605 Spotlight

“The reason people love patios is that they feel included with everything outside. There’s the beautiful water with the fountain. The way they keep up the landscaping is beautiful. You get a little bit of everything out there.”

Mandie Wendt

The half-pound burger lineup offers a handful of options from the LIF Mushroom & Swiss to the BBQ Pork. Each burger is served with your choice of side.

“The Monte Cristo is a really popular item that came on our feature menu,” said Wendt, noting that the dish received a lot of love from guests. “We moved it to our full menu.”

The sandwich is one the only ones like it in Sioux Falls with turkey, ham, and American cheese. After being deep fried, it’s sprinkled with powdered sugar and served with raspberry preserves for the classic sweet and savory combo.

Popular drinks include fishbowls to share, the Grilled Pineapple, and the Let It Fly Margarita.

Among fishbowl flavors are the Creamsicle Fishbowl, John Daly Fishbowl, Let It Fly Margarita Fishbowl, and Black Widow Fishbowl, which is made with black cherry lemonade vodka and black raspberry liqueur.

“We have the Grilled Pineapple, which is a signature drink of ours,” said Wendt.

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Facts

Along with domestic beers, try some local craft brews from breweries like Remedy Brewing Company, Obscure Brewing Co., Fernson Brewing Co., & Buffalo Ridge Brewing.

The sweet cocktail is made with Crown Royal Vanilla Whisky, peach schnapps, and pineapple juice.

“Even our Let It Fly Margarita is top notch,” said Wendt. “That is served on the rocks with Teremana Blanco Tequila and a Grand Marnier float on it.”

Don’t leave without trying something from the dessert selection.

“We have a bunch of really great desserts, and our Fresh Berries Cheesecake is phenomenal,” said Wendt.

The cheesecake is topped with a fruit drizzle and fresh raspberries and blueberries and served alongside whipped cream.

Also on the dessert menu are the NY Cheesecake, Butter Cake, and Skillet Cookie.

This cheesecake is covered in caramel, chocolate, and whipped cream, while the Butter Cake is also topped with caramel and whipped cream.

The classic Skillet Cookie is served with ice cream and a drizzle of chocolate.

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605 Spotlight Sturgis Sturgis Brewing Brewing Company Company

written by Dawn Geertsema & photos by Alana Snyder

Off of Exit 32 into Sturgis, stop at the newly constructed Sturgis Brewing Company.

With over 18,000 square feet for the taproom and the manufacturing space, Sturgis Brewing Company is the place to sit and have a beer with friends, according to general manager Bryan Carter.

The brewery was formed in 2018 with the groundbreaking ceremony for the new building, but delays prevented their products from hitting the market until 2021.

Go There Yourself

600 Anna St. Sturgis, SD 57785

“Right now we have about 12 of ours and eight guest taps, but as we come out with more beer we keep knocking down guest taps,” said Carter. “We’ll probably always continue a few guest taps.”

Wood accents and steel beams are strategically placed to amplify the contemporary design of the build that is inspired by the Deadwood Welcome Center.

The taproom has high, industrial-style ceilings, a cozy fireplace, and doors opening out onto the patio.

“We have a nice outdoor area with a covered patio and a grassy area for kids to run, play, and jump,” said Carter.

And there’s plenty of room for furry friends.

“We’re dog friendly, so people can bring their dogs,” said Carter.

But before this new building was even a thought, the owners of Sturgis Brewing Company started in 2014 as The Knuckle Brewing Company downtown in The Knuckle Saloon.

“We opened in July of 2014, and in January of 2015, our Knucklehead Red got invited to do the Black Hills Beer Fest.”

After winning gold in the amber division, they began distributing their product. In 2015, the demand was higher than the supply and they added two new fermenters. But it wasn’t enough.

“In 2017 we ran out of beer,” said Carter. “We either were going to get big or quit distributing.”

And then came Sturgis Brewing Company. At the new building, they still brew for The Knuckle, but they are now two separate entities.

“When we moved up here, we tweaked our recipes a little bit simply because we had a new water filtration system,” said Carter.

They now offer brews that are both visually clearer and smoother on the palate.

“We decided to expand to keep up with demand.” Bryan Carter