Where is there to go for lunch?” asks the monthly text from my dear mom. She treats me like her personal Google search engine when it comes to restaurants – possibly because I write this column – and fortunately for her, I do keep a spreadsheet. And you know what I’ve learned? There are a lot of restaurants in this town, but a frustrating number of them don’t serve lunch. They might open at 3, 4, or 5 p.m., which doesn’t help Ladies Who Lunch. I understand why they do it; lunchtime isn’t always profitable for restaurants that specialize in dinner and/or breakfast. So when a place that focuses on lunch arrives, it’s a pretty welcome addition to our community.

In 2010, Robin and Jim Lester chose the quaint little spot in Stoneridge Square, a cluster of new brick buildings off the corner of 19th and Oak Street, that’s home to  Biankini’s. As someone who resides in the southeast quadrant of Bozeman, I was not following the developments of the former farmland in that area at the time, and had no idea what was over there other than REI. One day, I had plans to meet a friend for lunch, and she suggested Biankini’s. Where? Never heard of it. Thanks to her, I have now. I have since learned that Biankini’s is an excellent choice for lunch, whether it’s sit-down or to go. They offer sandwiches, salads, soups, and desserts, and you don’t have to worry that Biankini’s will be closed between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. I chatted with Nicole Kronfuss, the manager, who told me a little more about Biankini’s.

Katie Thomas: How was Biankini’s conceptualized?

Nicole Kronfuss: Owners Jim and Robin Lester always had a dream to open a restaurant. Well, it may have been Robin’s a little more than Jim’s. Their good friends Steve and Deb Bianchini started Bianchini’s Sandwich Soup and Salad Market in Petaluma, California. They initially did not want to make their restaurant a franchise, but suggested that the Lesters open one up in Bozeman. So, they took the Bianchini’s concept and did just that, changing the spelling so it would be easier to read. The Bozeman menu is very similar to the original, but we did have to experiment a little to figure out what is most loved by our community now. We added and changed a few of the menu items over the first few years to fit Bozeman. It took many years to perfect the Bozeman Biankinis, as it is very different from the other locations.

KT: What would you like people to experience when they walk through your doors?

NK: We want people to first experience our great scents, which are usually never lacking! We always get compliments on how tasty it smells in Biankini’s. We are either in the midst of baking fresh cookies or whipping up something delicious for lunch, so there are always amazing aromas coming out of our kitchen. As a sidenote, we do enjoy being able to go home without smelling like greasy food, which happens in a lot of restaurants. We also would like people to experience a warm and welcoming environment, with happy employees. Most of our staff have either been with us for quite some time, or they will return and work during the holidays. It is quite a treat to work with such wonderful people.

KT: What would you say makes Biankini’s unique in the Bozeman food scene?

NK: We might be best known for our large variety of house-made soups – we make a delicious Lobster Bisque that sells out every Wednesday. Our soups are rotated daily, so you never see the same soup too many times each month, and there’s a wide, scrumptious selection that our chefs can choose from.

This trend continues throughout the menu to our spreads, salad dressings, and sides. We also make a handful of desserts in-house, and love to make specialty treats for the holidays.

We have a big menu, most of which is made fresh, daily, and in-house, by our wonderful team.


KT: What menu item do regulars keep coming back for?

NK: One of our most popular items for sure is the Number 3: the turkey, avocado, and Monterey Jack cheese sandwich on the freshly baked ciabatta bread, with pesto mayo, lettuce, tomato, and red onion. Our customers also love the cayenne mac and cheese with candied bacon.

We have recently seen a huge uptick in our specials, and I think this has a lot to do with the unique names we give them, and the fact that we change them up so often. We have a special sandwich and a special salad every day, which we post daily to our website so you can check them out in the morning. My assistant manager is amazing at coming up with all those different items you see! We have many options to choose from daily, and we have plenty of regulars who look forward to the morning specials and soups from Biankinis!

KT: Do you personally have a favorite menu item?

NK: My personal favorite is the Number 15, the Cubano. It is not your traditional Cubano; we have put our twist on it. We cook the seasoned pulled pork in-house, and house-slice the Capicola ham and Picante provolone. It’s served hot on a Ciabatta roll with our spicy house spread, and layered with pickles, of course! (Our meats, cheeses, and pickles all come from Boar’s Head Premium Deli.) I may be biased, but it is quite possibly the best flavor combination ever.

We also love to see what our customers come up with. It is fun and exciting to see their flavor combinations…we give them a try from time to time! If they fit our “Biankinis” way we will put them on our special board and sometimes even name them based on who ordered it! We truly do love our customers.


KT: What do you enjoy most about being part of the Bozeman community?

NK: We definitely appreciate all the people we get to meet, and we love serving folks from all different walks of life – different ages, professions, things like that. It is a joy to see people come back and ask when we will have this or that soup or special sandwich again – it makes it fun, and it also restores my faith that we are not the only ones who really enjoy good, quality food.

KT: Anything else you’d like readers to know about Biankini’s?

NK: We’ve really dug into our catering offerings lately, expanding to serve MSU Athletics and Bozeman Health in recent months. We can cater to whatever size event your team, business, or group needs, with the Biankini sandwiches you love in the form of platters, along with our delicious soups and salads.

We will never stop serving fresh, house-made, healthy food. This is what we live for. Thank you for the last 15 years, Bozeman!

After hearing Nicole talk about the care that goes into their food, it’s no surprise that the menu reflects that same attention. Choosing a favorite at Biankini’s is almost impossible — the sandwich list alone could keep you busy for days — and the combo options, with soup or salad, make lunch feel especially satisfying. And if nothing quite fits the craving of the day, the build-your-own options are a reliable solution. Pick your bread, your spread, and the exact fixings you want, and they’ll assemble it just the way you like it. The same goes for salads, which are just as customizable. They’re also thoughtful about dietary needs, offering gluten-free options and plenty of flexibility, so everyone can find something that works for them.

There is no denying that those soups and sammies always hit the spot, and because of Biankini’s, I now always pay attention to the new neighborhoods in Bozeman. You never know what treasure may pop up, and even if it’s not in my neighborhood, it’s worth the journey. Biankini’s is where I’ll be sending Mom next time!