Hungry? Check out these 31 essential restaurants in the Des Moines metro for 2025 (2025)

• Where's the best places for breakfast, lunch, dinner or brunch in Des Moines?
• We've put together the Des Moines Register’s guide to the essential restaurants across the Des Moines metro area.
• Find the best places to eat int he Des Moines metro for every occasion and price point here.

Who doesn't have questions about restaurants?

Where's the best places for breakfast, lunch, dinner or brunch? Where should I eat if I'm only in town for one weekend a year? Where should I celebrate a special occasion such as a birthday, graduation, anniversary or promotion?

What if I want an inexpensive meal that's really good? Where can I go if I'm bored with my usual places and want to get something different?If I want to try a different cuisine, what should I eat?

To answer those questions, and many others, we've put together the Des Moines Register’s guide to the essential restaurants across the Des Moines metro area.

Our essential restaurants list includes a variety of cuisines, price points and locations across themetro. Thinkofit as a compendium of dependable places we recommend for any dining conundrum, whether you want to spend your entire paycheck or find something less costly.

We have only included restaurants that have been open at least six months. Breweries, bars and lounges that focus on liquor also are excluded.

The offerings are listed in alphabetical order.

Without further ado, the 31 essential restaurants of Des Moines. Enjoy.

We want your feedback on our guide— are there places that should be considered essential that we didn't include? Let Entertainment Editor Susan Stapleton know atsstapleton@registermedia.com.

Alba

It’s hard not to look up when you're dining at Alba — rustic reclaimed wooden doors are whimsically suspended from the ceiling, giving the upscale American restaurant a warm and approachable feel.

Restaurateur Jason Simon established Alba in a renovated 1950s auto garage in 2008, earning three nominations for a James Beard Foundation Award for Best Chef Midwest in 2010 for Simon and 2016 and 2017 for former chef Joe Tripp.

The menu changes often and features seasonal ingredients unexpectedly paired to delight your senses. Try plates such as a New York strip stroganoff, veal breast and mozzarella ravioli, and Alaskan halibut.

During the pandemic, Simon leaned into steaks with options such as hanger, filet and a New York strip, a trend that continued into 2025. Pair with a bordelaise sauce, pave potatoes, or basil risotto.

The farmhouse burger here is a solid must-order.The restaurant is known for its molten lava chocolate cake.

• Location: 524 E. Sixth St., Des Moines; (515) 244-0261
• Website: albadsm.com
• Neighborhood:Historic East Village
• Cuisine:American fine dining
• Price:$$$$

Of note:

• Alba’s name was inspired by white oak trees.
• Alba was the first Iowa restaurant that chef Joe Tripp, owner of Harbinger and Basic Bird, worked in.
• A secondary dining area in Alba features a large, curved bar where customers can enjoy a more casual dining experience while watching the chefs work in the open kitchen.
• Request the chef’s table for a seat in front of the kitchen.
• Alba’s happy hour runs daily from 4 to 6 p.m. at the bar and on the patio.

Angry Goldfish Pub & Eatery

This quirky pub on the south side offers wood floors, a bar anchoring the dining room, and chandeliers overhead for a shabby chic vibe.

Order the AG Burger withtwo of the best pattiesin town, smothered in cheddar cheese and a spicy sauce, and add the Parmesan fries or tots on the side, or try pulled pork or a breaded pork tenderloin.

For larger appetites, Graziano meatloaf, a pot roast, or fish and chips made with beer-battered cod will fill you to the brim.

• Location: 2301 S.W. Ninth St., Des Moines; 515-288-2358
• Website:angrygoldfishdsm.com
• Neighborhood:Indianola Hills
• Cuisine:Casual American comfort food
• Price:$$

Of note:

• Head here on the weekends for brunch.
• A small patio offers great views of downtown to the north.
• Look for a daily rotation of specials on thewebsite.
• The Dam Pub in Beaverdale and Flamingo Lounge in Norwalk are sister restaurants.

Aposto

Everything is right at oh, so romantic Aposto, the Italian fine-dining restaurant in Sherman Hill founded by Tony Lemmo.

The restaurant, open for dinner only Wednesday through Saturday, sits inside an 1880s Victorian mansion. From the verandain the front, surrounded by gardens, to the rooms converted into tucked-away pockets of tables, Aposto defines elegance.

The menu frequently changes, but do look for Lemmo’s handmade cavatelli mixed with marinara and house Calabrian sausage,tender osso bucco, as well asLou Ann’s Italian wedding cake, an ode to Lemmo’s mother.

• Location: 644 18th St., Des Moines; 515-244-1353
• Website:apostodm.com
• Neighborhood:Sherman Hill
• Cuisine:Italian
• Price:$$$

Of note:

• A very small bar sits at the back of the restaurant.
• Sign up for the newsletter to keep posted on special events.
• Reservations recommended.

B&B Grocery, Meat & Deli

Since 1922, this grocery store south of downtown Des Moines has kept pantries full in the “Little Italy” neighborhood.

