Eat & Drink

Enjoy the taste of Downtown Helena.

Accepts Downtown Helena Gift Cards

Big Dipper Ice Cream

Big Dipper Ice Cream Helena is the first franchise from Missoula’s successful location. Lindsay Lechman and her staff make all their own homemade ice cream on location in the historic Power Block building in downtown Helena. Big Dipper is the premier place in Helena for good ice cream and good fun. Open seven days a week until late.

Blackfoot River Brewing Co.

You will always find an intriguing line-up of hand-crafted beers, good friends and a great atmosphere at the Blackfoot River Brewing taproom.  Stop by and enjoy your favorite beer or try something new- the lineup changes daily. We offer beers served in 12 oz. glasses or for those who can’t decide, try a sampler tray for a larger variety.  Montana law does however, limit consumption to 48 ounces per person, per day and only until 8pm.  But don’t worry, the Blackfoot also sells growlers to go! Get one free 12oz. beer while your growlers are filled.  Stop by the taproom and enjoy good friends a great atmosphere and really good beer!

Growler Wednesdays & Sundays– 64oz. Growler fills are $1.50 off, with one free 12oz. beer while you wait!

Cheddars

Not just any cheese. Cheddars!

At Cheddars, we pride ourselves on making great sandwiches, tantalizing salads, delicious soup and wonderful seasonal options. We’ve got the cheese that’s sure to please, and that’s a Cheddars guarantee.

Firetower Coffee

Serving Fair Trade coffee means our beans are purchased directly from the growers for a higher price than standard coffee. This ensures that coffee farmers receive a fair, living wage for their work. This ultimately means a better product and a superior taste.

General Mercantile

Welcome to the General Mercantile, home of the finest “gold” to be found on Last Chance Gulch! Since 1971 the Merc has been providing a unique counter culture to Helena. The hissing of the vintage espresso machines and aroma of freshly ground espresso fill the cozy niches throughout the store, all of which are a perfect places to sip a warm latte, hot cocoa, or an old-fashioned soda.

Gulch Distillers

We are Helena’s distillery, operating right on the Gulch. We take our name from the rich history of agriculture and industry in Montana’s landscape. The gulches that command the topography of Big Sky Country and influence nature, recreation, and our way of life also sheltered a clandestine history of spirits production. Our name acknowledges the tradition of spirits manufacturing here in Last Chance Gulch of Helena, Montana.

Gulch Distillers is proudly located in the former Montana Distillery and Bottling Warehouse at the the north end of Helena’s main, historic gulch, just downstream from the strike that turned a gulch into a mining camp, a mining camp that became the state capital.

Established in 2012 as Triple Divide Spirits, native Helenans Tyrrell Hibbard and Steffen Rasile purchased the distillery in 2015 to pursue a shared passion for whisky and quality spirits and a keen interest in craft cocktails. They rebranded the business to Gulch Distillers™ in September 2016.

We ferment, distill, and bottle on site, and use only Montana-grown grains in our grain-based spirits. At Gulch Distillers™ we create products that combine the state’s pioneer spirit with refined spirit production.

HUB Coffee

Hub Coffee is a welcoming and bright coffee house in downtown Helena on Last Chance Gulch.  We take our coffee craft seriously, the baristas know their skills!  We serve the best in in small-batch roasted, artisan quality coffee and espresso drinks as well as loose leaf teas and real fruit smoothies.  Look for our Signature Hub Sodas; you’ll find some interesting, unique flavors you won’t find anywhere else.  In addition, we prepare our own freshly baked goods, in-house prepared grab & go salads and sandwiches as well as made-from-scratch soups.  Summertime at Hub is all about the outdoors when we expand onto the biggest covered patio in downtown Helena.  Follow us on Facebook for daily soup updates and special drink features.  Please also check back with us regularly for additional specialty food items that we’ll be adding to our array of good things at Hub!

Lucca’s

When you come to Lucca’s you are not eating out – you are dining out. Our unique fine dining experience is designed to tantalize all the senses. You see a relaxed atmosphere of Montana elegance – sophistication without the pomp and circumstance. Come experience Lucca’s, awarded The Best Restaurant in Montana for 2015, 2016 and 2017 by Business Insider magazine.

Montago Coffee

Montago is a combination of Montana and Otago. Otago is a region in New Zealand that we fell in love with while living there for a year. It reminded us a lot of Montana’s massive alpine mountains with semi-arid grasslands in the foothills. Both lie close to 45º parallel N and S respectively which lends to similar climates, but to us it brought an immediate feeling of home. Growing up in the foothills of mountainous landscapes, we felt completely comfortable in this region even though we were on the opposite side of the world, and that’s exactly what we want our customers to feel when they walk into our space. A sense of home away from home no matter how far you’ve come.

Nosh Cafe

Nosh (v): To eat enthusiastically

Nosh Cafe offers delicious and different brunch options that’ll make you want to NOSH!

Stop in today to check out our menu for yourself.

Old Salt Co-Op

Old Salt Outpost is a simple fast casual concept, located inside the Gold Bar, that offers beef from our partner ranches and sources high quality ingredients for our delicious salads, chili and beef fat fried potatoes.

