13 Best Restaurants in Rapid City and the Central Black Hills, South Dakota

The focus on simple, fresh, and delicious food at affordable prices has made this very small establishment into a phenomenon with one of the best reputations of any restaurant in the Black Hills. It's located in a renovated, downtown building with exposed brick walls and stained-glass accents. The only problem here is the difficulty getting a seat in the small dining area: hours are limited, the place fills up fast, and because the reputation is so stellar, people are willing to endure long waits outside on the bench or even just standing on the sidewalk.

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.

This seasonal bakery serves homemade pies and ice cream, as well as lunchtime fare like salads and paninis. Believe us when we say, the peach pie is divine, but if you're looking for something more exotic, there's rhubarb, strawberry rhubarb, cherry, blueberry, bumbleberry (that's everything together), raspberry rhubarb jalapeño, peanut butter, and a daily cream pie. Yes, there is apple, too.

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.

Start your day with some caffeine, get a late-morning pick-me-up, or grab a glass of wine and tasty treat at this quick-stop coffee shop and wine bar along the main road through Keystone, which features indoor seating and an outdoor patio.

One of the most interesting examples of early architecture in the city, the 1881 First National Bank building, hosts this old-fashioned ice cream parlor where local owners make small batches of ice cream and customers enjoy it outside on warm summer days. Inspiration for the name comes from Horatio Nelson Ross, who discovered gold in Custer in 1874.

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.

Stop into this little drive-through joint for a coffee or smoothie to go, or sit down and enjoy it at one of the picnic tables on the lawn. There's also a surprisingly good selection of fresh-made breakfast and lunch sandwiches, wraps, salads, and pastries.

Coffee, tea, smoothies, and quick choices for breakfast, lunch, and dinner are served in a small, historical, and architecturally interesting structure with exposed-stone interior walls. This friendly, locally owned establishment is a great place to stop on your way through Hot Springs, before or after your adventures in the area.

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.

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.

Treat yourself to a delectable dessert item from this tiny shop and enjoy it on one of the nearby boardwalk benches next to the 1880 Train depot.