The butcher shop carries everything pork, beef, and chicken, from sausages made in-house and hickory-smoked bacon to bone-in hams to custom blends of beef for burgers. It also offers the line of Killer sandwiches, which got their name from a railroad worker who stopped in and said he wanted a “killer sandwich.”

Customers who saw the Brooks family eating sandwiches in the early 1980s sparked the move into deli favorites, from the Dad’s Killer Sandwich stacked with roast beef, turkey breast, smoked ham, corned beef, pepper cheese, Swiss cheese, American cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, Kosher pickles, mustard, Miracle Whip and Tuscan Italian dressing on an Italian hoagie roll to burgers and breaded pork tenderloins, some of the best in the city.

• Location: 2001 S.E. Sixth St., Des Moines; 515-243-7607
• Website:bbgrocerymeatdeli.com
• Neighborhood: Indianola Hills
• Cuisine: Deli
• Price: $

Of note:

• John and Joe Brooks are the third generation to run the grocery store.
• Family photos and historic newspaper clippings line the walls of the shop.
• A row of whiskey bottles over the deli coolers represents gifts from adoring customers.

Bubba Southern Comforts

Shrimp and grits, chicken and waffles, meatloaf, and all the food your Southern grandmother would make are on the menu at Bubba, the ode to founding partner Chris Diebel’s Waco, Texas, roots. Stepping into Bubba Southern Comforts feels like a warm embrace of Southern charm, where you will never go home hungry.

Deviled eggs topped with pecan-smoked bacon and a pimento board stacked with buttermilk crackers made in-house, Kentucky-style Benedictine spread, and pickled vegetables start any meal in true Southern style.

Tuck into Cajun-charred Gulf shrimp and Early Morning Harvest white cheddar grits, barbecue meatloaf with roasted garlic buttermilk mashed potatoes, or that buttermilk fried chicken.

Be sure to stroll through the restaurant to see bow-tie art, a portrait of Diebel’s grandmother and grandfather, and other ephemera that add to the restaurant’s charm.

• Location: 200 Tenth St., Des Moines; 515-257-4744
• Website:bubbadsm.com
• Neighborhood: Downtown Des Moines
• Cuisine: Southern food
• Price: $$

Of note:

• The brunch is on Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and goes Southern as well with a skillet smothered in sausage gravy, cheddar-bacon-jalapeno grit cakes topped with eggs, and a crispy succotash-stuffed chile relleno.
• Thursday happy hour starts at 4 p.m. with $6 sips and $10 sliders.
• The restaurant is open for lunch as well as dinner.
• A small patio sits on the side of the restaurant.
• Bubba has one of the best whiskey collections in Des Moines.

Centro

No trip to Des Moines is complete without a stop at Centro, the Italian restaurant from Orchestrate Hospitality.

Chef George Formaro opened this gem at 10th and Locust streets more than 20 years ago, and it changed the whole dynamic of downtown Des Moines. Diners can stop in for pizza baked in the coal-fired oven and topped with La Quercia meats or Rosa Grande pepperoni. Or for a heartier dish, try ricotta gnocchi or handmade cavatelli, highlighting Tony Lemmo’s cavatelli and Graziano’s Italian sausage.

The Portobello fries should be on every order. Salmon with lemon caper butter sauce, chicken saltimbocca in a Marsala wine sauce, and a grilled 14-ounce beef ribeye topped with bone-marrow butter round out entrees that should be ordered.

• Location: 1003 Locust St., Des Moines; 515-248-1780
• Website: centrodesmoines.com
• Neighborhood: Downtown Des Moines
• Cuisine: Italian
• Price: $$$

Of note:

• The restaurant is open for lunch on Thursday and Friday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Centro serves brunch from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday with fried chicken biscuits and gravy, banana Nutella French toast, a ham and cheese omelet, or crab cake Benedict.
• Happy hour includes $6 appetizers such as fried Brussels sprouts and bruschetta and drink specials in the bar area on Tuesday and Wednesday from 4 to 6 p.m. and Thursday and Friday from 3 to 6 p.m.
• On Mondays, Centro offers Pizza and Peroni with half-priced pizza and Peroni beers when dining in the restaurant or on the Centro patio every Monday from 4 p.m. to close.
• The restaurant has a patio.

The Cheese Bar

Some people say if they could eat one food for the rest of their lives, it would be cheese. And the Cheese Bar from cheese monger C.J.Bienert and his wife, Kari, delivers.

Why, yes, there are grilled cheese sandwiches that come as Cubans, bacon and blue cheese, or the royale (with ham, bacon, Mornay sauce and a sunny-side up egg), or come back every week for a different variation on the dish. Of course, there are cheese and charcuterie boards, cheese curds and cheese fritters with homemade sour cream.

Sure, there’s mac and cheese, peppered with Frisian Cheese Gouda, Mornay sauce, a four-year cheddar, and Rustichella d’Abruzzo. And yes, you can get rarebit, smothered in Mornay sauce. Pair any with one of the 30 beers on tap or 18 wines by the glass. Belly up to the bar, or share one of the long communal tables to make a new friend.

