Also known as: Where to eat in Whitefish, Montana in the Shoulder Season.
Looking for a bite to eat in Whitefish, Montana? When the leaves drop and the snow starts to dust Big Mountain, Whitefish slows down quite a bit. With that, restaurant owners take the opportunity to take some much-needed (and well-deserved) time off to prepare for the upcoming and busy ski season.
Bears aren’t the only mammals looking for comforting food late in the fall; In shoulder season, finding your favorite restaurant open can be more of a challenge than you anticipate. Many restaurants close for a period of time, or have reduced hours, between October and mid-December, compounded by the current lack of – or change-over in – staffing.
Recently, my boyfriend and I were looking to get dinner, on a Monday evening, and after pulling up to four different restaurants which were all closed, it became apparent that a guide for what is open would have saved time and limited the grumbling in our stomachs. Consider this your local’s tip to fall feeding.
Whitefish Fall Dining Options
| Restaurant | Options | Current Schedule |
|---|---|---|
| Abruzzo | Dinner | Sun-Thurs 5:00PM – 9:00PM Fri-Sat 5:00PM – 9:30PM |
| Amazing Crepes | Breakfast • Lunch | Daily 8:00AM – 4:00PM |
| Bonsai Brewing | Lunch • Dinner | Daily 12:00PM – 8:00PM *Closing for winter November 22nd |
| Bulldog Saloon | Lunch • Dinner | Sun-Thurs 11:00AM – 10:00PM Fri-Sat 11:00AM – 10:30PM Daily 11:00AM – 2:00AM (bar) |
| Café Kandahar | Dinner | *Closed until December 15th |
| Casey’s | Lunch • Dinner | *Closed until November 25th Daily 12:00PM – 10:00PM |
| Central Ave. Bakery | Breakfast • Lunch | Tues-Fri 7:30AM – 2:00PM Sat 8:00AM – 2:00PM |
| China Wall | Lunch • Dinner | *Closed until further notice due to fire |
| Ciao Mambo | Dinner | Tues-Thurs 5:00PM – 9:00PM Fri-Sat 5:00PM – 10:00PM |
| Craggy Range | Lunch • Dinner | Sun-Thurs 11:00AM – 9:00PM Fri-Sat 11:00PM – 10:00PM |
| Fleur Bakery | Pastries • Light Lunch | Daily 7:00AM – 4:00PM |
| Folklore Coffee | Pastries | Mon-Fri 7:30AM – 5:00PM Sat-Sun 8:00AM – 2:00PM |
| Indah Sushi | Dinner | Daily 5:00PM – 9:00PM |
| Jalisco Cantina | Dinner | Sun-Thurs 4:00PM – 9:00PM Fri-Sat 4:00PM – 9:30PM |
| Jersey Boys | Lunch • Dinner | Mon-Thurs 11:00AM – 9:00PM Fri-Sat 11:00AM – 10:00PM Sun 2:00PM – 8:00PM (beginning November 21st) |
| Last Chair | Dinner | Fri-Mon 5:00PM – 9:00PM |
| Latitude 48 / Red Room | Dinner | Sun-Thurs 5:00PM – 9:00PM Fri-Sat 5:00PM.- 10:00PM |
| Logan’s Bar & Grill (at Grouse Mountain Lodge) | Daily 4:00PM – 10:00PM | |
| Loula’s | Breakfast • Lunch | *Closed until Nov 20th Daily 7:00AM – 2:00PM |
| MacKenzie River Pizza | Lunch • Dinner | Mon-Thurs 11:00AM – 9:00PM Friday-Sat 11:00AM – 10:00PM Sun 12:00PM – 9:00PM |
| Mama Blanca’s | Brunch • Lunch • Dinner | Mon-Fri 4:30PM – 11:00PM Sat-Sun 10:00AM – 11:00PM |
| Montana Coffee Traders | Breakfast • Lunch | Mon 7:00AM – 3:00PM Tues-Sat 7:00PM – 5:00PM |
| Orient Express | Lunch • Dinner | Tues-Sat 11:00AM – 2:30PM lunch / 4:30PM – 8:00PM dinner |
| Piggyback BBQ | Lunch • Dinner | Mon-Thurs 11:00AM – 9:00PM Fri-Sat 11:00AM – 10:00PM Sun 12:00PM – 8:00PM |
| Pin & Cue | Breakfast • Lunch • Dinner | Daily 7:00AM – 10:00PM |
| Second Street Pizza | Lunch • Dinner | *Closed until further notice |
| Snug Bar (at Café Kandahar) | Dinner | Wed-Sun 5:00PM – 9:30PM |
| Swift Creek Cafe | Breakfast • Lunch | *Closed until December 3rd Weds-Mon 8:00AM – 2:00PM |
| The Boat Club (at Whitefish Lake Lodge) | Breakfast • Lunch • Dinner | Daily 7:00AM – 10:00PM |
| The Buffalo Cafe | Breakfast • Lunch • Dinner | *Closed until November 22nd Mon-Sat 7:00AM – 2:00PM Tues-Sat 5:00PM – close Sun 8:00AM – 2:00PM |
| The Firebrand Lounge | Brunch • Happy Hour • Dinner | Sat-Sun 7:00AM – 2:00PM Sun-Thurs 5:00PM – 9:00PM Fri-Sat 5:00PM – 10:00PM |
| The Great Northern Bar & Grill | Lunch • Dinner | Daily 11:00AM – 11:00PM |
| The Taphouse | Lunch • Dinner | Daily 11:00AM – 10:00PM |
| The Wich Haus | Lunch • Dinner | *Closed until December 1st Weds-Sun 11:00AM – 8:00PM |
| Tupelo Grille | Dinner | *Closed November 14 – December 1st Sun-Thurs 5:00PM – 9:00PM Fri-Sat 5:00PM – 9:30PM |
| Wasabi Sushi | Dinner | Tues-Sun 5:00PM – close |
| Whitefish Lake Restaurant (at Whitefish Golf Course) | Happy Hour • Dinner | *Closed Nov 22 – 25 Daily 5:30-9:00PM |
| Wild Coffee Company | Breakfast • Lunch | Daily 7:00AM – 2:30PM |
| Wrap & Roll | Lunch • Dinner | Sun 11:00AM – 7:00PM Mon-Sat 11:00AM – 9:00PM |
While a change in schedule might be frustrating, it also allows those in town the opportunity to enjoy local restaurants oftentimes booked out during the busy season. Mark and I ended up at Vaqueros (in Columbia Falls) and had a wonderful evening after our ping-ponging through Whitefish. Enjoy this time, and let us know what restaurants you’re frequenting this off season!
Note: Some restaurants might have changed their hours after the publication of this post. Please call them directly, or reference their social channels, to ensure accurate hours and to make a reservation.
