Best Restaurants In The Black Hills
Where to Eat Near Custer State Park
The State Game Lodge, a gracious stone and wood structure in Custer State Park , presents diverse new Western fare at the State Game Lodge Dining Room . After sampling pheasant and buffalo ravioli, pan-seared rainbow trout and roasted venison, wander the surrounding mountain valley once explored by Presidents Calvin Coolidge and Dwight D. Eisenhower. A creek named after first lady Grace Coolidge flows through the historic Custer State Park property, which also is the starting point for Buffalo Jeep Safari tours.
Overlooking the beautiful Black Hills wilderness, nearby Blue Bell Lodge Dining Room serves such home-style dishes as meatloaf and chicken-fried steak. For a distinctive and tasty meal, order up the buffalo pie—a bowl filled with mashed potatoes and gravy, fresh vegetables and tender buffalo meat. Try the coconut-pecan frosted, Coco-Cola chocolate cake with strawberry compote for dessert. If you prefer to take advantage of Custer State Park's serene beauty, picnic lunches are available, as are evening chuck wagon cookouts.
After touring the Custer County 1881 Courthouse Museum , stop for lunch or dinner at Sage Creek Grille . Original artwork embellishes the open, contemporary dining room in downtown Custer. Appealing culinary creations include Cajun chicken linguine, elk and buffalo burgers, bourbon barbecue pork loin, baked salmon and delectable desserts. Enhance the experience with a selection from the wine list, featuring bottles from around the world.
Places to Eat Near Hill City
Housed in an 1886 Hill City landmark, the Alpine Inn is decorated with Old World chandeliers and wood paneling. This restaurant serves European-inspired lunches and outstanding desserts. Evenings offer a prix fixe menu of bacon-wrapped filet mignon, a lettuce wedge with house dressing, a baked potato and Texas toast. Despite its simplicity, the eatery is extremely popular, with 1-hour wait times common in the summer. Don't let the line turn you away; while your table is readied, enjoy views of the city's bustling main thoroughfare from the veranda.
Travel to a secluded, scenic area of Hill City, where the gracious owners and waiters at Horse Creek Inn Restaurant & Bar keep a keen eye out for their guests. This rustic, homespun restaurant features choice hand-cut steaks, shrimp scampi, trout, pork chops and lip-smacking desserts. Over the weekend drop by for lunch to try the eatery's outstanding burgers, sandwiched between freshly baked buns.
Nearby Restaurants in Rapid City
For a more sophisticated dining experience, spend an evening at Enigma Restaurant. At Rushmore Hotel and Suites, BW Premier Collection in downtown Rapid City, this upscale eatery fuses European and Mediterranean cuisine in such creations as gnocchi Gorgonzola, salmon en papillote and steak au poîvre—along with the more familiar rainbow trout, filet mignon and buffalo ribeye. Before your meal, sample a house aperitif at the martini bar or choose a wine from the international cellar. Afterward, treat yourself to a scrumptious dessert prepared tableside.
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