14 Essential Restaurants to Truly Taste Des Moines
Though Des Moines is just a mid-sized city in the Midwest, it punches well above its weight in the food department. With about 28 restaurants per 10,000 people, Des Moines is in the same league as foodie cities such as San Francisco and Chicago. Just stick around for a few days. You’ll eat well – without coming anywhere near a stereotypical fried pork tenderloin or anything on a stick.
There are hundreds of restaurants in Des Moines. Lots of them are outstanding. But we think these 14 are essential to getting to know this surprising city. There are no big chain restaurants listed here. With all of these amazing places, why on earth would one want to eat at a chain?
Table of Contents
Beaverdale & Drake University Neighborhood
Flying Mango (Cajun/BBQ $$)
Located in a largely residential Beaverdale neighborhood, the Flying Mango is a can’t-miss Des Moines experience. The charismatic owners, Mike and Suzanne Wedeking serve up mouth-watering fare (accompanied by a little sass) in a usually buzzing dining room decorated with vibrant works from Mississippi artist HC Porter.
The Wedekings are music connoisseurs and host special events with up-and-coming musicians and bands in their restaurant, making for extraordinary, intimate experiences. Musicians over the years have included The California Honeydrops, Ryan Montbleau, Sharon Little, and Jonah Smith to name just a few.
But let’s face it: The top reason people line up for the Flying Mango is the food! Mike smokes his meat behind the restaurant, and we’re pretty sure that the heavenly smell increases nearby property values. The flavor explosion of the 24-hour smoked brisket is to die for. The Memphis-style ribs, red beans and rice, and andouille sausage are well-earned crowd favorites. The cornbread with cinnamon butter, served with several entrées, is moist and delicious and made a fan of this cornbread-hating customer. On top of all that great food, the Mango has a wine list with quality wines well under $30/bottle, as well as a full bar.
Des Moines residents are not the only ones to sit up and take notice of this place. Guy Fieri, of the hit Food Network series Diners, Drive-ins and Dives has featured Flying Mango in the series not once, not twice, but three times! There is even a combo platter at the Mango called “What Guy Had” which has ribs, red beans & rice, a catfish cake, and collard greens.
To be clear though, Flying Mango is most certainly not a diner, nor a drive-in, nor a dive. Guy Fieri just veers away from his traditional subjects sometimes, and clearly has excellent taste. (The photo is Mike on the left, and Guy on the right – bonding over catfish cakes.)
Basic Bird (Korean $)
James Beard Award-nominated Chef Joe Tripp has run his successful, high-end, vegetable-focused Harbinger restaurant in Des Moines since 2017. But in 2020 he, like all other restaurant owners in the world, hit a horrific roadblock: the pandemic. Though many restaurants were able to shift to carry-out, the Harbinger menu is not conducive to that.
Tripp and his wife Alex had been toying with opening a fast-casual restaurant featuring Korean fried chicken at some point in the future. They also knew their Harbinger staff would be unemployed if they couldn’t come up with a creative solution. The rest is history.
Basic Bird was wildly popular immediately, and continued to operate on Sundays, even when Harbinger was able to re-open.
As of 2022, Basic Bird has its own home in Beaverdale, serving up delicious, quick, and inexpensive meals. Diners have a choice of crispy entrees (chicken wings, boneless chicken, or cauliflower), a choice of sauces (sweet, spicy, or a combo), and a choice of three sides, including cabbage kimchi, miso mac & cheese, Korean potato salad, cheese corn, and more. For $13 you can leave with a satisfied belly. They also have larger portions and other tasty specialties.
Our recommendation? Spicy boneless chicken and any three sides as long as you include one of the kimchi dishes!
** BONUS – The boneless fried chicken, fried cauliflower, and all cold sides are gluten-free!
Hugo’s (Mediterranean $$)
A relative newcomer to Des Moines, Hugo’s Woodfired Kitchen , located just west of Drake University, opened in 2024. Owner and chef Lynn Pritchard was already well known in the city for his acclaimed upscale bistro, Table 128, currently located just south of downtown Des Moines. Hugo’s is named after Pritchard’s son.