• Location: 2925 Ingersoll Ave., Des Moines; 515-277-7828
• Website:cheesebardsm.com
• Neighborhood:Woodland Heights
• Cuisine:Casual American
• Price:$$

Of note:

• Stop by every Tuesday through Friday from 2 to 5 p.m. for $5 glasses of Champagne and sparkling wine and $5 bites.
• Love fondue? Cheese Bar serves raclette melted over confit potatoes, as well as Swiss fondue.
• Want to buy cheese to take home? Head to sister restaurant and store The Cheese Shop in the Shops at Roosevelt, 833 42nd St., for wedges of cheesy goodness.

Clyde’s Fine Diner

Chris Hoffmann, a James Beard Foundation semifinalist for Best Chef Midwest in 2024, named Clyde'sfor his grandfather, who taught him to cook.Hoffmann moved to Des Moines after working in kitchens such as Vistro in Chicago under Paul Virant, a three-time James Beard Foundation finalist for Best Chef Great Lakes.

Hoffmannapplies his fine-dining pedigree to comfort foods such as Brussels sprouts with Caesar's dressing, a tuna melt with Gruyere and Chicago-style giardiniera, and the Hot Bird, two pieces of Bell & Evans fried chicken slathered in a Sichuan hot sauce.

Hoffmann even makes his own sausage. The burger, griddled on a flattop, may be one of the best in the city. The aesthetic combines midcentury modern with the simplicity of a diner, so grab a stool at the semicircle bar or snag a table near the floor-to-ceiling windows.

• Location: 111 E. Grand Ave., Suite 111, Des Moines;515-243-3686
• Website:clydesfinediner.com
• Neighborhood:Historic East Village
• Cuisine:American comfort food
• Price:$$

Of note:

• Open for lunch and dinner.
• Happy hour is 4-6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.
• Find a nonalcoholic cocktail menu with composed drinks.
• Head here on Tuesdays for a $16 burger, shot of Evan Williams Bourbon and PBR, or Wednesdays for $3 oysters on the half-shell and half-priced bottles of wine.
• A small patio sits on the east side of the restaurant.

Django

Django, named after jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt, takes an unpretentious approach to French cuisine. After 10 years on the ground floor of the Hotel Fort Des Moines, the restaurant moved to Locust Street and into a space with mezzanine seating and a patio with a Pappajohn Sculpture Park view.

Django touts its seafood menu with seasonal raw oysters, scallops, mussels and poached shrimp. For a dining experience fit for royals, order a Grande or Django Plateau, seafood platters served on a tiered serving tray. Warm baskets of pain d'épi bread are on the house.

There are plenty of French favorites to choose from, such as the croque-madame—an open-face ham and Swiss cheese sandwich smothered in béchamel sauce and topped with a fried egg—and beef bourguignon featuring certified angus beef short ribs braised in a red wine sauce with carrots, mushrooms, onions, bacon and handmade pappardelle.

• Location: 1420 Locust St., Des Moines; 515-288-0268
• Website:djangodesmoines.com
• Neighborhood:Downtown Des Moines
• Cuisine:French
• Price:$$$$

Of note:

• There is no corkage fee for up to two bottles per party, so feel free to bring your own wine if nothing on the extensive menu suits your tastes.
• Django acquired space in the neighboring building and established a rentable event space called the Reinhardt Room.
• Tuesdays feature all-night happy hours.

Drake Diner

Diners stack up at the entrance, sometimes spilling outdoors, for one of the seats at Drake Diner, the venerable restaurant in the Drake neighborhood that originally opened in 1987. And it makes sense, given the diner’s big menu of breakfast all day, meatloaf clubs, and blue-plate specials that start early in the afternoon.

The neon-ringed restaurant comes with a long counter for faster service and cozy booths that can seat oodles of college kids or families. Try roast beef or turkey with smashed potatoes and gravy for a true diner experience, or dabble in chicken-fried steak and eggs or a Benedict to keep those weekend vibes going.

• Location: 1111 25th St., Des Moines; 515-277-1111
• Website:drakediner.com
• Neighborhood:Drake
• Cuisine:American
• Price:$$

Of note:

• The restaurant has a covered patio and a bar.
• Look for starred “Our Own” items on the menu for dishes that make the restaurant noteworthy.
• Sit at a long counter in front of the open kitchen for prime views of the cooks at work.

Flavory Bistro

Vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free dishes shine at this Mediterranean bistro in the District at Prairie Trail in Ankeny. Husband-and-wife team Hector and Lisa Morales opened this gem in 2016 and expanded to encompass lunch, dinner and brunch.

Try a Mediterranean steak that’s marinated and sliced, a lamb dish, a vegetarian mix of peppers with Italian lima beans and mushrooms over basmati rice, or a pescatarian dish with salmon and shrimp or salmon and scallops at Flavory Bistro. Panini, gyros and rice bowls satisfy at lunch, or try homemade garlic hummus, creamy tzatziki, fresh bread and grilled pita.

Order seafood paella ahead of time with enough for leftovers the next day. Be sure to ask about the desserts, including a Bavarian cake and gluten-free cookies.

