Coffee Snob’s Guide to Missoula
Missoula is one of the beautiful places you might fly into on your way to visit Glacier National Park, that Crown of the Continent and holds its own in many rights.
As you explore the area, whether hiking in the bright and lush springtime, fishing the Clark Fork or Blackfoot Rivers during the full heat of summer, getting in a few runs at Snowbowl or Lost Trail in the brisk of winter, or touring the breweries in the golden days of fall, here are some coffee gems to check out in town before you start your day.
Floreo Coffee
Starting from a small coffee stand at the Saturday farmer’s market and now tucked away on Missoula’s north side in a space with the beautiful Leaf + Quiet, Floreo serves up farm-to-cup coffee that just doesn’t miss. The shop is nestled into a cozy plant-filled space and offers specialty espresso alongside a small pastry and food menu. Definitely not for you if you’re a fan of flavored coffees or anything resembling a Starbucks.
You can also purchase their small-batch roasted beans, which are sourced from farmers they work with directly on a rotating lineup.
Clyde Coffee
Situated a bit too far south to be considered part of Missoula’s Hip Strip, Clyde Coffee is nevertheless walking distance of both downtown and the university and offers a bright space, lots of seating, and great coffee options.
Solid cappuccinos and lattes, and their drip coffee will wake you up in seconds (highly recommend drinking enough water alongside the drip—it’s the good stuff). You can buy their house-roasted beans there in the store.
A nice option if you’re also looking for something a bit more substantial than a pastry to go with your coffee—I’m a fan of their breakfast burrito, and they’re one place you can always count on for your choice of hot sauces. You can check out their breakfast menu here.
Drum Coffee
Started by Fitz and The Tantrums Drummer John Wicks and his wife, Jenna, Drum Coffee is a gem that’s tucked away just north of the University District. If you’re on campus, it’s just a short walk over the Riverfront Bridge.
This isn’t on my usual rotation just because there’s not as much seating and it generally feels like I’m holding up a seat someone else might want if I were to stay to work or read for a while. But if you’re in the area and want some caffeine, this is where I’d send you. As usual, they’ve got a stocked pastry case with cookies and the like if you need a snack, too.
Le Petit Bakehouse
Black Coffee
While I’d place Black Coffee in a lower tier from the shops listed above, it’s still a solid staple for a more basic coffee drinker and a chance to feel a little of that old Missoula vibe. Black Coffee is set up in a Quonset hut and is the perfect stop if you’re heading up to explore the Rattlesnake. They offer standard coffee fare alongside more creative concoctions like cold brew + lemonade, as well as one of the more extensively stocked pastry cases with contributions from our local Grist Milling + Bakery. Black Coffee is notably the only place in town that offers bialys, which I personally love. A bialy and a cup of their drip makes a solid pre-hiking breakfast.
Fair warning: There is a Black Coffee in the Missoula airport, but it doesn’t represent what you’ll get at the actual location. Decent for airport coffee, but you’ll get something different at the location on Spruce. (Same note even stronger for the “Cold Smoke Tavern” by Kettlehouse Brewing—I honestly wouldn’t spend money there. If you’re curious, you’ll want to come to the location in Missoula or Bonner for nice experience.)
Le Petit Bakehouse (formerly Le Petit Outre)
Le Petit is known more for their pastries and bread than for their coffee, but if you’re having a morning exploring the Hip Strip, they still stand as a good option when it comes to the basics. Here, that old rule of thumb stands true: when you want a quick quality check, see if they offer sizes for their cappuccinos. If yes, you’ll be getting something less traditional and the quality does tend to slip. Read: your best bet here is a drip coffee. Still, grabbing a black coffee here alongside literally anything from the pastry case is a fantastic option. This is also a great spot to hang out for a bit. The current space is still fairly new for them and is a nice, bright place to take a pause, get a little bit of people watching in, and enjoy your coffee before you keep exploring Missoula.