Location: Des Moines
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Where to eat Italian food in Des Moines: The Best Restaurants and Bars
Find out what Italian 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. Gusto Pizza
Overall Ratings
4 based on 76 reviews
Reviewed By SAWtravel
Read the reviews, there for art show and wanted good pizza. First, called to order for pick up. The person wasn't aware of basic ingredients such as a garlic/Olive oil base so she said they couldn't do it along with a couple of additional toppings. So I order the pizza...a different way with ingredients she knew about. Walked in to pick up and read a featured pizza with garlic/Olive oil base, uh?? So I asked the guy at the counter and he reacted in a way that made me seem crazy. Of course we have that he said...i explained to him why I asked then what I was told. He just shrugged and said oh well, yea we have it. After getting my 3rd choice of pizza, if was cold and not even close to looking like pics. Why go here when you have that kind of service and sub par pizza...not worth wasting your time.
9. Noah's Ark Restaurant & Lounge
Overall Ratings
4 based on 146 reviews
Noah's Ark serves great home-style Italian food and delicious Neapolitan style pizza in Des Moines, IA.
Reviewed By Cubecritter
Had some of the NY strip with Colbert sauce and the fried chicken. Both were well prepared but taste-wise nothing to write home about. Same with mashed potatoes and gravy and steak fries. Steak was way overpriced at $27. Colbert sauce is in between au jus and a sauce and didn't really have much of an effect on taste of the steak. Garlic knots not bad. Dinner rolls very good but we got some that had been out too long. Gut trouble about 10 hours later what was that from? Waitress was good. Interior was nice and comfortable and smelled good from years of cooked food. Take home message both of us concluded was that the house Creamy Italian dressing was killer. So cheesy. Mistake not to pick some up on the way out.
8. Christophers
Overall Ratings
4 based on 78 reviews
Reviewed By jkl25
Christopherâs has been around for years and I have eaten there many times over the last 20+ years. Though I had not been there for some time. Recently I had family in town that wanted to go there since they to had not been for years. We were greeted by friendly staff and made sure we had what we needed. The food did not disappoint, it was as good as it had always been. I did miss the dinner rolls they used to serve, the were great. Otherwise all was great!
7. Baratta's Trattoria & Pizzarea
Overall Ratings
4 based on 90 reviews
Reviewed By 653cliffk
A little off the beaten path one of Des Moines classic neighborhood Italian restaurants. It has an interesting history the restaurant actually was a home of the Barrata family and they turned it into a restaurant in Italian grocery store. They got all the business maybe 25 years ago and sold it to 3 Lincoln high graduates who are still operating the restaurant. it's on Union avenue very close to indianola avenue close to the old Italian Part of Des Moines. If you've never been you might want to try for lunch it's got great lunch and specials, great Italian specials and wonderful sandwiches. The house salads are wonderful spring lettuce with a variety of dressing choices. They make excellent cocktails and since I'm retired I had a bloody Mary with my lunch and it was great. My friends are regulars there and can't say enough about it. I had the chicken Amaggio which was the lunch special it was wonderful. Marinated chicken breast with light bread crumbs broiled, served over linguine and mushrooms with in Amaggio sauce. A friend had the Italian beef and it was outstanding and another friend had a meatball sandwich which was also outstanding. They have pizza if you should want it but I would go with the Italian sandwiches and they have wonderful salads too! Did not even get into dinner which is a whole other experience and I will cover some time with an additional review well worth the trip. if you're young person check it out if you're a person of a certain age and you've never been check it out. You won't be disappointed!
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6. Tumea & Sons Restaurant
Overall Ratings
4 based on 108 reviews
With a host of food to choose from including traditional pasta dishes and homemade Italian pastries - your whole family will be satisfied at our restaurant. 95% of our menu is made from scratch, so quality is guaranteed.
Reviewed By Dan M
Despite being a busy Saturday evening, we got a table fairly quickly. Service is very efficient, but not the friendliest. However, our waitress did take the time to answer our questions and make a couple recommendations. The food itself is amazing. The fried calamari appetizer was lightly breaded and delicious. The pasta dishes were perfect! Not huge servings, but we still took left overs home. This is definitely one of those traditional (in flavor and atmosphere) Italian restaurants that must be tried.
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5. Lucca
Overall Ratings
4 based on 130 reviews
Reviewed By ellenh759
We celebrated Valentineâs Day here. It was perfect! Everyone was very kind and helpful. They even played along with my date to have roses waiting on the table. The open kitchen is in the center on the first floor. There arenât many tables so itâs very intimate and quiet, without being bland. The menu is easy to navigate and everything was delicious from the salad, to pasta, to entree, to dessert. High quality and nice sized portions. The restaurant is located near the Capitol so itâs a convenient location with lots to do nearby. Upstairs they offer a 3 course menu that we hope to try in the near future.
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4. Tursi's Latin King Italian Dining
Overall Ratings
4 based on 340 reviews
For Over 69 Years Tursi's Latin King Restaurant Has Stood As A Hallmark Of Quality Traditional Italian Dining In Des Moines. Considered An "east-side Institution," Tursi's Latin King Delivers An Authentic Piece Of Italy In The Heart Of The Midwest.
Reviewed By Carole M
We have dined here on several occasions over the years. It is consistently good with friendly and helpful staff. A great menu offering Italian dishes, steaks, chicken and seafood. They have a very good selection of wine and beers. Great ambiance but it is busy, noisy and can be hard to carry on a conversation when the restaurant is full. Reservations are taken only for larger groups, otherwise it is first come first served. Be there early for faster seating. There is also an outdoor patio for summer dining.
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3. 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
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2. 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.
1. 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.
