When Family and Friends Gather at Your Home...
WHITEFISH Bulldog Saloon, 144 Central Ave. Black walls and ceil- ing provide backdrop to hundreds of decoupage photos mounted on primal colors of wood and varnished to a glow. Behind the bar a sign reads: “What would Tony Soprano do?”
POLEBRIDGE
Northern Lights Saloon. Traveling the gravel road to the Polebridge Mercantile is half the fun. The saloon is the only place to eat or drink for 43 miles. Powered only by generators, Polebridge has refused to accommodate pres- sure to pave the road and modernize. That’s why people like it so much.
Helena, Mis-
soula, and Boze- man also have their classic bars. In Helena when residents and legis- lators need a break, they can gather at the Windbag Saloon in Last Chance Gulch, the Rialto, and distinc- tive places such as the Montana Club. In Missoula there’s the Rhino, Oxford, andMissoula Club. In Bozeman, the Crystal Bar, Cat’s Paw, the Zebra. But these cities have also seen the “new west” mix with the “old” and so you will find fine drnking establishments, such as the Mustard Seed with its exotic drinks in Missoula and Plonk in Bozeman, where wine, gourmet food, and jazz are featured. [See sidebar.] While every town has its most popular watering holes, you are more than likely to find a gem on the edge of a vast and open landscape. Not to be missed are the Pony Bar in Pony, Club Moderne in Anaconda, Trixie’s in Ovando, and the Willow Creek in Willow Creek. Talk to the bartenders or owners, learn about the bar’s history. It’s well worth making a jaunt to visit these funky, fun places. You can learn a lot about Montana and its people.
Valerie Harms edits Distinctly Montana Magazine.
MONTANA’S LARGEST SELECTION OF
ADULT BEVERAGES
1500 WINE LABELS IN STOCK
CONVENIENT LOCATION
Monday - Saturday 9am to 9pm
2063 West Oak Bozeman
www.mtspirits.com www.distinctlymontana.com 51 406.586.8000 OPEN
