Pizza and chicken on the Joe
Photo by CHANSE WATSON TFP’s Restaurant & Bar as seen from Milwaukee Road in Avery. Before its remodel in the summer of 2019, the structure that is now TFP’s was a simple pole building with gravel floors and a barrel stove in it that people could warm up by.
Photo by CHANSE WATSON The decor inside TFP’s Restaurant & Bar is vintage North Idaho. From hard-wood floors and walls to the metal trim, patrons can feel a cozy, welcoming vibe as soon as they enter.
Photo by CHANSE WATSON From the bar, one can see the exposed kitchen and wood fire pizza oven that truly is a work of art. Borrowing the look of an old fashioned copper still, this unique piece of kitchen machinery cooks pizzas around 750 degrees — roughly 250 to 150 degrees hotter than normal pizza ovens.
By CHANSE WATSON
Managing Editor
AVERY — The small town of Avery, once a bustling railroad hub on the Milwaukee Road, has seen its population dwindle more and more since the last trains rumbled through in 1980.
For decades, it’s been a sleepy town in the southern reaches of Shoshone County with little to offer in terms of amenities — except of course the countless natural ones that surround the town.
Thanks to the efforts of North Idaho natives Pete and Lori Hill, Avery is getting a bit less sleepy now that it has a new restaurant that offers customers two specialty food items that will keep them coming back for more.
TFP’s Restaurant & Bar opened on Jan. 30 and has seen a steady stream of hunters, fisherman, snowmobilers, locals and other visitors pass through the front door to partake in either their signature wood-fired pizza or their locally inspired broasted chicken and jojos.
The business’ namesake is none other than owner Pete Hill, who explains that TFP was a nickname given to him by an old high school buddy.
Pete, originally from St. Maries (and owner of H&H Express Freight Company), and Lori, originally from Bonners Ferry, decided to get into the restaurant business because it has always been a dream of Lori’s to run her own place.
Combine her years of restaurant serving and management experience with Pete’s knowledge of the area and it was an easy choice to put the business in Avery.
“We want to make Avery a destination spot for people to go,” Lori said. “We don’t want this little town to die. There’s so much history here that people need to know about.”
Upon entering the establishment, patrons are greeted by a comfortable atmosphere that is vintage North Idaho through and through.
Between a wood fire stove in one corner and a wood-fired pizza oven in the other, the cozy building continues to warm its residents even after it’s extensive remodel.
Before the Hills picked up the property, along with the neighboring Avery Store and Motel, Pete explains that it was a simple pole building with gravel floors and a barrel stove in it that people could warm up by.
The couple acquired all of the properties on Dec. 1, 2018, moved to Avery and started the warming hut’s remodel in the summer of 2019.
With what the place looks like now, it’s difficult to picture its simple roots.
From the bar, one can see the exposed kitchen and wood-fired pizza oven that truly is a work of art. Borrowing the look of an old-fashioned copper still, this unique piece of kitchen machinery cooks pizzas around 750 degrees — roughly 250 to 150 degrees hotter than normal pizza ovens.
“I like exposed kitchens in restaurants because you can tell they are clean and you can see the action,” Pete said. “We talked about getting a regular pizza oven, but nobody is going to drive up to see a regular pizza oven.”
The Hills chose to serve just pizza out of TFP’s at first, but were convinced to add chicken to the menu after several requests for a local favorite.
“Initially, we were just going to do pizza, but everybody who came through the door told us ‘you have to get Sanda’s chicken,’” Pete said.
Locals know Sanda from her time running the St. Joe Lodge and Chicken Joes.
The Hills are more than happy with their two-item menu because they are confident in their food’s quality and its ability to be packed up and taken on the go to a campsite or on the trail.
“Both are things they can put in a box and take with them,” Lori said.
With just over a month under their belt, the Hills are pleased so far with how TFP’s is doing.
“It’s been really busy,” Pete said. “We’ve had great support.”
“The community and the surrounding communities have supported us so much,” Lori added.
When warmer weather rolls around, TFP’s will utilize its garage door style window next to the bar to serve customers in an outside seating area that is nestled between the business and the Avery Store.
TFP’s, the store and motel, are located right next to each other at 95 Milwaukee Road in Avery. Business hours are Thursday through Sunday, noon to 8 p.m.
For more information, visit www.averystoremotel.com and follow them on social media.