Wellsprynge

After spending the night sleeping in the back seat of my car at a parking area just west of Beavertail Hill in western Montana, I arose, walked off the stiffness, and continued east on I-90. Some time later, I decided to pull off at a place called Drummond, Montana, population around 250, hoping to find a gas station and, if I got really lucky, a place to get some breakfast.

Drummond is a just a little bit off the main-travelled road, a town strung out along a siding street for about 3/4 of a mile with the houses and stores lining this road or just off it. Not very promising, or so it seemed. After filling up, I asked where I could get some breakfast and I was directed to the Wagon Wheel Motel and Cafe about a hundred yards back.

This was a typical mom-and-pop operation, very cozy with a small town atmosphere. I ordered eggs, hash browns, sausage links, toast, and orange juice, my favorite breakfast fare. It was absolutely just what I needed with a long day driving ahead of me.

There was nothing institutional or franchise about this place, not the tables, the plates and utensils, the menu, or anything. Such accoutrements leave one feeling cold and unsatisfied. The general ambience and atmosphere is at least as much a part of the experience as the meal itself and can enhance or detract therefrom. And here, at the Wagon Wheel, one left feeling not only refreshed and satisfied, but almost uplifted.

Now, later I found out that there is yet another restaurant in Drummond - Parker's. Apparently, they specialize in burgers, over a hundred different kinds with various toppings and sides. I can't say how this is, but I shall certainly put Drummond on my itinerary if I am going through there again.

Breakfast at the Wagon Wheel, lunch at Parker's.

Handy Bob Soler Guy

 in Utica, MT was an ugly cement block shack on the outside, but a log masterpiece inside with animal heads all over the place. Most people would drive right on by and we did a few times. From the pic you can see the new owners fixed the exterior up since the last time we stopped. The only burger there is about nine inches across and will feed two. Just down the street is an empty old strip mall where the Cafe sign says Calamity Jane was the cook back in the old days. You have to want to go to Utica. It is off the main road and we go by when camping up in the Little Belt Mountains.

 Handy Bob Soler Guy

In the giant metropolis of Winnett, MT. I believe there are about 200 people in the whole county. This is our favorite place to go and it is an 80 mile drive. The pics on Fakebook aren't current and the prices sure aren't either, but they are a lot less than anywhere else for the best burgers in over 100mi. They also do steaks and if you hit them on a day they are smoking pork you are in for a treat. The owners used to own the Cozy Corner before they bought this place and remodeled it. You'll probably be waited on by the owner Cale, his wife or one of the family. (Lisa would say it is the other way around). During the plandemic they put the stools back at the bar and on a day that the local sherriff was sitting at the bar having lunch, owner Cale told me that the governor and health department both can go F#@K themselves. There is no more real Montana place in the whole state.

Love this dive old school western diner like restaurant that just keeps serving up hot and delicious food. The decor is cowboy and the servers are fast and friendly. It’s at the end of the Main Street hustle and bustle so a little bit of a walk from the heart of Bozeman, but certainly walkable and well worth it. Go early because it is not that big and the locals and the tourists alike all love it!

Combination B: came with pancakes, eggs, choice of sausage links, patty, or bacon. My husband got bacon and also one huckleberry pancake and one regular pancake. You can do a huckleberry pancake for a $2 upcharge. Boy were the portions huge! The pancakes themselves took up the entire plate! We were very pleased and the taste was phenomenal! The addition of the huckleberries to the pancake elevated the flavor as it gave the pancake this slightly tart/sweet taste of fresh berries. The eggs were cooked perfectly and fresh and bacon was fried to a crispy, salty perfection. We would rate this a 9/10.