Summerset Bistro closes
By Barbara Soderlin
A few weeks ago someone had asked why the Summerset Bistro closed, and someone else suggested maybe it was due to the death of Dr. Greg Hewitt, an owner. I called out to the Summerset Motors and they said yes, it has closed, and Dr. Hewitt’s death on Sept. 6 was a factor. Stacy Hepper, Hewitt’s son-in-law, said the death of his wife’s father made it difficult for her to continue to run the business.
Another factor was simply a lack of business, Hepper said. “We constantly couldn’t keep enough people,” he said. “It wasn’t paying for itself.”
November 2nd, 2009 at 2:27 pm
Though I am sad to hear of anyone losing a loved one, I am not surprised it closed. The Summerset/Black Hawk/Piedmont area isn’t exactly ‘loaded’ $25 a plate for dinner I can’t afford that! Not to mention the fact that there is Elk Creek, Mad Mary’s, and Sacora within say 2 miles…. When will people get a clue and do ‘fast food’ other than PIZZA out here! Rookie’s when it was there didn’t do to bad but Summerset screwed him out of his liquor license incorparating and making it a city license instead of a county license. I HATE SUMMERSET!!!
Black Hawk Resident
November 2nd, 2009 at 3:19 pm
I am saddened to hear of this closing. I found the menu there to be unique and very tasty. Their butternut sqush soup and risotto were the best. I truly found their rib eye’s to be among the best in the area. I really think the Hills area is not an environment for more “upscale” dining. The unique and different just can’t attract the clientele. As for prices, I didn’t think they were any more expensive than say, Minerva’s or Pirates Table.
November 2nd, 2009 at 3:42 pm
Minerva’s is around $10-$15 Pirates Table is $15 to $20 though not huge it is a good difference in prices. One huge difference being they are ‘in town’ it is more accepted in ‘metro’ area to have “upscale” dining.
November 2nd, 2009 at 5:24 pm
Didn’t Sacora Station sell out and become an “adult” bar? Am I confused?
We never went to Summerset Bistro, but have had many family members try it, that live in that area. Yes, they thought it was spendy too, but thought the value of what they received and the quality of service that they also received kind of made up for it.
Seems like Black Hawk resident has a beef with Summerset and needs to take it up with the proper people who care.
November 3rd, 2009 at 9:41 am
We ate at Summerset Bistro once…The food was great, the service was okay. But there is something about receiving a final bill for two ….$84.00 and knowing that you are sitting in a strip mall. It just doesn’t feel right. The same feeling at Stone Walls. Expensive little Pizza Place in a strip mall… after trying both places one time, we both knew we would not go back.
Ambiance is everything in upscale dining. When my husband and I go out to dine, there are places we will not go, no matter how good the food is, because there is just no ambiance.
We have no problem paying $80.00 to $120.00 for a wonderful dining experience, but we expect the whole package…delightful service, incredible food, sophistication and lighting.
Botticelli’s has accomplished that, so did Delmonico Grille. Sadly, for the size of Rapid City, there aren’t too many places that meet those criteria. And restaurants in strip malls will never cut it.
November 3rd, 2009 at 1:36 pm
Ambiance is good, but I’ve been to ambiance and the food sucked. Social Club, little ambiance, great food. And Rapid City really isn’t that big. We really need to stop thinking we’re a little Denver, we’re not. And restaurants in strip malls? Well you never know what you might be missing. And the Hewitt’s also own the Buffalo Jump. Good steaks and a little ambiance. Romas in Spearfish, food and ambiance, though she is buliding a new place over by K-Mart. Chop House in Spearfish, no ambiance, good food. Oh ambiance is good but sometimes you just gotta say heck with the candle on the table, I want a meal that excites, that challenges yoour way of thinking about food and you never know where that place might be.
And ya, you Black Hawk people, stop you’re complaining, we don’t want to read it :).
G, what’s the new place by Kmart?
November 3rd, 2009 at 2:42 pm
Romas in Spearfish is building a new place and will be moving there once completed. It’s over by K-Mart in Spearfish, well more by Karl’s.
Oh, OK. I thought you meant the Rapid City Kmart!
November 8th, 2009 at 9:35 am
THE CORN EXCHANGE. Hands down the best food in SD. Twelve years in business. Just recently rated 0ne of 126 Restaurants in the country “worth the money” by Gourmet magazine. A nationally known chef, incredible ambiance, a wine list rated by Food & Wine magazine as one of Americas 50 best wine experiences, etc, etc, etc. A downtown gem we are lucky to have. Smokes the rest of these places.