18 Best Restaurants in Deadwood and Around, Rapid City and the Central Black Hills

Deadwood Social Club

$$$ Fodor's choice

On the second floor of historic Saloon No. 10, this warm restaurant surrounds you with wood and old-time photographs of Deadwood. Light jazz and blues play over the sound system. The decor is Western, but the food is northern Italian, a juxtaposition that keeps patrons coming back. Try the wild boar bundles as an appetizer, paired with one of numerous martinis or a bottle from one of the largest wine cellars in the state. The menu stretches from pheasant to walleye, as well as creamy pasta dishes, buffalo, and melt-in-your-mouth rib-eye steaks. Reservations are recommended.

Dough Trader Pizza

$$ Fodor's choice

Whether sitting by the fireplace in the small, indoor seating area or by the fire pit on the outdoor patio, you'll get some of the best pizza in the Black Hills at this beloved Spearfish eatery, located in a remodeled former Tastee Freeze. The gourmet pizza is cooked in a stone oven and served with fresh toppings generously applied.

Leones' Creamery

$ Fodor's choice

Leones' is the kind of quiet, locally beloved, hole-in-the-wall place you could easily miss but definitely shouldn't---its handcrafted and ever-evolving ice cream flavors are the best in the Black Hills. The owners pour their passion into creative creations that often incorporate locally produced beers, produce, and other novel ingredients. Leones' is the ideal place to treat yourself after a day of exploring the Black Hills.

Recommended Fodor's Video

Steerfish Steak & Smoke

$$$ Fodor's choice

Western chic is the style of this restaurant, where a buffalo head and cowboy art adorn the walls of a historic, 1893 stone building with wood floors. Steaks, smoked meats, and burgers are the focus, but the menu also includes a large salad section, and the prices range widely from $12 sandwiches to $40 choice steaks. The bar serves an extensive selection of beer, wine, whiskey, cocktails, and mixed drinks. In a city with some great restaurants, this one stands out.

Antunez

$$$

Going for the feel of a Spanish or South American café, this small restaurant is one of the few in the Black Hills attempting to elevate Hispanic food into high cuisine. Although the elaborate dinner entrees are quite expensive, the menu also includes more affordable, all-day choices such as enchiladas, quesadillas, and tacos.

Branding Iron Steakhouse & Saloon

$$$

Much of the Belle Fourche--area economy is built on cattle, and when local ranchers and other residents want a good steak, they go to the Branding Iron. This is a no-nonsense, saloon-style facility with wood paneling on the walls, a bar, pool tables, lots of seating, and big food portions.

Gold Country Inn Cafe

For a change of pace from Deadwood's upscale dining options, try this affordable, comfort-food café with a small-town, unassuming atmosphere and a menu full of traditional options like eggs, hash browns, burgers, and chicken salad sandwiches.

Legends Steakhouse

$$$

In a place where legends aren't taken lightly, this establishment in the lower level of the historic Franklin Hotel has quickly made a name for itself, beckoning back locals who like its aged beef, moderate prices, and flair. You'll find all the usual suspects on the menu—buffalo, beef, and chicken—but each with a flavorful twist. Arrive early and have a cocktail in the lounge, because they don't take reservations.

Legends Steakhouse

$$$

The atmosphere is historic elegance in this intimate, fine-dining establishment where steak, seafood, and dessert are served up with pride and style in the basement of the 1903 Franklin Hotel. With its stone walls, dark wood finishes, and large wine list, Legends Steakhouse is a great place to step out and spend a little extra on a relaxing evening meal.

Lotus Up Espresso & Deli

In a building that looks like a ski lodge, this multilevel coffeehouse has lots of private nooks and comfy chairs to settle in with a hot cup of coffee or tea. It's also in a great location with windows looking out to the Sanford Lab Homestake Visitor Center and the Open Cut.

Mavericks Steaks and Cocktails

Recycled barn wood decorates this casual bar-and-grill establishment in the heart of downtown, where steaks are the star of the menu and big-screen TVs are tuned to ballgames.

Nonna's Kitchen

Finding a good Italian restaurant can be challenging in some cities, but not in Spearfish. Nonna’s (Italian for grandmother) Kitchen opened in 2020 in an 1895 building that’s full of character and good, authentic Italian food. The owner wanted to share family recipes that have been passed down for generations, so everything is made fresh. There’s also a great wine selection. Outdoor seating along Main Street allows you to take in the crisp Black Hills air when the weather allows for it.

Pump House at Mind Blown Studio

This eclectic, locally owned establishment is a combination coffee shop, deli, and glassblowing studio all housed in a retro Texaco station that looks like something straight out of the 1950s, complete with old gas pumps and period signage.

Snitches

$$$$

Upscale, chef-inspired cuisine is on the short menu at this small, art deco--style restaurant with a clean, elegant, 1920s vibe inside the Tin Lizzie Gaming Resort. The restaurant bills itself as a "gastronomic experience" featuring "exotic ingredients" that dress up steak, chicken, and seafood.

Stage Stop Cafe at Cheyenne Crossing

Located at a crossing that can take you west to Wyoming, north into Spearfish Canyon Scenic Byway, or east to Lead, this country café with simple decor serves up hearty, home-cooked food without pretension. It's 8 miles southwest of Lead on a site that also includes a small lodge and gift store.

Stampmill Restaurant & Saloon

Pub food is served up in a relaxed setting in this downtown Lead establishment, located in a lovingly preserved 1897 building with exposed-brick walls, wood floors, high ceilings, and a fireplace. There are two Victorian-style rooms for rent on the upper floors.

The Green Bean Coffeehouse

Local character and flavor permeate this hip, comfortable coffeehouse inside a spacious former residential home, where the window seating is plentiful and padded chairs are tucked into corners and alcoves. Besides coffee and tea, there are also quick breakfast and lunch items on the menu.

The Latchstring Restaurant

$$$

This restaurant with a simple menu focusing on buffalo meat, beef, fish, soup, and salads is built in a log-cabin style with a stone fireplace and animal heads on the walls. It's in an unbeatable setting 14 miles from Lead, next to Spearfish Canyon Lodge in Spearfish Canyon. If the weather is good, no diner should miss walking the short trail behind the restaurant to Spearfish Falls, a 50-foot waterfall.

Rapid City and the Central Black Hills

Recommended Fodor's Video

Follow Us

Thank you for your interest!