Pullman locals were asked where they actually recommend eating, and five restaurants surfaced repeatedly throughout the discussion.
The strongest praise went to places serving everything from Bangladeshi biryani and Chinese comfort food to burgers, prime rib sandwiches, and century-old pub fare.
Dozens of restaurants received mentions, but these five Pullman restaurants drew the most consistent support.
Mela Bangladeshi Cuisine
Mela Bangladeshi Cuisine earned the strongest praise in the discussion, with one local calling it “hands down my favorite restaurant” and another saying its biryani was the best they had ever found.
The family-owned downtown restaurant specializes in traditional Bangladeshi and South Asian food prepared from scratch. Its menu includes Bengali curries, biryanis, butter chicken, lamb dishes and a wide selection of vegetarian and vegan options.
Mela also takes an unusually careful approach to ingredients. Its entrees are made without gluten, MSG, peanuts, peanut oil, soy or artificial colors. Main dishes are sold by weight, often in one-pound containers meant for sharing or saving for later.
Popular choices include Bengali goat biryani, lamb curry, lamb tehari, salmon curry with mustard sauce, butter chicken and tikka masala. Locals also praised the saag and special dishes prepared during Pullman’s Lentil Festival.
Owner and head chef Abtesam “Shaheen” Khan began cooking with a focus on nutrition after her twin sons were born prematurely. She later sold food at farmers markets before opening a restaurant in Moscow, Idaho, in 2018.
After that location closed, community support helped Mela reopen in downtown Pullman in late 2022. The current restaurant has a small, colorful dining room decorated with Bengali textiles, mosaic art and woven baskets, along with heated patio seating.
Planning a visit? Check out their menu and current hours before you go.
The Land
For burgers, fried chicken and lively pub food, Pullman locals repeatedly pointed readers toward The Land.
One commenter described it simply as “pub food done right,” praising its chicken, burgers and staff. After two years in Pullman, the commenter said it was the only restaurant they still chose to visit.
The menu centers on American comfort food, including smash burgers, loaded fries, sandwiches, salads and customizable macaroni and cheese. Its fried chicken sandwich has become one of the restaurant’s signature items, with chicken breaded to order and served on a buttery bun with pickles and house sauce.
Other frequently recommended choices include carne asada fries, Cougar Gold cheese dishes and the restaurant’s Taco Tuesday specials.
The Land sits near Washington State University in the part of Pullman locals have long called “Apartment Land.” The name is a nod to the surrounding neighborhood, which is packed with student housing and multifamily buildings.
The restaurant took over the former ZZU student bar in early 2020. Its owners kept some of the old location’s recipes and traditions while updating the space into a cleaner, more flexible restaurant and entertainment venue.
Inside, diners will find booths, pool tables, dartboards, a dance floor and a separate 21-and-older lounge. Families and minors may dine there until 9 p.m., when the atmosphere shifts toward college nightlife.
The Land also hosts open mic nights, country swing dancing and Latin dance events.
Planning a visit? Check out their menu and current hours before you go.
Tan’s Chinese Restaurant
Tan’s Chinese Restaurant stood out as one of Pullman’s most frequently recommended takeout choices, particularly among locals craving Chinese comfort food.
One commenter declared that Tan’s serves “the best cashew chicken in the game.” Others recommended it for quick takeout, traditional dishes and portions large enough to share.
Tan’s blends familiar American Chinese favorites with Cantonese, Taiwanese and Sichuan influences. Its regular menu covers dependable standards, while a rotating whiteboard gives the kitchen room to offer more traditional dishes based on available ingredients.
That whiteboard may include Hong Kong roasted duck, Indonesian noodle dishes, spicy pork intestines or other regional specialties that are harder to find elsewhere in the Palouse.
Regular menu favorites include soup dumplings, spicy firecracker chicken, beef flat noodles, hand-cut noodles and crispy garlic General Tso’s chicken. The restaurant is known for savory sauces and bold seasoning rather than making every dish overly sweet.
The dining room is simple, quiet and relaxed. That makes Tan’s an easy choice for solo meals, student lunches, casual dates or takeout after a long day.
Customers also choose their own drinks from a refrigerator stocked with American sodas and imported Asian beverages.
Planning a visit? Check out their menu and current hours before you go.
South Fork Public House
South Fork Public House emerged as one of Pullman’s safest choices for dependable pub food, local beer and a setting that works for both families and Washington State University crowds.
Locals recommended the burgers, beer selection and especially the prime rib sandwich. One commenter summed up the menu by saying everything was good, but the prime rib sandwich was the standout.
The restaurant’s prime rib dip features thinly sliced beef on a toasted hoagie roll with Swiss cheese and thyme-infused au jus. Other menu highlights include house-smoked pulled pork, Palouse lentil chili, wings and spicy Scorpion Tails.
South Fork takes a slightly more polished approach than a typical college bar. The menu stretches from tavern appetizers and sandwiches to steaks and seafood dishes, making it useful for a casual lunch, date night or dinner with visiting parents.
Its bar highlights rotating Northwest craft beers and Washington wines connected to WSU alumni, winery owners or distributors. The restaurant also serves a fruity signature cocktail known locally as Pullman Water.
South Fork opened in 2010 under local owners Wade Dissmore and Jim Harbour. Their goal was to create a gathering place where residents, university employees, students, alumni and visiting sports fans could all feel comfortable.
The interior is spacious and contemporary, with multiple screens for watching games and a heated seasonal patio for warmer days. It feels family-friendly during the afternoon and more social as the evening moves along.
Planning a visit? Check out their menu and current hours before you go.
Rico’s Public House
Rico’s Public House offers something no newer Pullman restaurant can easily copy: more than a century of history.
The downtown pub has operated since 1909, making it the oldest retail business in Pullman. Locals often describe it as the “Cheers” of the Palouse, where students, professors, longtime residents and visiting alumni all end up sharing the same space.
In the community discussion, Rico’s was repeatedly grouped with The Land and South Fork as one of Pullman’s most reliable pub-food options. A turkey pesto sandwich with an IPA earned a specific recommendation, while others pointed to the burgers and extensive beer selection.
The menu also includes a house-prepared Reuben, fish and chips, a lamb sandwich with tzatziki and a Philly cheesesteak. Behind the bar, Rico’s offers Pacific Northwest beer, more than 25 whiskeys and what regulars describe as a consistently well-poured Guinness.
The building feels every bit as historic as the business. Dark wood, bookshelves, old artifacts, a brick fireplace, pool tables and pinball machines give the pub an old-world atmosphere that stands apart from newer restaurants.
Rico’s began as a tobacco and card house before surviving Prohibition by selling cigars, soft drinks and access to its pool tables.
Tony Talerico bought the business in 1947 and became so closely identified with it that customers nicknamed him Rico. A later owner formally adopted the name in his honor.
Today, the woman-owned pub also bills itself as the oldest active jazz club in the Pacific Northwest. It continues to host open mic nights, trivia and live jazz, including performances connected to WSU.
Planning a visit? Check out their menu and current hours before you go.
Pullman has no shortage of restaurants competing for the attention of students, residents and visitors. Still, every city has a handful of places locals return to again and again.
Judging by the discussion, Mela, The Land, Tan’s, South Fork and Rico’s are among the Pullman restaurants residents feel most confident recommending.
Which Pullman restaurant belongs on the list? Share your recommendation in the comments.
