Food & Drink

Dining & Culture Destinations

From Spearfish to Sioux Falls, South Dakota includes some of the best Midwest spots for food tourism. Discover surprising Midwestern food and locations across the entire state!

Western South Dakota

With national and state parks, scenic drives, hiking trails and iconic Mount Rushmore National Memorial, Western SoDak has emerged as an all-American road trip destination. It's also a standout stop on any culinary tourism itinerary. From fine cuts to craft pints, the Black Hills dining scene delivers with award-winning steakhouses such as Skogen Kitchen in Custer, Bullwacker’s Saloon in Whitewood — the oldest continuously operating saloon in the Black Hills — and mountain-town brewpubs like Lost Cabin Beer Co. in Rapid City and Cohort Craft Brewery – Black Hills in Hill City.

Eastern South Dakota

Find small-town, farm-to-table menus at Cafe Brule and Mister Smith's in Vermillion, Three22 in Aberdeen, or Manolis Deli in Huron. Head to Sioux Falls to discover award-winning dining, from elevated establishments to dives. Try out HK or ROAM Kitchen + Bar for upscale eateries or Phillips Avenue Diner for undeniably American classics.

Along the Missouri River & Beyond

Discover local flavor along the Missouri River corridor, one of the most underrated food tourism stretches in the Midwest. Pierre, Chamberlain, Yankton and Mitchell all deliver surprising dining finds and authentic farm-to-table dining. Dig into walleye fish fries and pheasant dinners at spots like Cattleman's Club Steakhouse in Pierre or The Smoking Mule in Chamberlain. These are the kind of unpretentious, locally beloved joints that make a road trip worthwhile.

Award-Winning Dining

South Dakota's culinary tourism scene has been turning heads with James Beard nominations in a tiny Black Hills town and award-winning pizza in the heart of the prairie. Adventurous foodies welcome.

State and National Award Winning Dining

County to Country Dining Award Winners

The Pheasant Restaurant & Lounge in Brookings — South Dakota's first-ever James Beard America's Classics Award winner (2024 has been a Brookings institution since 1949 when it started as a gas station cafe. They’re known for hot beef sandwiches on homemade bread, Nordic waffles and duck wings.
Dempsey's Brewery Pub & Restaurant in Watertown — Owner Sean Dempsey is a graduate of the International School of Pizza and a multi-time winner at the International Pizza Expo and Conference. Taste why the second-oldest brewery in the state just keeps earning national recognition.
Danger Von Dempsey's Pizzeria and Brewhaus in Brookings — The newer sibling to Dempsey's Watertown, this Brookings outpost earned its own trophies with a first-place finish in the Three Cheese Challenge and runner-up for Best Traditional Sauce at the 2025 California Pizza Challenge and a carrot cake dessert pizza that earned top honors in Italy in 2026.
Crawford's Bar & Grill in Sioux Falls — Two-time champion of the Sioux Falls Downtown Burger Battle (2023 and 2024) with the fan-favorite Truffle Jam Burger: prime beef, arugula, jalapeno bacon and black truffle cheese spread on a pretzel bun.
Meridian Corner in Freeman — Named best chislic in the state by Argus Leader readers, this highway-corner gem near Freeman is the go-to for the lamb version of South Dakota's state snack.
The Attic Bar & Grill in Sioux Falls — Argus Leader readers' pick for best beef chislic in the state; no-frills and fiercely beloved.

Famous Foods: Midwestern Cuisine, Only-in-South Dakota

South Dakota’s culinary tradition is rooted in rural and Indigenous cultures. From fry bread to hunted game, these are the must-try regional foods that define what the Midwest is known for, served up with a distinctly South Dakotan twist.

Chislic — the official state nosh: cubed, skewered and fried meat with a deeply South Dakotan origin.
Kuchen — the official state dessert: sweet yeast dough crust filled with fruit and custard, rooted in German-Russian settler heritage.
Bison burger — ranched on the Great Plains and served across the state, buffalo meat is loaded with classic burger toppings.
Walleye & pheasant — hunting and fishing culture on the plate, midwestern classic catches.
Fry bread – deep-fried, crispy brown dough served with honey or powdered sugar, or topped with taco fillings for Navajo tacos.

South Dakota Beers & Cheers Scene

South Dakota's bar scene is as diverse as its landscapes. In Sioux Falls, Fernson Brewing Co. and WoodGrain Brewing Co. have put the state on the craft beer map, while a thriving downtown bar scene keeps the nights lively well past sundown. Head west into the Black Hills and the atmosphere shifts. Deadwood's legendary Saloon No. 10 pours whiskey between walls lined with relics of the Wild West, and the Buffalo Bodega Complex has been keeping locals and visitors entertained since 1877. Over in Sturgis, the Iron Horse Saloon is in a league of its own: three stories of live music, open-air revelry and the kind of legendary nights that keep people coming back year after year. Whether you're raising a craft pint in Sioux Falls or a whiskey neat in Deadwood, South Dakota knows how to show you a good time.

Find the best breweries in South Dakota