Bigfork
Bigfork, MT · Food & Drink
Char-Koosta News
The Bean Machine: Brewing Her Future One Cup at a Time
PABLO, Mont. — At 17, Mataya Oakland is redefining what success can look like for young people. While many of her peers are applying to colleges or still unsure about their futures, she launched her own business, The Bean Machine. She is not just brewing coffee, she is offering a message about the many paths available to youth.
NBCMontana
FVCC Culinary Institute makes Thanksgiving pies
KALISPELL, Mont. — Flathead Valley Community College’s Culinary Institute made more than 300 Thanksgiving pies to sell this season. Students in the culinary program prepared pumpkin, pecan and apple cranberry pies for sale by the slice or whole pies for $35. Purchases go toward scholarships for students campus-wide.
Lake County Leader
City loses revenue on Bunkers but unsure what’s next
After the City of Polson lost its restaurant manager for Bunker's Bar & Grill earlier this month, City Commissioner Jake Holley questioned during last week’s meeting if the city should still be managing the grill. “I just want to throw it out there, even if it's controversial or not, but it might be time for the city to withdraw from managing Bunker's, possibly and allocating (that money) towards something else, just to reduce impact on the administration from having to manage it from afar,” Holley said at the Nov. 17 meeting. “It'd be cool if it could go into the roads or something like that.” City manager Ed Meece had told the commission during the Nov. 3 meeting that he, along with city clerk Cora Pritt and finance officer Jodi O'Sullivan, will be operating the grill in a “stay-stable mode” until a manager is hired. During last week’s meeting, Meece explained he has taken this opportunity to not immediately hire another manager and explore other possible options for the restaurant. He said currently he goes down to the grill two to four times a week to watch people work and believes the staff is doing a great job. “I don't
Whitefish Pilot
Explore Whitefish helps local restaurants raise over $420,000 to support rental assistance
Whitefish is, once again, showing the power of community. Local restaurants, through the 1% Community Support Fund, are stepping up to make a real difference for the people who call Whitefish home. In partnership with Housing Whitefish, this effort has already impacted more than 80 individuals working at over 50 local businesses—helping to ensure that those who serve our community every day can continue to live and thrive here. The program, made possible by the participation of Explore Whitefish restaurant members, builds on a long tradition of giving back. For years, Explore Whitefish has supported nonprofits through its community grant program. The shift to directly support Housing Whitefish in a much larger way has had an immediate and visible impact, with more than $420,000 being raised to date. “Whitefish has always been about people taking care of each other,” said Mariah Joos, owner of Ace Hardware and board chair of Explore Whitefish. “Our local restaurants and cafes are not only feeding us—they’re investing in our neighbors and in the future of our town.” Today, more than 27 restaurants, coffee shops, and cafes are participating in the fund, with more expected to join. While fewer than a handful of restaurants have
Flathead Beacon
Meet the Chef: Blackstar’s Katie Haynes
Let’s get this out of the way right now. If you like what you see in this story, it’s probably too late to order it. And if you’re reading this a few months from now, perhaps sometime after Memorial Day, forget it. Blackstar’s “Tuesday Night Burger Special” has already gone back into seasonal hibernation, waiting for the slow, relaxing days of fall to return. That’s because, as head chef Katie Haynes puts it, “this was not a July idea.”
beerandbrewing.com
Critic’s List: Kate Bernot’s Best in 2025
Here Today Hold the Phone (Seattle) This collab with Formula was the best bartender recommendation of the year. (Thanks, Texas Dave.). All-English ingredients come together for a supremely classic, well-constructed best bitter that I could have consumed by the gallon. The character of the toasted-bread malts was so fresh and inviting yet perfectly reined-in by a whip-crack of bitterness.
craftspiritsmag.com
Whistling Andy Distillery Celebrates 15 Years
Montana’s Whistling Andy Distillery is proud to announce a special celebration marking 15 years of crafting exceptional spirits and serving the Bigfork community. This milestone event invites friends, fans, and fellow spirits enthusiasts to an evening honoring craftsmanship, connection, and the spirit of what Whistling Andy has built since its founding.
unearththevoyage.com
15 Montana Burger Spots Travelers Keep Coming Back To
Montana might be famous for its mountains and wide-open spaces, but locals and travelers know it hides another treasure: seriously good burger joints. From old-school drive-ins that have been flipping patties since the 1930s to modern spots using locally raised beef and bison, Big Sky Country serves up some of the best burgers you’ll find anywhere. Whether you’re road-tripping through Yellowstone or exploring small mountain towns, these 15 burger spots are worth every detour.
The Western News
Yaak Valley hunter's breakfast set for Nov. 16
It is hunting season in the Yaak Valley. In 2024, The Yaak Community Hall started a new tradition to invite area hunters and the community to gather and have a hearty breakfast. The first Hunters Breakfast was held at the Yaak Community Hall last November. Sixty area residents and hunters enjoyed a hot breakfast that included homemade pastry, eggs, pancakes, hash browns and burritos. People enjoyed visiting over coffee and catching up. The event raised over $2,000 that was added to the fund to rehabilitate the Yaak Community Hall foundation and floor of the 100-year-old log structure. In 2025, the renovation project is short of funds due to increases in construction costs despite extensive fundraising and securing a Montana Department of Commerce grant. So, the fundraising committee continues its work. The second annual Hunters Breakfast will be held from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 16 to raise additional funds. For $15, you will receive a hot breakfast of pancakes, scrambled eggs, hashbrowns, sausage, homemade pastries and a bottomless cup of coffee, tea or hot chocolate. Children 10 and under eat for free. To go boxes are available for hunters who are anxious to get out in the woods.
Char-Koosta News
Friends of the Children Western Montana Receives Taco Bell Foundation Community Grant to Support Local Youth
MISSOULA — Friends of the Children Western Montana is proud to announce it has received a 2025 Community Grant from the Taco Bell Foundation, thanks to a nomination from local franchise partner Crave Management, which owns and operates Taco Bell restaurants across western Montana. The funding will support long-term, professional mentoring for children facing the greatest obstacles in Missoula, Lake, and Ravalli Counties.
Lake County Leader
“Potential move” dismissed for Polson Farmers Market
The Polson mayor attempted to “provoke a thought” for the Polson Farmers Market to consider moving on Oct. 28 during a meeting in the community room of the North Lake County Public Library. Mayor Eric Huffine called it his “one last hurrah” as mayor to pitch an idea to relocate the Farmers Market to Salish Point and down to the unused right-of-way, which the Lake County Leader reported on last week. The Polson City administration contacted the Polson Farmers Market to discuss their event and a new location for 2026 after the farmers market season. “What I'm here to do today is to try and provoke a thought, because it's been kind of my dream and vision, maybe since I was 14 or 15, and I want you guys to think about it,” Huffine said. “What do you guys think about a Salish Point Market?” Huffine suggested the market, currently located on Third Ave. West, could move to the streets north of the library, not down to the actual waterfront of Salish Point. He continued his sales pitch explaining that it’s just across the highway from their current location, it has stoplight access, decent parking and the area is zoned