On Broadway

At On Broadway, not only do we offer you delicious homemade Italian cuisine, but we also offer you an experience. From the lighting and music to the friendly service and delicious food, every moment of your evening with us will be a delight.

Parrot Montana Inc

The Parrot is a family-owned business located in downtown Helena since 1922. It has gained a worldwide reputation for quality hand-dipped chocolates made from fresh, natural ingredients and utilizing up to ten tons of chocolate each year. The Parrot produces a selection of 130 different types of candy, using recipes devised by its original owners. Favorites include a turtle-like confection called a parrot, chocolate-covered caramels, almond butter toffee and other delectable creams, nuts and chews.

Rialto Bar

Downtown on the walking mall’s “Hip Strip” in the heart of Helena.

Rockstarr BBQ

Silver Star Steak Company

Much like Montana, the Silver Star brings a relaxed sort of elegance to its visitors that is hard to find anywhere else. When you join us for an afternoon or evening, you get more than a meal.  You get an experience centered around our firm dedication to excellence. It’s our belief in quality—from the local goods we source, to our superior service, to the Certified Angus Beef we use—that has made us Montana’s premiere steakhouse for the past two years in a row.

Whether you’re looking for the relaxed atmosphere of our lounge or a more intimate evening in our dining area, the Silver Star Steak Company offers an experience you won’t forget.

Taco Del Sol

Taco del Sol opened in the heart of historic downtown Helena in Spring 2004. Our famous fish tacos are a consistent favorite among locals and visitors alike. They rely on us to create just what they want to eat: delicious fare with flavorful ingredients. We moved into the historic Placer Hotel in February 2012, and we couldn’t be more excited about this new location. Stop on in and enjoy a tap beer made by local breweries, a Mexican cerveza, or a Jarritos soda, paired with some quick, casual, and spicy-if-you-like fare. The menu is kid-friendly, too!

Ten Mile Creek Brewery

Ten Mile Creek Brewery is a six barrel brewery located in the historic Last Chance Walking Mall. The brewery opened in late October of 2015. The location is snug in-between The Hawthorn Bottle Shop and Helena’s favorite chocolate store, The Parrot. Whether you are just visiting Helena or you are a local, the historic downtown will have something for you.

Our namesake “Ten Mile Creek” comes from our most important ingredient, water.  The creek is in the beer. The Ten Mile Creek watershed supplies most of Helena, including our brewery.  Ten Mile Creek gives us clean water that we use to produce hand crafted beer.  Each batch has Montana grown barley and all other ingredients are sourced as local as possible.

Ten Mile Creek Brewery is a great place for meetings or parties.  We rent our space to private events and are always welcoming to groups looking for a place to converse. At Ten Mile Creek Brewery we consider ourselves a somewhat organized community.  Partnering with as many local businesses as possible is a key piece of our philosophy.  Downtown is the culture of our city and thrives on the support of business by patrons and visitors of the area.

The Hawthorn Bottle Shop & Tasting Room

THE HAWTHORN BOTTLE SHOP & TASTING ROOM is an inviting, down-to-earth wine experience for Helenans and the many visitors to the downtown area. Expanding on the concept and success stories of Helena’s taprooms, The Hawthorn is a place to fill your wine growler and have a glass while you wait.  It is a place to meet your wine (and beer) drinking friends after work and it is a place to shop for and enjoy wine from around world, small batch beer, and specialty meats and cheeses.

BOTTLE SHOP

We offer a broad selection of wines from around the world at a range of price points and emphasize a selection of bottles for $10 and under. We have new bottles open daily to sample while you shop. We carry craft beer focusing on small production breweries including obscure foreign brews and popular local drafts. Guests have the option of purchasing additional provisions to take home – that perfect bottle, along with specialty meats and cheeses, olives, nuts and honey. You can also have your growler filled with our special selection of wine and beer on tap. We offer monthly wine and cheese clubs with unique selections and a detailed description to expand your palate in the comfort of your own home.

TASTING ROOM

We offer a variety of wines to purchase by the glass (out of the bottle and the tap) and have a fun and interesting selection wine flights.  All of these wines are available to sample. These offerings can be enjoyed at our 8 seat bar or various tables during the day and evening, and cheese and charcuterie including house made crackers, dips, and spiced nuts are available for pairing. If you are in the mood for something a little different, you can try one of our tasty wine or beer cocktails or warm up with a cup of mulled wine.

The Hopper

Named after Grasshopper Creek where gold was first discovered in Montana in 1862, The Hopper Kitchen & Market specializes in scratch-made and locally-sourced fare.

Owners Dan and Chelsi Bay drew on their Montana roots and years of hospitality experience to bring to life a longtime dream in a destination along Helena’s historic walking mall known for its tasteful offerings and lively atmosphere.

The Windbag Saloon

A HELENA CLASSIC REVISITED

Follow in the footsteps of many of Lewis and Clark County’s finest, we invite you to join in the tradition of great service, great food, and great people, here at the Windbag Saloon and Grill.