Food + Beverage

Montana Grown Grains

Organic grains are the magic behind Grist Milling & Bakery Article by Susie Wall | Photography by Rick Szczechowski It hits you the minute you open the door at Grist Milling & Bakery. That enticing, mouth-watering aroma of fresh baked bread. But it is not just the loaves of tangy sourdough or the menagerie of sweet and savory pastries that make Grist a welcome addition to Missoula’s bakery scene. Nor is it the fact that Grist was named a 2023 James Beard Award semifinalist for outstanding...

Food + Beverage

PLONK

Mediterranean food, cocktails and wine Article by Emma Trotter | Photography by Rick Szczechowski There’s something for everyone at Plonk, a Missoula staple for cocktails, wine, and Mediterranean food that opened over a decade ago. “It’s a country wine bar,” said regional manager John Prugh, in an effort to sum up Plonk’s welcoming ambiance and low-key decadence. In keeping with that description, the space above the bar—and across from a low wall displaying wine bottles—is decorated with...

Shopping

Your Neighborly Grocers

Pattee Creek Market thrives on personal connection and regional products Article by Marko Capoferri | Photography by Rick Szczechowski Have you ever met the CEO of Albertsons, or know what they look like? Might the finance manager of Wal-Mart be invited to dinner with your family? Is there a chance that WinCo’s director of human resources would lobby to put your name on a product? It’s not a stretch to presume the answer to each above question is ‘no.’ For Tim Hines—who owns Missoula’s...

Food + Beverage

Land is Kin

The Mannix Ranch Story Article by Abigail Thomsen | Photography by Abigail Thomsen, Avery Kapitan, and Sarah Kingsbury It’s a brisk Tuesday morning on a 50,000-acre ranch in Helmville, Montana. Family members gather for their ranch meeting. Irrigation challenges are discussed, crews assigned, and the team disperses for a long day’s work—just as they have for more than a century. Welcome to Mannix Family Ranch, dating back to 1882 when their ancestors settled in Montana. Marked by resilience...