Awesome Brunch Within Walking Distance for U of M Students

If you're a returning student, good news, Nonna's is reopening on Monday (8/17). If this is your first time living in Missoula, here's your new brunch spot!

Nonna's Neighborhood Eatery opened near campus one year ago, and they were awesome, Missoula loved them, all was well, and then the stupid pandemic hit. Locally owned by a Missoulian, Nonna's struggled, and finally closed their doors near the end of July. But not forever! The pandemic has been so difficult for everyone, let's support this wonderful local business when they reopen on Monday. Especially if you love TOAST, and your means of travel are by foot or bike.

This mindful, all inclusive brunch spot is close to campus and serves a menu of coffee drinks, a variety of toasts, baked goods, granola (served w/ cold milk for more of a cereal, or steamed milk for more of an oatmeal - both with fun toppings), and salads, soups and so much more. The coffee is delectable and the Blueberry Lemon Streusel and Cajun Benedict are both 'must tries' for you at some point.

Celebrated for their inviting atmosphere and sensational customer service, Nonna's is in the former location of The Buttercup, at 1221 Helen Avenue, just west of Arthur Avenue, near campus. The owner is a young business woman named Tadra who moved home to Missoula last year to begin her new adventure as a small business owner. I spoke with Tadra last year to ask, "so what's with the toast?"

"Our toast is made with bread from Grist Milling and Bakery. When I moved back home to open Nonna's, I'd been searching for a similar bread (to one she loved in Spokane) - I knew I wanted a whole grain, hearty bread.  The whole grain is so important, it gives you all the nutrients, plus it's more filling!  I searched high and low for this bread and nothing was quite right - then along came Grist.  I fell in love with their 7 Grain Black Sesame bread....it's everything I wanted....chewy, seedy, filling.  And for the Vegan & GF crowd we've got a whole grain from David at Tandem Bakery!  We also carry their donuts which have been a huge hit.  Then we load this amazing bread with all sorts of toppings.  Everything from savory to sweet - we wanted something for everyone.  The kiddos LOVE the Sweet T - Nutella, bananas, strawberries, blueberries, honey drizzle, and chia seeds.  My personal favorite is also an amazing hangover cure, the SOS (shit on a shingle) - a house made pork sausage gravy, a fried egg, smoked cheddar cheese, Papa Lou's Verde sauce, and Arthur Wayne's Haba Haba Dime Sauce.  We are using as little "junk" as we can (aside from the Nutella...because....Nutella,) for instance, the cream cheese on the NOLA toast is sweetened with madjool dates instead of sugar."

Keep up with times and days they are open during these crazy pandemic times on the Nonna's Facebook page.