There are restaurants you visit because you need to eat, and then there are restaurants you visit because the experience stays with you long after the last bite. M.B. Haskett Delicatessen, tucked into the heart of downtown Sioux Falls on North Phillips Avenue, falls firmly into the second category. From the moment you push open the door, you understand that something genuinely special is happening here.
The space itself sets the tone immediately. Warm wood tones, vintage-inspired signage, and an open kitchen that hums with quiet confidence give Haskett the feeling of a neighborhood institution that has been feeding people well for generations — even though every detail feels considered and alive. The dining room is intimate without being cramped, and the staff moves through it with the easy familiarity of people who actually love where they work. That energy is contagious.
Now, about the food. The menu at M.B. Haskett is the kind that rewards slow reading. Built around scratch-made ingredients, housemade breads, and locally sourced produce and proteins whenever possible, it manages to be simultaneously approachable and quietly ambitious. Breakfast and lunch are the main events here, and both meals are executed with a level of care that most restaurants reserve only for dinner service.
The benedicts have become something of a local legend, and for good reason. Whether you opt for a classic preparation or one of the rotating seasonal variations, the hollandaise is rich and perfectly balanced, the eggs are poached with precision, and the bread underneath — baked in-house — elevates the whole affair. The sandwiches at lunch are equally worthy of your attention. Think thoughtfully layered combinations with quality ingredients that don’t try too hard to impress you but end up doing exactly that.
What truly sets Haskett apart from other brunch destinations is its commitment to doing things the right way rather than the fast way. This is a kitchen that makes its own jams, its own cured meats, its own sauces. You taste that effort in every forkful. It is the kind of cooking that makes you nostalgic for something you have never actually eaten before — a neat trick that very few places can pull off.
The coffee program is no afterthought either. Expertly pulled espresso drinks accompany the morning menu beautifully, and the house drip is strong enough to mean it. Pair a latte with the daily pastry special and you have yourself a genuinely fine start to any morning in Sioux Falls.
M.B. Haskett draws a loyal local crowd — creative professionals, families celebrating weekend mornings, visitors who stumbled in on a recommendation and immediately understood why the line forms early on Saturdays. The wait, when there is one, is absolutely worth it. Plan to arrive a little before the rush if you prefer a more relaxed pace, or simply embrace the bustle as part of the charm.
If you find yourself in Sioux Falls and you are looking for one meal that will tell you everything you need to know about the city’s food culture — its pride, its creativity, and its genuine warmth — make it breakfast or lunch at M.B. Haskett Delicatessen. You will leave full in every sense of the word.