Don’t let Hugo’s nondescript, uninviting building (shared with Meals on Wheels) fool you. Upon entering, visitors find a warm, casual, moderately priced restaurant with an open kitchen and impressive wood-fired pizza oven, along with a buzzy atmosphere, attentive staff, and a large, covered, dog-friendly patio.
Hugo’s benefits from Meals on Wheels’ 3000 square-foot hydroponic farm in the basement of the building, providing the freshest possible greens year-round to recipients of Meals on Wheels, as well as customers at the restaurant.
Specializing in Mediterranean fare, Hugo’s menu is small but flavor-packed and includes such choices as lamb meatballs (so good!), falafel, lamb shank, and a Turkish burger. But in our humble opinion, the star of the menu is the creative wood-fired pizza. The thin, crispy crust is surely among the best in town. Toppings include fig & honey, vodka sauce & cheese, and sausage & fennel, among others.
Happy hour, from 3pm – 6pm, offers $10 pizzas and cocktail specials.
Ingersoll Avenue & Sherman Hill
Manhattan Deli (Sandwiches $)
The lunch-only Manhattan Deli is an institution in Des Moines. It has been serving up more or less the same menu since 1982, and its fiercely loyal customer base wouldn’t have it any other way.
From the subs and sandwiches piled with generous portions of high-quality meats to the homemade soups, sides, and desserts, you can’t make a wrong choice. But if pressed, we’ll confess that the Vito’s with mixed peppers, the Little Italy, and the chicken noodle soup are our favorites. Except during the Thanksgiving season, when the decadent Turkey Todd, complete with roasted turkey, stuffing, gravy, cranberry cream cheese, and apples, is served. One sandwich is enough to fill up two people!
If you’re in a rush, it’s a good idea to call in your order in advance, as the deli gets very busy over the lunch hour. Otherwise, order at the counter where you can read the hand-written specials board and see the staff preparing the sandwiches, then find a table and wait until you hear your name called to come pick up your tasty food. You won’t regret it!
The Cheese Bar (Charcuterie, Fondue, Comfort Food $)
The Cheese Bar is welcoming, casual, fun, and inexpensive. At first, it feels like you’re walking into Cheers, just with better decor. But once you sit down, the similarities end. The Cheese Bar is very serious about everything they do. They grow herbs and tomatoes in the garden on their patio and partner with hand-picked sustainable and organic farmers for much of the rest of their food. They serve a variety of house-made sausages & hot dogs, pâté, pickled vegetables, and bacon.
There are 30 curated craft beers on tap at all times, an outstanding array of cocktails, and an ever-changing collection of excellent wines. They form relationships with the wine and beer providers (as well as the farmers mentioned above) and host special events featuring their products.
The menu seems simple at first glance. But every dish is well thought out and wonderfully executed. From a variety of crispy, creative grilled cheese sandwiches, to artistic charcuterie boards, to creamy fondue, to the locally legendary mac & cheese, it is hard to go wrong. Lunch and dinner are a blast. But if you’re just looking for a quick treat, stop in between 2 pm to 5 pm for “Bubbles and Bites” with $6 glasses of sparkling white wine and multiple $6 small, inventive snacks.
Are you interested in building your own charcuterie platter? Pay a visit to the Cheese Bar’s big sister about a mile away: The Cheese Shop of Des Moines.
It has expansive choices of cheese and meats and all the accouterments. Best of all, the friendly cheesemongers offer lots of free samples.
Lachelle’s Fine Foods (Burger Joint $)
Is a well-prepared smash burger (or another sandwich), ordered at the counter and promptly served, along with yummy fries and tots in a no-fuss, tiny restaurant with mostly take-out service your idea of a great meal? What if we add in a friendly staff with a clever sense of humor? Well, we have excellent news for you!
Lachelle’s burst on the scene in 2021 and has had lines out onto the street ever since. With burgers, hot dogs, melts, a couple of vegetarian options, and interesting daily specials, it has something for everyone. And those tots? Mmmm!
Panka Peruvian Restaurant (Peruvian $$$)
Owner Mariela Maya was born in Lima, Peru, and immigrated to the United States in 2001 seeking the “American Dream” for her young family. She learned English, worked a variety of jobs, and realized she wanted to open a restaurant to share her love of Peruvian food and culture.
