Below please find a few of the outstanding restaurants I – or some of my colleagues - have eaten at over the past few years. This isn’t to suggest that there aren’t many, many other great restaurants in and outside of Iowa. We just haven’t had time to eat at, and then note, them. We’re working on it.

Please bear with me as I work on making this site more geography friendly.

Bon Appetit!

Lee

North-central and Northwest Iowa

Aunt Maude's

547 Main Street

Ames, Iowa

(515) 233-4136

Type of food: Elegant American

Dress: Formal

Recommended Dish: Pasta

Submitted by: Julie McLaughlin

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Blue Bunny’s Visitor Center

More or less the intersection of Highways 3 and 75.

Le Mars, Iowa

(712) 546-4090

Type of food: Ice cream in the world’s ice cream capital (at least according to the folks there).

Dress: Casual

Recommended Dish: Ice cream

About the restaurant: It is a recreated ice cream shop that is also attached to a visitor center. The visitor center tells about the history of Wells and Blue Bunny. Please note there is a charge to go through the visitor center although it is free to just stop by the ice cream shop.

Submitted by: Lee Burras

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Cafe Lovish

2512 Lincoln Way

Ames, Iowa

(515) 292-9900

Type of food: American

Dress: Casual

Recommended Dish: Veggie fajita

About the restaurant: Their fajitas are marvelous!

Submitted by: Jennifer Pinkston

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Cazador's

127 Dotson Drive

Ames, Iowa

(515) 296-1110

Type of food: Mexican

Dress: Casual

Recommended Dish: Sopa de Tortilla y Pollo Fundido

About the Restaurant: This is my favorite Mexican restaurant of all time. The food is incredible and the servings are large. I will really miss this restaurant when I graduate and leave Ames.

Submitted by: Jamie Patton

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Cottage on Broad

410 Broad Street

Story City, Iowa

(515) 733-4376

Type of food: Americana

Dress: Casually dressy

Recommended Dish: The dinners are all good.

About the Restaurant: the restaurant is located in an old house that was originally the home of two sisters who liked to cook. It has a very comfortable ambiance. There is something for everyone.

Submitted by: Lee Burras

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Dagwoods

1801 Erie Avenue

Spirit Lake, Iowa

(712) 336-3969

Type of Food: Pizza and deli sandwiches

Dress: Casual

Recommended Dish: They have excellent pizza.

About the Restaurant: Dagwoods is a comfortable local restaurant that offers

pizza, deli sandwiches, soup, etc. You walk up to the counter order what

you would like and then I recommend you pick a booth where you can look at

some early 1900 photographs from the Iowa Great Lakes region.

Submitted by: Lee Burras

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Great Plains Sauce and Dough Company

129 Main

Ames, Iowa

(515) 232-4263

Type of food: Pizza

Dress: Casual

Recommended dish: Pizza of your choice

About the Restaurant: The pizza is loaded with cheese and toppings. You have a choice of crusts (I prefer honey wheat). The pizzas have more crust than normal and come with honey to dip the extra crust in. Wonderful.

Submitted by: Jamie Patton

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Hickory Park

1404 South Duff

Ames, Iowa

(515) 232-8940

Type of food: American

Dress: Casual

Recommended dish: Mushroom and swiss burger or barbecued turkey sandwich with a vanilla Pepsi and dessert

About the restaurant: This is probably the most famous restaurant in Ames. The food is inexpensive and includes burgers, dogs, barbecued sandwiches, and barbecued ribs and chicken. The dessert menu includes all sorts of ice cream concoctions. Saving room for dessert is a must.

Submitted by: Jamie Patton

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Lewright's Meat & Deli

317 West Broadway Street

Eagle Grove, Iowa

(515) 448-3300

Type of Food: Deli sandwiches

Dress: Casual

Recommend Dish: All the sandwiches are good.

About the Restaurant: Lewright's is an active meat counter that also serves

sandwiches for lunch (and up to 6 p.m.). I don't think they're open on

Sundays. Their seating area faces onto the main street of Eagle Grove and

gets tremendous natural lighting because of the large storefront windows.

