Location: Des Moines
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Iowa, United States Food Guide: 10 American food Must-Eat Restaurants & Street Food Stalls in Des Moines
Find out what American restaurants to try in Des Moines. Today the capital city and cultural center of Iowa is revitalized. A versatile destination everyone will enjoy, Des Moines has an itinerary for almost every interest. Culture and art enthusiasts may want to roam through the Des Moines Art Center, spend the weekend museum-hopping or attend a Broadway-caliber performance at the Civic Center. Golfers can spend their time and energy teeing up at any of the area's fine championship courses. The Blank Park Zoo and the Iowa State Fairgrounds should be on the list for families. And gardeners will savor the fantastic blooms at the Botanical Center and the Better Homes and Gardens Test Garden. Mix it up a little and sample all this "big city with a small town heart" has to offer.
Things to do in Des Moines
10. 801 Chophouse
Overall Ratings
4 based on 284 reviews
A late 1920"s New York City steak house interior with signature leather booths, cherry wood furnishings, wooden floors, marble counter tops and high ceilings. 801 Chophouse offers only the very finest and freshest meats, seafood, and vegetables available.
Reviewed By Boatbebargen
Enjoyed dinner with family. Pleasant ambiance, strong pour with drinks, friendly & attentive service. Parked across street w metered parking lot. Reservations at 830 on weeknight. Apps included chargrilled oysters which were very good (considering we're used to eating them in new Orleans) and "down home" shrimp. Lobster corn chowder was delicious. NY strip and ribeye were cooked to medium rare as ordered however cajun spice on ribeye was not very prominent. I had seafood linguine which was loaded w lobster, shrimp and mussels. Pasta was cooked al dente. Sides included onion rings (yum), roasted mushrooms, and lobster mashed potatoes which all were excellent. Delicious fruit sorbet and caramel cheesecake rounded out a fantastic meal in DM. Will be back for another visit when we want a great steakhouse meal.
9. Eatery/A
Overall Ratings
4 based on 270 reviews
Reviewed By sharont455
The food was wonderful. We ordered ala carte items, avocado toast and the lemon ricotta blueberry pancakes with spicy potatoes. Everything was wonderful! Drinks included Irish coffee and Saint of Good morning. Both were excellent but the Irish coffee was one of the best Iâve had! Definitely recommend. Glad you enjoyed your brunch! We hope to see you in again soon! Our happy hour is 3-6 every day of the week and brunch is Tuesday-Sunday from 10 Am-3 PM.
8. Simon's J Benjamin's
Overall Ratings
4 based on 135 reviews
Reviewed By steverace
This is a terrific small, old school place. Visiting from out of state, we were surprised at our luck in finding this friendly, well run restaurant. Simon, the owner, greets you at the door and visits the table a couple of times while you're there. The waitstaff is friendly and engaging. Drinks were just right and more than modestly priced. The food is excellent- we had steaks and they were done correctly and absolutely delicious. The sides showed the same approach as the steaks- the veg of the day (asparagus) was as good as I've had anywhere. There was complementary red velvet cake as desert ( made by the owner's parents). It warms your heart to see business like this that reflects the owner's passion and love. Come early- seating is limited and it fills up within minutes of opening. Prices are too cheap- Simon should charge a more ( I RARELY feel that a meal is too inexpensive but this is it.) We'll be here every time we come to Des Moines in the future
7. Bubba
Overall Ratings
4 based on 185 reviews
Reviewed By richwklein
On the corner of Mulbery and 10th. This is another great downtown eatery. Bubba offers upscale southern comfort food. My wife had a version of the chicken pot pie and I had the three piece fried chicken, make it hot. The sauce had a nice kick to it. It's hard to eat fried chicken though and do so with any sort of grace and etiquette. It comes with a side of mashed potatoes which were flavorful and my choice of two other side. I chose the vegetables and pimento mac & cheese. I enjoyed the mac & cheese. Overall a good experience that I would do again.
6. Centro Restaurant
Overall Ratings
4 based on 961 reviews
Conveniently located in downtown Des Moines lives one of the cityâs most popular restaurants, Centro. The urban eatery specializes in delicious Italian-inspired food featuring fresh ingredients and masterful preparation by Chef George Formaro. Whether you
Reviewed By Nailcutter
Came here while in town for a tradeshow. Sat st the bar and was treated well by the staff. Ordered a beer and dinner not the most diverse menu and entrees range between $20-45. I ordered a Mista salad, Tuscan chicken pannini and house fries. Salad was ok as had too much dressing. The Pannini was only ok as had too much mayo on it and it really was not pressed like a real pannini. Fries were decent. Nice place and would order a regular entree if I came back.
