When asked about the menu at Uptown Hearth, chef Jake Sorensen describes it as “something that’s a little more high-end without it being a white tablecloth type of thing.”
Uptown Hearth is a coffee shop, café and coworking space in downtown Columbia Falls. Located in the heart of town, it’s a hub for locals and a favorite spot for tourists to grab a bite to eat on the way to Glacier National Park. The café serves pastries, coffees, teas, homemade breakfast and lunch dishes, and grab-and-go items. In its warm, open kitchen, each sandwich, croissant and latte is made intentionally and with local, fresh ingredients.
The Columbia Falls spot is now in its second, revamped iteration after a four-year long closure. Before the pandemic, Uptown Hearth served breakfast and coffee five days a week under the leadership of its original owner, Terri Feury. When COVID-19 forced the business to shut down temporarily, Feury and her team saw an opportunity for a full reimagination of the café.
“The community really wanted a café-style, sit-down place that was consistent throughout the week,” Matthew Bussard, a longtime business partner of Feury’s and a current owner at Uptown Hearth, said. “We heard that and rose to the occasion.”
Feury, Bussard and coffee roasting couple Chas Brandt and Hillary Sheldon this past winter brought the new Uptown Hearth to life.
Uptown Hearth is now open every day from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. In addition to its full coffee roasting and kitchen operation, office spaces are available for short- and long-term rentals. For Bussard, integrating coworking into Uptown Hearth’s business model was key in responding to the valley’s post-pandemic economic shifts. With more remote workers, demand increased for a cozy spot to hunker down with a computer and a cup of coffee.
Yet food and drink remain at the heart of Uptown Hearth’s model, which strives to bridge eclectic eats with a homey atmosphere. It’s a feeling that’s encapsulated perfectly in the Soba Bowl.
The Soba Bowl starts with ginger scallion soba noodles, which are topped with either marinated tofu or flank steak, then garnished with pickled cucumber, cabbage slaw, chili crunch, cilantro and a jammy soy egg. Like most things at Uptown Hearth, nearly everything is made in-house, including the chili crunch and pickled cucumber.
The final touch is a dollop of crème fraîche, which Sorensen said, “shouldn’t work, but it’s really delicious.”
Sorensen, who works as co-chef with his wife Becky, said the Soba Bowl takes inspiration from East Asian cuisines. It’s one of many dishes at Uptown Hearth that contains influences “from all over the world.”
It’s a light yet filling plate, one packed with an array of flavors that go beyond the classic conventions of a coffee shop lunch. The crunch of the cabbage slaw pairs seamlessly with the soft-boiled egg. The marinated tofu hits an often elusive salty-sweet balance.
Uptown Hearth’s wide-ranging lunch menu has defined its new era, allowing it to expand beyond the breakfast basics it has long been known for. Alongside the Soba Bowl, patrons can order the seared flank steak “Beef and Blue” burger with horseradish beet spread and arugula, or the quinoa salad with fresh vegetables. And, of course, the breakfast staples remain, with pain au chocolat and sticky buns stacking up in the pastry case each morning, and fresh, hot coffee waiting right behind the door.
Details
Description: A bowl with ginger scallion soba noodles, tofu or flank steak, pickled cucumber, cabbage slaw, chili crunch, crème fraîche and a jammy soy egg
Price: $15
Hours: Uptown Hearth is open every day from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Location:619 Nucleus Ave, Columbia Falls
Contact: www.uptownhearth.com