In early 2015, just when Brian and Lorraine Scotti-Belli were looking for a new challenge, the former North Bay Grille went up for sale. North Bay, located on the corner of 1st Ave. and 2nd Street, was a longtime Kalispell staple with a respected name and a beautiful building, but the previous owners wanted to focus their time elsewhere.

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Brian and Lorraine were a perfect fit to take over the business. Brian was already the executive chef at his family’s popular ScottiBelli’s Ristorante Italiano in Kalispell. He looked forward to the chance to build his own legacy, and thought this would be the perfect location to expand the burgeoning local food scene. Lorraine is good with people, loves being part of restaurant operations, and shares Brian’s passion for serving local families.

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So the husband-and-wife team jumped at the opportunity and 406 Bar & Grill was born. The Scotti-Bellis closed the building for winter renovations and reopened shortly after with a new, stylish, and cozy interior.

“It’s nice to have business here, it revives the city,” said Brian, 406’s executive chef. “And there’s a good community here that supports local businesses. It’s a historic city.”

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“People really appreciate the history,” agreed Lorraine.

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406 Bar & Grill’s front door is not far from the parking lot from ScottiBelli’s but there’s enough business to go around. On any given night, both restaurants are bustling, and 406 has its own crew of regulars that Brian says come in three or four times a week.

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Brian and Lorraine believe the success of both restaurants is due, in part, to the local community’s enthusiasm for regional eats and small businesses of all kinds. The two restaurants offer vastly different dishes. The traditional Italian restaurant serves rich classics like cannelloni, lasagna, and linguine with Italian sausages and spices. The menu at 406, however, is aptly inspired by the Big Sky state.

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“We use local meats,” said Brian. “And in the summer, local vegetables. We do Montana-style dishes. We like to stay true to Montana. But I also love to play.”

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That dynamic results in dishes like the Buffalo Sliders with pepper jack, blue cheese, and lemon aioli. Brian also creates more adventurous dishes like Bacon Wrapped Dates, which are cooked with a red-wine reduction, and Elk Wontons, made of local elk meat seasoned with ginger, garlic, cilantro, and chili sauce.

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Both dinner and lunch menus have many options for any eater, including vegetarian and gluten-free choices. Brian dreams up new dishes throughout the year to make the best use of the ingredients seasonally available and keep the options fresh.