17 of the most delicious places to eat + drink in Great Falls, Montana
Great Falls, Montana, may not be known for its food, but after reading this guide to the most delicious spots in the city, you’re sure to be salivating! This post compiles the most mouthwatering restaurants in Great Falls so you can get your foodie fix stat.
Cruising down 10th Avenue, you’d likely believe that the only food Great Falls, Montana, has to offer is in the form of chain restaurants and fast-food joints. You’d be wildly mistaken. There are lots of relatively new businesses that keep the people of Great Falls fed and watered.
Great Falls has changed a lot in the twelve years since I showed up in my blue Daewood as a college freshman {completely unaware that I’d leave for New Zealand and alter the whole trajectory of my life}, and that includes the number and variety of spots to eat and drink at. The food scene in Great Falls has definitely expanded and stepped up its game including new breweries, fancy bars, and patio restaruants.
supper club heritage in Montana ↴
Before I give you the low down on the most delicious places to eat in Great Falls, I figured it only makes sense to address the fact that I haven’t listed a single supper club in my roundup. To be honest, supper clubs aren’t really my thing. Supper clubs aren’t really known for being delicious as much as they are known for their odd culinary combinations. Despite their quirkiness, supper clubs are part of Montana’s cultural fabric and a Western U.S. tradition.
For those of you who do not know, a supper club is a restaurant that doubles as a social club and is usually found in small-town/rural locations. Think homemade, surf ’n’ turf food in an old-time-y setting. Ravioli with a side of shrimp finished off by an ice cream sundae…this sort of thing, ya dig? Supper clubs tend to put on a sophisticated, albeit outdated, front but they have an affordable price point.
FUN FACT: The late travel and food expert, Anthony Bourdain, once had dinner at a supper club with my Philosophy Professor, Aaron Parrett, in a Parts Unknown episode.
Here are some of the best supper clubs in Great Falls to try if you’re game:
Borries
Montana Club
Eddie’s
breakfast + brunch in Great Falls ↴
Crooked Tree Coffee
It’s no secret that while I was going to University in Montana, I worked at Crooked Tree. So, it’s probably fair to say that I’m totally biased when I say that Crooked Tree is my favourite place for a breakfast date. Yes, the food on the menu is pretty light compared to the other morning eateries on this list, but it’s delicious. Every pastry is perfection. The light from the floor-to-ceiling windows is absolutely breathtaking in the AM hours. The open loft floor plan adds to the place’s trendy interior and sleek ceramic dishware elevated the chicness. But, it’s the coffee, guys. It’s the coffee. Glorious, roasted to perfection, served ala manual espresso pulls— it’s just *sigh* incredible. I also am a major fan of the Spinach and Feta Breakfast Biscuit.
Hot tip: Try the Cinnamon Ombré— I actually created this signature drink during a barista competition and it is my coffee-making legacy.
Electric City Coffee + Bistro
Electric City was new on the scene when I returned to Great Falls {for a short 5-month period}. Almost instantly, it became a habitual lunch haunt thanks to its delicious sandwiches and hot soups. Mostly, I love the concept of picking a mug from a shelf and filling it with piping hot drip coffee. There’s something that feels so “I’m a local, that’s my fave mug at Electirc” that really resonates with the sentimental freak in me.
PurpleGold
PurpleGold gives hungry guests a break from classic American breakfast food. Instead, it offers patrons healthy {equally filling} fruit smoothie bowls. Think trendy Bali breakfasts served from a food truck…but in Montana instead of Indonesia. PurpleGold bowls are super filling and they’re packed with all the good nutrients your body is likely begging for. PurpleGold is only open during the warmer months {no one is likely to stand outdoors in line for a smoothie bowl in the middle of a Great Falls winter, no matter how delicious they are}. I highly recommend the Four Oh Six bowl or the E-City to jumpstart your morning.
Clark + Lewie’s
Clark and Lewie’s classic dinner brunches are the best part of a Sunday morning in Great Falls. For one, they’re nearly the only place that’s open on a Sunday morning, and for another thing, they’re the perfect combination of comfort foods and diner atmosphere. Eggs, toast, pancakes, bacon— you get the picture, right?
Al Banco
Avocado Toast on a sunny patio overlooking the river— what could be better? Not much, except maybe Al Banco’s Quinoa Bowl or their flat whites served with homemade Apple Cake. The options here range from baked goods to healthy breakfast to filling brunch. Al Banco roasts their own coffee and knows all about the art of espresso. Trust me. This is one Great Falls establishment you don’t want to miss out on.
lunch + dinner in Great Falls ↴
The Block Bar + Grill
A restaurant that serves a variety of grilled cheese sandwiches is such a simple idea. Nestle it amongst some of the best bars and breweries in the town, and you’ve got a winner. The Block eloquently executed this exact concept in the heart of the downtown area. I bypassed my vegan lifestyle and tried the Jalapeno Grilled Cheese sandwich paired with a creamy tomato soup. The high top tables and window-side seating make it feel like the kind of place you’d pop into with your best friends for a pre-game bite to eat, before grabbing a few pints.
