Frommer's National Parks of the American West - Don Laine [169]
The alternatives include second-tier restaurants in close proximity to the hotels, most of which are comparable to chain restaurants in both quality and price. The Two Dog Flats Grill at the Rising Sun Motor Inn serves "hearty American fare." The Swiftcurrent Motor Inn restaurant is the Italian Gardens Ristorante, where lunch and dinner feature combinations of salads, sandwiches, pasta dishes, and create-your-own pizzas. At Apgar you'll find a deli and a family dining arrangement.
NEAR THE PARK
The gateway cities have a number of restaurants, and you'll find many more choices a bit farter afield in Whitefish.
IN EAST GLACIER
Two Sisters Cafe, north of St. Mary on U.S. 89 in Babb (☎ 406/732-5535), serves perhaps the very best pie in the area, with a fun atmosphere and a huge license-plate collection. Susan and Beth Higgins, the eponymous sisters who run the place, specialize in creative new American fare, with a menu that often changes but typically includes dishes like cioppino, herb risotto, and chipotle BBQ chicken. The restaurant is open daily from late May to mid-September from 8am to 10pm and accepts MasterCard and Visa.
Restaurant Thimbleberry
1112 Mont. 49, East Glacier. ☎ 406/226-5523. Breakfast items $3–$7; main courses $4.50–$8 lunch, $9–$15 dinner. No credit cards. Daily 6:30am–10pm. Closed Oct to mid-May. AMERICAN.
Locally famous for incredible pies, the Thimbleberry also serves great omelets for breakfast, sandwiches and salads for lunch, and excellent cornmeal-dusted St. Mary's Lake whitefish for dinner. Serving self-described "slow food," this is a good choice for vegetarians or those looking for something other than a Montana steak or hamburger. And if you've never had fry bread, then the Thimbleberry is the place to try it.
Serrano's
29 Dawson Ave., East Glacier. ☎ 406/226-9392. Reservations recommended. Main courses $9–$15. AE, DISC, MC, V. Daily 5–10pm. Closed Oct–Apr. MEXICAN.
Perhaps the area's best restaurant, Serrano's is just off the highway at the center of town. Serrano's has an outstanding local reputation, so don't be surprised if you encounter masses of people in the dining room and on the outdoor deck at the height of summer. You can expect hearty portions of Mexican food, an ample selection of imported beers and microbrews, and a full bar featuring margaritas.
IN POLEBRIDGE
Northern Lights Saloon Polebridge. ☎ 406/888-5669. Reservations not accepted. Main courses $9–$17. MC, V. Memorial Day weekend to Sept 15 daily 4–10pm, Sun 9am–3pm; Sept 15 to Memorial Day weekend Fri–Sat 4–9pm, Sun 9am–3pm. Bar open later. AMERICAN/ECLECTIC.
When people don't mind traveling over 30 miles of bumpy gravel road, when they don't blink an eye as they hit yet another gaping pothole and lose a hubcap or bend a rim, they must know something you don't about where they're going—in this case, the Northern Lights Saloon. This small restaurant, located squarely in the middle of nowhere, attracts summer crowds that often have to wait patiently outside for a table to clear. They're anticipating well-prepared and reasonable gourmet specials and fresh strawberry-rhubarb pie. Picnic tables, a volleyball net, and the peaks of Glacier Park make the wait as painless as possible. You won't find a place with more character or a friendlier staff.
IN WEST GLACIER
Belton Tap Room
12575 U.S. 2, West Glacier. ☎ 406/888-5000. Main courses $9–$25. AE, MC, V. Daily 5–10pm. Bar open later. AMERICAN.
This restaurant, located in restored buidings that were once the Great Northern Railway Chalet, serves respectable food geared toward American tastes—steaks, buffalo, chicken, ribs, trout, and salmon, as well as some vegetarian selections. A large stone fireplace dominates the tap room, which serves several brands of locally brewed beer.
Glacier Highland Restaurant
U.S. 2, West Glacier. ☎ 406/888-5427. Breakfast