Ernie’s Bakery and Deli is a longtime West Yellowstone institution, serving breakfast, lunch and baked goods just minutes from Yellowstone National Park’s west entrance. The restaurant is known for its hearty breakfasts, including omelets, breakfast sandwiches, biscuits and gravy, and pancakes. Fresh-baked breads, pastries and croissants are made in-house, while the lunch menu features deli sandwiches, soups and salads. A handful of French-inspired offerings, including crepes and croque monsieur, reflect the bakery’s roots. Royal Breakfast Sandwich - amoked salmon, cream cheese, dill, egg on a bagel. The runny egg spurted out the top of the bagel, so the texture left a lot to be desired. There was no lack of flavor though - especially dill. For dessert, I had a "Yellowstone Mudpot" treat, which features a sourdough pretzel covered in caramel and chocolate, and a "Haystack," which has toasted coconut and cocolate. Plus Mimi's caramel. The Mudpot delivered the perfect balance of sweet and salty. The Haystack combined toasted coconut and chocolate for a rich, chewy treat, while Mimi’s caramel was buttery, smooth and hard to stop eating. All three felt like fitting rewards after a day spent exploring Yellowstone. Grade: B

Connie’s Restaurant & Saloon is one of the Yellowstone area’s longtime local institutions. It’s a rustic, cabin-style restaurant and saloon just off U.S. 20. Opened in 2014, the restaurant is known for hearty portions, friendly service and a menu that caters to Yellowstone visitors. I had to try finger steaks. Finger steaks are one of Idaho’s signature foods, a regional specialty that originated in Boise in the 1950s. Made by cutting steak into finger-sized strips, battering and deep-frying them until crisp on the outside and tender inside, they’re typically served with fries. They're like the beef version of chicken tenders. I like this as an alternative. But I'd love it even more with a side of steak sauce. I ordered the St. Louis BBQ Baby Back Ribs, because they were noted as a specialty. 1 3/4 lbs. ribs and you could get a side of spaghetti. I am not mad at all at this combo, though I think both were fairly average. Ribs were a bit tough; marinara was a bit bland. What was not bland, though, was that piece of pie. Huckleberry a la mode. Huckleberries are one of Idaho’s most popular local foods. The small purple berries grow wild in the mountains, and many families have favorite picking spots they return to every summer. Because huckleberries are usually gathered from the wild rather than grown on farms, they’re considered a special treat. You’ll find them in everything from pie and pancakes to ice cream, jam and syrup. The berries are so closely tied to the state that Idaho named the huckleberry its official state fruit. Grade: B

TeaSpoons is a hidden gem in South Hills that offers bubble tea, acai bowls and other small bites. They also had a short run at the Tech Park where their specialty item was a smashburger -- so I had to try it. The smashburger cane with cheese, lettuce, tomato, crispy onions, mayo & ketchup. I also added a side of potato salad and a mango tea. The burger was pretty good. I liked the thin patties, and the veggies were fresh. I would've liked more seasoning - some simple salt & pepper. The drink was the star for me - sweet, refreshing and a great pairing with the burger for a summer meal. Grade: B

Some restaurants become famous because of celebrity chefs or elaborate menus. Others earn their place in history with a single item done exceptionally well. In Butte, Montana, that item is the pork chop sandwich. For more than a century, Pork Chop John’s has been serving one of Montana’s most iconic foods. The story begins in 1924, when Swedish immigrant John Burklund started selling breaded, deep-fried pork chop sandwiches from a wagon to Butte’s hardworking miners. The sandwich was simple, affordable and filling — exactly what a mining town needed. It became so popular that Burklund opened a permanent restaurant in 1932, creating a Montana institution. The sandwich itself is simple: a thin pork loin pounded flat, breaded, fried until golden, and served on a soft bun with mustard, onions, and pickles. There are no gourmet toppings, artisan sauces, or modern twists. That’s part of the appeal. Walking into the original uptown location feels like stepping back in time. The narrow lunch-counter diner remains a fixture of historic Butte, where locals and travelers squeeze onto stools and order sandwiches wrapped in wax paper. The atmosphere is unpretentious, the menu is straightforward, and the focus remains exactly where it has always been: on the pork chop sandwich. Grade: B

Montana Coffee Traders has long been one of the most recognizable coffee brands in northwest Montana. The company started in nearby Whitefish in 1981 and built a loyal following through its house-roasted coffee. For many years, its downtown Kalispell café was a popular stop for breakfast, lunch, espresso drinks and bags of locally roasted beans. Unfortunately, the downtown Kalispell location permanently closed in August 2025 due to rising operating costs and lack of profitability, according to company officials. Montana Coffee Traders still operates other locations in the Flathead Valley, including Whitefish and Columbia Falls. The coffeehouse menu centers around espresso drinks, house-roasted coffee, teas and blended specialties. Breakfast options included hearty dishes like the Big Sky breakfast, scrambles, omelets, breakfast wraps, quiche, oatmeal and granola. For lunch, the menu featured sandwiches, wraps, salads, soups and vegetarian specialties, with favorites such as the Glacier Melt and Black Bean Hummus Quesadilla. Fresh pastries and baked goods rounded out the menu. I enjoyed a small haul from this coffee shop: hot chocolate, quiche and a delicious everything seasoned biscuit. I enjoyed everything, though my hot chocolate was more ~artisanal~ and not as sweet. No matter - it was still tasty, as was the flavorful quiche. If you're in the area of Glacier National Park, it's the perfect fuel-up spot. Grade: B