• Location: 1450 S.W. Main St., Ankeny; 515-443-7272
• Website: flavory-bistro.com
• Neighborhood: Ankeny
• Cuisine: Mediterranean
• Price: $$

Of note:

• An open kitchen in the center of the restaurant gives diners a prime view of their food being made.
• Brunch is served all day starting at 11 a.m. Tuesday through Saturday.

Francie’s Bar & Grill

The line of patrons waiting for a table at tiny Francie’s Bar & Grill shows how popular this south side restaurant is. And justifiably so: The sandwiches, burgers, and casual fare that bring in these crowds are that good.

The compact menu highlights sports bar fare: five types of burgers, including a must-order Swiss and 'shrooms on a brioche bun, Buffalo wings, and the best French dip sandwich found in Des Moines.

Francie’s, which originally opened in 1987, features wood-paneled walls (and ceiling) for the feel of a suburban den, complete with LeRoy Neiman art of athletes and more than 10 TV screens up high. Do try a Moscow mule, one of the staples on the cocktail menu.

• Location: 2100 Wakonda View Drive, Des Moines; 515-285-5207
• Website:franciesbarandgrill.com
• Neighborhood:Southwestern Hills
• Cuisine:American comfort food
• Price:$$

Of note:

• A small patio sits to one side of the restaurant.
• Most of the tables are two-tops, so expect an even longer wait for a larger group.
• Swap out beef for a veggie patty on any of the burgers.

Guesthouse Tavern + Oyster

Guesthouse Tavern + Oyster combines the experience of supper clubs in Wisconsin and Minnesota with modern fare, including a raw bar with oysters and shrimp, relish trays and main dishes such as beer-battered walleye, pork Milanese and trout almondine.

Pete Faber of Barn Town Brewing and Derek Eidson of Django fame teamed up on this tribute that features a cozy cabinlike interior with plenty of iconic signs from supper clubs of yore, a fireplace and a canoe hanging over the bar.

Try the cast-iron tater tots and braised beef hot dish, both modern twists on classic supper club dishes.

Do come for the pull tabs that come with happy hour.

• Location: 9500 University Ave., Suite 1118, West Des Moines; 515-994-8378
• Website: guesthousetavernoyster.com
• Neighborhood: West Des Moines
• Cuisine: Northwoods supper club
• Price: $$$$

Of note:

• Happy hour includes options such as $2 off select cocktails, discounted oysters and shrimp cocktails, and $10 Brussels sprouts or oyster mushrooms.
• Blunch, as Guesthouse calls it, on Saturdays and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. includes a short rib hash and maple cinnamon pecan pancakes.
• A patio sits to the side of the restaurant.
• Many of the cocktails are on tap, so they will taste the same every time.

Harbinger

Joe Tripp, a five-time James Beard Foundation semifinalist for Best Chef Midwest, fell in love with Vietnam the first time he backpacked through the country. That trip inspired Harbinger, the vegetable-forward restaurant that implements Asian techniques in every dish.

Tripp frequently changes the menu as produce goes in and out of season. Every meal should start with steamed buns, stuffed with cauliflower tempura, pork belly or chicken curry.

Okonomiyaki, a Japanese pancake, has recently appeared on the menu, with the newest rendition topped with soft scrambled farm eggs and ramp hollandaise, while farm carrots, memories from Vietnam, have made an appearance on the menu since the restaurant opened in 2017.

The décor at this 54-seat restaurant feels cozy and a little loud on a busy weekend. Watch the action in the open kitchen or sidle up to the bar, where the cocktails are as creative as the food.

• Location: 2724 Ingersoll Ave., Des Moines; 515-244-1314
• Website:harbingerdsm.com
• Neighborhood:Woodland Heights
• Cuisine:Asian-inspired small plates
• Price:$$$$

Of note:

• Harbinger was named one of 47 Restaurants of the Year by USA TODAY in 2024.
• Want to try something new? The chef’s tasting menu features many of the newest dishes the kitchen is testing.
• Happy hour from 4 to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday includes snacks, another menu that routinely changes.
• The restaurant does not repeat dishes. Once it leaves the menu, it’s gone.

Hawker’s Kitchen

This new restaurant in Ankeny pays homage to street food culture and Singapore's iconic hawker centers, where people gather to dine in open-air food courts. Owner Jennifer Vayding features dishes from Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and Japan on her menu, made with her son Zach Tan.

Head to the counter to order laksa, a noodle soup with spicy coconut broth and a pile of shrimp, as well as nasi lamak — fried chicken with coconut rice, roasted peanuts, cucumber and chili paste — and the roti john sandwich, with curried beef, egg, mozzarella, shredded cabbage, mayo and sweet chili sauce.

Other options include fried shrimp pancakes, marinated chicken bites, egg tarts, lemongrass chicken salad with vermicelli, beef bulgogi with rice, taro bubble tea, mango sticky rice and much more.

