The Inn at Langley on Whidbey Island reopened this summer after a thorough renovation. The refresh brought with it a new dining concept, Passage, headed by Executive Chef Johnny Spero.
“Shaped by the rhythm of the seasons, Passage is a new culinary experience at The Inn at Langley, rooted in the abundance of the Pacific Northwest. Drawing from the forests, waters, and farms of Whidbey Island and the wider Pacific coast, each meal unfolds with quiet intention, an intimate reflection of place, season, and thoughtful sourcing. Led by award-winning Executive Chef Johnny Spero, Passage will be a multi-course tasting menu service with a la carte beverage offerings and curated pairing options,” a representative of the Inn at Langley says in an email to Bellingham Alive.
The Inn at Langley was built and opened in 1989 by former Seattle mayor Paul Schell and his wife, Pam Schell. Dining was part of the attraction from the start, open to both guests and the public alike. Up until Passage, the restaurant’s identity was entangled with the Inn, and it was known simply as the dining room, the restaurant, the kitchen, or Chef’s Kitchen.
Previous chef Matt Costello came on board around 2003 and guided the restaurant into a golden age of seasonal set menus, reverently handled local ingredients, modernist techniques, and avant-garde presentations. Costello stepped back from the stove in early 2023, and retired in 2025.
Spero, whose now-closed Washington, D.C. restaurant earned a Michelin star in 2022, told the Whidbey News-Times he hopes to create memorable experiences with island ingredients, thoughtful details, and a “less is more” philosophy.
400 First St., Langley, 360.221.3033, innatlangley.com
Photograph by Teo Crider
