Bozemanites looking to satiate their international palates now have another option for a night on the town — a German-inspired restaurant called gute Laune that’s serving up local beer, sausage and other nosh til late.
The new restaurant is located at 10 W. Main St. on the second floor of the Rialto, an old movie theatre turned downtown concert hall.
The spacious bar and eatery is open Wednesday through Sunday from 5 p.m. to midnight — and the kitchen doesn’t close early, adding a rare late-night food option to downtown.
Gute Laune officially opened on April 20, and things have been going well so far, co-owner Erik Nelson told the Chronicle.
“Gute Laune” means “good spirits” or good mood in German, and that’s the vibe the restaurant is trying to cultivate as a family-friendly community gathering space.
Nelson said when Nest Partners originally bought the Rialto, the upstairs space was set aside to host private events. Then came 2020, and the space wasn’t really being used for anything.
The idea for a German-inspired beer hall soon materialized. The owners — one of whom has a German spouse — wanted to create something that was new and “additive” for Bozeman since there are already so many great restaurants downtown, Nelson said.
“The most exciting thing for us is that we finally have been able to create a space that more people can spend time in, and actually really just absorb it all and enjoy,” Nelson said.
Local partnerships were key for building the menu, which has something for everyone — nearly half of the offerings are vegetarian.
All of the meat — including bison and jalapeño cheddar bratwursts and chicken sausage — is sourced from Montana, with local businesses Daniels Gourmet Meats, B Bar Ranch, and Pioneer Meats highlighted on the menu.
On the Rise makes all the bread, dishes with potatoes come from Bausch Farm Potatoes, and beer from Missoula’s Bayern Brewing is the base of the beer cheese.
The bar is also fully stocked, so people can order a cocktail or pick from the assortment of Montana and German beers.
Nelson said a lot of thought went into the restaurant’s “sensible and functional design.” The space took about nine months to build, and the architects used largely local material and collaborated with local artists.
Nelson highlighted the long wood tables, which were made from timber salvaged from the old Rialto floor and like something you’d see in a classic German beer hall, he said. Local business MFGR Designs crafted the furniture.
Metal on one corner wall also came from the Rialto’s old “burn box” where flammable film reels were kept when the building was an old movie theatre.
The exposed brick walls adorned different posters for Bauhaus, a famous design school in Germany, which featured multi-colored geometric blocks for a modern feel.
The restaurant has two separate areas — the food counter and tables, and the bar around the corner — so families can feel comfortable bringing young children.
The space will be open during Rialto shows, too, and there’s 4 feet of insulation between the restaurant and first floor, Nelson said.
“I think there’s an opportunity for people who haven’t yet found their spot to find us,” Nelson said. “There’s a lot of great places downtown. We hope to be among them.”
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