City: Spearfish, SD

Category: Restaurants

Telephone: (605) 642-5462

Address: 126 West Hudson St.

Description: The menu describes the cafe’s rosemary linguine this way: “Oh sigh. Oh heavy sigh.” We suspect a few sighs of delight will have escaped your lips even before you see the menu, though, because the Bay Leaf itself is a collection of lovely architectural features. Right off you’ll notice the beveled, stained-glass window in the front door and the ceramic tile floor. Regional artists’ works hang on the walls.Entrees run the gamut from trout amandine, elk, and buffalo rib eye to tempeh with sautéed vegetables and Cajun-style Bourbon Street pasta, plus ever-changing daily specials. Beer and wine are available, and after your meal rich cup of coffee, Italian soda, or herbal tea goes well with the rich, chocolaty homemade desserts. The food here is completely MSG free and largely preservative free as well. And in keeping with the emphasis on health, smoking is not permitted. The Bay Leaf serves lunch and dinner daily during the summer, and because that’s an especially busy time of year, it’s a good idea to call ahead and ask whether reservations are needed. The cafe is closed on Sun from early Oct until Memorial Day weekend. Hours vary in the off-season, so call ahead for evening reservations.