While traveling through Glacier National Park, you will no doubt work up an appetite! And when hunger strikes, you don’t want to have to spend time researching dining options.
I have spent my life living and working in Glacier, and I know the importance of a good meal after a long day of adventures. In this article, I will give you an overview of each dining option in the park so that you can be sure to stay well-fed on your trip.
In Glacier National Park, there are 9 dining options available in 4 different locations. Restaurants range from snack shops to fine dining. The average price is about $15 per plate. No restaurants in the park accept reservations.
There are many more restaurants located outside of the park boundary in surrounding towns. I mention my favorites at the end of this article.
In this article, I’ll cover the location of each restaurant, their opening and closing dates, the approximate price, and some things visitors like and dislike about each.
| Dining Option | Location | Price (per person) |
| ‘Nell’s | Many Glacier, Swiftcurrent Motor Inn | $$ |
| Ptarmigan Dining Room | Many Glacier Hotel | $$-$$$ |
| Swiss Lounge | Many Glacier Hotel | $$ |
| Heidi’s Snack Shop and Espresso | Many Glacier Hotel | $ |
| Two Dog Flats Grill | Rising Sun | $$-$$$ |
| Eddie’s Café | Apgar Village | $$ |
| Jammer Joe’s Grill and Pizzeria | Lake McDonald Lodge | $$ |
| Lucke’s Lounge | Lake McDonald Lodge | $$-$$$ |
| Russell’s Fireside Dining Room | Lake McDonald Lodge | $$-$$$ |
The Ptarmigan Dining room is my favorite because of the views!
Nell’s is great because even though their pizza is approximately “grocery store frozen pizza quality”, it is the most delicious pizza in the world after a long hike.
But keep reading for more options and important information!
Download our Free Printable with everything you need to know!
Every restaurant on this list (with the exception of Eddie’s), is owned and operated by Xanterra, the United States’ largest park concessions management company.
I’d like to point out that the staff and management at these restaurants are seasonal employees doing their best with minimal training and very busy tourism conditions. Please be patient and treat them with kindness.
Remember that part of the dining experience is the fact that you are in a National Park (which is quite the treat in itself)!
Finally, if you need a plan for how to see the best sights in the park and get to the dining locations at the right time, check out our Glacier Trip Itinerary. I created it just for you, using all the secrets I’ve learned from my many years of working in Glacier National Park!
‘Nell’s, located at the Swiftcurrent Motor Inn, is named after George Bird Grinnell, who is sometimes referred to as one of the founding fathers of Glacier National Park. ‘Nell’s offers primarily casual American fare and pizza, so even the pickiest of eaters is bound to find something appetizing on the menu.
‘Nell’s is open from 7:00 am-10:00 am for breakfast and 11:00 am-9:00 pm for lunch and dinner. You can buy breakfast for around ~$7-$15/person. Lunch and dinner are around ~$10-$20/plate. You can also order a box lunch—the perfect food solution for hikers on the go.
They do not take reservations, but often you can get a table without much (or any) wait time.
The Ptarmigan Dining Room is located in the historic Many Glacier Hotel, which opened for business in 1915. With panoramic mountain views from nearly every seat inside, you might be too distracted to focus on your meal.
This is the finest dining experience you will find in the park, but guests are still welcome to wear casual attire (you are dining in a hiker’s paradise after all).
The Ptarmigan Dining Room is open from 6:30 am-10:00 am for breakfast, 11:30 am-2:30 pm for lunch, and 5:00 pm-9:00 pm dinner. You can buy breakfast for around $10-$20 or lunch for around $15-$20/person. Dinner entrees are more expensive, at around $25-$40/plate.
The Ptarmigan Dining Room boasts numerous farm-to-table menu items that allow you to taste authentic regional cuisine including fruits, vegetables, meats, and other products, and includes two buffet options for breakfast.
It is not possible to make reservations here, but you can line up outside the dining room before it opens for dinner at 5 pm to make sure that you get a table by the windows.
The Swiss Lounge is a more casual and slightly less expensive dining option located in the Many Glacier Hotel. The laid-back atmosphere in the Swiss Lounge makes it a good place for families, and the bar is appealing for solo travelers or hikers looking for a beer or cocktail after a long day.
At the Swiss Lounge, you will find traditional American food, including some vegetarian and vegan-friendly options.
Prices in the Swiss Lounge are more wallet-friendly, with lunch and dinner options for ~$10-$15 per person.
It is not possible to make reservations here, but sometimes you can get a table without much (or any) wait time.
As the name suggests, Heidi’s is not a restaurant. Heidi’s is located in the basement of the Many Glacier Hotel and offers coffee, some hot food items, and grab-and-go meals and snacks.
Heidi’s is open from 6:30 am-9:00 pm and is a perfect place to stop and grab some caffeine, a cold drink, or a quick snack. Here, you can find food for breakfast or lunch for around $10 (or less) per person.
