Split Rock Cafe

The Split Rock Cafe is more of a brunch restaurant than an actual cafe. A bubbly waitress sat us near the windows: a good view of not only downtown Kalispell, Montana, but also of the bustling restaurant.

The cafe has a rustic feel: high ceilings, plain decor, and a large coffee bar that commands the dining area. Split Rock offers typical breakfast and lunch dishes, various omelets, pancakes, French toast, home fries, sandwiches, and salads. The coffee selection of espresso-based drinks and drip coffee is that of an average cafe. We wanted the best of the best, so we ordered the popular California Benedict with a side of fruit and a light Greek salad.

Eggs Benedict was different from what we expected. It is large and has plenty of avocado and sauce, but the hollandaise tastes like a thin buttery sauce, more oily than normal. We found it to be less flavorful, perhaps done purposely so as not to overpower the beautifully poached egg.  The avocado was vibrant and green but tasted under-ripe, masked by the strong flavor of sautéed spinach that the entree was topped with. However, the fruit side was quite refreshing coming with chilled pineapple, cantaloupe and honeydew in a heaping portion.

The Greek salad was simple: a combination of mixed greens, raw onion, tomatoes, feta cheese, and grilled chicken. We added avocado for fun but unfortunately our second helping was under-ripe as well, though the salad came in a satisfyingly large portion.

While our main meals turned out to be nothing special, we were impressed by the coffee and handmade whoopie pies. The Split Rock Mocha was rich and comforting, not overly sweet. The iced coffee was smooth and didn’t leave a bitter aftertaste. We paired our after-lunch beverages with their specialty oatmeal and peanut butter whoopie pies. The oatmeal pie resembled that of two extra fluffy, over-sized oatmeal cookies with Oreo cream filling in between–a delight to bite into. The peanut butter pie was dense in texture and flavor, made even richer by the peanut butter flavored filling. This pie went excellently with the mocha latte, a combination that any Reese’s lover can relate to.

Conveniently located in downtown Kalispell, Split Rock Cafe offers friendly and fast service and a casual brunch atmosphere with unique baked goods and quality coffee. We recommend the whoopie pies!