Salina may be Kansas’s heartland hub, but it’s also quietly becoming a culinary destination worth the drive. From sizzling steaks that honor prairie traditions to innovative farm-to-table plates showcasing local harvests, this guide highlights 20 spots where every bite tells a story of the Sunflower State.
Jim’s Country Style Chicken, Inc.
$ | (785) 827-5076 | WEBSITE
Salina locals are incredibly fortunate to have Jim’s Country Style Chicken. It’s among the best comfort food spots in town, and portions guarantee leftovers. Follow the regulars when you order: chicken fried steak that makes a side of mashed potatoes and green beans disappear, crispy catfish dinner that’s a huge piece of fish for just over $14, and complimentary dipping gravy that all but ensures you’ll forget to pace yourself before the rest of the meal arrives.
Best of all, you can usually walk right in.
Olive Garden Italian Restaurant
$ | (785) 827-4266 | WEBSITE
A mainstay since the ’90s when endless breadsticks first became a thing, Olive Garden Italian Restaurant is a reliable Italian-American staple with a following that spans families and business lunchers alike. It’s also one of the most accommodating spots in town.
Warm, amber-toned lighting casts a comfortable glow throughout the spacious dining room, and the restaurant, including the quieter booths along the side, is regularly filled with groups sharing baskets of those famous breadsticks and bowls of salad. All of the vegetarian options, like the eggplant dish, are also dairy-free, so bring friends with different diets without a second thought.
The Steak Gorgonzola Alfredo is rich and deeply satisfying, and the Chicken and Shrimp Carbonara is consistently praised as a local favorite.
Candiles Tacos & Tequila
$ | (785) 515-2179 | WEBSITE
Excellent traditional Mexican food with authentic, vibrant flavors is the star at this spacious neighborhood spot. You have a wide selection of dishes to choose from, like the standout Tropical Burrito, and other options including seafood specialties. They also make great drinks and desserts, which taste even better with the friendly, attentive service. Add in some tequila and cocktails and you have yourself the perfect, low-key night worth returning to.
Russell’s Restaurant
$ | (785) 825-5733 | WEBSITE
Finding classic home-cooked comfort food is a challenge these days, unless you go to Russell’s Restaurant. At this Salina spot, the entire menu of old-fashioned American dishes is hearty, and chicken-fried steak is the show-stopping meal. It’s served with creamy gravy, alongside mashed potatoes, or paired with fluffy pancakes that soak up the syrup perfectly.
The breakfast move on weekend mornings is an order of those famous pancakes, generous portions of eggs any style, and bottomless coffee served by friendly staff who remember your name.
Bogey’s
$ | (785) 823-8066 | WEBSITE
Any time you’re hungry and near Salina, odds are high you’ll end up at Bogey’s. The counter-service burger spot is the hottest place for a casual meal and is always packed with locals grabbing a quick bite or families enjoying an affordable dinner. There’s indoor dining here, plus an outdoor patio where you’ll settle at a picnic table with your tray of pork tenderloin or fried mushrooms. Go with a burger and a shake, and enjoy it along with some of the friendliest service in town.
Gourmet Eats
$ | (785) 820-8888 | WEBSITE
A drive-through spot in Salina just makes sense. The menu offers a rotating lineup with options like the steak cheddar melt, BLT pasta, and the grilled chicken thigh sandwich with avocado and chipotle ranch. All of them work especially well as quick, healthy meals on busy days. Be sure to take off your breakfast blinders to give the lunch special its due—The Birdy with fresh toppings is excellent, as are the seasoned red potatoes and fruit options.
Dagney’s Ice Cream
$ | (785) 833-2125 | WEBSITE
Dagney’s Ice Cream is the best ice cream spot east of Main Street. They’ve got a dozen different flavors, each with rich scoops like the pecan pie or the lavender honey. Every cone is packed with creamy goodness, made on-site with fresh ingredients, creating scoops that are colorful and flavor-packed while being delightfully smooth on the tongue. The ice cream is definitely the easiest sweet treat, but the big selection of dairy-free options and novelty sodas also make a great refreshing stop.
Great Wall Chinese Restaurant
$ | (785) 823-8888 | WEBSITE
You’ll spot the line at the drive-thru from the parking lot entrance. This Chinese spot has been Salina’s go-to destination for years and shows no signs of slowing down. This is a straightforward, casual operation, so prepare to order your generous portions, finish off your plate of General Tso’s or lo mein, and leave satisfied. Going with any of the classics on the menu is a good move, but the Curry Chicken with its perfect balance of heat is also well worth your attention.
Big Cheese Pizza
$ | (785) 825-2283 | WEBSITE
Big Cheese Pizza feels like the heart of a family kitchen, and we appreciate the commitment to that cozy, welcoming vibe. This pizza spot serves both lunch and dinner, but we like it best in the evening—the bright white lights and tight table space keep things intimate while you devour a thin-crust pizza or a Philly cheese steak sandwich. This is also a great place to come with your kids, since there are quarter snatcher games (plus military discounts for you and your family, too).
Martinelli’s Little Italy
$ | (785) 826-9190 | WEBSITE
Even if you don’t normally seek out Italian food or think much about it, Martinelli’s Little Italy is worth discovering. This restaurant happens to serve spaghetti with meatball that could satisfy you for the rest of the evening. Get familiar with the filet with broccoli in a white wine lemon sauce, a dish overflowing with tender beef and enough broccoli to constitute as a vegetable portion.
