Restaurants Downtown Des Moines Iowa – In Greater Des Moines, not all of our food is served on a stick. We have some of the best restaurants and chefs in the Midwest, sure to surprise and delight with every bite. Grab a seat at the table and check out this menu of local-voted spots that are stars of the Des Moines dining scene.
Harbinger has quickly become the crown jewel of the Des Moines food scene. His concept of Asian-inspired, vegetable-centric small plates has earned chef Joe Tripp multiple James Beard Award nominations, not to mention local rockstar status. The hyper-seasonal menu focuses on local ingredients, and the space is modern, yet intimate and comfortable. Your best bet is to leave your meals in the hands of the experts and opt for a sumptuous and timely five-course degustation meal.
Restaurants Downtown Des Moines Iowa
Clyde embodies everything we love about the East Village – effortlessly cool, totally accessible, and just the right mix of contemporary and familiar. The teal motif gives your typical diner a big style upgrade, and dishes like their smashburger and wild boar ragu make this place a dining destination.
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Aposto offers the most unique dining experience in the Metro, with modern classic dining in an 1880 Victorian mansion. At home in Sherman Hill, Des Moines’ oldest neighborhood, Aposto focuses on simplicity, and cuisine well Whether it’s Italian dishes like wild mushroom and truffle gnocchi, Birkwood’s osso buco or their famous polenta cakes, the only mistake you’ll make is not leaving room for dessert .
After the quaint farmhouse was named “America’s Favorite Cheese Shop,” its growing popularity led to a major branch, the Cheese Bar, and we’re all the better for it. Their toasted grilled cheeses have many devotees and their cast iron mac and cheeses are not far behind. Soaring ceilings, and interesting beer and wine lists add a European feel to the proceedings, but make no mistake, both the food and the people are Iowa Nice.
Bubba’s brings Southern hospitality to the heart of the Midwest with elevated classics like Fried Green Tomatoes, Kentucky Hot Browns, and Buttermilk Fried Chicken. All washed down with a mint julep or two. The southern charm doesn’t end with the food, chandeliers, high back chairs, Chesterfield sofas and hexagonal tiles create a dining space as unique as the food.
Whether it’s a girl’s night or a date night, the Mulberry Street Tavern in the swank New Surety Hotel is the place to be. And who doesn’t want to be seen eating scotch eggs and lamb shanks while sipping bubbly in a warm, rich mahogany interior? Ron Burgundy, your table is ready.
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Nothing in life is certain except death, taxes and Simon’s favorite restaurant. Formerly known as J Benjamin, people line up outside this quaint bistro before it opens to get a seat. This is because Simon’s is one of the most consistent dining experiences in the metro, with Simon himself walking the dining room to make sure you have the best experience. And with comfort food like steak de burgo, stuffed chicken and lasagna, eating is easy.
Centro deserves credit for helping Des Moines become the dining destination it is today, and its reputation is well-deserved. Located in a restored temple at the center of the performing arts, this charming place serves Italian favorites in an upscale atmosphere. They’re all good, but our favorite is their wood-fired pizza, which we’d put on the Chicago and New York cake any day.
They say it’s better to be lucky than good. Both Lucky Lotus. Not only will you find Southeast Asian dishes like bing bing wraps (scallion pancake sandwich wraps), sweet potato curry panang and pad lao noodles, but you won’t find a place like Lucky Lotus. . Think ‘neon kung fu chic’. You want to take home some of your beautiful branded swag.
French cuisine without attitude and a strange view of the Pappajohn Sculpture Park across the street. That’s what you get at Django, a downtown spot where you can get hamburgers (served on a local South Union bun) as well as steak frites and scallops. Not to mention that there is no corkage fee for four bottles of wine. Oh la la!
Des Moines Dining
If you like your steak rare, your martini dry, and your dinner expensive, 801 Chophouse is the place for you. Des Moines’ premier steakhouse has everything you want in a great steakhouse; Rat Pack vibes, spacious booths, knowledgeable waiters, and plenty of potato options for your side. And we haven’t even mentioned the lobster dog appetizers.
