Dine inside or on the patio at River’s Edge in Yankton.
“It’s an all-inclusive, come-as-you-are restaurant. We want you to feel comfortable with your kids. We want you to feel comfortable taking a date or a business dinner here,” said owner Brittany Trimble Wagner.
When she opened the restaurant three years ago, she wanted it to create an atmosphere that satisfies both picky eaters and adventurous foodies alike.
“My husband really gravitates toward those safe options like your Italian Flatbread, burger, or steak,” she said.
To appeal to him and others like him, River’s Edge serves familiar family recipes like Meatloaf and Shepherd’s Pie.
“People tend to be surprised that we have them on the menu, but when they try them, they order them again and again,” said Trimble Wagner.
But she grew up exploring a wide variety of foods with her family.
“We have a great fire pit on the patio where people can drink cocktails at dinner around.” -Brittany Trimble Wagner
“Saganaki is something my brother introduced us to when he was living in Chicago for school,” said Trimble Wagner. “Flaming Saganaki is lit at the table and has a ‘wow’ factor.”
The starter is Greek cheese set aflame and served with sliced baguette.
“We try to incorporate some good dishes we’ve experienced from traveling or eating at other restaurants, trying to mimic some of the things we thought would be cool to bring to the area,” said Trimble Wagner.
One of the more popular starters is the Bruschetta.
“The Bruschetta is light and fresh. It has a great sharing quality with finger food. Same with the Charcuterie Board,” she said. “Each couple weeks we’re changing up the meats and cheeses for people to try something different.”
MORE ON THE MENU
Starters
+ Hummus Platter
Traditional hummus, Tzatziki, and fresh vegetables served with raw and fried pita.
+ Poutine
Frites topped with braised beef, fried cheese curds, and pepper beef gravy.
Entrées
+ Bacon Maple Pork Chop
Seared pork chop with bacon, maple, and pepper glaze.
+ Grilled Chicken Margarita
Seasoned grilled chicken topped with pesto, cherry tomatoes, and melted mozzarella cheese.
Pasta
+ Jambalaya
Andouille sausage, chicken, shrimp, and spicy crema sauce over penne.
+ Steak & Bleu
Sautéed tender Angus beef with linguine, sautéed mushrooms, and alfredo topped with bleu cheese crumbles.
Desserts
+ Lemon Amaretto Tiramisu
Amaretto soaked sponge cake and layers of fresh lemon cream topped with toasted almonds.
+ Chocolate Irish Cake
Chocolate cake smothered with caramel and Baileys Irish Cream, served with ice cream, whipped cream, and chocolate drizzle.
Among the flatbreads on the menu, Trimble Wagner says the Chicken Margarita Flatbread is the crowd favorite.
“There’s a homemade creamy pesto base, fresh tomatoes, grilled chicken, and fresh mozzarellas,” said Trimble Wagner.
But her favorite is the Thai Chicken Flatbread.
“It has spicy peanut sauce and lots of fresh ingredients with a different flavor profile than your traditional all-American menu,” she said. “Other things that are a little different for a small midwest town are Mussels, the Lobster Roll, and the Lobster Mac ‘n’ Cheese. We like playing with flavors that people don’t usually put together.”
Other must-tries include seafood dishes.
“We are known for having really good fish. The Mahi Mahi is really popular,” said Trimble Wagner.
“Because of the access to the patio the party room has, we have been able to do anything from bridal showers, baby showers, rehearsal dinners, class reunions, all the way up to weddings of 200 where you get great views of the river and access to the patio space.” -Brittany Trimble Wagner
The cut of fish is baked and finished with a complementing splash of lemon.
Also on the lighter side are the salad options like the Bruschetta Chicken Salad, Steak Salad, or Waldo Chicken Salad.
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Get a view of the river from the patio, and even gather around the fire pit for a cozy evening dinner.
“My favorite salad is the Strawberry Pecan Salad. It has gorgonzola, fresh red onions, strawberries, and topped with a lemon poppyseed dressing,” she explained.
Though River’s Edge has many items that branch out from typical Midwestern food norms, they try to keep it local for the taplines.
“We also feature a lot of local and South Dakota brews,” said Trimble Wagner. “We pride ourselves on making sure our tap lineup and bottled beer features a good variety of local brews.”
Yankton’s own Backspace Brewing Co. and Ben’s Brewing Company always have something on tap at the restaurant. The rest are rotating kegs from a variety of breweries in the Midwest.
The restaurant offers both onsite and offsite catering as well as a large party room that can be rented out for events.
“Yes, the restaurant is our backbone, but the events allow us to get creative and do things that are a little bit different,” said Trimble Wagner.