Panka, named for the ají panca pepper used in many of the dishes, opened in 2019 and was the first Peruvian restaurant in the Des Moines area.
The elegant and modern restaurant has an extensive menu of authentic dishes featuring fish, chicken, beef and pork with rice and pasta, along with entrée sized soups and salads. Customers can watch the “show” as the skilled chefs prepare each meal in full view of the bar and many of the tables.
There are a lot of outstanding choices when dining at Panka. But when forced to choose, we recommend starters of the empanadas filled with their delicious Aji de Gallina (chicken in a slightly spicy sauce), and/or the Dumplings Con Salsa Ponzu, steamed with chicken and shrimp and covered in their light and flavorful ponzu sauce. For main dishes, the bright, fresh ceviches are always a treat. In addition, our family adores the Tallarines Verde (with pesto noodles and perfectly cooked beef), the Arroz Con Mariscos, (rice and seafood with two delectable sauces), and the Pollo Panka (salad with the most flavorful marinated chicken ever, along with mango, kiwi, and other ingredients).
Aposto (Modern Italian $$$$)
The charming neighborhood of Sherman Hill, just north of Ingersoll, is one of Des Moines’ oldest neighborhoods and contains many of the city’s grandest and most interesting houses.
One of them, an elegant 1880 Victorian mansion, houses Aposto. Tables are thoughtfully arranged in the first-floor rooms, highlighting the large windows, fireplace, and beautiful woodwork. Many of the rooms are quite small, with only a few tables, making it an intimate and romantic setting.
When the weather cooperates, tables are available on the wrap-around porch, decorated with abundant flowers and plants.
The venue alone makes this a stand-out restaurant. But then of course there is the food! The menu changes seasonally, but always includes homemade pastas. Common menu features include such items as polenta cakes, cavatelli, Osso Bucco, and bone marrow linguini.
Scrumptious desserts include such delights as Crème Brulee, chocolate torte, and house made ice cream.
Though Aposto is a high-end restaurant, it is not stuffy or snooty in the slightest. Quite the contrary. The staff at Aposto is friendly and casual. They are well versed in the menu as well as the extensive wine and cocktail list, are and eager to make suggestions.
Downtown & The East Village
A Dong, 1511 High Street, Des Moines, IA 50309 (Vietnamese $)
As a rule, we tend to be a bit leery of restaurants with huge menus, speculating they are “okay” at lots of things but not especially good at anything. Worry not – family-owned A Dong has 100+ entrées on a novel-like menu, but each of the many items we have tried has been fresh and delicious. The menu includes many varieties of such things as stir fry items, noodle dishes, Vermicelli Bowls, seafood dishes, as well as desserts and bubble tea. There are abundant vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free choices.
For us, though, it is hard to get past the dozen+ types of Pho and other soups with that kind of slowly cooked, deep flavor in the broth that warms you from the inside out. On a cold Iowa day, I’m not sure anything is better. Actually, on a hot, humid Iowa day, it’s pretty dang good too.
All of their appetizers are yummy, but we are especially smitten with their small, crispy, unique egg rolls with lemon sauce.
The icing on the cake: A Dong is quick, inexpensive, and has a friendly, informative staff. Winner, winner, pho dinner!
Clyde’s Fine Diner (Elevated Comfort Food $$)
Clyde’s has perfected the combination of a local diner’s casual, energetic vibe with the sophisticated, fresh, seasonal menu of a fine dining restaurant. “Fine Diner” is indeed an apt name.
Owner/chef Chris Hoffmann, a 2024 James Beard semi-finalist, opened Clyde’s in late 2019, after an 18-year career as a sound engineer for the likes of The Rolling Stones and the Trans-Siberian Orchestra. His love of music comes through with the record player spinning a wide variety of albums, including classic rock and Motown.
Lunch at Clyde’s includes an assortment of salads, and tasty sandwiches such as a Crispy Shrimpwich, MoJo Pork, and a smash burger. Dinner includes all the lunch items plus specialties such as Chicken Vesuvio, Crudos, and Steak Frites.
