Restaurants - Des Moines, Iowa



Restaurants

Des Moines’s dining scene has grown much more interesting in recent years thanks in large part to a number of innovative chefs who have introduced new flavors and fresh ingredients to restaurant menus. You may find yourself admiring the bounty of produce at the farmers’ market on Saturday morning and then see some of the same items turn up on your plate that same evening. Chefs have also taken their skills to that Iowa staple, the pig, transforming slabs of Nieman Ranch pork into some truly delicious creations. Aficionados of old-school red-meat meals will easily find some good steakhouses and barbecue joints, as well as purveyors of Iowa’s ubiquitous pork tenderloin sandwich.

Yet the city has offerings well beyond the stereotypical midwestern meat and potatoes: Des Moines now boasts numerous Asian restaurants, including good selections in Thai, Vietnamese, and Indian, and even a place offering the cuisine of Hawaii! Skilled sushi chefs are found in Des Moines as well, with sushi bars sprinkled around downtown and outlying areas.

Many of these restaurants, including the fancier ones, are located in strip shopping centers along main roads, which makes for easy parking. Even Des Moines’s fancier restaurants are casual in terms of dress code. Hours vary, but you’re more likely to find late-night bites at trendier spots in the East Village and Ingersoll Avenue neighborhoods.

Overview

This chapter is organized by cuisine type, but it is worth checking out all the categories, as menus at American restaurants vary widely and Italian restaurants may have good pizza, for example.

Local weeklies Juice and Cityview publish restaurant reviews in print and online, as does the Des Moines Register online and in its datebook section, which comes out on Thursday. The site Metromix Des Moines (http://desmoines.metromix.com) has an extensive compendium of restaurant listings.

Under the Iowa Smokefree Air Act, passed in 2008, all restaurants in Iowa are nonsmoking.

1. ALBA

City: Des Moines, IA
Category: Restaurants
Address: 524 E. 6th St.


2. CHEF’S KITCHEN

City: Des Moines, IA
Category: Restaurants
Telephone: (515) 255-4411
Address: 1903 Beaver Ave.

Description: This family-friendly place in a residential section of Des Moines feels like you could be in somebody’s dining room—it’s a nice, low-key neighborhood spot with simple, well-prepared food. The menu is pretty much straightforward steaks and seafood, and the steaks are quite good—they’re skillfully broiled and don’t overwhelm the palate like they do in some steakhouses. Fish can be hit-or-miss, but the baked salmon has just the right hints of lemon and garlic. The menu also has pasta and pizza, which aren’t bad either, especially the pizzas, which have a crispy crust and a thick red sauce with just the right amount of spiciness. Desserts are good if unexciting, and there’s a jar of free chocolate chip cookies on the bar as you head out.

3. DRAKE DINER

City: Des Moines, IA
Category: Restaurants

4. GATEWAY MARKET CAFe

City: Des Moines, IA
Category: Restaurants
Address: 2002 Woodland Ave.

5. MACHINE SHED

City: Des Moines, IA
Category: Restaurants
Telephone: (515) 270-6818
Address: 11151 Hickman Rd.

Description: Located adjacent to the Living History Farms attractions, this is a no-frills, old-fashioned country restaurant, dishing out big portions of down-home favorites like chicken-fried steak, meatloaf, potpie, and fried chicken. Don’t expect gourmet cooking or subtle seasonings, merely hearty, meat-and-potatoes fare. A nod to Iowa comes with the 1-pound burger topped with Maytag blue cheese and numerous pork entrees, including chops, tenderloins, and a prime cut of pork served with a mushroom wine sauce and Parmesan butter crust. Known for their breakfasts as well, with the monster cinnamon rolls being especially notable.

6. MAXIE’S

City: Des Moines, IA
Category: Restaurants
Telephone: (515) 223-1463
Address: 1311 Grand Ave.

