Farm to Table Options in Chehalis

Locally grown food hits differently. When you purchase and eat homegrown ingredients, you can savor the confidence of knowing your meal was infused with love along every step of its journey. Food that’s grown, raised, and sold by a family in your own community not only tastes better, it honors their care and livelihood with every bite.

Rural communities may have their own unique challenges to face, but one of the biggest perks of living in a rural small town is the intimate connection to local agriculture. Whether you’re new to the “buy local” movement or looking for even more delicious ways to support community agriculture, Experience Chehalis is happy to support you and your favorite vendors with resources and tips! Below, find a list of restaurants with farm-to-table offerings, Community-Supported Agriculture options, and other resources to bring you closer to your food and your community.

Restaurants

Chehalis residents and visitors are fortunate to have a tightly-knit community that’s invested in its local farms and families. Several restaurants in downtown Chehalis offer seasonal local specials, source ingredients locally, or sell products from local farms and ranches in-house.

For seasonal local menus and specials, try:

When you’re craving close-to-home taste and quality on the run, our restaurants and stores in downtown Chehalis have a variety of grab-and-go foods and beverages. Pick up eggs and goat milk products from Stout Coffee House or fresh-pressed juice made with local ingredients at Good Fork. Stop by Shakespeare & Co. to find out which freshly made, small-batch soups or baked goods are available while you check out their newest book selections.

In addition to offering fabulous sit-down meals, several of our farm-to-table restaurants in Chehalis also have grab-and-go fridges and shelves stocked with quick meals and products from local farms and artisans. After lunch, pick up some cheeses from Shona’s or Market Street Bakery. Stock your pantry with jams and other staples from Joy’s Once Upon a Thyme, or with mouthwatering artisan goods from NW Salmon Smokehouse.

DIY Farm-to-Table

If you’re looking for an even closer connection to locally grown food, you can find a variety of growing resources and ways to directly support agriculture in Chehalis.

Farmers Markets

The Chehalis Community Farmer’s Market serves up great vibes, wholesome food, and beautiful handcrafted goods every Tuesday from June through October. Starting in 2024, the farmers market also opens every second Saturday of the month. Find plants, produce, artisan goods, locally made home décor and personal care products, and more at our Chehalis market. For vendor applications, programs, and more, visit the Chehalis Farmer’s Market website.

Food & Farm Finder

If you can’t make the farmers market, Community-Supported Agriculture (CSA) is another excellent and efficient way to feed your family while directly supporting local farmers. Whether you order a CSA box straight from the farm of your choice (search local options here) or use the Southwest Washington Food Hub to buy a multi-farm package, you’ll receive a box packed full of local produce that you can feel good about eating for more reasons than one! (Pssst… they also offer wholesale and workplace programs for restaurants, school districts, and employers).

Seed Libraries

Growing your own food in Chehalis is a snap too, with fabulous local resources and experts on hand. Downtown Chehalis is home to two seed libraries – one can be found at the Vernetta Smith Chehalis Timberland Library, and the other is just across the street at Nature Nurture Farmacy. You can also find classes, gardening resources, community garden connections, and more at Nature Nurture’s physical location or on their webpage, Project: Food is Medicine.

If you’re an experienced grower yourself, consider supporting local nutrition and aspiring growers by donating your own seeds to one of Chehalis’s seed libraries, or partnering with local businesses to lend your knowledge and resources.

When you eat locally sourced foods, every meal you enjoy not only nourishes your own family, but it puts food on the table of local growers, ranchers and business owners. After all, when you look at the bigger picture, we’re all eating at the same table. So take advantage of Chehalis’s abundant food resources and feed your neighbors while you’re at it.

Written by Chelsea Sonnenberg