Coffee Shops

Caffe Dolce: the place to fall in love over beer-flavored ice cream (Kaimin picks)

Caffe Dolce's gold-colored walls and painted fresco ceiling create a warm, intimate atmosphere — the perfect place to take a date. Grab a seat in the corner or on the outside patio while sipping espresso made from beans roasted at Seattle's Cafe Umbria. Get to know your new interest over house-made pastas, sandwiches or salads and as a treat try one of several dozen house-made pastries. At night, the cafe converts to a sit-down restaurant with pricier entrees including pizzas, grilled beef ribeye and pork tenderloin — perfect for winning him or her over next time you go out. Plus, Caffe Dolce has more than 20 flavors of gelato, which are made fresh every Friday and include flavors like peanut butter chocolate and beer. (Yes, the cafe makes several beer-flavored varieties each week, often with beer from local breweries like Missoula's Big Sky Brewing Company.) If you go on a Thursday night in the fall or winter, you'll hear music from local artists. Check the cafe's website at www.caffedolcemissoula.com for events and specials. Just remember to bring along a pack of breath mints.

Bernice's Bakery: the place for drip and a cupcake you can't find anywhere else

Bernice's Bakery takes its coffee seriously. Regular and decaf drip coffee are the only coffee beverages served, and they are strong. Bernice's worked with Hunter Bay Coffee in Missoula to develop "Bernice's Blend," an organic, robust blend of beans from the East Indies and Africa with hints of chocolate and blueberry. Sit back and read a book (or the Kaimin) with a cup, or purchase a bag of ground coffee for home. If you're not a fan of drip, try an Arnold Palmer. The half-lemonade, half-iced tea combination is always refreshing, but Bernice's version is the best, especially with mango ceylon black tea. Be sure to order a pastry with your beverage, because Bernice's employees bake fresh goods every morning and cater to people with dietary needs. Vegans should try the chocolate cupcake with raspberry frosting, which is also gluten-free, as is the white-wine cupcake with salted caramel buttercream frosting. For special occasions, order one of Bernice's cakes or pies like the Grasshopper, a chocolate cake made with a minted filling and minted buttercream frosting and topped with a chocolate ganache pour-over. And don't feel too guilty about over-indulging in sweets—the bakery composts its coffee grounds and eggshells and donates leftover food to the Poverello Center.

Buttercup Market and Café: the place to pick up food with your coffee

A relatively new addition to the Missoula coffee scene is the Buttercup Café, which can be found just one block away from campus, where some may remember the Bear's Brew Coffee Shop once resided.

A coffee shop, restaurant and market, Buttercup gets its name and apparent theme from the story of "The Princess Bride." Drinks and snacks are named after the characters Buttercup, Westley, Inigo Montoya, Fezzik and Vizzini.

The market offers a unique variety of local foods, from fruits and vegetables and meat to breads and pastas and drinks and desserts, which make waiting in line seem almost fun.

Butterfly Herbs: the place to find new friends

Kick back while sipping an espresso milkshake in one of Butterfly Herbs' six red booths, or chat with one of the baristas while munching on a hummus and veggie sandwich at the bar. Many of Butterfly Herbs baristas are artists and university students with superb customer service and they aren't afraid to talk to you, a lot. The coffee shop celebrated its 40th anniversary in May and continues to provide customers not only with excellent beverages and sandwiches, but also a large variety of bulk teas, herbs, spices, coffee beans and other goods from vendors around the world. After buying 10 pounds of coffee beans, customers receive the 11th for free. (Just ask to start a frequent-buyers card). Be sure to stock up on Evening in Missoula herbal tea for those sub-zero nights this winter. With hints of calming chamomile and wintergreen, the tea is made with more than 18 herbs. You can't call yourself a Missoulian without trying it at least once during your time at the University. Just make sure to bring along cash – Butterfly Herbs doesn't accept debit or credit cards.