• Location: 1975 N. Ankeny Blvd., Suite 101, Ankeny; 515-901-5268
• Website: hawkers-kitchen.com
• Neighborhood: Ankeny
• Cuisine: Singaporean and Asian cuisines
• Price: $$

Of note:

• The soy chicken rice is the national dish of Singapore and gives customers a taste of Vayding’s home country.
• A counter display features some of the pastries such as egg tarts.
• A small patio sits in front of the restaurant.

The High Life Lounge/El Bait Shop

Want something casual with food and décor that makes you feel like you stepped back in time to your father’s cool den with meatloaf and wood paneling on the walls? Go to The High Life Lounge.

Prefer fish tacos in a setting replete with taxidermized animals and more than 170 beers on tap? Make a stop at El Bait Shop. Can’t decide? Just swing through the adjoining doors of the side-by-side restaurants.

The High Life Lounge is home to comfort foods such as a hot beef sandwich, mom’s pot roast, goulash and deviled eggs. Next door at El Bait Shop, order pizza puffs, nachos or a quesadilla. But don’t leave without at least one order of broasted chicken at The High Life Lounge. It's the stuff of late-night infomercials (as seen on the menu).

• Location: 200 S.W. Second St., Des Moines; 515-280-1965
• Website:thehighlifelounge.comorelbaitshop.com
• Neighborhood:Downtown Des Moines
• Cuisine:Old-school comfort food at The High Life Lounge/Tex-Mex at El Bait Shop
• Price:$

Of note:

• More than 170 beers from around the world are on tap. Head online to find out what beers are on tap and in bottles and cans at El Bait Shop.
• A small covered outdoor bar is open in the summer on the El Bait Shop side.
• Stop by The High Life Lounge for a specialty Tangermeister shot made of Jägermeister and Tang.

HoQ

Suman and Cynthia Hoque lean into local farmproduce and ingredients at their eatery in the East Village with light woods, exposed ducts and plants decorating the corner space — and lots of windows. HoQ says 90% of the ingredients used come from Iowa farmers and lists their names on the menu.

The ever-changing menu explores lighter fare such as quinoa bowls and Mediterranean bowls topped with tandoori chicken, or go for a more leisurely meal of wild Alaskan salmon, grass-fed beef or a vegetarian dish with spiced veggies wrapped in rice and lentil crepes.

Head here for lunch for an abbreviated version of the menu or stop by the new adjacent lounge, HoQtail, beforehand.

• Location: 303 E. Fifth St., Des Moines; 515-244-1213
• Website:hoqtable.com
• Neighborhood:Historic East Village
• Cuisine:Seasonal American
• Price:$$$

Of note:

• The restaurant also has a stand at the Downtown Des Moines Farmers' Market and Flora at the Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden.
• The restaurant offers gluten-free and vegan options.
• The Hoques recently opened HoQtail, a cocktail lounge next door, where drinks come with a bite. The tiny space requires a reservation.

Lachele’s Fine Foods

Cory Wendel named his slim restaurant on Ingersoll Avenue for his wife, and when customers decided they loved the burgers, he made them the main focus in this eatery decked out in salmon with tables straight out of the ’50s and stools at the counter for watching the cooks griddle up favorites.

These smash patties are crispy on the outside and juicy inside, creating the best burger in Des Moines. Try the Jake with grilled minced onion and pickles, the Uncle Denny with pepper jelly and American cheese, or the Big Gym with bacon and spicy giardiniera.

The melts side of the menu is just as big with the Casey Jones topped with ham and bacon on Texas toast, the Hot Rod with grilled chicken and bruschetta, or the Big Balandran with chopped steak topped with bacon and Swiss.

Wendel opened a second Lachele’s in the Highland Park neighborhood with a broader menu that includes steamed burgers, breaded pork tenderloins, and beef and noodles, as well as a weekend brunch.

• Locations:
  • 2716 Ingersoll Ave., Des Moines; 515-330-6876
  • 3619 Sixth Ave., Des Moines; 515-330-6876
• Website:lacheles.com
• Neighborhood:Woodland Heights and Highland Park
• Cuisine:Burgers
• Price:$$

Of note:

• Lachele’s offers specials daily. Check the restaurant’s Instagram page for the latest.
• A second location opened in the Highland Park neighborhood of Des Moines in February.

Lucky Lotus

For 15 years, Seng and Dala Chen ran Café Fuzion on the east side of Des Moines. When they moved their Vietnamese, Laotian and Chinese restaurant to Ingersoll Avenue in 2019, they renamed it Lucky Lotus and turned over the reins to their sons Souriyno Chen and Kevin Chen.

Pull up a chair in the dining room filled with enchanting umbrellas turned upside down hanging from the ceiling or the corner with framed tributes to the family, who immigrated from Vietnam. Or slip out to the new patio behind the restaurant.

Start with bing bing wraps stuffed with five spice beef, lemongrass chicken or tofu, or potatoes in a yellow curry sauce. Opt for after-school fried rice with optional Chinese sausage, pho with chicken or tofu, curries, or noodle dishes. Optional proteins include a mock duck, chicken, tofu, shrimp, beef or veggies.