Submitted by: Lee Burras

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Little Chicago Deli

2121 Hamilton Boulevard #D

Sioux City, Iowa

(712) 277-0022

Type of Restaurant: Subs

Dress: Casual

About the Restaurant: Best subs in town!

Submitted by: Jennifer Pinkston

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Mile's Inn

2622 Leech Avenue

Sioux City, Iowa

(712) 276-9825

Type of Restaurant: Loose meat sandwiches

Dress: Casual

About the Restaurant: Mile's Inn is a small neighborhood bar. The only food that they serve is loose meat sandwiches called "Charlie Boys". Make sure to have a frozen schooner of beer with your Charlie boy!!

Submitted by: Jennifer Pinkston

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Ruth's Mexican Cosina

2001 Leech Avenue

Sioux City, Iowa

(712) 252-1378

Type of Restaurant: Mexican

Dress: Casual

About the Restaurant: Ruth's is located in the old stockyards building...the old meat locker.

Submitted by: Jennifer Pinkston

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Theo's Steak House

1911 Highway 20

Lawton, Iowa

(712) 944-5731

Type of Restaurant: American, steak and seafood

Dress: Casual to dressy

Recommended dish: Anything is good.

About the Restaurant: Make sure and go to the salad bar for the French onion soup, and take advantage of the free scoop of cinnamon ice cream with every entree!

Submitted by: Jennifer Pinkston

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New China Restaurant

716 Story Street

Boone, Iowa

(515) 432-8089

Type of food: Chinese

Dress: Casual

Recommended dish: fried noodle and tofu with pork

Submitted by: Yew-Kwong Soo

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West Street Deli

2810 West Street

Ames, Iowa

(515) 268-4605

Type of Food: sandwiches and soup.

Dress: casual – it’s a college deli after all.

About the Restaurant: West Street Deli serves generous sandwiches; have a wide variety of sandwich types, ranging from ones that will please a meat lover to ones that a vegan can eat.

Submitted by: Lee Burras

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Central & Southwest Iowa

Basil Prosperi East

407 East Fifth Street

Des Moines, Iowa

(515) 243-9819

Type of Food: bakery with deli lunches and bistro dinners

Dress: Nice for dinner

About the Restaurant: This is a new restaurant in Des Moines. Their dinners are prix fixe.

Submitted by: Lee Burras

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Chat Noir

644 18^th Street

Des Moines, Iowa

(515) 244-1353

Type of Food: bistro style dinners; also has sandwiches and crepes.

Dress: casually nice

About the Restaurant: Chat Noir is located in an elegant old house in the Sherman Hill district.

Submitted by: Lee Burras

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Chuck’s Restaurant

3610 6^th Avenue

Des Moines, IA

(515) 244-4104

Type of food: Pizza and Italian

Dress: Casual

Recommended dish: everything is excellent

Submitted by: Lee Burras

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Noah's Ark Ristorante

2400 Ingersoll Avenue

Des Moines, Iowa

(515) 288-2246

Type of Food: Italian

Dress: Nice casual to nice

About the Restaurant: Noah's Ark is an old well-established sit-down Italian

restaurant that also does a booming take-out pizza business.

Submitted by: Lee Burras

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Nosh Deli-Bagelry

800 1st Street

West Des Moines, Iowa

(515) 255-4047

Type of Food: Deli sandwiches

Dress: Casual

About the Restaurant: The name says it all. This is a Jewish deli like one

might find in an eastern metropolitan area.

Submitted by: Lee Burras

Tursi’s Latin King Restaurant

2200 Hubbell Avenue

Des Moines, Iowa

(515) 266-4466

Type of Food: Italian

Dress: Nice

About the Restaurant: Latin King is an old well-established sit-down Italian

Restaurant. It is popular with power brokers in Des Moines.

Submitted by: Lee Burras

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Southeast Iowa

Blue Grass Inn

State Highway 34 East Bypass

Chariton, Iowa

(515) 774-2213

Type of food: American

Dress: Casual - Semi Formal

Recommended dish: Lasagna

About the restaurant: It is a little place in Chariton that we always go when we stay at the Super 8. The portions are huge. We once ordered a half of a chicken dinner and received three chicken legs on our chicken... that is a lot of chicken!!

