Where to Eat When in Butte
Explore the Culinary Landscape of America’s Largest National Historic
Landmark District

Where You Can’t Eat in Butte Anymore

From its earliest days as a gold camp to its heyday as a cosmopolitan city to the present, Butte has enjoyed a far-reaching reputation as a place where a fine meal can be found. The Chequamegon Café on North Main was renowned for serving great food and earned the local nickname of the “Chew and Be Gone Again.” The Creamery Café advertised “Booths for Ladies” which was a discreet way of telling women that they could eat there without having their reputation impugned.

The Success Café was popular for its soups and it’s tiny size which allowed for only four customers at a time. In a heavily Democratic town, the joke was that here was the Republicans held their banquets, they advertised over their door that “If You Don’t Eat Here I Will Vote for Hoover.”

The Mai Wah Noodle Parlor on West Mercury Street, now a museum, was one of several noodle parlors that served hot Chinese meals in a hurry. The Rocky Mountain Café was a famous destination restaurant in Meaderville, an Italian neighborhood on Butte’s east side that was swallowed up by the expanding Berkeley Pit open pit copper mine. The restaurant was renowned throughout the state for its distinctive fried chicken, spaghetti and raviolis.

Butte’s reputation continues as a place to find a memorable dining experience, whether it be a breakfast, lunch or dinner or to satisfy a hunger at any time of the day. This guide is offered as a service to help anyone hungry in historic old Butte to locate the perfect match for their appetite.

Annie's Cafe
815 E. Front St., 723-3700
A popular spot for breakfast and lunch with a special renown for its Chicken Fried Steak.

Bob and Sandy's BS Cafe
26 N. Main St., 723-1513
Traditional breakfasts with pancakes, eggs, sausage and bacon and lunch specials that vary from burgers to sandwiches to short order specials. Hours are Mon. through Fri. 6 am to 3 pm; Sat. and Sun. 6 am to 2 pm.

Bonanza Freeze
1040 S. Montana, 723-6662
This classic drive-up on the Uptown’s main entryway serves inexpensive sandwiches, burgers, fries, and ice cream. Renowned milk shakes and malts. Open seven days a week for lunch and dinner from 11 am to 10 pm.

Broadway Café, 302 E. Broadway, 723-8711
Gourmet pizza and salads on the east edge of Butte’s historic district. Deck seating with a spectacular view of the valley in the summer. Live music during lunch every Friday and on Thursday and Friday nights as well. Hours are Mon. through Fri., 11 am to 11 pm., Sat. 5 pm to 11 pm. Closed Sundays.

Chef's Garden, 1201 Montana St., 782-6587
Country Italian style restaurant that also serves traditional breakfast and lunch. Most dinners are under $20 with several meals under $10. Word on the street is to try the Ricotta Cheese Manicotti. Hours are 6 am to 3 pm, 4 pm to 9 pm, Sunday through Thursday; 4 pm to 10 pm on Friday and Saturday.

Columbian Gardens Espresso
27 N. Main, 782-8808
While there’s coffee in this restaurant’s name, there’s much more to be found on the menu. They serve breakfast and lunch, Italian sodas, tea and gourmet coffee. Hours are Mon. through Fri. 8 am to 3 pm and Sat. 11 am to 3 pm. Closed on Sundays.

Dairy Queen Brazier
501 S. Excelsior Ave., 782-5781
Dilly bars, sundaes and DQ blizzards, yes, but Butte’s DQ also offers burgers, chicken strips, and halibut on a menu that includes affordable and fast meals to stay or to go. Open Sun. to Thurs., 11 am to 9 pm, Fri. and Sat., 11 am to 10 pm.

Deluxe Sports Bar & Grill, 823 E. Front St., 782-7686
Great sandwiches available piled high with roast beef and horseradish sauce for under $6. Burgers, hoagies, porkies and other sandwiches, soups and salads, too. Hours are 11 am to closing six days a week (closed Sunday).

Fred's Mesquite Grill, 205 S. Arizona, 723-4440
This restaurant has grown into one of Uptown Butte’s most popular with excellent salads, grilled kabobs of steak, vegetables, chicken and shrimp and fine thick burgers fresh from the mesquite grill. Lunch prices are under $10 and dinner is available for under $25. Open 11 am to 9 pm, Mon. through Fri., and 12 pm to 9 pm Sat. and Sunday.

Gamer's Café, 15 W. Park, 723-5453
Situated in the ground floor of the historic Curtis Music Hall, this restaurant with stools and booth space has long been a local favorite for breakfast and lunch. Traditional breakfasts with pancakes, eggs, steaks, pork chops, sausage and bacon and lunch specials that vary from pasties to prime rib. Hours are 7 am to 2 pm seven days a week.

The Hummingbird Cafe, 605 W. Park St., 723-7044
An organic coffeehouse and juice bar with a full menu for breakfast and lunch. Open Tues. through Fri. from 7 am to 3 pm. On Saturday, their hours are 9 am to 4 pm.

