City: Spearfish, SD

Category: Restaurants

Telephone: (605) 642-3204, (800) 504-6840

Address: 545 West Jackson Blvd.

Description: You don’t need to be a car buff to appreciate the automotive-repair-shop humor that went into naming the dishes served here. For instance, the Bent-Bumper sports a chicken breast, mozzarella, bacon and barbecue sauce, while the Crash Test Dummy features a half-pound burger with fried egg, cheese, and bacon. Then there’s the Dip Stick, a sliced roast beef sandwich au jus on a sourdough roll. The number of choices on the menu is mind-boggling! In addition to burgers and sandwiches, you’ll find appetizers (Tune Ups), Cajun food, pasta dishes, salads, steaks, shrimp, chicken, fajitas, meatless items, and rich desserts. And that’s just the food—Sanford’s has one of the largest selections of draft beers in the state. You can also top off your tank with wine, alcohol, and ice-cream drinks (they have a full bar). Sanford’s is non-smoking. Getting to the Spearfish location is a little confusing, though—turn where you see the Sanford’s sign on Jackson Boulevard and look for the corrugated metal building tucked away in the alley. You’ll pass it on your left on your way to the parking lot, which is clearly marked. Rapid City’s location at 306 7th St. (605-721-1463) is easy to find—just look for the big warehouse and sign on Omaha Street. Sanford’s is open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. May through Sept, and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. during the off-season. See the Nightlife chapter for more.