas also has birria ramen, birria empanadas and birria quesadillas, which are sure to turn your fingers bright orange as you scarf down the consomé without a good napkin on hand. If you walk just behind the Pavilion, you’ll see their big stand at the very end.

I was completely full and satisfied after the tacos, but I would probably need a bigger stomach to chow down on the ramen.

– Alexandra Duggan

Langostino Sushi Burrito

Meal: Ahi-Poke Burrito

Cost: $18.50

It’s the sushi roll that fits in your hand. At Langostino Sushi Burrito, this vendor takes the popular Japanese dish and transforms it into something holdable, making it easy to walk and actively enjoy Pig Out in the Park.

At $18.50, the Ahi-Poke burrito option tastes just like it advertises: like a poke bowl wrapped in seaweed. And for this sushi lover, this is the go-to spot each year. Other burrito options include the Ponzu Salmon for the same price, and for a dollar less, try the Crunchor Munchie, which include shrimp tempura and popcorn chicken with gyoza katsu sauce, respectively.

Langostino also has side dishes priced at $10 and $13 dollars. These include the J-Pop Chicken ($13), six-piece Shrimp Tempura ($10) and six-piece Chicken Gyoza ($10).

Also $10 is the Tornado Potato, a spiral fried “golden to perfection and comes with a choice of seasoning,” the menu reads. These include the cajun, garlic parm, cheddar ranch, sour cream and onion, and for a dollar more the Italian white truffle.

Langostino Sushi Burrito hails from the West Side and has been selling at Pig Out for the past four years, the vendor said.

– Caitlin Miller

Taste of India

Meal: Combo Plate, Naan and Rice Pudding

Cost: $23

Savory, spicy and sweet – Taste of India lives up to its name from its Pig Out in the Park booth this year.

If you’re the type to catch yourself fervently eyeing every item on the menu as I am, torn between the chicken curry and chana masala, fear not. Though not listed on the menu, there is a way to experience the best of both – and the butter chicken – through a heaping $15 combo platter, all served over a layer of basmati rice. Of course, it wouldn’t have been complete without a healthy dollop of spicy mint chutney to mix in.

Originally intending to savor my mountain of a meal while overlooking the river, a pair of determined yellow jackets caught whiff of the perfectly tender chicken I had in tow. Despite my repeated swats and pleas for peace, the vespids remained unwavering in their pursuit of delicacy. I had to run for cover – the food was simply too enticing.

As a fiend for all things dairy, I also could not resist indulging in the hearty portion of rice pudding for dessert. I couldn’t tell you what was in it – perhaps lemongrass? Cardamom? But whatever it was, I almost wished that I had gone lighter on the entree so I could eat more of it – almost.

– Cannon Barnett

Lobster Shack/ Oyster Bay

Meal: Lobster Roll (Maine-Style)

Cost: $24

Nestled among the net of the Spokane Pavilion is Lobster Shack/Oyster Bay. The extent of what they serve is just about limited to their name. So if you want either lobster in a hot dog bun or oysters on a stick, then Lobster Shack/Oyster Bay is the place to go.

Served with a perfectly salted and spiced (at least in my opinion) batch of french fries, the lobster roll I got was warm, buttery and tender. Placing the fries inside the hot dog bun exploding with lobster meat created an unexpected, salty and savory flavor I quite enjoyed.

A light sprinkling of onions, celery and flecks of cheese transformed my lobster roll into an item I could easily see being sold in Kennebunk Port, Maine. Other items on the menu included lobster potato, lobster fries, fish and chips, and oysters on a stick. Refreshments including lemonade, water and soda were also available for purchase.

While not originating locally, lobster rolls are a prized commodity not just on this side of the state, but on this side of the country. So for anyone who wants a taste of comestible crustacean, I highly suggest paying a visit to Lobster Shack/Oyster Bay.

– Mathew Callaghan