The Best 24-Hour Restaurant in Montana Might Surprise You

Montana will probably never have one of its towns earn the title of a city “that never sleeps, like New York City". But we do have businesses that don’t close.

Montana’s 24-Hour Dining Culture  

If you want to gamble, most towns will have a casino that will be open 24 hours a day. There are convenience stores that are open all day and all night. There are a few restaurants that will serve up some tasty food 24 hours a day too.  

One particular restaurant in Missoula, the Oxford, used to be a go-to spot for “brains and eggs” at two o’clock in the morning. They have changed their hours over the years, citing difficulty in finding staff who can work those shifts. They used to joke that they didn’t have a key to the door because they never closed. Oxford is currently for sale. Maybe new owners will reopen it 24 hours.  

READ MORE: Montana's Most Famous Restaurant Isn't Where You Think

When I started in radio, I worked the overnight shift playing music and taking requests for the overnight convenience store workers, restaurant kitchen staff, and cab drivers. I became friends with some of them. 

Shellie’s Country Cafe in Helena

If you get the craving for some middle-of-the-night food, there is one location that has been recognized as the best 24-hour restaurant in Montana. According to The Tasting Table, Shellie’s Country Cafe in Helena is your best bet.  

via GIPHY

Shellie’s is home of the “Holy Cow”; you can double the size of your meal for $5.50. The last time I ate there, I didn’t dare order the “Holy Cow”, but I did enjoy a great omelet, while my friend had the country-fried steak. We ate at a “normal” time, late in the morning. I can only imagine how much better it would have been at 3 o’clock in the morning.