The menu notes vegan, vegetarian, nuts, and gluten-sensitive dishes, and most dishes start at the sassy level of heat, which can be increased to a raging 5.

• Location: 2721 Ingersoll Ave., Des Moines; 515-262-8488
• Website:luckylotusdsm.com
• Neighborhood:Woodland Heights
• Cuisine:Vietnamese
• Price:$$

Of note:

• Choose your own adventure with your dish’s heat level. Options range from mild to raging spice.
• A special corner of the restaurant pays homage to the Chens’ family history.
• Vegetarian and vegan friendly.
• Saturdays bring a brunch from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. with featuring Asian-inspired breakfast classics, such as congee, a savory rice porridge, and kai dao, a take on the American breakfast with eggs and pickled vegetables.

LzazaIndo-Pak Cuisine

This Drake neighborhood restaurant offers Indo-Pak food on a buffet for lunch or a la carte for dinner. Lzaza opened in 2018, taking over a former church, and kept the décor simple with white walls, stark lighting and few decorations. By day, slide through Lzaza’s buffet with its ever-changing selections of Indian and Pakistani food. By night, order off the menu.

Look for everything from chicken biryani, goat vindaloo and aloo palak to tandoori chicken and vegetable samosas. Every buffet meal comes with naan.

• Location: 1409 23rd St., Des Moines; 515-381-1121
• Website:facebook.com/Lazaindopak
• Neighborhood:Drake
• Cuisine:Indian and Pakistani
• Price:$$

Of note:

• Check the Facebook page for the current buffet menu; it changes frequently.

La Mie Bakery

Since 2003, diners have flocked to La Mie Bakery from Joe and Christina Logsdon for breads and baked goods in the Shops at Roosevelt. Once the Logsdons expanded to breakfast and lunch dishes, such as tartines, quiches and omelets, they became a staple in the city.

Joe even earned a nomination for Outstanding Pastry Chef from the James Beard Foundation in 2010. Pick and choose baked goods, premade sandwiches, salads or bread. Or order at the counter and wait for the dishes to be served at a table. You’d be remiss not to order a chocolate or almond croissant.

• Locations: 841 42nd St., Des Moines; 515-255-1625
• Website:lamiebakery.com
• Neighborhood:Drake
• Cuisine:French bakery
• Price:$

Of note:

• Pastries go fast on the weekend, so stop by early for takeout.
• There is a nice patio off the back of the restaurant.
• La Mie has a second location in the skywalkin downtown Des Moines called La Mie Elevate at601 Locust St., as well as a location at the Des Moines Art Center.

Mi Patria Ecuadorian

Cesar Miranda opened the only Ecuadorian restaurant in the metro in 2011 to showcase the diversity of food his native country serves. The West Des Moines restaurant sits in an unassuming strip mall, hiding the hearty fare inside.

Go for the llapingachos, mashed potato patties filled with cheese and topped with a peanut sauce. Try arroz con pollo, a fried rice dish with chicken, peas and carrots, snuggled next to plantains.

Devour the empanadas, stuffed with chicken, beef or cheese. Or share the churrasco, a grilled skirt steak topped with a fried egg. The simple sides — fried plantains, black beans, and rice — come with many of the entrees.

Another option, the Mi Patria for Two, features slow-roasted pulled pork, steak, chicken, potato patties, corn, two types of beans, and a fried egg, as well as rice andplantains. The simple dining room with mustard-yellow walls features all tables and chairs for a casual approach to lunch or dinner.

• Location: 1410 22nd St., West Des Moines; 515-222-2755
• Website:mipatriadsm.com
• Neighborhood:West Des Moines
• Cuisine:Ecuadorian
• Price:$$

Of note:

• The friendly staff will help you with the pronunciation of dishes and explain what they are.
• You can never go wrong with empanadas.
• Serves lunch and dinner.

Oak Park

Few restaurants have made as big of a splash as Oak Park did when it opened in October 2023. Owner Kathy Fehrman and her husband, Bill, have gathered an elite team that includes executive chef Ian Robertson, executive pastry chef Jess Robertson, general manager Damon Murphy, director of operations Billy Dohrmann and wine director Sam Tuttle.

The restaurant was named one of 45 Restaurants of the Year by USA TODAY in 2025.

The restaurant, built from scratch at 39th Street and Ingersoll Avenue, was designed to resemble a Frank Lloyd Wright home with long banks of windows, a transom in the bar area, built-in booths and acorn light fixtures.

Diners can find succulent fare from gnocchi with truffle cream and bourbon-candied bacon to a carrot Wellington, pan-roasted duck breast and the bacon-glazed pork chop. Steaks are aged in-house.

The wine list continues to grow, with options by the glass and bottle, some housed in the bar or wine room. For dessert, try the $5 cheesecake or chocolate almond bar, or share the $100 banana split.

