Looking for a Stearns County bar to support? The White Horse rules. Best food in town. http://www.whitehorsemn.com/ 

House of Pizza has two locations (downtown one has been around since Dick Bremer went to SCSU), excellent thin crust pizza, and a fantastic beer list. http://houseofpizzamn.com/ 

Bravo Burritos had mission-style burritos before Chipotle took it national, is located in a strip mall next to an Arby's, is wonderful https://www.bravoburritos.com/ 

You can get a fine, independent craft beer at @BeaverIslandSTC, @badhabitbeer, and @pantownbrewing.

If you're worried about a fistfight in the Red Lobster parking lot, Pho V is in the strip mall behind it, has legit Vietnamese food. In St. Cloud, Minnesota. https://www.visitstcloud.com/dine/pho-v/ 

Val's Rapid-Serv has the best French Fries in America. This is not an opinion. @valsrapidservi1

Old Capital Tavern is in Benton County, but Sauk Rapids is spiritually Stearns County. The family and I would go there for Christmas Eve dinner. Highly recommend, especially if you have a bourbon jones http://www.oldcapitaltavern.com/