The Park Cafe - Saint Mary

We arrived after 5 PM, which we assumed was dinnertime, only to be informed that the kitchen was closed due to being short-staffed. However, we were told we could order dessert to go, which was fine with us since we were primarily there for the huckleberry pie. We waited for a menu (yes, a menu) and then waited a bit longer for our three slices of pie. They also offer whole pies, equivalent to eight slices, but we figured we couldn't manage an entire pie in one sitting. The filling had a jam-like consistency with whole huckleberries mixed in, while the crust was delightfully flaky. If you're a purist when it comes to fruit pies, this may not meet your expectations.

It's a cafe, so I had modest expectations. However, the chicken sandwich was surprisingly delicious, and the cheeseburger was decent as well. I'm giving it 3 stars instead of 4 because you have to order at the counter, yet the prices are more akin to table service. We also tried the huckleberry shake, which was quite nice, but at $9, it felt a bit pricey.

The food here is fantastic! You absolutely have to try the huckleberry pizza—it's a must if you’re in Huckleberry country. If I lived here, I would find it hard to resist eating this more often!

The sign on the door indicated that it was takeout only today. We decided to go inside to see if we could purchase a pie. Unfortunately, they didn't have any huckleberry pie, and they had just sold the last blueberry pie, so we ended up leaving. It seems like they were short-staffed, which is unfortunate for them, especially since it was mid-July and all the other restaurants were quite busy. When I walked in, there was only one employee at the counter.

Montana and the Glacier area are famous for their huckleberry products, and it's hard to miss the signs advertising Huck pies wherever you go. Unfortunately, this place felt like a tourist trap, and I was disappointed to spend $10.50 on a huck pie slice that was sad-looking and seemed to have been microwaved, almost like it had been flattened by a heavy book. The a la carte ice cream was both gummy and icy, which suggested it had been in the freezer for far too long. On a positive note, our waitress was friendly, which prevented this from being a one-star experience. In summary, I would recommend skipping the Huck pies and visiting Sweet Peaks, a local ice cream shop that offers a much tastier huckleberry flavor.