Land of Magic, 800 S. Utah St., 723-4141
Renowned as a steak house that wanders from that solid fare to serve duck a la orange, seafood and pasta entrees, located in Uptown Butte's historic warehouse district. Open for dinner in the winter seven nights a week, 5 pm to 9 pm, and in the summer until 10 pm.

M&M Bar & Cafe, 9 N. Main St., 723-7612
For more than a century, the place to find a meal of steak and eggs or a hefty Whatzit burger.

Marla Mia’s and Front Street Market, 8 W. Front, 782-2614
Soup and sandwich specials next to Butte’s only Italian grocery. Hours are Mon. through Sat., 11 am to 3 pm.

Metals Sports Bar & Grill, 8 W. Park St., 782-5534
This sports bar is located in one of the most historic buildings in the district at the corner of Park and Main. It features 24 TVs, sports memorabilia and a varied menu that includes Ivar's clam chowder from Seattle, a variety of burgers and affordable entrees that range from steaks, to seafood to poultry. Open 11 am to 11 pm seven days a week.

North Star Diner & Ice Cream
1107 Utah Ave., 782-0219
Small sit-down diner with excellent sandwiches and ice cream soda fountain (22 flavors of hard ice cream). Serves breakfast, lunch and dinner and serves breakfast all day long. Most meals are well under $10. Hours are 7 am to 6:30 pm, Mon. through Sat., Sun. 9 am to 6:30 pm.

Northwest Noodles 'N Wraps
563 S. Arizona, 723-5651
Build-your-own rice and noodle bowls and gourmet North Chinese wraps (wheat flatbread wrapped around meats and vegetables), frozen yogurt and smoothies. Full meal for $10 or less. Hours are 9 am to 8 pm Mon. through Sat. with business lunch delivery from 11 am to 2 pm, Mon. through Saturday.

Park Street Java Cafe
220 W. Park, 782-6400
Offers coffee anf huckleberry smoothies year round and a selection of salads and sandwiches for lunch.

Park Street Pasties
800 W. Park, 782-6400
Butte’s signature meal, the Cornish pasty done in a variety of ways including cocktail appetizer pasties. For variety, a line of delicious cold deli and hot sandwiches, soups and chili. Hours are Mon. through Sat. from 10 am to 7 pm; closed Sundays.

Pork Chop John's
8 W. Mercury, 782-0812
True Butte Cuisine at its best! This is the home of the Pork Chop Sandwich craved around the world by expatriate Buttians. Simple, delicious and inexpensive pork chop sandwiches, pork nuggets, and burgers and fries. Most meals available for under $5. Open Mon. through Sat., 10:30 am to 6:30 pm. Closed on Sundays.

Pekin Noodle Parlor, 117 S. Main, 782-2217
On the edge of Butte’s historic Chinatown, the one remaining Chinese noodle parlor where customers climb the steps to sit in pink booths and eat chow mein and chop suey. Open for dinner 5 pm to 10:30 pm on Sun. and Mon., 5 pm to 11 pm Mon. to Thurs., and on Fri. and Sat., 5 pm to 12 am. Closed on Tuesdays.

Subway Sandwiches, 350 S. Montana, 723-7035
Fat free sandwiches full of flavor. Sandwiches available by the foot, frozen yogurt and cookies every day. Hours are Mon. through Sat., 10 am to 11 pm., Sun. 11 am to 10 pm.

Town Talk Bakery, 611 E. Front St., 782-4985
Donuts, bismarcks, smurfs, maple bars, cookies and more baked fresh daily.

Trimbo's Pizzeria
422 N. Excelsior, 782-1700
Pizzas cooked in stone ovens on Butte's North side. Spaghetti specials, salad bar and other specialties. Hours are 11 am to 11 pm, seven days a week. Deliveries available.

The Uptown Café, 47 E. Broadway, 723-4735
The Uptown Café's lunch atmosphere is casual buffet-style with excellent entrees, soups and salads.Then, in the early evening the atmosphere turns elegant for dinner. Prices range from lunch specials for under $10 to full course dinners for under $30. Open for lunch Mon. through Fri., 11 am to 2 pm. Early dining specials are available 4:30 pm to 6 pm and full dinners are served every night of the week.

Venus Rising Espresso, 8 W. Park St., 723-7600
This espresso house serves great coffee but also offers sandwiches, salads and hot soups and a few other surprises. Hours are seven days a week, Mon. through Fri., 7 am to 6 pm; Sat. and Sun. 8 am to 2 pm.
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Vu-Villa Pizza, 521 W. Park St., 723-9885
Pizza yes but also sensational salads, calzones, spicy wings, and cheesy spuds to name a few. A variety of pies are available for under $16. Hours are Mon. through Fri. from 11 am to 9 pm; Saturday 1 pm to 9 pm and Sunday from 4 pm to 8 pm.