10 Best Restaurants in Kalispell, Missoula, and Northwest Montana, Montana

Buttery croissants, cookies, cupcakes, scones, quiches, muffins, and other glorious baked treats abound at Missoula's best bakery, a longtime local favorite. Come in for coffee seven days a week from 6 am to 8 pm or for lunch from 11 am to 4 pm, when there's a small selection of soups, salads, and sandwiches, such as roast beef and Swiss, or hummus on whole wheat with feta and artichoke hearts. There's seating inside and out, or you can eat alongside the nearby river.

Shakes come in two sizes—regular or large—at Big Dipper, where folks line up for homemade ice cream in flavors like cardamom, green tea, huckleberry, maple walnut, and Mexican chocolate. In the summer, the line can extend around the block. There are locations in Helena and Billings, too.

Meet the brewmaster, sample a Bitterroot Bock or Single Hop Pale Ale and enjoy live music Thursday and Saturday. One of the oldest breweries in the state, Bitter Root Brewing brews 40 different styles of beer annually, and the kitchen churns out all your favorite brewpub staples, including their specialty, hand-dipped, Sawtooth Ale-battered fish-and-chips.

One of a very few small, local breweries that is all about lagers rather than ales, the Bayern Brewery offers dozen craft beers in this German-style brewery's tasting room. The Edelweis Bistro upstairs serves good German staples, including excellent sausages and schnitzels. Try the bratwurst and sauerkraut or the kasespatzle. Beer options include Schwarzbier and St. Wilbur Weizen, as well as seasonal specials such as Dopplebock, Groomer, or Face Plant during ski season, and Dump Truck Summer Bock when the weather's warm. Brewery tours are available by appointment.

For a bit of town gossip and great burgers, stop in this classic small-town café, a dressed-down spot where the locals love to hang out. On the weekends, enjoy the best breakfast buffet in the Bitterroot Valley.

Loosely translated, the name means "The Little Outrageous," which is fitting since the croissants, scones, brioches, canneles, and other sweet baked treats here are outrageously good. It also serves the best coffee in town. In addition to pastry, this longtime bakery sells artisan breads (think baguettes, ciabatta, rosemary foccaccia, and New York rye), gourmet mustards, salts, vinegars, and olive oils.

The Rocky Mountains might be a strange place for a coffee trader, but the folks at Montana Coffee Traders have been roasting their own beans south of Whitefish for decades. Fresh coffee, pastries, and homemade gelato are favorites at this popular downtown hangout. Stop in to enjoy a cuppa joe and browse the hand-painted furniture, gifts, local artworks, and bulk coffees and teas that line the brick walls.

Floorboards creak beneath your feet as you explore this old-fashioned market, opened in the 1880s as Missoula's first grocery store and spilling over with deli delicacies today. With 150 cheeses to choose from, the sandwich possibilities are endless; have them pile on Black Forest ham and horseradish for a creation that will get you down the trail. There's an impressive selection of specialty groceries, along with imported beer, microbrews, and an outstanding selection wine, plus a knowledgeable and friendly staff to help you make the best selections. There's limited seating both inside and outside, where Worden's espresso bar has a walk-up window.