The Two Dog Flats Grill is located in Rising Sun, which is 6 miles down the Going-to-the-Sun Road from the St. Mary entrance. The restaurant boasts beautiful views of the mountains across St. Mary Lake.
Two Dog Flats Grill offers American comfort food and is a casual restaurant for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. There are burgers, soups, and salads as well as some dinner entrees on the menu. They also have wine and beer options. You can expect to pay around $15-$30 per meal.
No reservations are accepted.
The Two Dog Flats Grill boasts numerous farm-to-table menu items that allow you to taste authentic regional cuisine including fruits, vegetables, meats, and other products.
Eddie’s Café is a wonderful dining option that has been open in Apgar Village (just inside the West entrance of the park) for over 60 years.
Unlike all the other restaurants on this list, Eddie’s is family-owned and operated.
The restaurant is open from 7:00 am to 9:00 pm with a bar open from 8:00 pm-9:00 pm all season. Eddie’s is also home to an ice cream shop and a small grocery store, so you are sure to find everything you need at this establishment.
You can find breakfast or lunch for ~$10-15 per person and dinner for ~$15-20 per entrée.
The website doesn’t specify whether reservations are accepted.
Jammer Joe’s Grill and Pizzeria is located just across the street from Lake McDonald Lodge and its name pays tribute to the drivers of the iconic red ‘jammer’ busses that take people on tours of the park.
Jammer Joe’s is open for lunch and dinner and offers soups, salads, sandwiches, pizza, and pasta for reasonable prices. You can expect to get a meal for around $15 per person.
No reservations are accepted.
Lucke’s Lounge is located in Lake McDonald Lodge. It is a more casual dining option than the other restaurant in the Lodge and often has seating when the main dining room is packed.
It is a perfect place to stop for lunch or some late afternoon refreshments from the bar.
Lucke’s Lounge is not open for breakfast, but lunch, appetizers, and dinner are offered in this small dining room/bar. You can expect to pay between ~$10-$20 per person for your meal.
No reservations are accepted.
Russell’s Fireside Dining Room is a rustic, unique dining space that takes visitors back to the days when Lake McDonald Lodge was a hunting lodge. While it is a nicer dining experience than your other options in the area, guests are welcome to wear casual attire.
Russell’s is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Breakfast consists of full and continental buffet options. Lunch and dinner selections are classic American and local fare.
No reservations are accepted.
Russell’s Fireside Dining Room boasts numerous farm-to-table menu items that allow you to taste authentic regional cuisine including fruits, vegetables, meats, and other products.
Breakfast and lunch will cost around $10-$20 per person, while dinner entrees are more expensive at around $25-$40 per plate.
Yes! There are plenty more dining options outside the park for you to check out. If you are on the east side of the park, search for restaurants in St. Mary, East Glacier, Babb, or Browning.
If you are on the west side of the park, you could find restaurants in West Glacier, Coram, Hungry Horse, Kalispell, Columbia Falls, or Whitefish.
Some favorites of mine are The Cattle Baron Supper Club (Babb), Two Sisters (between Babb and St. Mary), Johnson’s (St. Mary), Serrano’s (East Glacier), Josephine’s (Coram), Backslope Brewery (Columbia Falls), and Bonsai Brewery (Whitefish).
No. There are no grocery stores inside Glacier National Park, but there are groceries available in surrounding towns. Browning has Glacier Family Foods, St. Mary has a small (but very expensive) grocery store, and you can find Costco and other large grocery stores in Kalispell, Columbia Falls, and Whitefish.
No there is not! Make sure you fill up your tank outside the park. There are gas stations in all surrounding towns.
Planning a trip to a national park can be overwhelming and time-consuming! If you haven’t heard by now, we offer a must-have Glacier National Park Itinerary, as well as other locations. Let us take the planning out of your hands.
Our travel guides will provide you with a daily (yet flexible) itinerary to help you see the park. We will get you to all the most important places, at the right time to avoid the crowds, and we tell you exactly how to do it. You can’t go wrong!
GLACIER TRIP PLANNER: To read or watch all of our content about Glacier National Park, check out our Glacier Homepage
THINGS TO DO: Check out what not to miss and other things to do in Glacier including, hiking, and the amazing boat tours. Find out how to drive the Going-to-the-Sun Road with our free printable
WHERE TO EAT: Don’t miss the best places to eat in Glacier National Park
WHERE TO STAY: Learn all about where to stay when visiting Glacier
KNOW BEFORE YOU GO: Find out which entrance is best for Glacier National Park as well as what to do when the Going-to-the-Sun Road is closed and if you need bear spray while visiting or if swimming is allowed
WATCH: Enjoy videos of gorgeous Glacier National Park while learning our best tips for visiting by watching our Glacier YouTube Playlist
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