Luring tourists with food

The best way to experience a place is through food – at least, that’s what Leah Toering thought.

Toering and her husband said they choose to eat at local eateries when traveling because they reveal a city’s culture and gives the best representation of the destination.

“We want to experience where we’re at,” said Toering, a Sioux Falls resident who recently attended a beer tasting coordinated by the Sioux Falls Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Visitors could stop at five breweries, take home a free Sioux Falls T-shirt and try beer for $2. The only catch was participants had to say “#WeAreHereSF” to CVB staff at each location.

Toering and others like her are part of a growing population that is so common the industry has a name for it: culinary tourism. More people are traveling based on a destination’s food offerings, said Jim Hagen, secretary of the South Dakota Department of Tourism.

In response, the state is promoting local restaurants that provide an experience achieved only here.

The Department of Tourism recently released a guide to South Dakota’s most unique eateries. Called “Pints & Platters,” it includes restaurants, bakeries, patisseries, breweries, wineries and distilleries.

The growth in culinary tourism has been “slowly brewing” over the past few years, said Wanda Goodman, the department’s media and industry relations manager. The guide is a way for South Dakota to feature restaurants across the state in one place for tourists.

“People want something authentic and genuine, and part of that experience lies in the food you eat, whether it’s a cultural food in that destination or a restaurant you don’t have at home,” Goodman said. “I think people want those unique experiences and culinary plays a role in that.”

Teri Schmidt, executive director of the Sioux Falls Convention and Visitors Bureau, said she knows food is part of travel. The CVB promotes local eateries by marketing online and hosting events to attract tourists and visitors.

“We want to introduce them to things that are the best of what we have,” Schmidt said.

Falls Overlook Cafe sees a lot of tourist traffic. Being in the middle of Falls Park helps, but Rhonda Milstead, owner and manager of the cafe, is doing more than being in the right location to attract visitors.

Milstead works with the CVB, places menus at hotels across town and advertises in the CVB visitor guide to attract tourists.

With a growth in culinary tourism, Milstead said she adjusts based on guest preferences, paying attention to what people want and tweaking her menu according to what’s in demand.

People don’t want regular food they can get anywhere. They’re willing to experiment, Milstead said.

“There was a day when I could tell you that the chicken salad and the Overlook Reuben sold hands down probably five to 10 to the rest of them, but nowadays it’s pretty even across the board.”

Falls Overlook Cafe is known for its unique offerings such as avocado toast, red velvet cake and brisket sweet potato. Word of the brisket sweet potato traveled to Missouri and prompted some Southerners to visit the cafe and try it for themselves.

This type of story is common at the cafe, Milstead said. With Sioux Falls at the junction of interstates 29 and 90, people stop by before continuing to another destination. She has had visitors from across the country, and her world map is filled with at least 40 pins representing different international travelers.

Falls Overlook Cafe isn’t the only restaurant in town that has caught tourists’ eyes. Sioux Falls has built a “unique food industry in town that people come and like,” Milstead said.

The culinary experience offered in Sioux Falls has “become a significant reason people come to Sioux Falls,” Schmidt said.

That demand means more restaurants are willing to invest in Sioux Falls, she added, helping the overall economic base and allowing tourists to spend more money in the community.

Here's a look at five downtown Sioux Falls restaurants that are among those featured in the state guide Pints & Platters:

CH Patisserie

•Address: 309 S. Phillips Ave.

•Known for: The bakery’s French macaroons are the most popular item offered. CH Patisserie also makes pastries and other treats.

•From Pints & Platters: “French music plays softly while customers savor hot chocolate and coffee, bite into warm croissants and beignets, and consider what to take home: seasonal tarts or a rainbow of macaroons. It’s a feast for the eyes – and taste buds!”

•Attracting tourists: CH Patisserie has found Instagram is its best social media platform to reach customers. “People will travel any distance for good food, and I think the aspect of social media and the Internet in general has made the idea of it more accessible than in years past,” said Chris Hanmer, owner and chef. The bakery also partners with the Sioux Falls Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Fernson Brewing Co.

•Address: The brewery is at 1400 E. Robur Drive. The taproom is at 201 N. Weber Ave.

•Known for: Fernson Brewing Co. is proud of its Lion’s Paw Lager more than any other ale it makes. The brewery specializes in craft beer with a wide selection of ales.

•From Pints & Platters: “The taproom serves a Belgian-style farmhouse ale, an IPA and the Gallivant, an ode to tropical fruit. Walls of barn wood warm the location near the airport.”

•Attracting tourists: Partnering with the Sioux Falls CVB is one of the biggest ways Fernson reaches out to tourists. It also uses social media, runs an ad in a Sioux Falls magazine and fills the need for local brews at hotels and restaurants with beers on tap.

M.B. Haskett Delicatessen

•Address: 324 S. Phillips Ave.

•Known for: Local dishes such as bison, walleye, pheasant and seasonal produce that represent the region. “There’s more to our region’s culinary traditions than just a box of processed food and deep frying it, and more than just a baked potato and slow-cooked prime rib,” said Michael Haskett, owner and chef.

•From Pints & Platters: “This bustling French-influenced downtown restaurant serves sweet crepes and fresh croissants for breakfast. At lunch, it simmers seasonal soups and layers Brie and artisanal meats on baguettes. The dinner menu rotates with the season but might feature homemade pappardelle with scallops and crab or roasted pork and vegetarian risotto.”

•Attracting tourists: M.B. Haskett tries to attract locals more than tourists, Haskett said. The restaurant has been featured in multiple articles about Sioux Falls eateries, however, and word of mouth also has lent a hand to tourists visiting the restaurant.

Prairie Berry East Bank

•Address: 322 E. Eighth St. The winery is in Hill City in the Black HIlls.

•Known for: The winery’s Red Ass Rhubarb might be considered a household name in South Dakota. Prairie Berry specializes in wines and ales made from South Dakota-grown fruit and suggests pairings of food and wine.

•From Pints & Platters: “The kitchen menu suggests pairings of food and wine. Try a sandwich of roasted butternut squash puree, toasted pecans, bacon and microgreens with an Anna Pesa Zinfandel or Miner Oktoberfest. The marketplace sells cheeses, meats and jars of Kick Ass Compote made with their Red Ass Rhubarb wine.”

•Attracting tourists: The Sioux Falls location is a stop on the Sioux Falls Brew Tour. With five brewery locations within the same block, it encourages visitors to explore downtown and visit each. Prairie Berry East Bank also partners with Downtown Sioux Falls Inc., the Sioux Falls CVB and offers samples at different locations around town.

Sanaa’s 8th Street Gourmet

•Address: 401 E. Eighth St.

•Known for: Sanaa’s specializes in healthy Mediterranean food for vegans, vegetarians and people interested in gluten-free products. The most popular item on the menu is a fatayer, a pie with beef, chicken or falafel.

•From Pints & Platters: “Cookbook author Sanaa Abourezk promotes healthy cooking with exotically spiced salads. Pies called fatayers layer feta, olives, spinach and tomatoes; eggplant and almonds; or beef and pomegranate molasses. Try a little of everything during Friday night and Saturday buffets, but leave room for fennel-spiced tea cookies shaped in her grandmother’s molds.”

•Attracting tourists: Sanaa Abourezk, owner and chef, has tried almost every type of advertisement, including commercials, magazines and social media. She found that social media brought in 20 percent more sales than any other method. She has more than 5,000 followers on her personal Twitter account and recently started a Snapchat account. “You reach audiences all over the world from the comfort of the kitchen,” Abourezk said. She also advertises in the CVB magazine and is listed on TripAdvisor and other sites for recommendations.