Wednesday evenings feature oysters on the half-shell and half-priced bottles of wine.
A word to the wise: Whatever you order at Clyde’s, be sure to get the Caesar Sprouts served in cast iron as a starter. Mind-blowing! One order is plenty for 3-4 people to share.
Zombie Burger + Drink Lab (Inventive Burgers & Spiked Shakes $$)
It would be challenging to go to Zombie Burger and not have fun. Self-described as “famous for inventive flavor combos in a post-apocalyptic chic setting“, Zombie Burger goes all in with its tongue-in-cheek horror theme.
Burgers are their main fare and come with some pretty unusual toppings. (All of the burgers can also be chicken, portobello, or Beyond Meat patties.)
For example, the Trailer Trash Zombie Burger is topped with cheese curds and chicken fried bacon. The Undead Elvis comes with peanut butter and fried bananas. The Walking Ched has deep-fried mac & cheese as the bun. Other burgers, as well as rotating burgers of the week have such ingredients as pork belly, fried brie, pineapple, chorizo, mushroom & cheese croquette, and fried oysters. My favorite is the slightly more tame Sarah’s Revenge, with fried jalapeños, horseradish, and caramelized onions.
In addition to a full bar, Zombie Burger highlights their boozy shakes – a dozen or so different flavors spiked with various liqueurs.
If you dare to wander into Zombie-land, be sure to go to the restaurant on East Grand in Des Moines, rather than the fast food location at Jordan Creek Mall, to make sure you get the full experience.
Bar Nico (Modern Mexican $$$)
“Sin Maiz, No Hay Pais”, meaning “without corn, there is no country”, is the mantra of Bar Nico. Nearly all of their menu contains masa, which is dried corn dough.
They have eleven types of organic heirloom Mexican corn varieties that they hand-ground in-house.
Because of their heavy focus on masa, Bar Nico is completely gluten-free, while making no compromises. (This gluten-loving couple doesn’t miss it for a moment here.)
The dinner menu offers a modern twist to a variety of Mexican classics such as tacos, quesadillas, and enchiladas. For instance, taco choices often include such things as wild boar with curtido, sweet potatoes with pickled veggies, and beef barbacoa with cream. Rotating tostadas and enchiladas have included seasonal smoked trout, Dungeness crab, black trumpet mushrooms, and smoked duck.
Bar Nico also serves a daily brunch, featuring a variety of tacos, Huevos Rancheros, Chilaquiles, and specialty Benedicts.
Whether you’re enjoying lunch or brunch, you might want to leave a little room for a dessert, even if you just order one for the table to share. Chocolate Basque Cheesecake perhaps? Or Churros or a Coconut Cream Flan? Yes, please!
The visually striking full bar offers specialty cocktails with an emphasis on their wide variety of tequila, mezcal & bourbon. There is also a curated list of beers and wines.
Lucca (Italian $$$)
The long and narrow space that houses Lucca had been vacant for nearly 25 years after a fire when it was purchased by owner/chef Steve Logsdon in 2001.
After a massive rehab project, it is now a gorgeous restaurant in the East Village. Its simple but sleek and elegant decor consists of exposed brick, wood floors, and modern black & white furniture.
For lunch, Lucca is very casual, and a great place to either grab a quick bite on a break from work, or to linger with a glass of wine with an old friend. The affordable menu includes meal-sized salads (the namesake Lucca salad is delightful), bizarrely large sandwiches such as spiced chicken and cajun tuna, and of course various pastas such as sausage marinara and, our favorite, cracked pepper. Food is brought to the table within 5-7 minutes of ordering, allowing plenty of time to savor it before heading back to work.
Dinner, however, is an event, not to be rushed, with a prix-fixe four-course menu. (At the time of writing, it is $57 per person.) The menu changes regularly, but generally there are 4 or 5 choices of salads and perhaps a soup for the first course and 8 or so choices for the second course, usually including gnocchi, risotto, and an assortment of traditional homemade pasta.
The third course offers a choice of mains often including one or two seafood dishes such as perfectly cooked salmon or scallops, as well as a chicken and a beef dish.