Australian owner Alexander Hall has built a following with his many restaurants since moving to Des Moines from New York City. But the crown jewels are the two St Kilda locations, with the downtown cafe/bakery focusing on breakfast and lunch and the new Valley Junction location also hitting the dinner crowd. You’ll find your New York vibe here, with offerings ranging from crispy fried cod rolls, vegan banh mi, and avocado toast to fried steak and half chicken.
The age-old dilemma: What’s Eatery A’s biggest selling point, its patio or its happy hour? Answer: Enjoy both at the same time. Their happy hour runs from 3 to 6 p.m. Includes daily and half-price wine, draft beer and wood-fired pizza. Choose a warm day on the patio overlooking Ingersoll Avenue, and you have the perfect start to your summer evening.
Founded by Italian immigrants in 1947, Latin King still takes the crown as the place to try Des Moines’ signature dish, the steak de burgo. But their Chicken Spidini can also be great, and if their legendary Strawberry Shortcake is on the menu, it’s a crime not to indulge. It’s a Des Moines institution for a reason. This is comfort food in peak form.
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A seafood market in a landlocked state? Leave your doubts at the door when you try a Waterfront Seafood Market location (West Des Moines or Ankeny), where the fish is brought in daily and prepared just the way you like it. Grab some seafood from their market or dine at their New England bistro, with everything from scallops and live Maine lobster to sushi and chowder.
Speaking of seafood, Splash Seafood bills itself as Iowa’s first and only seafood bar, with fresh seafood flown in daily from Hawaii, Alaska, Seattle, Boston and the Florida Keys . They prepare everything from caviar and clams to sriracha scallops and specialties like surf and turf fettuccine that will entice you.
RoCA has been serving small plates with big flavors on Court Avenue since 2014. Great for groups looking to try something a little different, they’ve made their mark in days with their flatbreads, fondues and sliders. His Smoking Gun cocktail (Bullet bourbon, maple syrup, angostura bitters, hickory smoke) took the Des Moines cocktail scene by storm and contributed to the bourbon renaissance of recent years.
An East Village mainstay, Alba offers upscale American cuisine with seasonal ingredients and a rotating menu with dishes like NY Strip Stroganoff, Wild Striped Bass and Hand Cut Steaks. This is probably the only restaurant we know of that has a reclaimed door hanging from the ceiling. That’s right, Alba is the door to the high dinner.
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For delicious Latin cuisine and one of the most famous margaritas in town, check out Malo, located in a renovated Art Deco firehouse built in 1937. With standout dishes like lobster queso, pork belly tacos, and burritos vegans, see you soon. Because it is one of the most popular wineries in the city. And with half a dozen pieces of original commissioned art, this is as progressive a place as the tater tot nachos you’ll get.
They’re probably best known for their Bottomless Bombshell Brunch, which features endless food with fun options like a mac and cheese bar with a bottomless bloody mary/mimosa/screwdriver add-on, mashed potatoes, and a brunch taco bar. But don’t sleep on their lunch and dinner menus, where you can indulge in common dishes like crab Rangoon dip and truffle fries or try signature dishes like the Nashville dish or veggie lasagna.
Irina’s is a family-owned neighborhood restaurant in Urbandale that specializes in Russian-American fare. This means you can get your steak or pasta, but if you want the real Irina experience, choose dishes like Beef Stroganoff, Moscow Filet, Pork Shashlik and Wellington Salmon. And how can you not have a vodka martini?
Can’t decide what kind of food you want? Fresco’s mod menu has it covered, from wood-fired octopus and specialty sushi rolls to short rib tacos and good old Iowa pork chops. Fresco (which means “fresh”) uses all local ingredients and is one of the most interesting and smart (not to mention comfortable) places in the city.
Bubba Southern Comforts
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