When Ben Burda launched Bar Plata on Higgins in July, he set out not only to create a new downtown watering hole but also—and perhaps more importantly to Ben—to change the culture around “going out” in Missoula.
Bar Plata, quite literally a hole-in-the-wall at 500 square feet, offers what Ben hopes is a glimpse into the Spanish lifestyle of community socializing. Ben and his wife have spent a lot of time in Europe, touring the countryside by motorcycle.
“Northern Spain is a very sustainable place for people to live,” Ben explained. “I became obsessed with this idea of using food in season, selecting and preserving the best of a season for a time to come.”
Visitors of Bar Plata won’t find a vast menu of typical Montana fare. Instead, Ben and his staff offer pinxtos (small bites) like cured olives and crunchy pickled vegetables; as well as conservas (preserved fish) such as baby eel, cockles, and sea urchin. Ben works with an importer to source hand-harvested, hand-preserved, artisan-preserved fish from Spain.
“It’s the freshest seafood you can get,” Ben said. “They’re weird, cool, little snacks that you can share with your friends. You eat it and you feel better. You’re nourished.”
Ben’s careful to point out that Bar Plata is not a restaurant. In addition to small snacks, Bar Plata offers a curated selection of Spanish-influence cocktails and wines, served by food and beverage industry professionals—another unique component of Bar Plata’s design.
A part of the bar and restaurant scene in Missoula for many years, Ben has a good feel for the industry. Along the way, he became interested and committed to sustainability.
“We want to be sustainable from the products we serve, to the tiny space and our footprint in the community, and in the wake we leave of good wages and sustainable living in downtown Missoula,” Ben said. “If I’m going to leave behind something in this town, I want it to better the industry.”
Bar Plata is a place to meet friends and enjoy a cocktail and a few snacks before heading to dinner, a concert, or a night on the town. Similar bars in Barcelona serve as patrons’ living rooms: places to gather, visit with old friends and make new acquaintances, to have a social, community experience.
“Bar Plata is a little different than other cocktail places in Missoula,” Ben said. “I underestimated Missoula’s eagerness for something different. There’s a lot of pent-up demand for a new, fun, and interesting way to be social.”
Ben’s seen everyone from college kids to business professionals to cowboys walk through the doors at Bar Plata and many of them come back for more. And while he appreciates the value of hosting friends at home, he also hopes Missoulians recognize the value of supporting local food service options as well, especially as a way of keeping jobs and professionals in Missoula.
“A local way of eating entices people to come out of their homes,” he said. “A dollar spent in a restaurant in Missoula stays in the Missoula economy.”
Ben wants people who love Missoula to be able to stay in Missoula—a goal on the minds of many in Montana.
“If we can get anyone with discretionary income to spend that money locally, we’re harnessing that dollar to go back through the town,” Ben said. “You’re encouraging the fabric of Missoula.”
His philosophy is one readily grasped by Missoulians of all walks of life, one that shares the spirit of Barcelona.
“Missoula wants to be a healthy, sustainable place to live,” Ben said. “Barcelona is built by the people, for the people. I see that in Missoula. There’s an interesting cultural correlation. Missoula is an inclusive place for everyone. It’s a nice thing for everyone to enjoy.”
Visit Bar Plata at 107 South Higgins Avenue. Find them online at www.barplatamissoula.com and on Instagram @barplatamissoula.