Description: The facade at this longtime West Des Moines family favorite is a windowless brick wall. Inside, however, it’s a comfy, homelike atmosphere with an all-American menu of steaks, seafood, and pasta. The seafood selection is particularly extensive, with numerous combinations of fish, including shrimp, clams, and scallops, as well as a few fillets. There are numerous lobster and crab leg dinners as well, with lots of side dishes to go with the seafood. The restaurant is especially proud of its prime aged top sirloin, broiled to perfection and laden with plenty of side dishes as well. Pasta choices include spaghetti and meatballs, lasagna, and fettuccine Alfredo. Kids’ menu available. Closed Sunday.

7. SKIP’S

City: Des Moines, IA
Category: Restaurants
Address: 4000 Fleur Dr.

8. STAR BAR

City: Des Moines, IA
Category: Restaurants
Address: 2811 Ingersoll Ave.

9. FLYING MANGO

City: Des Moines, IA
Category: Restaurants
Telephone: (515) 255-4111
Address: 4345 Hickman Rd.

Description: A southern-fried barbecue joint in a residential neighborhood, with elegant touches like tablecloths and the paintings of Mississippi Delta artist H. C. Porter on the warm orange walls. Fortunately, the subtlety doesn’t extend to the ’cue: Ribs and brisket are big, thick, and meaty, with smoky goodness oozing out of the thick slabs. The chicken and pork aren’t bad either. The menu has plenty of other southern touches, like Cajun shrimp with dirty rice, as well as a Latin strip steak with chimichurri sauce (similar to pesto). If you still have room for dessert, there are some tempting offerings. Parking is a challenge in the restaurant’s tiny lot, but it’s worth seeking out a space nearby to chow down on the smoked meats. (They also do carryout.) Closed Sunday and Monday.

10. UNCLE WENDELL’S BBQ

City: Des Moines, IA
Category: Restaurants
Telephone: (515) 288-3207
Address: 2716 Ingersoll Ave.

Description: The flames painted on the walls and simple counter where you place your order let you know that you don’t come here for the decor—or for fine dining. This is a no-apologies, unpretentious barbecue stand, where the staff focuses on dishing out big helpings of smoked meats that are then slathered with a selection of sauces (you pump your own from large plastic jugs). Pulled pork, beef, and brisket are good and tender, with plenty of smoky flavor and a nice crispy skin. Side dishes, including baked beans, cole slaw and potato salad, are an okay accompaniment to the meat, which is the star. Ribs turn up as a special item during the week. The jambalaya and barbecue chili are fairly tasty and come with corn bread to mop up the bottom of the bowl.

11. WOODY’S SMOKE SHACK

City: Des Moines, IA
Category: Restaurants
Address: 2511 Cottage Grove Ave.

12. CINDY’S CORNER CAFe

City: Des Moines, IA
Category: Restaurants
Telephone: (515) 868-0200

Description: This warm, cozy room popular with locals is not too far from the hotels clustered near the intersection of I-35/80 and I-235. The menu is fairly standard, with the pancakes and waffles light and fluffy, and omelets offered with different fillings. Big breakfast offerings like steak and eggs and a hungry-man plate will fill up those who have a big appetite, and at a fairly low price. Good coffee, too. Also serves lunch, with several good sandwiches and salads. A kids’ menu is available.

13. WAVELAND CAFe

City: Des Moines, IA
Category: Restaurants
Telephone: (515) 279-4341
Address: 4708 University Ave.

Description: Grab a seat at the L-shaped counter or one of the vinyl booths in this cramped little neighborhood breakfast joint. All the standards are on the menu: egg dishes, pancakes (with fresh fruit or chocolate), French toast, and pigs-in-a-blanket. The eggs can be a little overcooked, but the hash browns are a perfect crispiness and the coffee is hot and good—regulars keep their mugs on hooks behind the counter. The Lumberman is a plateful of hash browns topped with 2 biscuits and a generous portion of white gravy that tastes of sausage, with a peppery kick. Lunch is served as well, but breakfast is the real draw: Lots of locals crowd the room, beginning when the door opens in the morning, including students from nearby Roosevelt High School.

14. COURT AVENUE RESTAURANT & BREWING CO.

City: Des Moines, IA
Category: Restaurants
Address: 309 Court Ave.

15. RACCOON RIVER BREWING COMPANY

City: Des Moines, IA
Category: Restaurants
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