• Location: 3901 Ingersoll Ave., Des Moines; 515-620-2185
• Website:oakparkdsm.com
• Neighborhood:North of Grand
• Cuisine: New American with French techniques
• Price: $$$$

Of note:

• The restaurant offers a chef’s table overlooking the kitchen with a special menu.
• Oak Park has more than 700 labels of wine.
• Most of the beef is dry-aged in house, but the filet mignon is wet-aged.
• Oak Park feeds its leftovers to pigs at Pine Grove Family Farms in Bondurant. The pigs are then used on the menu at the restaurant for a complete circle of life.
• Oak Park has its own garden that feeds the menu. Often you can see chefs picking produce to use in dishes served that night.

Panka Peruvian

Peruvian cuisine comes to Des Moines via Panka Peruvian, the Ingersoll eatery from Mariela Maya, who moved to the United States from Lima, Peru. The restaurant is named for the ají panca pepper, an ingredient central to Peruvian cuisine.

Favorites at this chic restaurant include lomo saltado, a dish made with marinated beef stir-fried with onions, cilantro and tomatoes, then served with rice; arroz con chaufa de cerdo, a fried rice dish made with pork, ginger and scallions; or aji de gallina, a chicken stew served with white rice.

Save room for suspiro a la limeña, with a custard base and meringue topped with cinnamon.

• Location: 2708 Ingersoll Ave. Suite 200, Des Moines; 515-244-1430
• Website: pankadsm.com
• Neighborhood: Woodland Heights
• Cuisine: Peruvian
• Price: $$

Of note:

• Stop by for happy hour daily from 5 to 7 p.m. with half off wines and beer and $5 appetizers.
• The restaurant is open for breakfast Tuesday through Sunday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Diners can order vegan dishes as well.
• A patio sits in front of the restaurant.

Prime & Providence

Dominic Iannarelli and Cory Gourley opened Prime & Providence, a decadent take on the modern steakhouse, in West Des Moines with a menu of Kobe beef, lobster tails, oysters and coal-fired beef.

Iannarelli modernized many dishes typically served at a steakhouse, giving each a bump of creativity with options such as whole grilled cauliflower that’s crispy on the outside and tender on the inside or tuna tartare served on a piece of bone marrow. Try the lobstercargot, a riff on escargot with lobster instead of snails, coated in garlic butter and topped with raclette and Parmesan.

The rainbow carrots come draped in a hot honey butter, while the triple-cooked bacon practically melts in your mouth. Oysters, lobster, shrimp and crab legs can be ordered. Steaks range from filet mignon and Delmonico cuts to a New York strip and ribeye. Do request the reserve menu for a look at the Kobe beef and other decadent cuts of beef.

• Locations: 595 60th St., Suite 100, West Des Moines; 515-644-6805
• Website:primeandprovidence.com
• Neighborhood: West Des Moines
• Cuisine: Steak and seafood
• Price: $$$$

Of note:

• Head to the bar from 3 to 6 p.m. for the happy hour that features a separate menu and specials.
• This is one of the few restaurants in Iowa that offers Kobe beef. Try a sample of Japanese beef on a tasting menu.

Railroad Bill’s Dining Car

Think of Railroad Bill’s Dining Car as a spot for a quick breakfast or lunch for less than $10. The railroad-themed restaurant features Burlington Northern signs decorating the 100-year-old building, formerly home to the American Railway Express Co.

The charming space offers counter-service ordering for dishes such as the Burlington Sleeper, a hearty helping of hash browns topped with bacon and ham, onion and American cheese, plus two eggs any style. Or go for a French dip, a Dagwood club or BLT for lunch.

Employees here are part of Racoon Forks Microbusinesses, owned and operated by Optimae LifeServices, which provides jobs to people with disabilities or those who have other barriers to employment.

• Location: 621 Des Moines St., Des Moines; 515-243-0247
• Website: raccoonforks.com/railroadbills-menu/
• Neighborhood:Historic East Village
• Cuisine:American breakfast and lunch fare
• Price:$

Of note:

• A small patio at the front features three tables.
• Railroad Bill’s offers a separate vegetarian and vegan menu.
• The restaurant sits next to an antiques store, Raccoon Forks Trading Co., filled withvintage furniture, books, albums, knickknacks and dishes. Spend some time browsing while you wait for your meal.
• Keep in mind the restaurant is open only from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday.

Simon’s

The hospitality of owner Simon Goheen might be the only thing better than the Italian food at Simon’s. In 2025, Goheen earned a semifinalist nod for a James Beard Foundation Award for Outstanding Hospitality. And it comes as no surprise. Goheen treats everyone like an old friend.

Simon’s hit the 20-year mark in 2025, still serving a familiar menu of classic Italian dishes such as lasagna stuffed with Graziano’s sausage, vodka pasta with Graziano’s sausage, beef stroganoff, and the Des Moines favorite steak DeBurgo with garlic, fresh oregano, basil, butter and spices.

Goheen expanded Simon’s to include a waiting lounge where guests can socialize and play games while waiting for a table. Of course, every meal ends with a slice of red velvet cake baked and frosted in-house.

