5 Best Restaurants in Livingston and the Yellowstone River, Helena, Bozeman, and Southwest Montana

The collaborative chef's choice concept at this cute artsy café is unique to say the least. Instead of a traditional menu, diners pick adjectives and nouns that speak to them off a chalkboard with dozens of words. Chef Sarah Faye uses them to whip up a creative, customized breakfast for the first 30 patrons of the day, so come early (they open at 8 am).

Although it's most famous for its wood-fired pizza (made with 36-hour naturally fermented dough), Gil's Goods also serves salads, burgers, and sandwiches, including a Nashville hot chicken special. It also boasts a full bar and pretty extensive beer and wine list for a casual establishment.

Don't be fooled by its name: The Grill at Sage Lodge is a high-end contemporary steak house where you come for the food but stay for the view (or vice versa). Steaks are all grass-fed and range from a 16-ounce oxtail to a 32-ounce Porterhouse that will set you back a pretty penny. Other typical, yet elevated, entrées include a dry-cured half duck, sous vide lamb saddle, and black truffle and lentil risotto. Make reservations in advance, especially on the weekends when locals splurge for dinner here.

There are no Michelin star-rated restaurants in Montana, but this place comes close. With creative specialties like northern Thai bison larb, adobo-cured Kurobuta pork chop, and for dessert Oaxacan chocolate truffle, your taste buds won't be disappointed. You can dine on the outdoor patio in the summer. The restaurant is located in the Yellowstone Valley Lodge, offering riverfront luxury cabin rentals just south of Livingston.