Polebridge’s Northern Lights Saloon creates unique menu to match location

As many Montanans may know, a quick trip to Polebridge doesn’t exist. The remote Northwest Montana town with an estimated population of 70 people in the summer must be visited with intentionality.   

And as one of the few restaurants located near the North Fork entrance to Glacier National Park, the Northern Lights Saloon hopes to match that intentionality in its culinary endeavors.  

The Northern Lights Saloon proudly lacks cell service and Wi-Fi which creates more opportunities for patrons to connect with nature, music, and fellow diners. 

Austin Wallis, one of the saloon’s managers, said the lack of service “adds a layer of amazement.”  

“People are paying attention and can be surprised by things, like our live music, or burgers and margaritas that you can get way out here,” Wallis said.  

The saloon’s other manager, Katie Griffis, notes that people visiting the area have a look of “utter shock and awe” on their faces when they drive the mostly gravel road roughly 25 miles from Columbia Falls north to Polebridge.  

“I've seen people walk in with just the most bewildered look on their face,” she said. “You really have to earn it to get all the way up here.” 

Wallis and Griffis are halfway through their first season of running the restaurant and delighting in every minute. The duo said that while the foundation of the saloon set by the owner, Heather Matthews, is already excellent, they have played around with new food and cocktail menu options. 

To perfect the menu, Wallis and Griffis employed the help of their friend Olivia Darwin, a Whitefish-based chef.  Catering to a wider variety of diets, the menu now features several fresh, wholesome, and vegetarian options such as the rainbow bowl which has avocado, roasted yams, peppers, and onions served over a bed of quinoa and black beans.  

“Olivia is the brainchild of the menu and worked with us all winter to design it. It was so helpful to have her expertise to really dial it in,” said Wallis. 

“Anywhere you go in this area you can get something deep fried or a burger,” Griffis added. “We know a lot of the locals, and community is really important up here, so we listened to their input and added some things we thought they might love.” 

Some thoughtful touches at Northern Lights Saloon consist of made-in-house sauces and dressings, and locally sourced pulled pork from Perfect Cuts in Columbia Falls. Dishes also occasionally feature locally grown items like tomatoes, and Griffis and Wallis hope to add even more Montana-made products to the inventory in the future. 

Other plans include breathing new life into an old giant smoker, a perfect job for former pitmaster James Lassiter, now lead line cook at Northern Lights Saloon.  

“The internet brought James to us, and we just kicked it off,” said Griffis. “He’s from North Carolina and does seasonal gigs where he'll chef at a national park for the summer. He's been such a solid crew member, so we've given him full creative reign, and he comes up with the specials.” 

One of the summer specials is a strawberry summer salad, and for the Fourth of July special, Lassiter concocted carnitas tacos with a caramelized bacon jam, cotija, and cabbage.  

Apart from the diverse menu, the saloon is also proud to offer live music and events and Griffis and Wallis hope Northern Lights will continue to be a cultural hub for both the local community and tourists.  

“There is a very lively culture here and there is a lot going on in the North Fork. To me, the saloon plays this role of being a gathering ground,” said Griffis. 

"In a rural community like this, it's nice to go out and socialize and have a social hub,” Wallis added. “It just fills your cup before going back into the woods. We’re trying to come back to those roots and just be friendly faces.” 

Northern Lights Saloon is located at 255 Polebridge Loop in Polebridge and can be reached by phone 406-888-5952. To find out more or check out their schedule of events, visit thenorthernlightssaloon.com. 

Reporter Summer Zalesky may be reached at szalesky@dailyinterlake.com. 

    The Northern Lights Saloon in Polebridge has put a new focus on its menu. (Summer Zalesky / Daily Inter Lake)
  

    Austin Wallis and Katie Griffis are the managers of the Northern Lights Saloon in Polebridge. (Summer Zalesky/Daily Inter Lake)
  

    The Northern Lights Saloon menu includes the grilled teriyaki chicken with mayo and pineapple jam. (Summer Zalesky / Daily Inter Lake)
  

    The classic margarita at the Northern Lights Saloon. (Summer Zalesky / Daily Inter Lake)