Bozeman Restaurant News - February 2023

The latest restaurant news from Bozeman, Montana and a few thoughts.

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A Mexican restaurant is coming to the Cannery District

I can hear a collective groan as I type these words. "How many Mexican restaurants do we need in Bozeman?" many will ask. Apparently, the answer is a lot. I'm not sure the exact count, but if you consider restaurants, food trucks, and fast-food joints, we easily have over a dozen places to get Mexican and Mexican-inspired food in the Bozone. 

What sets this new Mexican joint apart is that it comes to us from New York City. In mid-March, La Esquina makes its Bozeman debut and will open in the space that once housed the 406 brewery. 

According to the La Eqsuina website, "By day and by night a stylish crowd gathers ... eager for the fast casual delights delivered muy rapido by the taqueria..., a Sexico fusion of elegant funkiness and intimate ambience, a place you could bring your lover or even your mother....A true New York City rendezvous...a cool mix of bohemian creatives adding extra texture to Esquina’s unfakeable authenticity... fueled by the sensual effects of extraordinary food, fine wines and high-spirited tequilas....Now with satellites circling the SoHo mothership, on 55th near Broadway, 73rd and Second Avenue, and Bozeman, Montana opening Spring 2022."

They're a bit behind on the spring 2022 opening but that's not surprising given the aftershocks of the pandemic. What is surprising is that this Big Apple restaurant selected Bozeman for its fourth location. They have an Instagram page for their Bozeman outpost and update it regularly if you want to follow along. Interestingly, they find is necessary to tag the Yellowstone Club in some of their posts so it would be easy to come to a conclusion about what that says about their desired clientele and their price point.

A Bozeman magazine article states, "A band of misfits and renegades looking to welcome you to our unique bohemian yet professional community, and join in bringing the electricity of an urban oasis to Bozeman, MT."

La Esquina translates to "The Corner." This picture is the storefront of one of their New York City locations. Very urban indeed. If you peak into the window of the new Bozeman spot, you'll see that a mural of this image hangs on the wall. It will be interesting to see how the "electricity of an urban oasis" does in Bozeman.

Thai/Chinese mountain tavern coming to the Cannery

Restaurateur and writer Jarrett Wrisley will open his first restaurant in Bozeman. Prior to moving here, he owned both Thai and Italian restaurants in Bangkok and Hong Kong. Additionally, he is the author of cookbook "The Roads to Rome" (The Splendid Table's Francis Lam was his editor.) https://www.jarrettwrisley.com/ You can find his bio on the website and read about his restaurant and writing careers - both very impressive with his by-line and news of his establishments appearing in several well-regarded, high-profile publications.

EatAtShan on Instagram

Jarrett first announced his new Bozeman restaurant via email in September. Copied from the email (Emphasis added) "The restaurant is inspired by the mountains that surround us, and the climate in this part of the west, the beautiful proteins from the prairies nearby, and my own experiences cooking and eating in Asia. I want to open a little mountain tavern with a particular sense of place, where the flavors might be from Thailand’s north, or China’s southwest, but the restaurant itself could only happen, here." Click here to read the full email.

Jarrett's website doesn't mention anything about his new place, Shan, but it already has an Instagram page. Not much has been posted but they are hiring. They will be located in the old Lot G space.

It sounds wonderful and unique, something we can't complain about having too much of in Bozeman. Bring it on is what I say. Let's hope he can find the staff and the products he needs to make it a success.

Open Range has new owners

According to the Bozeman Daily Chronicle, Nashville brothers Gavin and Joe DeGraw have purchased Open Range. (Open in an Incognito window if you don't have a subscription) "Gavin and Joey DeGraw bought Open Range from local restaurateur Jay Bentley. The brothers are known for their success in the music industry, but have also carved a path in the restaurant world with successful ventures in New York City and Nashville. For example, the DeGraws’ Nashville Underground is a massive restaurant, bar and live music venue nestled amongst a sea of bars on the city’s Honky Tonk Highway."

Okay Cool restaurant group changes

Okay Cool has put two of their bars/restaurants up for sale. This article from the Bozeman Daily Chronicle reports that El Camino (Read my review) and Kitty Warren Social Club are on the market $400K. For about the price of a starter condo in Bozeman, you can own two Main Street restaurants. Wild.

The article also reports that Happy Box, Okay Cool's Korean-inspired karaoke bar, which opened in June 2021, is under new ownership. The new owners are planning to renovate the space and it will open in the spring. I couldn't find out anything else.

Update - March 6, 2023 - Over the weekend, I passed by the old Happy Box location where there was a sign announcing that est. 1864 (A Noir Bar & Restaurant) will be opening soon. Some internet sleuthing revealed that chef Allison Fasano is chef/owner behind this new establishment. est. 1864 is "an homage to the trailblazers, roughnecks, vigilantes & natives that dared conquer these lands." They will feature house-made pasta, local meat, and modern seasonal Americana, and they intend to stay open late.

Prior to moving to Bozeman, Allison worked in Michelin Star restaurants in New York City. She has appeared on Food Network programs such as Beat Bobby Flay and Chopped.

I don't know much about the Okay Cool group other than that they have been operating restaurants in Bozeman for over a decade. Their first was Copper, sometimes described as a Plonk for Men, which has locations in Bozeman and Big Sky. Next they also opened, but quickly abandoned, the Red Chair in the old Weebee's location, and over time they opened El Camino, Kitty Warren's, Tips Up in Big Sky, and the Osborne Building on Main Street, which houses the (mostly empty) Main Street Market, Brigade (An upscale French-inspired restaurant), and the karaoke bar. I'll be curious to see what happens next with their holdings.

Update - March 12, 2023 - There seems to be a big shake up at the Okay Cool Group. The Big Sky branch of Copper has been sold and is now Block 3 Kitchen, Tips Up has been sold but is still operating under the same name, and the Main Street Market is now completely closed. 

Some Thoughts

It is interesting to see new-comers entering Bozeman's restaurant scene, but I can once again hear a collective sigh as readers learn of these changes. While it is heartbreaking to watch our town grow, there is often a "knee jerk" reaction when  people hear news like this. It's easy to blame newcomers for Bozeman's growing pains, make assumptions about what they'll do with their restaurants, and pass judgement on the types of people we think will frequent them. 

I couldn't help but notice that both La Esquina and est. 1864 refer to the perceived outlaw nature of Bozeman. At La Esquina, they have a "band of misfits and renegades" running the place and est. 1864 takes its inspiration from "trailblazers, roughnecks, vigilantes and natives." I think it's a bit cliché to focus on this "wild west" image of Montana, especially in a town that has become as polished (Almost to the point of dullness) and trendy as Bozeman. Again, I'm trying not to pass judgement or make assumptions and will be curious to see if or how these elements play out once they open.

I'm working on keeping a positive attitude and hope all of this spells good things for the Bozeman restaurant world. Is Bozeman ready for urban vibes and late night dining or will the kitchens close by 8 or 9 p.m.? Will Bozeman diners embrace interesting flavors or will they stick with the same old things? Will the restaurants tantalize our taste buds with bold spices or keep it tame to please the masses? Will prices be out of reach for most, another indicator that Bozeman is becoming more posh and more "ruined"? Only time will tell.

Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section of this post. You don't need an account to do so.

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Read more...

• Restaurant reviews: http://annvinciguerra.blogspot.com/search/label/restaurant%20review
• The essence of Bozeman: http://annvinciguerra.blogspot.com/2023/01/bozeman-essence.html