The Pheasant Restaurant, a local family-owned restaurant that prides itself on a variety of dishes, artisan ice cream and a quality experience, has been a staple in Brookings since 1949. Today, the restaurant is still going strong and is a best kept secret of Brookings.

Michael Johnson is currently general manager at the restaurant, where his grandparents have owned the Pheasant restaurant since 1966.

“We’re just your mom and pop, locally owned, third generation family restaurant,” Johnson said. “We’ve been here so long that we’re a tradition that belongs to everybody.”

The Pheasant Restaurant aims to fix each customer’s appetite whether with pheasant or duck wings or to a selection of burgers and casual items. It also features an assortment of artisan ice creams by Trevor Clements.

“We usually have from one to three flavors on hand,” Johnson said. “There’s everything from chocolate lavender to candied bacon to plain vanilla.”

Business usually comes by word of mouth at the restaurant, said Johnson. “Because we’re farther from campus we get off the radar.”

But locals embrace the restaurant because of its place in Brookings. “We’re sort of a grandfather restaurant,” Johnson said.