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The Top Restaurants In Pierre, South Dakota

Rice Risotto with Burgundy Truffle
Rice Risotto with Burgundy Truffle | Photo by Connie Perez on Unsplash

You probably think of South Dakota as steak country – and given the great options for finding steak in Pierre, South Dakota’s capital city, you are not wrong. However, small as it is, there are plenty of other places to go, with a wide variety of food options to choose from. Have a look at our guide to the top 10 local restaurants in beautiful Pierre.

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Cattleman’s Club Steakhouse

South Dakota is steak country, and Cattleman’s Club Steakhouse is a great place to get it in Pierre. Founded in 1986 by a long-time cook and restaurant owner, this venue quickly shot up to the forefront of Pierre’s dining scene and has remained a favorite ever since. The founder has since passed away, but his legacy is still alive – it’s his daughter who runs the steakhouse now, and the quality of what they serve is unparalleled. If you’re serious about steak, this is the place to come. They only serve the top quality cuts, and you’ll likely offend your server if you order it medium well or well-done, as any good steak lover would know, at a place like this, you should stick to medium rare or medium.

La Minestra

La Minestra markets itself as an Italian-American restaurant, and this manifests itself in their extremely varied menu. You can get Italian classics like eggplant parmesan served right next to Thai chicken pasta or perhaps their twist on the typical risotto, a version with lobster, bacon, and corn. They’ve got a number of delicious pizzas with great toppings – how about the Atomic Goat, with pepperoni, jalapenos, and sriracha goat’s cheese? They make all of their pasta fresh daily, and you can come in any weekday for some great lunch specials. This is the perfect place for a special occasion or just a nice night out in Pierre.

Mad Mary’s Steakhouse and Saloon

The high quality steaks and the generous portions of side dishes will make you want to come back to Mad Mary’s Steakhouse again and again. Also worth mentioning are their cocktails, which are especially creative. How about a chocolate or a blue dragon martini? Both are famously delicious. This restaurant has a fun atmosphere and friendly service, and they’re always thinking up new specials to keep things interesting. Some of their surf and turf options are great, like the New York strip steak with honey bourbon shrimp. The outside might not look like much, but you won’t regret the decision to go in and try it for yourself.

RedRossa Italian Grill

Traditional Italian pizza with mushrooms, peppers and pancetta

RedRossa’s main endeavor is to bring the flavors of Italy directly from the old country to Pierre. To that end, you’ll find dishes like fresh pesto sauce, delicious risottos, lots of enticing pasta options, and, most excitingly, the wood-fired pizza. They make the dough fresh every day and then bake the pizzas fresh to order in a modern version of the traditional pizza oven, so you’ll get a hot, crisp pizza whenever you come in. They’ve got all the classic pizza toppings – margherita, sausage, wild mushroom, and the like – with some more American choices like BBQ chicken as well. Don’t like what you see? You can always build your own.

Big Tom’s Diner

Locals love Big Tom’s Diner for the atmosphere, the service, the prices, and, of course, the yummy diner food that they serve up, simply and with no frills. Walking in feels like hopping back to the 1950s, but the warm smiles from the servers will make you feel right at home. Their sandwiches are huge, with well-cooked meat and generous helpings of sides. They have a daily special and soup, so you could come for lunch every day and still not get bored. Some particular favorites from their normal and special menus are the Philly cheesesteak, the pulled pork sandwich, and the beef brisket. You may not be in the South, but with barbecue this good, you might feel like you are.

Spring Creek Restaurant

The restaurant at the Spring Creek hunting and fishing resort is a great place to escape into nature while still keeping all your creature comforts. You can get a seat overlooking the river, and if you order a fish dish, you can see exactly where your meal came from. This is another great place to get a high quality steak, so make it a surf and turf meal if you’re feeling particularly hungry. They have a lovely patio for when the weather’s nice, so look forward to a lively atmosphere, and, if you’re lucky, maybe even some live music. Even better, you can stick around at their hotel accommodation and try your hand at fishing or hunting the day after your meal.

Bubba Ray’s Grub & Pub

This is your typical American bar – pool tables, darts, draft brews, and great pub food bump it all up a notch. The chicken wings come highly recommended, as do the fresh-cut fries and onion rings. You’ll need something to go with those, though, and luckily, Bubba Ray’s juicy burgers are some of the best in town. This is the kind of place where you’ll be comfortable hanging around all night, though, so maybe you’ll get the chance to try everything. Why not have dinner and then make a night of it? Once you come inside, you won’t be in a hurry to leave.

Guadalajara

Guadalajara is a Mexican restaurant. Their food is authentic and fresh enough to impress anyone, and the menu gets right down to business. Whatever you’re looking for, they’ve got it. Chicken, beef, seafood, even a vegetarian friendly egg section on the menu – all these are present. They have some great combinations available, so you can use this as your chance to try something you’ve never had before. If you’re training for an eating contest, try the ‘Mucha Hambre’ section – only for those who are very hungry.

About the author

Lani is a freelance writer and translator currently living in Prague, Czech Republic. After growing up in Durham, North Carolina, she went to university at Northwestern University in Chicago and then went on to live in Georgia, Scotland, Hungary, and various cities in the Czech Republic.

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