It’s substantial enough to share between two people, and you should enjoy it from a cozy corner table if the lighting is warm—or just head there for a special occasion dinner in the welcoming dining room.
Blacksmith Coffee Drive Thru
$ | (785) 596-0220 | WEBSITE
Coffee and pastries make up the majority of the menu at this welcoming drive-thru spot, so get here when you need perfectly smooth iced mochas and a morning boost from fresh roasted beans. The parking lot outside this walk-up place is always full during the morning rush with folks debriefing their commutes while sipping on single-origin drip coffee, warm cinnamon rolls, and monster cookies.
The best thing on the menu is the iced mocha with a cinnamon roll that’s baked to that elusive melt-in-your-mouth consistency.
Buffalo Wild Wings
$$ | (785) 452-9829 | WEBSITE
You go to Buffalo Wild Wings in Salina for the perfectly fried, crispy wings. They’re thoroughly coated in sauce, from mild to blazing hot, which makes tearing into them just as good as watching the game. And while the wings alone are enough of a reason to come here, the seasoned fries, which are consistently golden and tasty, are local legend.
Jalisco Mexican Restaurant
$ | (785) 833-2388 | WEBSITE
The Beef Enchilada and Tamale combo from Jalisco needs no introduction. Here’s one anyway: if there were a Mexican dinner Olympics, this one would win gold. It’s a plate of perfectly seasoned beef, tender masa, and a generous pour of that enchilada red sauce with its subtle chocolate notes that really ties the whole knockout together.
The Salina restaurant (there’s just this one location) also does pretty classic Mexican fare, including fajitas, tacos, and a fantastic cheese sauce that makes everything better.
Tucson’s Steakhouse Saloon & Grill
$$ | (785) 820-9595 | WEBSITE
As you might guess by the name, this steakhouse saloon in Salina specializes in Kansas steaks, and they’re not your standard cuts. There’s a near-overwhelming range of options, and if you ate here every week for a year you’d miraculously never have the same meal. They come with sides like loaded baked potatoes, sauteed mushrooms, and mashed potatoes with gravy, plus specialties like Rattlesnake Pasta and Bacon Wrapped Shrimp Skewers.
Order a round of the popular Mesarita Margaritas, and flat iron steaks and chicken-fried-steak, and settle in at their spacious patio. The low-key atmosphere means no need to dress up, though you might wait a bit due to popularity—it’s definitely worth it for the attentive service and fun experience that keeps everyone coming back.
Coop’s Pizzeria
$ | (785) 823-5556 | WEBSITE
There are a lot of pizza joints in Salina, but few have the value expertise of Coop’s. A meal at this pizzeria is all about biting into a supreme pizza that practically satisfies from the first slice, and eating meatball grinders served with the care they deserve. It’s also a great option for a better-than-average lunch in the area—the lunch specials are a standout deal.
Hickory Hut BBQ
$ | (785) 825-1588 | WEBSITE
Hickory Hut BBQ is a barbecue joint that feels more like a pilgrimage site. It’s smoky, bustling, with a soundtrack of sizzling meat and friendly chatter. The pulled pork sandwich and ribs are the move, with meat so tender that a fork would be overkill. Expect fall-off-the-bone ribs with that signature sauce, and some plates with burnt ends and onion rings piled high. Consider this spot the town’s best place to indulge by yourself, or with someone who doesn’t mind a little mess.
For a more refined (and less smoky) experience, try somewhere else nearby.
The Original Grande
$ | WEBSITE
Sometimes you just need to tear your eyes away from a screen, get out of the house in the middle of the day, and clear a plate of made-to-order Sanchos. Beeline to The Original Grande in Salina. The casual spot has a menu featuring dishes like ‘beans and meat ‘goop” and those Sanchos, which are praised for their flavor. The portions are the pinnacle of generosity, and you’ll finish off the order in less time than it takes to find a parking spot downtown.
McDonald’s
$ | (785) 452-9195 | WEBSITE
This fast-food staple in Salina is a trusty steed. We rely on them for fresh food that’s consistently amazing in comparison to what you’ll find around town. Check out the kid-friendly menu: McNuggets, French fries, and some vegetarian options will beckon, tempting you to order a little of everything. This place doubles as a community hub, so never fight the urge for a taste of whatever super courteous service is on display for the day.
Chili’s Grill & Bar
$ | (785) 820-8300 | WEBSITE
Chili’s Grill & Bar fills the niche of that requisite neighborhood spot for a casual meal and a cold drink. The spacious restaurant is where to go on busy evenings that call for not-too-fancy burgers, sizzling steak fajitas, and crispy chicken tenders with creamy dipping sauces. Even on the rowdiest game nights, you’ll see families, friends, and sports fans devouring all things cheesy and savory from inside the clean, TV-lined dining room, or out at the bar.
Join them—and always snag a basket of chips and salsa for the table.
Perkins Restaurant & Bakery
$ | (785) 404-2150 | WEBSITE
We can say, with certainty, that Perkins Restaurant & Bakery’s pies are life-changing. And, no, we’re not being hyperbolic. The freshly baked pies at this American spot are filled with sweet, fruit-filled goodness that are good enough to inspire an out-of-body experience. And yes, you will probably end up savoring every last crumb of the crust, and possibly end a friendship when you go for the last slice.
But you should also save room for things like their delicious breakfast platters, hot coffee that’s consistently perfect, and attentive service from friendly staff like Jill and Channel who make sure you’re cared for quickly and efficiently in their welcoming atmosphere.