Oct. 27, 2022

The iconic McRib is back at McDonald’s, and the restaurant chain is calling it the farewell tour: “Enjoy our famous pork sandwich as if it’s your last.” The news release about the return, however, has a little different spin: “Like any true farewell tour, we’re hoping this isn’t a ‘goodbye’ but a ‘see you later,’ it reads. “Because as our McRib stans (devoted fans) have experienced time and time again: you never know when – or if – the McRib is coming back.”

With the return of colder weather, weekend breakfast is returning to Squealer’s Smoke Shack in Tea. Co-owner Andrea Kuipers said it’s basically the same menu as last year with a few tweaks to items such as waffles and the cinnamon rolls. Breakfast is served from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. Saturday and Sunday.

Granite City Food & Brewery is joining with other breweries to host a beer-tasting fundraiser Saturday for Almost Home Canine Rescue. Pups N’ Pints Fall Festival will be from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Covert Artisan Ales & Cellars, Severance Brewing Co. and WoodGrain Brewing Co. also will provide beer for the complimentary tasting. There also will be free hot chocolate and apple cider. There will be a dog-friendly menu, and activities include a cornhole tournament for the humans and a costume contest for the dogs. Call the restaurant at 605-362-0000 or stop in to register for the tournament. The entry fee is $20, and teams get a complimentary pint of beer or glass of wine.

Cats really deserve the attention Saturday because it’s National Cat Day. Oh My Cupcakes has made special edition six-packs with feline designs. They’re available for pre-order only at ohmycupcakes.com and can be picked up Saturday at either location.

Here’s the winner of Oh My Cupcakes’ Halloween cupcake decorating contest. Ten-year-old Emma’s friendly Frankenstein design will be available through Monday at each location in both vanilla and chocolate.

Sunny’s Pizzeria is having its annual Halloween Pizza Haunt. The restaurant has hidden mini pumpkins around the city. Inside, you’ll find a token for a free medium pizza. Check the Facebook page at 6 p.m. each day through Monday for a clue.

Chipotle Mexican Grill is celebrating Halloween with its annual Boorito special. Rewards members can get any entree for $6 from 3 to 10 p.m. if they come dressed in a costume. Get the details on the offer here.

Through Monday, kids 12 and younger get free Scary Face pancakes at IHOP from 4 to 10 p.m. for dine-in orders. The offer is good with the purchase of an adult entree.

Fans of Stensland Family Farms cheese curds, which can be found on the menu at several local restaurants, can make their own at home. The three Stensland retail stores have started keeping 2-pound bags of the breaded cheese curds in the freezer. Before, customers could special order them.

For the stans, those devoted fans, black licorice ice cream is back in the dipping case and in pints at the three Stensland retail locations. It finally appeared last week after supply chain struggles for ingredients, and the limited stock likely will be gone by the end of the weekend.

Here’s another seasonal treat loved by many that’s on the shelf. Peanut brittle made by Word of Life Pentecostal Church is available at Poppy’s Popcorn Co.

For National First Responder Day on Friday, Ruby Tuesday is treating first responders to the Garden Bar for free.

Windy City Bites is bringing back Soul Food Sundays. They’ll be every other Sunday starting Oct. 29 through December. The food truck will be parked at 10th and Bahnson from 3 to 7 p.m. This week’s menu includes rib tips, barbecued chicken, fried or barbecued wings, and fried catfish steaks or nuggets. Find future menu offerings and any changes to the schedule on its Facebook page. 

Sunny’s Pizzeria and WoodGrain Brewing Co. are partnering on a pairing event for their products. The event Nov. 9 at Sunny’s will pair four pizzas and four craft beers. Ticket holders will get two slices of each pizza, a 10-ounce pour of each beer and a souvenir glass. Tickets are $40 or $120 for a table of four and are available online. Update: We checked Friday morning, and it’s sold out! Update to the update: We saw a post Monday that tickets are available, and they’re available as of 10:30 p.m. Sorry for the confusion.

First Stop Coffee Shop at 12th and Ellis, is celebrating a Week of Gratitude. It kicks off Saturday with a free breakfast burrito for the first 50 customers. Sunday, the early birds will get a free Flyboy Donut. On Monday, all proceeds will go to the Big Paws Canine Foundation, which provides service dogs to disabled veterans and first responders. From Tuesday through Nov. 5, customers will get different drinks each day at half-price.

Fernson Brewing Co. has partnered with South Dakota State University to create an official craft beer. The brewery describes Ears Up as a “crisp and refreshing premium beer with a straw color and sweet malt flavor.” Find it on tap and in four-packs to go at Fernson Downtown and at retailers in Sioux Falls and Brookings. Use the beer finder on Fernson.com to find other locations as distribution expands.

Qdoba has joined the craze for birria tacos with brisket that has been slow-cooked for 10 hours in chiles and garlic. Try the QuesaBirria quesadilla or burrito, or add it to the entree of your choosing.

On the Rocks in Valley Springs has started serving breakfast every day from 7:30 to 10:30 a.m. For $6, get bacon, ham or sausage on a bagel or croissant, along with a hash brown patty and coffee or cappuccino.

The traveling food truck On the Hook Fish & Chips will be in its usual spot at Tractor Supply Co. on North Cliff Avenue from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday.

Changes in hours, service

• Charlie’s Pizza is open for lunch now on Saturdays and Sundays, starting at 11 a.m. The restaurant near 69th and Western also has a special from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Get a large single-topping pizza, two orders of cheese bread and a pitcher of domestic beer for $30. Pay $5 more, and get a specialty pizza.
• The last of the B&G Milkyway locations is closing for the season. The final day for the location on East 41st Street near Harmodon Park is Sunday. Get end-of-the-year specials on half-gallon Avalanches and novelty grab bags while they last.
• HarrisBurgers has updated its hours for fall and winter: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday and Tuesday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday.
• Updated hours for The Dive in The Gaslight Lounge are 11:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.

Here are other food and drink headlines from the past week.

Beer, wine taproom to close

New cafe offers menu of simple foods with ‘the taste of delicious’

Dairy Queen franchisee shares big plans for Sioux Falls region

More ghost kitchens pop up in Sioux Falls