A Tasty Week Ahead: Downtown Bozeman Restaurant Week Begins Monday

Downtown Bozeman Restaurant Week begins on Monday, and it’s a fantastic excuse to get out and experience some of Bozeman’s finest. It’s hard to keep up with the pace of new restaurants coming our way — we're doing our best — so this is a great opportunity to get together with family and friends and explore the culinary side of Bozeman! There are over 40 participating restaurants this year, offering off-menu specials, exclusive dining experiences, and chances to win some fabulous prizes. While we couldn’t cover all the specials in a few paragraphs, we have read through them all and can attest that there is something appealing for every palate.

Savory breakfast lovers will want to check out the Chicken Fried Steak special at Brigade, made with panko-crusted New York strip, chorizo gravy, fingerlings and eggs. For those who prefer to start the day on a sweet note, Cateye Café has banana bread French toast, and Fielding’s is serving a Bananas Foster Waffle with candied pecans, whipped cream and chocolate chips. For a simple breakfast, Vienne bakery has a croissant and a cappuccino on the menu. (I would roll with that one.)



For the lunch bunch, Pakeezah has a new buffet, a great way to sample a variety of the Indian dishes off their extensive menu. Sidewall Pizza has calzone specials with an optional salad add-on (which I highly recommend). And Aurore bakery is offering sandwiches at their new location in the Baxter Hotel. I, for one, will be trying one of those! Their breads and pastries are baked with French-milled flour, and many locals are thrilled to have an authentic taste of France in Bozeman.

Burger lovers might check out Frugals for the classic take (cheeseburger, fries and a small shake for $11.95). Backcountry Burger Bar, J.W. Heist, and Stockman's Bar are also running burger specials, each with a bit of an artistic twist.

Cocktail hour could begin at PLONK, one of the original and still one of the best places to get a craft cocktail. You can’t go wrong with anything on their seasonally rotating menu, but for Restaurant Week, they’re throwing it back by paying homage to some of Bozeman’s well-loved restaurants from years gone by; a Vesper Cocktail honoring Boodles, an Italian Spritz with thoughts of Ferraro’s, and Bozone Amber Ale on tap to give a nod to Spanish Peaks Brewing, one of the first breweries here in town. PLONK is also serving a Korean duck wing appetizer, which caught our eye, with scallions, sesame, and a daikon slaw.

Lockhorn Cider House is featuring an artisan cheeseboard with a flight of cider and an Apple Affogato: hot spiced cider poured over vanilla ice cream for dessert. And speaking of flights, the Bacchus has a flight of wings with four different sauces, along with a beer flight for $20.



Which brings us to dinner. For a casual experience, Mackenzie River Pizza has a three-course special that includes an appetizer, entrée and dessert for $25, and Montana Ale Works is doing 3 for $30 (salad, entrée and dessert), plus $2 off signature cocktails. For fine dining, Carlisle is offering a three-course prix-fixe with salad, a baseball top sirloin, broccolini and strawberry cheesecake. I have yet to visit La Brasserie, but their Menu du Jour, a chef’s choice rotation of French cuisine, has piqued my interest. (They also host a weekly swing dance on Thursday nights with small bites, wine and short dance lessons for those just starting out!)

See you in Bozeman!