What started as a coffee bar in a lighting store has turned into a full cafe in Rapid City

Tucked inside a lighting store on a quiet stretch in Rapid City, there’s a cozy little spot that feels like home the moment you step inside. It smells like fresh coffee and warm tomato bisque. The lighting is inviting (no surprise there), and the friendly faces behind the counter greet regulars by name. This is The Bestro, a family-run bistro with a story as comforting as its food.

Photo byThe Bestro

Before it became a beloved local café, The Bestro started as a simple idea—a coffee bar inside BES Lighting, the longtime family business run by Curt Beatty. His wife, Darci Beatty, had spent 15 years homeschooling their five kids and helping out at the store when the idea began to take shape. “Curt had always wanted a coffee bar to serve lighting customers,” she explains, “but it just never happened.”

Then came an expansion in 2017, some extra showroom space, and two daughters without set plans. One had worked at Starbucks. The other loved the idea of doing something creative and community-based. So, together, the family opened a “real” coffee shop.

But it didn’t stop at coffee.

Darci had always enjoyed cooking and baking for her large family, and soon The Bestro evolved into something more—a place for made-from-scratch lunches, homemade soups and desserts, and a gathering spot for regulars who now feel like family. “Selling coffee wasn’t going to pay the bills,” she says. “So we expanded into what I loved doing—feeding people.”

Photo byThe Bestro

The name The Bestro is a clever twist on BES Lighting (short for Beatty Electrical Service). A bistro is a small restaurant—and this one, nestled in the heart of a lighting showroom, certainly fits the bill. “Customers can grab a coffee and wander the showroom looking at furniture, home accessories, and lighting,” Darci says.

But it’s more than a café with good food and clever branding. What sets The Bestro apart is the heart behind it. Every dessert is homemade. Every sandwich is made to order. Tomato Bisque is served daily. And the Turkey Club? It’s the #1 seller for good reason.

The Carrot Cake and Tiramisu are daily staples—local favorites that rarely last the day. Add in the Cashew Chicken Crunch Salad and weekly rotating soups, and it’s clear that this is a place where the menu is crafted with care, not mass-produced.

Photo byThe Bestro

Still, building that kind of reputation hasn’t been without its challenges. The café is hidden within a building shared by several businesses, with limited visibility from the main street and no drive-thru. COVID brought its own set of hurdles, particularly when it came to staffing. But through it all, The Bestro has grown, thanks in large part to word-of-mouth and a deeply loyal customer base.

And those customers? They’re the highlight of Darci’s day. “We have the best customers,” she says. From the 88-year-old Marine/Navy vet who brings his friends in for coffee, to the “card ladies” who meet every Tuesday, to the couples who’ve celebrated birthdays, mourned losses, and formed friendships over cups of tea and plates of homemade dessert—The Bestro has become a quiet cornerstone of the Rapid City community.

That sense of community is on full display during Afternoon Tea, a monthly event that features finger sandwiches, h’ors d'oeuvres, scones with cream and jam, sweet treats, and tea served on fine and vintage china. There’s even a Mini-Tea option offered daily for those who just want a quick, cozy treat.

Photo byThe Bestro

Today, Darci’s oldest daughter—one of the original co-founders—has returned to take on many of her mother’s responsibilities. With that change, Darci and Curt have found a little more time to travel and enjoy life, knowing that The Bestro is still in loving hands.

“My favorite part is working the front counter and interacting with customers,” Darci says. “I really love almost everything about the business—from prepping the food to creating lunch features, taking orders, and even doing the dishes.”

More than just a lunch spot or a hidden gem, The Bestro is a labor of love—an extension of family, and a space that feeds both body and soul. As Darci puts it, “I hope it continues to grow and bless the community of Rapid City.”

The Bestro
📍 Inside BES Lighting, Rapid City, SD
🗓 Opened: September 4, 2018
👩‍🍳 Owned by Darci Beatty
🍽 Don’t miss: The Turkey Club, Carrot Cake, Cashew Chicken Crunch Salad
🍰 Monthly Afternoon Tea (and daily mini-teas!)
💛 Where food is homemade, and the community feels like family

Open Monday - Friday from 7AM to 3PM