The fourth course, dessert, is a sampler platter of multiple treats such as tiramisu, something chocolate, and panna cotta. They are served in bite-sized pieces with just enough for each member of the party to have a bit of each item.
This sounds like a lot of food, and you certainly won’t leave hungry. But, in European restaurant style, each course is moderately sized, so you will also not leave thinking you need a wheelbarrow to get you to your car.
West Des Moines
Mi Patria, 1410 22nd Street, West Des Moines, IA 50266 (Ecuadorian $$)
Family-owned Mi Patria (Spanish for “my homeland”) is the only Ecuadorian restaurant in the Des Moines area. Located in a strip mall, this unassuming, inexpensive restaurant with huge portions of authentic food has become a beloved gem with a large and loyal following. So much so, they were featured by Guy Fieri in the Food Network’s Diner’s, Drive-Ins and Dives in 2014.
The menu can be a little daunting for those unfamiliar with the cuisine (and language), but the friendly staff bends over backward to guide customers and make suggestions. Some combination of seafood, pork, beef, vegetables, lentils, and rice make up most entrées.
Stand-out items include the crispy empanadas which can be ordered with beef, chicken, or cheese. They’re all delicious, but, to us, there is something extra special about the simple cheese version.
The Papa Serrana appetizer of cheesy seasoned baby potatoes is also a winner.
If you enjoy a little heat in your food, the tasty Camarones al Ajillo is more of a soup, and one of the lighter dishes on the menu. It is ideal on a cold winter day. At the other end of the spectrum, the hearty Churrasco is a steak served on a bed of lentils, a fried egg, a small salad, and plantains.
Waterfront Seafood Restaurant & Market (Sushi/Seafood $$$)
Perhaps landlocked Iowa does not immediately bring great sushi to mind. But surprisingly there are quite a few really good sushi and seafood restaurants in Des Moines. However, we believe, especially for freshness, Waterfront rises above the competition.
Waterfront started as a food truck in the 80’s to provide fresh seafood to Des Moines residents and they acquired a loyal customer following. Today, they have two large restaurants with sushi bars and an attached market.
Seafood is flown to Waterfront from all over the world, and arrives in Des Moines whole, and then processed by full-time fish cutters the same day.
Whether your taste is sushi, wild-caught salmon, lobster, freshly shucked oysters, seared sea scallops, or a hearty basket of fried rock shrimp, they have you covered. Don’t forget to include a cup of the fabulous house-made New England Clam Chowder or Creole Seafood Gumbo, and a slice of their sourdough bread.
Waterfront is an unpretentious restaurant with very reasonable prices for such fresh seafood. The attached market is a joy to visit, and the crew behind the counter is always willing to inspire you with new fish to try and new ways to prepare it.
It was difficult for us to choose the restaurants for this list, because there are so many great restaurants in Des Moines. We attempted to have a variety of price ranges, neighborhoods, and cuisines. If you don’t see anything you want to try here, feel free to drop us a note, as we have many more suggestions.
If you are wondering what to do in between meals while you’re in Des Moines, check out some of our ideas: Delightful Ways to Explore Des Moines.
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Bar Nico is, hands down, one of my favorite spots in all of Des Moines for dinner. Their happy hour has an amazing selection! This is a great collection of some of the local favs!
Thanks! It was hard to choose; Des Moines has so many great restaurants. We might have to post a “Part II” down the road!
The Cheese Bar is hands down my favorite stop in Des Moines, they TRULY know what they’re doing! And now I have a few new places to try when I visit!
Yes! It was hard to narrow down the restaurants, but putting Cheese Bar on the list was a no brainer!
These posts (and pictures) all make me hungry. Love the cheese shop and Waterfront. Can’t wait to try the rest. Thanks, Lisa.
Thank you, Liz! We hope you enjoy your “research”!
I absolutely love Panka! Truly amazing food! Same with Zombie Burger and Lucca. Zombie Burger is great for a high-quality burger, but Lucca is there for the best of the best! I have so many great experiences at both, would definitely recommend!
Thank you Nick! Agreed, Panka is amazing, and I think it flies under the radar for a lot of people.