5. Johnny's Italian Steakhouse
Overall Ratings
4 based on 557 reviews
At Johnnyâs, our steaks take center stage and are complemented by a gourmet assortment of Italian cuisine and seafood, alongside an expertly curated wine list. Whether you choose our famous Steak DeBurgo or the classic Chanel No. 5, youâre sure to satisfy
Reviewed By Drew M
This restaurant is in an off-beat location. If you're staying in a hotel near the airport, it's convenient but if you are local, it's not really by anyone or anything.So you typically are going because you specifically wanted to dine there. The steaks and other menu items are pretty good (I'd give them a solid B) but the service is hit or miss. Sometimes, they're great and other times, they clearly do not want to be there.It's a fine place to get a good meal if you are nearby. I would not make the drive just to eat there.Drew thank you for the review and feedback. I appreciate your comments and I have shared with management. We will definitely be addressing the service as we want you to always walk away feeling like you received great service. Thank you again and we hope to dine with you again soon.
4. Skip's
Overall Ratings
4 based on 388 reviews
Reviewed By MosseTurku
I'm happy we found our way to Skip's as it gave me hope that the restaurant scene is not all about fast food. We hadn't made a reservation so we had to wait a few minutes at the bar, but didn't finish the beer before we got a table. Everyone was very polite and nice. They had a good selection if pastas, salads and steaks. We were offered a small salad and bread as a starter and it didn't take long before we got the main course. My wife and I ordered a Bowtie Creole pasta whilst my son took a steak. I had no big expectations and it's hard for me to admit being in so many gourmet restaurants around the globe, this was one of the best I've ever tasted. The downside of Skip's is that the interior and lighting is so dark so you hardly see what you're eating.
3. Flying Mango
Overall Ratings
4 based on 333 reviews
Reviewed By 573dk9999
After seeing this place on DDD, was expecting to be blown away with the quality of the BBQ. Ordered the rib dinner with red beans and rice and cornbread. The red bean and rice were as advertised, spicy and flavorful, with generous amounts of meat and sausage. Likewise, the cornbread was very good, sweet and good textured with a pat of cinnamon butter on the top. The ribs were disappointing. They use loin ribs, which are very meaty, but without the fat that make spare ribs so tender when smoked. The center of the meaty portion of the ribs was white, indicating that it had not been smoked long enough for the smoke to penetrate all the way through, and they were somewhat tough, also indicating they were undercooked. Another in our party had ribs as part of her meal, and they were exactly the same. The ribs also arrived a little cool, so they had not been warmed up enough after being taken out of the cooler.Another in our party had the triggerfish, which was outstanding.All in all it was a good meal, but not up the the hype. I'm certain they are capable of better, and I will choose more carefully the next time I visit.
What to do and see in Des Moines, United States: The Best Places and Tips
2. Smokey D's BBQ
Overall Ratings
4 based on 752 reviews
"Opened by award winning pitmasters, this restaurant just off I-80 on Des Moines' north side is a BBQ lovers dream and would be a real gem for travelers". New Smokey D's location. There are two others.
Reviewed By MarcieJ
We were happy that we stopped here for lunch on our road trip. It wasnât the best BBQ weâve ever had, but much better than the typical fast food options. The burnt ends were done perfectly, and the fries were deliciously seasoned and perfectly done. The parking lot was pretty full, but we only had to wait a few minutes to order, and about five minutes for our food to arrive.
Des Moines Food Guide: 10 Must-Eat Restaurants & Street Food Stalls in Des Moines
1. The Cheese Shop
Overall Ratings
4 based on 173 reviews
Welcome to The Cheese Shop of Des Moines. Proudly offering over 100 artisan and farmhouse cheeses, craft beer and wine, and cured meats for sale, plus events and workshops.
Reviewed By 85triciar
We went out for a Friday night dinner with friends. It was a surprise. Our friends took us and told us about this place. The food was wonderful, and wine was just as good. We got to the place just before happy hour was over. The apple fritters with goat cheese was unbelievable. So glad we went .Thanks for the review, was this meant for The Cheese Bar?
Where to eat Mexican food in Des Moines: The Best Restaurants and Bars
