Dining and Shopping In The Black Hills
Dining in Rapid City
Rapid City offers a lively, walkable collection of restaurants, cafes, and bars. Whether you want upscale dining, a cozy cup of coffee, locally sourced dishes, or casual pub fare, you’ll find plenty of options right in town.
Juniper Restaurant: Creative, locally sourced dishes and handcrafted cocktails in downtown Rapid City.
Tally’s Silver Spoon: Gourmet dining with seasonal menus and an extensive wine list.
Murphy’s Pub and Grill: American favorites with a hidden speakeasy vibe.
Tondoor Bocado: International cuisine with flavors from around the world, including Indian, Korean, and Mexican.
Dakota Meat Company: Local producers, butcher shop, and a scratch kitchen known for burgers made with Wagyu beef.
Ma Cualli Rapid City: Great Mexican food, tequilas, and mezcals right in the heart of downtown.
Bonus: Coffee, craft beer, and quick bites near historic downtown make this a fun detour between tours.
Dining near Mount Rushmore & Keystone
Keystone and the Mount Rushmore area serve up classic Black Hills meals with great proximity to sightseeing. Grab breakfast before your tour or a relaxed dinner after exploring the memorial and scenic drives.
Recommendations
Carvers Market at Mount Rushmore – Sustainable, unique menu with a European influence.
Powder House Restaurant – Cozy comfort food closer to Keystone.
Grapes & Grinds – Perfect for coffee, dessert, and people-watching.
Hill City Dining
These classic Black Hills towns have a mix of hearty local favorites, family restaurants, and hidden gems. Great places to refuel after scenic drives like Needles Highway or exploring Custer State Park.
Recommendations
Black Hills Bugers and Pizza Co. – Need we say more? Totally worth it and very satisfying. Centrally located in Custer.
Alpine Inn (Hill City) – Rustic European-inspired meals in a historic setting.
Mangiamo Pizzeria – Italian classics with a local spin.
Custer Wolf – Great cocktails and elevated comfort food.
Skogen Kitchen – Seasonal local ingredients and creative menus.
Dining and Shopping in the Black Hills: What to Know Before You Go
The Black Hills are full of memorable meals and locally owned shops, but the best experiences come from smart timing and realistic expectations. Some towns have great dinner options but limited breakfast. Some places are perfect for a quick stop, while others deserve an hour or more. This guide focuses on local businesses, unique products, and places that feel worth the detour.
Quick planning checklist
Expect longer waits in peak season, especially in Keystone, Hill City, and Deadwood
For sit down dinners, reservations are a smart move when available
Build meals around driving time, not just hunger
For shopping, aim for early afternoon when shops are open and energy is high
For cultural and artisan shopping, choose places that support makers and artists directly
Unique Shopping in Rapid City
Rapid City has some genuinely special shopping experiences that feel local, creative, and worth your time. These are the places I recommend when you want something meaningful to take home, not something mass produced.
Best for: Native American art, cultural gifts, books, and one of the most meaningful shopping experiences in Rapid City.
What you’ll find:
Authentic Native American art, jewelry, and cultural items
A gallery experience that feels like a destination, not just a store
Books, gifts, and pieces that reflect the Northern Plains
Time needed: 30 to 90 minutes
Good to know: This is a great stop if you want a gift that has real story and place behind it.
Best for: locally made art, gifts, and supporting regional artists.
What you’ll find:
Handmade jewelry, ceramics, prints, and small artwork
Rotating selection of local and regional makers
Giftable items that feel truly one of a kind
Time needed: 20 to 45 minutes
Good to know: If you love finding something you’ve never seen before, this is one of the best stops in town. If you enjoy local art and culture, you’ll also love exploring Welcome to the Black Hills.
Best for: modern Black Hills themed gifts and fun local design.
What you’ll find:
Locally made souvenirs that feel stylish and creative
Black Hills prints, stickers, tumblers, and gift items
A bright, playful shop that’s easy to browse
Time needed: 15 to 30 minutes
Good to know: This is a great quick stop when you want something small and memorable that still feels local. This pairs perfectly with a downtown stroll before or after one of our Tours.
Best for: boutique style gifts and a classic Rapid City experience in a beautiful historic setting.
What you’ll find:
Unique gift items and locally inspired finds
A more elevated souvenir style experience
A great pairing with downtown strolling, coffee, or dinner nearby
Time needed: 15 to 30 minutes
Good to know: Even if you don’t buy anything, it’s a fun place to step inside and enjoy the atmosphere. If you’re building a Rapid City based itinerary, Plan Your Trip to the Black Hills and Badlands will help you sequence your days.
