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Featured Dining

HuHot Mongolian Grill

 3521 Brooks St. Missoula, MT
406.829.8888
   
Recently I was asked to do a review on HuHot Mongolian Grill in Missoula. Not wanting to tell my publisher the embarrassing fact that I am the most finicky person I’ve ever known, I simply said yes. The plan was to bring at least a friend or two to give me more accurate information on the cuisine that I would be trying. Yet, what happened was unexpected. In the end, the person who ended up enjoying the meal the most, was me. The pleasant experience started with the atmosphere and gained momentum throughout the meal. By the time dessert was served, HuHot and its employees had won me over.
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Pearl Cafe

 231 E. Front St. Missoula, MT
406.541.0231
 

 
Steeped in Missoula history, the Pearl Café is unlike any other dining experience in Missoula. The building was built in the early 1900s and was owned by Missoula Mercantile Company. Over the years, countless numbers of employees left their mark on the walls and structures of the old warehouse. A century’s worth of history is captured by the names and inscriptions carved into the timbers still visible and incorporated into the décor of the Pearl Café. Owner Pearl Cash opened the restaurant on June 16th, 2004 and has focused on providing excellent cuisine with a contemporary flair. The Pearl Café features fresh seafood and local meats, such as bison, and is known for their outstanding homemade desserts. Restaurant favorites include Fresh Salmon with thyme, pinot noir sauce and creamy leeks, filet mignon with a port wine reduction and Roquefort sauce, and the flowerless chocolate hazelnut tort served with hazelnut praline. Dinner for two including drinks is around $70. The Pearl Café is open Monday through Saturday from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Johnny Carino's

 N. Reserve Missoula, MT
406.541.7900
 

 
The big, bold taste of the Italian countryside comes alive at Johnny Carino’s. Featuring an extensive list of pastas, steaks and seafood dishes, Johnny Carino’s offers hearty meals at reasonable prices. The atmosphere is casual and intimate, and considerable time was spent decorating this restaurant with the hundreds of pictures and antiques adorning every wall. Restaurant favorites include the seasoned spinach stuffed mushrooms in a lemon basil cream sauce, the grilled Italian sirloin with Gorgonzola cream sauce, and my personal favorite, the spicy Romano chicken with strips of wood-grilled chicken, sun dried tomatoes, and artichoke hearts. Owners Karen and Paul Ward opened the Missoula Johnny Carino’s in November of 2003, one year after opening the Bozeman Johnny Carino’s in January of 2002. Paul and Karen also just opened a Johnny Carino’s in Billings last January, and are planning on opening two more restaurants, with Kalispell and Great Falls as two likely candidates. Johnny Carino’s is open Sunday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Friday/Saturday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. For the nights where you just don’t feel like dining out, try Johnny Carino’s curbside takeaway service.

The Bridge

 515 S. Higgins Ave.
Missoula, MT
406.542.0638
 

 
The Bridge has been a staple of casual fine dining in Missoula for over thirty years. Located in a turn of the century “Dime-a-Dance” hall just across the Higgins Avenue Bridge from historic Downtown Missoula, The Bridge offers two floors of dining in a cozy, casual atmosphere suitable for small or large gatherings. Its prime location allows The Bridge to be the center of activity for both the university area and downtown Missoula. This Italian Bistro features fresh seafood, steaks, homemade pastas, specialty pizzas, regional microbrews and an extensive selection of wines. Restaurant favorites include fresh mussels steamed with dijon, cream and roasted garlic; filet mignon served with a cabernet and Gorgonzola reduction, roasted garlic mashed potatoes and sautéed seasonal vegetables; and charbroiled petit filet mignon served with a medley of lobster, crab, shrimp and scallops. Expect to pay around $50 for dinner for two with drinks. The Bridge opens for dinner everyday at 5 p.m. and reservations are accepted. There is also a delivery and drive-thru service (406.542.0002) that opens at 11 a.m. daily.

The Depot

 201 W. Railroad St.
Missoula, MT
406.728.7007
 

 
For 32 years, The Depot has been providing Missoula with choice hand-cut steaks and the freshest of seafood. Owner Mike Munsey opened The Depot in 1974, and he has been committed to the growth and improvement of the restaurant ever since, including the newly remodeled dining room. The upscale interior of The Depot is warm and inviting. The walls are adorned with more than 30 Larry Pirnie paintings commissioned exclusively for Mike Munsey and The Depot. In addition to the cozy, intimate interior, the outside deck is one of the most popular summer destinations in the city. The Depot also boasts an extensive wine selection. Resident wine expert, general manager, and Depot partner Ed Wells is sure to know the exact vintage for the evening’s dinner. Dishes to sample include the garlic roasted beef tenderloin filet served with a cognac-dijon mustard sauce, the grilled swordfish with fresh pesto sauce, and the famous Depot shrimp won tons. The dining room opens for dinner at 5:30 p.m. every evening, and the lounge and deck open at 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

