Big Sky Blog

(snort) Good luck!

Oh — I didn’t notice the Missoula part until just now. I’d recommend the Good Food Store and Tipu’s (vegetarian, Indian).

Other than that, she’s gonna starve.

Hm … Hm … you might be going through Kalispell on the way to Missoula, I assume. Stick to places that offer salads. You can go anywhere and ask for the vegetarian versions of their dishes. Hm. Yeah.

Let me go look at a phone book… Vivienne’s in Kalispell on 1st Ave East. Yeah, Ruth … you’re going to have a hard time just looking for Organic food. You might wanna go a bit wild on this trip.

I thought of another Missoula place: Liquid Planet has free wifi with purchase. They have very good coffee, and an excellent crepe menu. Downtown on Higgins at Broadway.

Free Wifi in Kalispell -> City Brew, Greskos. City Brew has pretty damn good coffee, might I add.

Hmm- didn’t know it would be such a difficult question.

We don’t limit ourselves to organic or vegetarian food, but we like fresh food, simply prepared. It can be a corner café that’s been there for decades.

Where do you eat? And what do you like about it?

What does ‘go a bit wild’ mean? Where would we go a bit wild. Just don’t recommend McDonald’s, CrackerBarrel, or TGIF. We do go to Panera pretty often. (Are these only East Coast places?)

Thanks for your suggestions so far. I look forward to more.

Wheat Montana! They grow their own wheat, make their own bread, and they’re just good. They have locations in Billings, Bozeman, Great Falls, Helena, Kalispell, Missoula, Polson and Three Forks. They have a website located here.

Whoops, you said no franchise — Wheat Montana is, technically one, but they’re different, like I said, Montana grown wheat and other local ingredients.

We don’t have TGIF or Panera in Montana to my knowledge.

The thing is, with the exception of Missoula and perhaps Kalispell/Whitefish, Montana is pretty much a meat and potatoes kind of place. It’s GOOD meat and potatoes, but that doesn’t sound like what you’re looking for. In Great Falls and Cut Bank, you’ll be lucky if you can find a salad made out of something other than iceberg lettuce.

Here’s what I do when driving through small Montana towns: Look for the roadside cafes that have a bunch of vehicles parked out front. Ask if the biscuits and gravy are homemade. Ask the waitress what’s good. Get the huckleberry shake special or the homemade huckleberry pie.

Most every Montana town has a 4B’s, which is like a local Denny’s. Their tomato soup is excellent.

Another local chain — there’s one in Great Falls — is MacKenzie River Pizza Co. Good food.

Bring energy bars, nuts and water bottles. Stop at grocery stores for fruit and cheese.

And don’t eat the Rocky Mountain Oysters! ;-)

Oh, Courtney’s comment is good, and reminds me of Great Harvest Bakery, which has locations in GF, Kalispell and Missoula.

Awww, but Patia! Them Rocky Mountain Oysters are good eats! VERY high in Protein! ;)

Patia is right — this is BEEF country! You can’t turn around without bumping into a dead cow (mmm, good!)!

I had a house guest for awhile who is a vegan, organic only — she ate regularly at the Good Food Store deli and Tipu’s.

But there are many good places in Missoula, really — downtown, there’s Two Sisters, which has a good reputation; excellent fresh soups, salads and sandwiches at Calyx. And there’s always the Uptown Diner for good old fashioned small-town food.

I see a new place has opened: Bigo Pizza, which says “local products, fresh produce, artisan meats and cheeses”.

Bernice’s!

And yet again, the Western Montana voices announce that there is no good food to be purchased in Great Falls.

I really don’t think that is the case any more. The Iron Horse Bakery is making wonderful sandwiches and pizza on Wednesday. Daisy’s Lunch Counter makes wonderful food (it’s organic). Great sandwiches are available at Great Harvest Bread (is it a franchise if it started here?).

If you like Japanese, Teriyaki Kitchen is very good. They fly in fresh fish for sushi every Monday. For Chinese or Korean, try the Maple Garden.

And of course, in Beef country there are plenty of places for a good steak. Eddies, Borries and Cattleman’s Cut come to mind.

Good eating!

I thought Great Harvest started in Dillon since they have a headquarters building there?

Bar S between GF & Belt have good steaks, if you are into smalltown fair try Belt’s Black Diamond and sample the goods at the Brew pub. If you are willing ot drive to the middle of nowhere the Highwood bar has AWESOME prime rib!

Aaron, I’m writing those down for my next trip to Great Falls!

Courtney and David: :-D

Panda, I think you’re right about Dillon.

Ruth: When you drive around Flathead Lake, be sure to stop for some cherries! Best in the country right there, and your timing is perfect.

It’s a franchise when their stores start popping up everywhere. They’re across the state.

Thank you all so much. We start our trip Wednesday. We’ll let you know how it goes.

Thanks for the tip about the cherries, too.

Also try Tower Pizza on Brooks: it is a little bit of a wait, but the food is good. The Bridge (on Higgins) or the Catalyst (also on Higgins), or Taco del Sol (several locations, local business, cheap and yummy mexican) are also good options.

Sean Kelly’s in Downtown Missoula is one of the best restaurants around. they offer fresh food made from scratch.
Homade soups, bread, etc.
Great Steak, salad, sandwiches,vegitarian choices too.
Full bar, 17 taps, wine list, & martinis!
On Pine Street Downtown.

I know this post is 4 years old, but for anyone who happens to upon it like i did, here are some current suggestions:
The Knead Cafe on the east side of kalispell

Famous Dave’s–I know they’re a franchise, but they do make most of their food fresh daily

Lakeside has 2 great restaurants:
The Docks
and the Tamarack Brewing Company.
excellent fish tacos at both!