Unique Shopping in Hill City, Custer, and Deadwood
The best Black Hills shopping feels like part of the trip, not an errand. These towns are great for locally owned galleries, artisan goods, western style finds, rocks and minerals, and meaningful gifts that actually feel like the Black Hills.
Hill City: Art galleries and nature made souvenirs
Hill City is one of the easiest places to browse on foot, with a strong mix of galleries, gifts, and rock and mineral stops that are genuinely fun to explore.
Things That Rock
Best for: rocks, gemstones, fossils, and custom jewelry in a place that feels like a treasure hunt.
What you’ll find:
• Local polished rocks and gemstones
• Fossils, minerals, carvings, rock lamps, and gifts
• Custom jewelry design if you want something made or adjusted
Time needed: 30 to 75 minutes
Good to know: Great stop for geology lovers, collectors, and families.This is a great stop if you want a gift that has real story and place behind it. If you’re planning your first day in town, Best day trips from Rapid City is a great starting point.
Hill City art galleries and shop stroll
Best for: locally made art and gallery browsing in a walkable small town.
What you’ll find:
• Artist run galleries and locally owned shops
• Jewelry, art, photography, pottery, and gifts
• A strong “browse and discover” vibe with a lot packed into a small area
Time needed: 45 to 90 minutes
Good to know: This pairs well with a scenic drive day because you can keep it flexible. If you love the geology side of the Black Hills, you’ll enjoy Rock Hounding in the Black Hills too.
Custer: Small town boutiques with real personality
Custer has a compact downtown where a few stops can feel like a fun mini outing, especially if you enjoy browsing for gifts, jewelry, and locally themed finds.
Good Karma Jewelry
Best for: a one stop boutique experience with gifts, clothing, and a fun add on experience.
What you’ll find:
• Jewelry plus men’s, women’s, and children’s clothing
• Home decor, gifts, body care products, and locally made goods
• An in house coffee bar and free wine tasting called out as part of the experience
Time needed: 30 to 60 minutes
Good to know: This is a great stop if your group wants a shopping break that feels social and relaxed.
Deadwood: Historic Main Street shopping
Deadwood is ideal if you want to walk, browse, and pick up a few memorable items in a historic setting. Many shops are clustered right on Main Street. Deadwood pairs well with Spearfish Canyon and Devils Tower, and makes a fun stop for history lovers.
Broken Arrow Trading Company
Best for: Deadwood Main Street gift shopping with Black Hills flavor and variety.
What you’ll find:
• Black Hills Gold jewelry
• South Dakota themed gifts and a big selection of shirts
• Regionally made food items and specialty gifts
Time needed: 20 to 40 minutes
Good to know: Easy to pair with a walk through historic Deadwood without needing a long shopping plan.
Spearfish: Downtown shopping with an arts vibe
Downtown Spearfish is walkable and friendly, with a mix of boutiques, antiques, coffee stops, and arts culture.
Downtown Spearfish stroll
Best for: pairing a casual shopping walk with coffee, lunch, or a relaxed evening.
What you’ll find:
• Clothing, antiques, outdoor goods, and gift shops
• Art and cultural stops including a year round arts presence downtown
Time needed: 45 to 90 minutes
Good to know: Summer Fridays often include a lively downtown event vibe.
The Nest
Best for: local art and gifts in a downtown gallery style stop.
What you’ll find:
• Local art plus gift and souvenir options
• A simple way to support local creators
Time needed: 20 to 40 minutes
Good to know: Works well as a quick stop if your day already includes Spearfish Canyon.
Make dining and shopping part of the experience
Dining and shopping in the Black Hills doesn’t have to feel like something squeezed between sightseeing stops. The best meals and the best finds usually happen when the timing is simple, the driving makes sense, and the stops fit the rhythm of the day.
Quick ways to plan it well
Choose one “sit down” meal per day and keep the rest flexible
Save Rapid City dining for evenings when the day ends back in town
Use Hill City, Custer, and Deadwood as browse towns for short, walkable breaks
Treat unique shops like Prairie Edge and the Dahl Arts Center Artists Market as destination stops, not last minute errands
If shopping is the priority, plan it earlier in the day when energy is higher and shops are fully open
Want a day that flows naturally?
Start with Plan Your Trip to the Black Hills and Badlands, then explore Tours to find the best fit for your time and interests.