Red Bird

 120 W. Front St. Missoula, MT
406.549.2906
 

 
The perfect place for special occasions, Red Bird restaurant offers cuisine with a French and Italian flair. The discreet entrance located in the alley between Main and Front streets appropriately sets the stage for the intimate dining experience to follow. The menu is constantly changing, however, expect to find such favorites as grilled shiitake mushroom caps served in a white truffle cream with asparagus and herbed potato, and the always popular roasted red pepper soup. This constantly changing menu assures there will always be something new and exciting to sample at Red Bird. For nine years, Red Bird has featured homemade pastas as well as a focus on local meats such as Northwest game and Pacific seafood. Try the grilled bison tenderloin topped with melted Brie and served in a pool of Rattlesnake Creek’s cherry wine reduction with fried sage mashed potatoes and a chipotle-cherry chutney. Red Bird is open for dinner Tuesday through Saturday from 5 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. and reservations are recommended.

Lindey's Prime Steakhouse

 Montana Highway 83
Seeley Lake, MT
406.677.9229
 

 
Does flying an airplane to the front door of a favorite restaurant seem a little far fetched? It may come as a surprise then that it is possible right here in the Three Rivers region. Lindey’s Prime Steakhouse, located on the shores of Seeley Lake, is a registered float plane base. Any plane that can be landed on water can pull up to the dock at Lindey’s and in minutes have its occupants seated for dinner.
I recently met Mike Lindemer and his wife Jenny at their restaurant and found out Mike was as excited to talk about flying as he was his business. He talked of his involvement with the flying club, how he provides a courtesy car to people flying in from out of town and the dates for the annual Seeley Lake Fly In (second weekend in August). I am sure Mike would be happy to entertain anyone coming to dinner with more stories about flying. However, if one only talked of flying one would miss the main reason for traveling to Lindey’s, prime sirloin beef. “This is the place for steak,” exclaims Mike.
Lindey’s has offered their unique menu to Seeley Lake since 1980, and is the longest running family business in the valley. The original Lindey’s Steakhouse opened in Minneapolis in 1958 and is still owned and operated by Mike’s mother and four brothers. Mike’s dad brought his business here after a hunting trip to the region and falling in love with the land.
The menu, as simple as it is surprising, is brought to the diner on a sign board. There are only three choices: Lindey’s special sirloin, Lindey’s prime sirloin, and Lindey’s chopped sirloin, all served with a salad, potato and garlic bread. A side order of sautéed mushrooms can also be added. That’s it. No grilled chicken breast. No fish. No noodles. It is a menu that has served the test of time for the two Lindey’s operations and people continue to come back. They cook sirloin and they do it extremely well. Recently they have added huckleberry and strawberry cheesecake for dessert. It doesn’t take long to peruse the menu and make a decision, and none of the three choices would be a bad one.
The food is excellent and the atmosphere is warm, friendly and welcoming. There is room for 110 guests with a separate dining area for events such as rehearsal dinners and Christmas parties. The lounge inside has full bar service but not a single gaming machine or television to distract a visitor.
A lunch time visit to Lindey’s whether arriving by airplane, boat or land, offers the chance to sample one of their Bay Burgers. Served from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the restaurant during the winter and as a picnic by the lake during the summer a Bay Burger will nicely satisfy the appetite of the hungriest visitor. Mike and Jenny still actively work the restaurant and one of Mike’s pleasures is the relationship built with many return customers. During the summer Lindey’s adds up to twenty employees for the busier months and down to eight during the winter. “It is difficult to get the word out that we are open year round,” says Mike, “especially since a large part of our business is based on tourists.”
Anyone interested in a fine steak dinner will appreciate a trip to Lindey’s. Great service, great people and consistency are hallmarks of good businesses and all three can be found at Lindey’s Prime Steakhouse.
 

Finn & Porter

 100 Madison St. Missoula, MT
406.542.4660
 

 
For one of the finest dining experiences in Missoula, try an evening at Finn & Porter. The atmosphere is elegant and expansive, and the massive outside deck offers an unparalleled view of the Clark Fork River. Boasting a great selection of seafood and steak, you are sure to find a dish prepared to your liking. Finn & Porter also features one of the most extensive wine lists in Montana, ensuring the perfect complimenting wine for any meal. For anyone looking for excellent seafood, Finn & Porter should be high on their list of Missoula restaurants. Fresh seafood is flown in twice a week. Try the alder plank roasted Pacific king salmon or the Dungeness crab cakes. Steak lovers should be sure to try the 16-ounce Angus porterhouse with caramelized sweet onion and cheddar cheese mashed potatoes and maple-bourbon barbeque sauce. Expect to pay $75 to $100 for dinner for two including drinks. Finn & Porter is open Sunday through Thursday, 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Friday/Saturday 6 a.m. to 11 p.m.