Restaurant Review: Bean and Vine

While on one of my recent work trips to Flandreau, South Dakota I stumbled upon a small coffee shop cafe. I was craving a nice hot latte and one of the staff members at the hospital mentioned that this new cafe in town served them. I got directions to the Bean and Vine (not hard to find in this small town) and headed over there the next morning.


The next morning was bitterly cold with dangerously low wind chills so I was hoping that the hot coffee was going to be good. When I entered the cafe the atmosphere was so warm and inviting. It had a beautiful ordering counter with pastries and cookies displays. There was a large simple menu hung on the wall behind the counter with coffees, pastries, pizzas, soups and sandwiches. I ordered a sugar free vanilla latte with skim milk and decided to grab one of the fresh baked muffins on the counter. As the waitress was making my latte I looked around. The decor of the cafe was so peaceful. They had a handful of small tables with chairs mixed among a couple of larger tables. In one corner their was a couch, coffee table and a pair of comfy upholstered chairs. I got my latte and muffin to go and decided to try this cafe for dinner tonight.


I did indeed have dinner there that evening which was so relaxing that I spent almost the entire evening there sipping coffee and catching up on paperwork on my laptop. There were a few people in and out the entire evening but the mood stayed relaxed and peaceful. I ended up getting a lot of work done that evening. As far as the food, it was really good. The wait staff was helpful and attentive. The food tasted fresh and flavorful. The serving sizes were moderate, not too big but just enough. I enjoyed the food and atmosphere so much that I was back each morning for a coffee or latte. I thought the homemade muffins were delicious and they also make a breakfast sandwich (fresh to order) which was great.


I returned there for dinner many evenings and stayed until just before closing at 9pm. Having tried most of the items on the menu I can say that there was not one thing I did not like. Some of my favorites were the soup, pizza and chicken sandwich. I ordered the chicken Alfredo pizza. It was on a wafer thin crust and was a light flavorful dinner. I enjoyed a bowl of chicken tortilla soup (not sure if it was homemade) was again was delicious. The last of my favorites was a chicken Parmesan sandwich on ciabata roll. I loved this sandwich which was a grilled piece of chicken breast with red sauce and melted cheese.


The only thing that I did not like so much was the flavored coffees. They have a selection of flavored coffees in those pump carafes. I tried a few different ones and each time I was disappointed. These coffees were always bitter. I don't know why because the lattes I had were smooth.


As far as value, the prices are not cheap and the serving sizes are not overly large. But the quality of food and the atmosphere is very welcoming when you are on the road a lot and need a change from the fast food chains or franchised eateries. Overall, if I had to travel back to the area and needed a place to eat I would choose the Bean and Vine for any (probably all) of my meals.

Here are my grades.


Food Quality-------------4.5 out of 5
The food quality was great. The food was prepared fresh and looked good.

Service Quality----------4 out of 5
The staff was friendly and courteous. They were attentive but not smothering.


Value--------------------4 out of 5
The prices for the food were a bit high for comparable items in that area but worth the price for the freshness and overall quality.

Overall------------------ 4.2 out of 5
The Bean and Vine Restaurant is a comfortable coffee house style cafe that offers a variety of menu items. Based on my experience, I enjoyed all my meals there. It was a quiet relaxing meal with great food and prompt service. I would recommend this restaurant for a any meal or a good latte.