Mackenzie River Pizza
Is it a chain? Yes. Is it delicious? Also yes. Mackenzie River Pizza gets a visit every time I stop in Great Falls for one simple reason: Thai Pie pizza on original crust {hold the chicken, hold the mandarin oranges}. I promise you will not regret it. It’s got peanut crunch. It’s got golden crust. It’s got a completely different kind of flavour that never gets old and gives me constant cravings.
Hot tip: the outdoor patio here sits right along the river, so it’s a real treat in the summertime.
Wheat Montana
Grilled sandwiches made with freshly baked bread are Wheat Montana’s specialty. And, during those cold Montana winters, they are a godsend. For a lighter, alternative lunch, there are salads, soups, and wraps. Sweet tooths will be curbed thanks to the endless supply of pastries served fresh out of the oven.
Howard’s Pizza
Howard’s Pizza is a late-night joint that’s been family-owned since 1959. You can get Howard’s Pizza at different locations around town, but the best place for pizza after a night out or when you’re having midnight cravings is Howard’s. The location near Gibson Park is my personal fave since you can take your slice over to the green space and enjoy it while sitting in the grass, but I’ll take a hot slice of Howard’s anywhere I can get my hands on it.
Chuck’s Oriental Palace
Hear. Me. Out. Chuck’s has delivered its goods to me and Lyndsay in the middle of snowstorms, on super late nights when we couldn’t decide what we wanted to eat until it was way past most places’ delivery hours, and arrived hot every single time. If you’re eating in, however, you can expect retro dining chairs reminiscent of a Bingo Hall. Red lanterns hang from the foam ceiling tiles and tapestries adorn the walls. The Vegetable Chow Mein is a winner and so are the Pot Stickers.
Fire Artisan Pizza
Right next door to Crooked Tree is Fire Artisan Pizza, an excellent spot for an intimate date night. The low-lighting and small setting with limited seating creates a cosy and romantic atmosphere. The pizza is standard wood-fired, but there are delicious topping combinations that all take fresh and flavourful.
Fiesta en Jalisco
Great Falls isn’t really known for its Mexican food, but Fiesta en Jalisco {technically a regional chain} is a pretty solid choice. The burritos here are as big as your face and stuffed full of beans, rice, veggies, and your choice of meat {if meat is your thing}. You get a lot of food on your plate no matter what you order. Match your food with a margarita and you’re set!
cocktails + craft beer in Great Falls ↴
Mighty Mo
The Mighty Mo is a fantastic place for cold craft beer and woodfire pizza. The industrial space is located on Central Avenue, in the heart of the downtown. My favourite beers on tap include Belgian Blonde, Coyote, and the Blue Fog. There are veggie-friendly pizzas available. Not much else to say really— grab your friends for a pint and pizza.
Sip’n’Dip
Some call having a Fish Bowl on a night out at the Sip’n’Dip a rite of passage. Some, a religious experience. I call it a must. What’s a Fish Bowl you might ask? It’s an alcoholic concoction served in a larger-than-life glass with a tacky paper umbrella, a large maraschino cherry, and an obnoxious bendy straw {or three as pictured above}.
MT Pints (permanently closed)
Once known as The Front, this Great Falls haunt has rebranded under new ownership as MT Pints. It has perfect outdoor seating for a Montana summer evening spent sipping craft beer. The Nachos for Two and Cheese Curds are both mouth-watering appetizers that pair well with the Hazy IPA {or the Golden Bobcat Ale…or the Vanilla Porter…}
Elevation 3330
Custom cocktails, gourmet nibbles, and exceptional craft beer make Elevation 3330 a triple threat, new to the Great Falls public house scene. There is really nothing more “Montana” than a pint of Cold Smoke and live guitar. Elevation has a sleek industrial interior with a balcony, perfect for summer nights, and a bison head hanging from behind the bar. The drink and food here put Elevation above the rest {pun, fully intended}. I highly recommend the Tres Generation Tequila, Hibiscus, and Grapefruit cocktail if you dig something zesty.
Enbär Craft Cocktail Lounge
“The Enbär” as it’s known by locals, specializes in handcrafted cocktails, local microbrews, and delicious food in a super swanky setting.
map ↴
Find the best places to eat and drink in Great Falls, Montana on the map below.
