So Much To Love: The Heartwarming Charm Of Montana Diners

For me, there are 3 restaurants that were staples when I was growing up. The Log Cabin in Choteau, The Home Cafe in Conrad and The Panther Cafe in Valier. Mom and Dad loved going out to lunch and driving, so we did it quite a bit.

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It's Been Nearly A Year Since The Home Cafe In Conrad Closed For Good

I was thinking about big salads the other day and it hit me that I'll never have one again like the one I used to get at the Home Cafe. You'd get what seemed like an entire head of lettuce, all the fixins AND one of those famous Home Cafe rolls. So very yummy.

READ MORE: You Know You're From Conrad When

The Home Cafe was a lot more than Turkey Tuesday or an awesome big salad. It was a place where you could go get a cup of coffee in the morning and be sure to run into a few people you knew for some good talks. A place for gathering that everyone loved for decades.

I Worry About The Diners In Montana

What I'm noticing more and more is that when these small town diners close, nobody is buying them and keeping the restaurant open. The small-town, down-home cooking and gathering places are disappearing forever.

What Can We Do To Save This Bit Of Nostalgia?

Hit the road and hit up some diners and dinner places.

I can highly recommend:

• The Log Cabin and John Henry's in Choteau
• The Keg, The Branding Iron and Coaches Corner in Conrad
• The Panther Cafe in Valier
• Outlaw Women Saloon in Augusta

Any places I missed on the list are simply because I have never been to your establishment. Let me know who you are and we'll include you next time.

Best way to keep our small town restaurants alive is to visit whenever we can.