Peter Cobb opened Sioux Valley Grille with his brother, Ken O’Brien, in an effort to expand the culinary options outside of the Sioux Falls dining scene back in January of 2018.
“As a family-owned and operated restaurant, our goal is to bring fresh, quality food at a fair price to rural Canton,” said Cobb. “We serve American-style comfort food, mixed with a few continental favorites.”
The restaurant has plenty of skill to back the curated menu items and roughly 20 staffers to keep the restaurant going.
“I helped develop the menus. They are all my recipes, all my creations, but we all work together as a team. We’re very community centered,” he explained.
When he was growing up, Cobb says he loved to watch his grandmother cook in her French home.
“The quality and vastness of ingredients, coupled with my grandmother’s expertise in cooking, was my primary motivation for entering the culinary arts field,” explained Cobb.
Cobb was classically trained at Le Cordon Bleu in California before he took up catering film sets in Hollywood. He also owned and operated a catering company in Los Angeles.
Now he shares his expertise with his kitchen staff as they serve gourmet meals to guests.
FACT
The building where Sioux Valley Grille sits has been various restaurants for over 100 years, including Lewdoc Café.
Cobb opens up more about his culinary background and his job.
MY BROTHER AND I STARTED SIOUX VALLEY GRILLE… after a long family vacation in 2015 at Grandma and Grandpa’s home in France. Our cousins, who lived in Canton, enjoyed the food we prepared so much during our vacation. They pitched the idea that we ought to purchase the vacant restaurant in town. Of course, the wine had been flowing, and I didn’t think much of this suggestion. My brother Ken O’Brien, who is my partner and a successful real-estate developer, purchased the restaurant three weeks later, and the rest is history.
MY FAVORITE WAY TO SPEND MY LEISURE TIME IS… enjoying time with my growing family. We love to travel, eat, and enjoy learning about other cultures and places.
“We pride ourselves on having super friendly courteous staff, a very clean establishment, and freshly prepared food to order.” -Peter Cobb
THE BEST PART OF MY JOB IS… working in tandem with a motivated, professional staff.
MY FAVORITE THING ON OUR MENU IS… our burgers. It’s a tough choice because truly everything is fresh and delicious. However, with half-pound choice hand-pattied Angus beef, brioche buns, and quality toppings, it’s tough to find a better burger in the area. Our wild-caught Walleye Piccata, and our daily cut steaks come very near the top as well.
Local Sourcing
Cobb says that the old metal and wood are recycled from old structures in the area.
Old Fashioned Moscow Mule, Cosmopolitan, Old Fashioned
WHAT I LOVED ABOUT PUTTING TOGETHER SIOUX VALLEY GRILLE WAS… having a blank canvas to recreate a restaurant in a space that’s historically always been a restaurant. We gutted the building completely and then rebuilt and restored to match the identity of Canton, the previous establishments housed in the past, and the surrounding architecture. It’s very rewarding to hear from locals how happy they are to have us in Canton and to hear how we have rejuvenated the old building.
ONE OF MY FAVORITE PLACES TO STOP BY IS… Giliberto’s in Sioux Falls. Coming from Southern California, street tacos are a staple of the Cali diet. Giliberto’s delivers as good, if not better, tacos than I got in California.
I LOVE TO GRAB A BITE OR DRINK AT… Parker’s Bistro. My wife and I have had several wonderful meal experiences at Parker’s Bistro. We highly recommend it.
Braised Beef Roast served over mashed potatoes and smothered in gravy. The Black & Bleu Bacon Burger is is topped with bleu cheese, bacon, red onion, field greens, mayo, and balsamic vinegar reduction.
MY FAVORITE PLACE TO GO FOR INSPIRATION IS… my grandparents’ place in France. The small village where the house resides is home to about 150 villagers. The setting is serene, vibrant, and peaceful. The ingredients are fresh, unique, and abundant. It’s a culinarian’s fantasy, and a perfect place to get motivated.
“IN NOVEMBER 2021 WE added a salad bar in an effort to help balance rising food prices. It was meant to be temporary. However, we have received lots of great feedback, and decided to keep the salad bar on indefinitely.” -Peter Cobb
ONE THING I LOVE ABOUT SOUTH DAKOTA IS… the people. The friendliness, sincerity, and sense of community is amazing to experience. Midwest hospitality is a thing. Also, coming from Southern California, the lack of traffic is beyond refreshing.
SOMEONE LOCAL WHO I ADMIRE IS… our recently deceased cousin, Chuck Molstad. I first visited Canton in 2009. This was also the first time I met Chuck. I was immensely impressed with his dedication to his family, friends, and community. That man also loved South Dakota with all his heart. Chuck was a huge factor in us relocating to South Dakota, and his enthusiasm for our food and restaurant was beyond motivating. He passed away from cancer in 2021 and is dearly missed.
