Is This the Best Restaurant in South Dakota? Foodies Say Yes!

I don't know if it's the eight months of winter we get or just a general love of communal dining, but South Dakota loves to go out to eat. From local bars and grills to national chains, we all seem to jump at the opportunity to try a new restaurant.

You can find great steaks in South Dakota, of course. This is where the cows that become the steaks come from. But you'll also find the best of traditional American food here; hamburgers, fried chicken, BBQ, homestyle, and hotdishes galore.

Discover South Dakota's Diverse Dining Scene

Newcomers to South Dakota might be surprised at the quality and variety of restaurants beyond the standard fair. We have great Mexican food from Rapid City to Sioux Falls.

Great Asian flavors are no stranger to SD either. From basic Chinese-American dishes, to real Pho, and very good sushi. You will find it in South Dakota.

Picking the best restaurant in the whole state? That seems like an impossible task. Not only because everyone's tastes are different, my family has an ongoing debate about the best french fries in town that often determines where we eat, but because picking the top restaurant in South Dakota seems like an impossible task. We get to eat at such a variety of quality restaurants.

A Foodie’s Dream in the Black Hills: Black Hills Burger & Pizza

The folks at Lovefood, a food-centric website, say they have found the best restaurant in each state. I won't take their word for it, but I will put their pick on the list of places to try. I'm looking forward to testing their results.

They say they picked the best restaurants by using, "...[g]enuine user reviews, awards and accolades, and the first-hand experience of our team."

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The South Dakota spot on the list of America's Best Restaurants goes to a little joint in a little town on the southern end of the Black Hills that shook up its menu and identity recently. The loyal locals liked the refresh, and the word is out on how great it is.

Black Hills Burger & Pizza in Custer, SD was named the best restaurant in South Dakota. I mean, pizza and burgers are in the name! This may be the greatest restaurant in the history of restaurants!

Custer, SD: Home to the State’s Most Beloved Restaurant

Lovefood said,

"Black Hills Burger & Pizza (formerly Black Hills Burger & Bun Co.) underwent something of an identity crisis in 2024, pivoting from burgers to pizza, before returning burgers to the menu. Through this period of change, loyal customers stuck by the restaurant, faithfully supporting the new menu and welcoming back old favorites. This goes to show just how loved the Custer restaurant is – whether it's a Texan burger with pepper Jack cheese, grilled onions, jalapeños, bacon, and chipotle barbecue sauce, or a Thai chicken pizza with peanut sauce, carrot-jalapeño slaw, and sweet chili drizzle, customers always come back for more."

When I was a kid, my family used Custer as the perfect home base for Black Hills adventures. I need to revive that tradition with my own kids, especially if we can end each day with dinner at Black Hills Burger & Pizza.