Victor Lewin
When chef Victor Lewin began to plot what would become the Locos restaurant in the Hillyard neighborhood of Northeast Spokane, he had more than great, Texas-inspired food on his mind.
Locos, which opened in July 2023 and is part of the Grain Shed cooperative, is meant to be a family-friendly hub supporting small farmers and sustainable food partners to create a community-worthy gathering place.
“We wanted to create an atmosphere where people can either have a first date or a last date. You know, everything in between. To enjoy each other’s company, get a good bit of food, share something,” says Lewin.
Bringing Texas cuisine to the Inland Northwest came naturally to Lewin, who grew up in Waco, Texas. His goal with the cuisine is to keep it approachable, with menu items like chili, quesadillas, and ribs. Don't conflate "approachable" with "simple": the flavor level of Lewin's food is pretty off the charts. As he tinkers with the menu, Lewin works to source as many local, sustainable products as he can.
“Farmland is shrinking. Farmers are getting outpaced, especially smaller farmers. So being able to bring these smaller farmers to the table and putting them in front of guests and having their positive response just feels like the right thing to do,” says Lewin.
That’s one reason why the menu at Locos is seasonal and ever-evolving. Lewin keeps it fresh, but notes that the most important ingredient is time.
“What we’re doing takes time. It takes commitment. You have to work harder to make it better,” Lewin says, which is a mindset he applies to creating great food, culture, and community. Within the food industry, Lewin is dedicated to partnering with food producers who are “doing it right.
”DOMA Coffee is one of those producers, so you can find DOMA Coffee on the Locos menu. But we feel just as lucky to partner with someone with Lewin’s vision on our latest community endeavor: the DOMA Café. Lewin contributes a custom menu of rotating, seasonal bites for the DOMA Café that are plant-based, organic, and pair well with coffee. His menu for DOMA is a creative riff that differs from what you can find at Locos, but shares the same background.
Whether it's slow-smoked brisket or direct-trade coffee, Locos and DOMA share a certain company ethos. Food and coffee as vessels for something bigger. That’s why we know Locos will continue to inspire. Grab a friend, a moist towlette, and dig in.
About The Series
A good day starts with DOMA coffee. For the past year, we've followed cool humans and the things they do after their morning cup of DOMA Coffee. Turns out, humans are awesome. Especially after caffeine.
Stay tuned as we continue to release their stories.
Featured Coffee
Check out the coffee featured in the episode
