Obviously, us Montana-folk are a little  spoiled when it comes to having access to fresh farm-to-table products! I mean come on, have ya been to a Saturday morning market?!

You gotta know that when Food & Wine pulled together a list of the BEST farm-to-table restaurants in every state, the Montana one had to be next level because of all the competition it beat out! Here's how foodandwine.com described the farm-to-table movement:

The farm-to-table movement may be decades old, but recent heightened attention towards issues like climate change and health has given rise to a new generation of chefs who are redefining what that oft-abused phrase means. In an era where fast food chains are hawking the farm-to-table trend, consumers are left feeling that every restaurant is green to some degree. These 50 establishments—plus Washington D.C.—stand out from the pack by not only creating exciting innovative cuisine with a locally sourced menu, but also by applying that same eco-minded culinary philosophy to every aspect of the operation.   Considering that the average food item in America has traveled 1,500 miles from the farm to your plate, according to Worldwatch Institute, eating local—for your health, the environment, and your taste buds—is only logical. From the James Beard-awarded chefs to under-the-radar talents and those fresh on the scene, it's increasingly important to know the story behind the food we eat when dining out, not just at home.   We consulted with the country’s top food bloggers and experts (and did plenty of foraging ourselves) to uncover the best eco-friendly restaurants in every state, from the Sun Belt to the Gulf of Alaska to the shores of Hawaii's Big Island. Lauren Matison

So with that being said, the BEST farm-to-table restaurant chosen in the state of Montana is the Local Kitchen in Billings. Now I've never been there, but if the Local Kitchen beat out the Red Bird and Pearl Cafe here in Missoula, then you better believe it's probably mind blowing! Here's what they had to say about it:

“Because we have a long-standing tradition of hunting, fishing, farming, and ranching, and take great pride in self-reliance, a high percentage of Montanans have naturally eaten farm to table for generations,” said Lynn Donaldson, Montana-based photographer and author of The Last Best Plates. Yet Travis Stimpson’s Billings-based Local Kitchen is among a new breed of restaurants in Big Sky country being outspoken about the sustainable food movement. “The beef comes from Stimpson’s family ranch; even the elm that crackles in the open kitchen’s wood-fired oven is harvested from the eastern Montana homestead,” added Donaldson, who recommends the handmade pumpkin ravioli.

To see what the best farm-to-table restaurants are in other states, check out foodandwine.com or click HERE!

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