West Yellowstone, Montana is a gateway to Yellowstone National Park and, despite its small size, it has a lively dining scene. Here are our top picks for the 10 best restaurants and cafes in town.
Don’t be fooled by the name. Arrowleaf Ice Cream Parlor, while certainly known for its homemade ice cream (the parlor has been around for 26 years, so you know it’s doing something right), serves light lunches too. Choose from menu choices such as sandwiches or chili, but leave room for the namesake treat. The local specialty is huckleberry ice cream, best served in an extravagant Huck Finn sundae.
Arrowleaf Ice Cream Parlor, 27 N Canyon St, West Yellowstone, MT, USA, +1 406 646 9776
Running Bear Pancake House gets its name from an incident that happened when the building was being built. A bear got into the construction site and took off running when the workers showed up that morning. While better known for pancakes than wildlife now, Running Bear also offers other breakfast classics, and the large sandwiches are just the sort of comfort food you’re missing while you’re away from home.
Running Bear Pancake House, 538 Madison Ave, West Yellowstone, MT, USA, +1 406 646 7703
Once you’ve found The Book Peddler, a local bookstore, go to the back of it, and there you’ll find the café of every book lover’s dreams. It’s small and cozy, and once you try their breakfasts or panini, you’ll know why so many people visit every day. Their menu is quite short, which is just evidence of the care that goes into each item. Their scones, baked fresh every morning, will have you coming back throughout your stay, and their coffee is rumored to be the best in town.
Book Peddler, 106 N Canyon St, West Yellowstone, MT, USA, +1 406 646 9358
At Wild West Pizzeria & Saloon, they take pizza very seriously. They pride themselves on all of the care and time that goes into every pizza, and you’ll be very thankful for it too once you sink your teeth into one. You’ve heard of craft beer; this is craft pizza. You can choose one of their delicious topping combinations or build your own, or if you decide to dig deeper into their menu, you’ll find plenty of other excellent choices there. Add in frequent live music and great drinks, and you have yourself a great couple of evenings set up.
Wild West Pizzeria & Saloon, 14 Madison Ave, West Yellowstone, MT, USA, +1 406 646 4400