• Location: 5800 Franklin Ave., Des Moines; 515-255-3725
• Website: simonsdsm.com
• Neighborhood: Merle Hay
• Cuisine: Italian
• Price: $$$

Of note:

• The line usually starts about half an hour before Simon’s opens. The restaurant does not take reservations for tables less than six people.
• A waiting room next door gives customers a spot to relax. Goheen brings cocktails and drinks over to customers as they play Battleship or Uno.

The Stuffed Olive

Brendan Kelley, the longtime owner of The Stuffed Olive, moved the restaurant 200 steps from its original location in 2024 and had no problem filling the space.

Customers come in for the martinis, a roster of 120, but stick around for favorite dishes such as Cajun salmon, a tuna poke bowl on a bed of jasmine rice, or crispy Brussels sprouts. The new space, which seats 190 inside, has an “Alice in Wonderland” feel with jewel-toned chairs, a U-shaped bar in the center, and artwork from Ben Schuh, Drew Dau and Frank Moth decorating the space.

• Location: 216 Court Ave., Suite 100, Des Moines, 515-243-4456
• Website: stuffedolivedsm.com
• Neighborhood: Downtown Des Moines
• Cuisine: Tapas and American entrees
• Price: $$

Of note:

• The restaurant has a patio along Court Avenue that wraps around to the east.
• Olive fanatics can order skewers stuffed with garlic, blue cheese, sundried tomatoes, bacon, or cream cheese, or even request a $10 sampler.
• Many nights feature a happy hour special that changes daily. Get the latest online at stuffedolivedsm.com/des-moines-the-stuffed-olive-happy-hours-specials.
• Brunch takes place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturdays.

Tacos La Familia

The self-proclaimed “Casa de la Barbacoa” specializes in street tacos from Ricardo Arana and his family in the River Bend neighborhood, but know that you can order sopes, huaraches made with a thick oval-shaped tortilla, and pambazo, a sandwich dipped and fried in red guajillo sauce with options such as lengua, tripa, al pastor and pollo.

Beef birria dishes come in quesadillas, tacos, burritos, tortas and pizzadilla, a quesadilla. Stop by in the morning for breakfast dishes such as huevos rancheros, huevos con jamon or chilaquiles served with beans, rice and two eggs.

• Location: 1610 Sixth Ave., Des Moines; 515-244-6659
• Website:tacoslafamiliaia.com
• Neighborhood:River Bend
• Cuisine:Mexican
• Price:$

Of note:

• A breakfast menu is available until 11:30 a.m. Tuesday through Sunday.

Taste of New York

Joy and Louis Savelli made the move from Brooklyn, New York, to Des Moines in 2014 and decided to bring a taste of their hometown with them. Taste of New York specializes in pizzas, Italian fare and Italian ice.

Try the New York-style thin crust meant to be folded and ordered by the slice. Or go for the fluffier Sicilian crust, a puffy and airier crust that comes in squares. Order the rice ball, a fried risotto ball stuffed with mozzarella and a meatball.

While the walls come decorated with tributes to the Big Apple, complete with graffiti and memorabilia, there’s not much space for sitting, so order a pie to go. The West Des Moines restaurant moves into larger space in the same strip mall soon with a bakery and expanded Italian menu.

• Locations:
  • 165 S. Jordan Creek Parkway, West Des Moines; 515-223-8669.
  • 769 S.E. Alice's Road, Waukee; 515-987-1585
• Website:tasteofnypizza.com
• Neighborhoods:West Des Moines and Waukee
• Cuisine:Pizza and Italian fare
• Price:$

Of note:

• Save room for zeppoli, fried doughnut holes, for dessert.
• The Waukee location has a drive-thru.

Wasabi Ankeny

Japanese flavors come alive at Wasabi restaurants owned by Jay Wang. In Ankeny, the restaurant at Prairie Trail offers its lineup of nigiri, rolls and sashimi, as well as novelty rolls such as the Marilyn Monroll, with spicy tuna and spicy salmon; the Rock 'n Roll with spicy tuna, mango and white tuna; and the Iowa Strong roll with kani crab, cucumber, avocado and a topping of crunchy spicy tuna.

Diners can also find ramen dishes spiked with black garlic, spicy seafood and even kimchi and char siu pork. Try the crispy pork katsu for a Japanese version of a breaded pork tenderloin or order one of the red curry dishes.

The chic interior features overhead lights shaped like a lotus, salmon jumping over the bar and sexy pink mood lighting. Sit at the sushi bar to watch the chefs ply the rice and fish into works of art ready to be eaten.

• Location: 1615 S.W. Main St. #100, Ankeny
• Website: wasabiankeny.com
• Neighborhood: Ankeny
• Cuisine: Japanese
• Price: $$$$

Of note:

• A small patio sits in front of the restaurant.
• You can find Wasabi locations in West Des Moines, Johnston and Urbandale as well.
• This location has a happy hour every Monday through Friday from 3 to 6 p.m.

Pricing key, average price of meal for one

$: Up to $15

$$: $16-$30

$$$: $31-$50

$$$$: $50+

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Susan Stapleton is the entertainment editor and dining reporter at The Des Moines Register. Follow her onFacebook,X, orInstagram, or drop her a line atsstapleton@gannett.com.