The need to feed

Bozeman’s Feed Café open for business

By Katie Thomas Explore Big Sky Contributor

Bozeman has never had a “farm-chic” eatery. Until now.

The Feed Café, located in the big red barn across East Main Street from the Hastings shopping center, opened on May 4 serving artisan comfort food for breakfast and lunch, seven days a week. Co-owner Serena Rundberg, also the primary owner of Bozeman’s Nova Café, is filling a niche by providing another option for those seeking quality meals, coffee, and baked goods.

Rundberg says she created Feed Café’s simple name based on what she loves doing best. “I thought of the name before finding a location,” she said. “I realized I just want to feed people. That’s what I love to do.”

Doors open at 7 a.m. for breakfast, which is served until 2 p.m. and includes gourmet breakfast sandwiches like the “Monte Cristo” (bacon, egg, Muenster cheese, strawberry Sriracha, challah), daily quiche, pastries, bread pudding, granola and oats, and coffee/espresso options.

Feed Café’s lunch menu, available from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., offers soups, salads, sandwiches and pasta dishes such as “Of the Sea,” which is made with butter-poached shrimp, sun-dried tomato and scallions. Gluten-free flatbread is available for sandwiches, but “it’s not our focus,” Rundberg said. “This is a different place than the Nova.”

My dining companion and I sampled the harissa chicken salad and bison short-rib sandwich. The salad was perfect for lunch, served in a large bowl with avocado, pumpkin seeds, and honey-roasted carrots peppering the spiced chicken, greens, and light yogurt dressing. The bison sandwich, served on focaccia with a small pickled veggie salad on the side, had a nice kick, thanks to the pickled jalapeno and pepper jack cheese.

The desserts are extraordinary. Sarah White, former owner of La Crème Custom Pastries, creates the Feed Café’s dessert menu. In fact, the dessert case is the first sight to tempt customers upon entering the restaurant, filled with cream-filled sugar cookie sandwiches; fresh-fruit Danishes; gluten-free chocolate cupcakes; cinnamon rolls; and cookies … at least on this day. The selection changes as goodies are gobbled. We were drawn to the decadent lemon chiffon cake – one slice was plenty for two – and chased it with a hot-pink almond macaroon.

While feasting in Feed Café’s relaxed atmosphere, customers may notice the larder, or “general store,” placed near the entrance and offering such handcrafted items as small-batch jams, organic teas, sea salts, chocolates, honey and beeswax candles, among others.

“We wanted to have a small dry goods area,” Rundberg said, “offering not just local, but the best, most quality goods.” One thing you won’t find available at Feed Café, though, is beer or wine – no alcohol will be sold, according to Rundberg.

Chef and co-owner Sean Lehmann makes everything in the café’s open kitchen from scratch, from the bread and sauces to the fresh-pressed juice and dressings. And Lehmann will be happy to create your food to go – takeout is available.

Next time you venture to Main Street in search of a house-made breakfast at 10 a.m. on a Saturday, you can visit the Feed Café and get a table without having to wait an hour … at least for now.

The Feed Café is located at 1530 West Main, open 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily.