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Bozeman and Big Sky Montana are literally on fire food-wise. Having just returned from a two month stay I can confidently say that the restaurant/dining scene is better than it has ever been. Maybe the migration of top culinary talent is a result of Covid, but whatever the reason, I am grateful. Having spent Christmas and New Years in Japan and South Korea I feel I can confidently pass judgement on the current Montana landscape especially where Asian food is concerned. While the below restaurants are not my only favorites, they are certainly at the top of my list.

Always a highlight for me is a meal at The Hummingbird’s Kitchen, the brain child of Chef Linda Huang. While the dinners used to be a secret for the most die-hard foodies they have now become public knowledge since Chef Linda has recently been named as a semi-finalist for a James Beard award in the best chef category (Mountain States) as well as appearing on the show Meateater. It is clear the cats out of the bag; all the more reason to celebrate each reservation I have been able to score at one of her communal dinners. The secret is to sign up for the monthly e-mail blasts and grab seats immediately, reservations are generally gone within minutes.

This winter we celebrated Lunar New Year at The Hummingbird’s Kitchen which was festive, fun and delicious.

In addition to the Lunar New Year celebration we attended a Hunan themed dinner which was fantastic. I especially love the communal seating (we have yet to attend an event where we didn’t leave with new friends) as well as the fact that it is BYOB. FYI, beer, sake and champagne are all perfect matches for these epic multi-course feasts.

Izakaya Three Fish is another incredible dining destination, not just by Bozeman standards, but compared to any foodie destination, even Japan. We have been visiting Chef Paul (and bartender extraordinaire Maddie) for several years, and the experience just keeps getting better and better. Paul was a finalist last year for a James Beard award, and should have taken home the prize.

Sourcing all of the fish from Japan and Hawaii ensures the freshest and broadest selection of perfect bites all washed down with expertly matched cocktails, beer, whiskey and/or sake (including our current favorite Naginata a sake made in Oregon with rice grown in Arkansas)!. We ended our most recent meal with soy sauce ice cream and it was unreal.

If you love an Omakase experience I recommend booking a meal at the counter (just 10 seats) at Izakaya Three Fish, you won’t be sorry.

There seems to be a common theme here, all of the best dining choices (in my opinion) in Bozeman are Asian. In addition to Chinese and Japanese, Shan represents Northern Thailand with truly remarkable food (Chef Jarrett Wrisley was also a finalist for a James Beard award last year). Reserving at Shan has been notoriously difficult because the demand is high and the original space was very small. A recent expansion has made it slightly easier, but be prepared to settle for a very early or very late table, it fills up fast.

The menu at Shan features quite a bit of local meat dishes, but also has some fantastic vegetarian options, all heavy on the garlic! No chance of any vampires bothering us after our meal.

Speaking of healthy options that focus on local produce and ingredients, Little Star Diner is another spot that rarely disappoints. Cozy and casual it is perfect for a night out with friends.

Blackbird is a Main Street favorite that tbh I don’t actually love, but find myself dining at a lot. Its not the quality of the food I have issue with (its consistently quite good) it’s that the menu leans heavily on bread/pizza and pasta and they have no gluten free substitutions. The veggies are yummy (the kale salad in particular) but I never look at the menu with longing or excitement.

As far as service goes at Blackbird, I hate to say it but I get a weird vibe from the waitstaff, they are friendly enough but in a slightly condescending way and I am not alone in this opinion. Also, they all dress the same way as though the are members of some weird sourdough loving cult.

Moving on from Bozeman highlights to Big Sky, one of our favorite go-tos is the River House which is a classic down and dirty BBQ joint serving huge portions and cold beer. Bringing together a clientele that covers all the bases River House has something for everyone. It isn’t necessarily the healthiest fare, but it sure is a crowd pleaser. Note, they don’t take reservations so if you are a large group be sure to get there on the early side.

Michaelangelo’s in Big Sky is not the best Italian food you will ever have, but if you are craving a proper restaurant experience in Big Sky it is worth a visit. We hadn’t been in many years but joined a large group of friends there recently and we were both pleasantly surprised. The service was great as well as the cocktails, and the food was good enough. Cortina at the Montage delivers a higher quality meal, but this is a good opportiniy to support a local business.

Speaking of the Montage, I need to mention their coffee bar/french bakery outpost called Wildflower Market which turns out epic gluten free chocolate cookies as well as an extensive array of pastries and sweets. Definitely worth a visit!

The final meal of the trip before we headed back East may have been the most impressive. Bozeman native Jaison LeRoy is an outstanding sushi chef who creates a mind blowing Omakase experience in your home. Trained in Japan and logging experience at the Noma pop-up in Kyoto he is the real deal. After meeting him at a friend’s dinner party I couldn’t wait to plan a special event of my own that featured his artistry, and we were not disappointed. He and his staff (Bob and Sierra) allowed us to sit back and entertain our guests with no responsibility other than enjoying ourselves.

The food was off the charts (and there was a tremendous amount of it), Jaison was easy to work with, and the fish, which was all flown in from Japan was incredible. I am already planning another sushi dinner this summer, it was that good. A special shout out to Ayaka at Bozeman Cake who provided the (gluten free) yuzu tart and makes the most unbelievable desserts in Bozeman. You can DM her on IG if you are interested in placing an order.

Looking back we ate a lot during our winter stay in Montana, and there are still old favorites we didn’t get a chance to visit. We will have to add them to the list for this summer (Campione and Marks in Livingston being top of mind). I am also dying to try the Raclette at Vienne in Bozeman.

The food scene keeps getting better and better, one positive side affect of the growth that has happened since Covid (there is a reason it’s now called BozAngeles). Now if we could just get an Erewon it would be perfection.