Places to eat in Montana

I have worked here for over 7 years and I have met many many traveling people. So not based on my opinion but on theirs, I know that this is a very nice restaurant to stumble upon in western Montana. The ambience and atmosphere are special.

Favorite Dish: I would go for a good Montana steak myself but there are many choices available, seafood and vegetarian entrees.

In downtown Missoula, this is a very cute, small restaurant and bar. Nice simple menu with organic foods and nice wine list and local beers.

Favorite Dish: We had a chipotle chicken quesadilla and an organic greens salad. It was delicious.

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Our time in Glacier National Park may have been great but we had been doing pretty dismally in Montana ever since we left the park. Bayern Brewing had been a disappointing bust and it led to a nightmarish search for a motel for the night that found us laying our very weary heads down a lot later than we had ever imagined in a little town called Drummond.

It was not the greatest place and when drying out our wet tent, I tore a few small holes in its mesh screening. It was pouring when we got up and since we had a short drive that day and had gotten in so late, enjoyed being in a room no matter how meager it was. We had to leave at some point as the motel's restaurant was closed on Sunday and wouldn't you just know it, yup, it was Sunday.

We were pretty hungry driving towards Yellowstone but nothing really jumped out at us along I-90 until this big silver silo appeared on the horizon. It almost looked like a brewery but I dared not even say it after the previous evening's outing. Nope, it was a big bakery called Wheat Montana. It's parking lot was full so we decided to give it a shot and glad we did. It was pretty touristy but it seemed to attract plenty of locals too. Hell, I guess out in Three Forks, there aren't all that many choices for a Sunday afternoon meal. It was cozy enough and warm.

Favorite Dish: We both had roast beef with cheddar cheese. It was grilled and came with chips and a pickle. We also split a raspberry bun to go with our much needed coffees. The sandwiches were pretty good. The bun looked a lot better than it was. Our bill came to $23. It was counter service so no need to tip.

Fiddler's Green is a sports bar and grill. The decor was minimal except for the sports posters and beer signs. The menu tended toward pizza and burgers but included some heavier fare. I had a decent pizza. The waitress was cute but not that friendly or efficient. I will probably go somewhere else on my next visit.

The Kountry Korner Cafe is located in a western style building just outside Bozeman. Inside the decor tended toward western style with a homey atmosphere. The staff was friendly and the menu varied. I had some meatloaf that was well above average. Portions were large enough and the price reasonable. I would recommend this place and would be happy to eat here again. The place seemed to be very popular with the locals and had a steady stream of customers.

Favorite Dish: Good meatloaf.

Okay, I've posted this as a Montana tip because I don't have enough to warrant a Billings page - despite having been there quite a few times. Author Christopher Moore makes a perfect comment about Billings in his book "Coyote Blue" but I wouldn't want to offend anyone who lives there! :)

In the spring of 2009, I took a group of students to Italy and Greece. In Athens, we met a very friendly shop owner who adopted our whole group - making sure that we traveled safely and ate well while we were in the city. He'd been to Montana - a complete surprise! - and was thrilled to share stories about his travels. One of his friends owns a restaurant in Billings...so my students practically demanded a visit there once we'd returned to the US. In a very Montana moment, 12 of us drove the 2.5 hours to Billings simply for dinner!

The Athenian recently remodeled and has beautiful pictures of Greek landmarks on the walls. The dining room is spacious enough, but quickly filled, even on a Monday night.

Favorite Dish: My gyros platter was great. We also enjoyed the sampler appetizer platter with stuffed grape leaves, olives, feta, etc. A couple of the guys went for the meal samplers and loved them. The desserts were great - all homemade.

The gyros meet is beef or chicken. Lamb seems to be hard to get - or get in the right form? - in Montana. I must also mention the service. The owner was wonderful and kind, enjoying my students' enthusiasm for the evening. We felt very welcome, despite being a large group with mostly young people.

At the end of the night, with a bit of a drive ahead of me, I took home a Greek coffee. It was wonderful!

This small diner in the even smaller Polson, Montana is an unexpected gem. Seat yourself in the 50's inspired diner where the owner may or may not have a Betty Boop fetish. Grab a cold Flathead Cherry Ale that is brewed right down the road. The waitstaff is friendly and is glad to give you advice on what to do around the area. We were lucky enough to find out about "Polson's Got Talent" happening that evening and were schooled on the local talent. After one dinner here, we were hooked. This was a once or twice a week ritual with our favorite waitress, Leah.

Favorite Dish: I can embarrassingly state that I ate the same thing every time I went to Betty's. The Greek Chicken Salad. It is amazing! With freshly grilled chicken, an abundance of vegetables, feta cheese, and tzatziki sauce it belongs in a real greek restaurant. Everything seems fresh and has amazing flavor.

I did try bites of other peoples dishes, which were just as good. The Black'n'Blue Salad and the Breezy Burger were hits as well.

While in Billings, we walked down the road from our hotel to the nearby Outback Steakhouse. Sure, they are all the same everywhere you go, but you always know what you are getting. We sat at the bar where we could watch the World Series since we visited in mid-October. We had a Fat Tire draft ($4.50), then stuck with a few rounds of local Big Sky Brewing Company's Moose Drool Brown Ale (also $4.50). For our dinners we enjoyed an 11 ounce sirloin steak ($15) and the pecan trout ($16.30).