Tag: glacier national park

‘Nell’s – Many Glacier, MT

On By greg@kandflivingIn Eating Out, Photo Gallery, UncategorizedLeave a comment

Spending three days in Many Glacier, MT was an awesome experience.  We hiked and explored more than I thought possible – and boy did those busy days leave us hungry!  Given there aren’t many options in the heart of this National Park, we were fortunate to eat several times at ‘Nell’s.  Grinnell Glacier is at the center of the park and is the namesake of this full-service joint located at the General Store and Office for Swiftcurrent Motor Inn.  Both the Glacier and the restaurant are named for George Bird Grinnell, an early American conservationist and explorer.  It’s only fitting that you explore some of the great dishes here!

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A newly remodeled space with ample seating and a long counter for dining as well, it’s comfortable and spacious.  It’s also at a trailhead, inn and campground so there’s almost always a wait.  Thankfully, there’s a good selection of domestic and craft beers and a big porch for recounting stories from the day.  Our first night there, I had the mac-n-cheese with grilled chicken.  Nothing unusual here, but it was creamy and delicious.

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Breakfast selections here are abundant as well ranging from continental choices, smoothies and full-fledged “explorer breakfasts”.  On the day of our 10-mile adventure, I sampled a perfect sausage gravy and biscuits with fried potatoes, eggs and crispy local bacon.  Can I get an Amen??

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Our last dinner was by far my favorite meal.  Local lake trout with butter, capers and almonds was the star of the show.  It’s hard to say that considering the delicious roasted beets with micro greens and the best roasted cauliflower I’ve ever had!  Honestly, this is a dinner worthy of any fine restaurant around the country – only here, you’re surrounded by gorgeous snow-covered mountains.  The execution was perfect and impressive considering the whole place is staffed by a seasonal crew.

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You’re not going to get fast service here, but relish the time it takes and enjoy the scenery.  Make ‘Nell’s the bookends of your daily outdoor activities while you’re in the park and I guarantee you’ll find yourself ready for whatever’s next – be that a short walk to see moose in the lake or a few pages of a book before your head hits the pillow.  You can find the details at ‘Nell’s – dig in!!

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Weiners of Waterton – Waterton, AB

On By greg@kandflivingIn Eating Out, Photo Gallery, UncategorizedLeave a comment

So, I realize that not many people will get the chance to travel to the northern part of Glacier National Park and into Alberta, Canada, but when you have an amazing little restaurant like Weiners, you gotta write about it!  With a winter population of 50 and a summer population of 2,500 Waterton is a beautiful town tucked into the mountains in Waterton Lakes National Park just north of Glacier National Park in Montana.  There are plenty of hikes to take and sights to see – all of which require sustenance along the way.  Weiner’s is the place to find it!

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With a small, simple menu and quick service, this tiny restaurant has tons of combinations of all beef hot dogs or homemade sausages to fill the void left by 5 miles of hiking.  I love the hashmarks cut into either before they’re grilled to order.  Oh, did I mention they’re baking their buns fresh all day long??  From a tame dog with mustard or a loaded spicy sausage topped with kimchi and spicy mayo you’ll be hard-pressed to eat the same thing twice!  We tried all sorts of combinations and not a single disappointment was had.

With the weiner selection comes the option of fresh cut fries or sweet potato fries.  They’re hot, crispy and delicious – my uncle said they were the best sweet potato fries he’s ever had!  Again, there’s a great variety of sauces available for dipping – homemade ketchup, spicy mayo, curry…the choices are endless and awesome!  Do yourself a favor and order both and plenty of dipping sauces, it’s totally worth it.

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I’m impressed with the quality and service of this small place in Waterton.  They’re passionate about food, have great service and do everything right in my opinion.  You can eat at a few small counters looking out the windows or take a seat in the cool air on one of many picnic tables out front.  There’s always a fire burning and you’ll never tire of the view.  They’re still building out their web presence, but you can find them on Facebook and  also basic information on their website at weinersofwaterton.com.