Submitted by: Julie McLaughlin

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The Canteen Lunch in the Alley

112 E 2nd Street

Ottumwa, Iowa

(515) 682-5320.

Type of Food: Loose Meat Sandwiches.

Dress: Casual.

Recommended Dish: Loose meat sandwich with a chocolate malt on the side.

About the Restaurant: It's known as the cafe in the alley, built in the 1930's it's a spiffy little historic landmark. If you watched any of the last episodes of Roseanne, the restaurant she had on the show is almost a mirror image of The Canteen. If you stop by...all you have to do is sit down and say ketchup, pickle, onion...or whatever you like on your hamburger, and they'll make right before your eyes. Yummy.

Submitted by: Jaime Woodburn

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George’s Pizza

629 Franklin Place

Pella, IA

(641) 628-2802

Type of Food: Pizza (they do have a complete menu).

Dress: Casual.

Recommended Dish: Pizza.

About the Restaurant: A bustling pizzeria owned by a Greek family; serves good food in a nice atmosphere.

Submitted by: Lee Burras

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Giovanni’s Family Restaurant

2020 1^st Avenue East

Newton, IA

(641) 792-1309

Type of Food: Pizza.

Dress: Casual.

Recommended Dish: Either the veggie or the sour kraut & Canadian bacon.

About the Restaurant: A fairly typical family owned pizzeria that serves great food in a nice atmosphere.

Submitted by: Lee Burras

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In’t Veld Meat Market

820 Main Street

Pella, Iowa

(641) 628-3440

Type of Food: Sandwiches

Dress: Casual

Recommended Dish: Any sandwich.

About the Restaurant: They’re still an active meat market that also does lunch. They’re known for their “Pella ring bologna.”

Submitted by: Lee Burras

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New Pioneer Co-op & Bakehouse

City Center Square, Highway 6 West

1101 2^nd Street

Coralville, Iowa

(391) 358-5514

(the original “New Pi” deli is across from the Red Avocado – see below)

Type of Food: Deli breakfast and meals with a strong vegetarian flavor.

Dress: As casual as they come.

About the Restaurant: This is part of the Iowa City organic food co-operative. They also have a very nice bakery.

Submitted by: Lee Burras

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Red Avocado

521 East Washington Street

Iowa City, Iowa

(319) 351-6088

Type of Food: Vegetarian

Dress: Dressy casual or dressy

About the Restaurant: An excellent vegetarian restaurant just east of the University of Iowa campus. They grow much of their own produce. One can sit inside or out front or in a courtyard.

Submitted by: Lee Burras

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Skean Block

11 Benton Avenue East (town square)

Albia, Iowa

(641) 932-2159

Type of Food: Upscale American.

Dress: Dressy casual or dressy

About the Restaurant: An upscale restaurant on the city square. Just a nice setting and good food.

Submitted by: Lee Burras

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Tiramisu Restaurant

719 Main Street

Keokuk, Iowa

(319) 524-9723

Type of Food: Italian

Dress: Dressy casual or dressy

Submitted by: Lee Burras

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The Williamson Tavern

108 West South Avenue

Williamson, Iowa

(515) 862-3615

Type of food: American

Dress: Casual

Recommended dish: Cheese Burger and fries

About the restaurant: It is a bar in a small town in Southern Iowa that is noted in the Des Moines Register for having the best Cheese Burger in Iowa.

Submitted by: Julie McLaughlin

Northeast Iowa

Birdsall Ice Cream Company

518 North Federal Avenue

Mason City, IA

(641) 423-5365

Type of Food: ice cream

Dress: Casual

Recommended Dish: ice cream

About the Restaurant: This is just an old-time fun ice cream shop.

Submitted by: Lee Burras

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Breitbach's Country Dining

563 Balltown Road

Sherrill, Iowa

(319) 552-2220

Type of Food: Good Home cooking

Dress: Casual

Recommended Dish: Buffet-beef tips over homemade noodles

About the Restaurant: Brietbachs is Iowa's oldest restaurant and bar. All the food is homemade-from the salads, to the noodles, and rolls, and is absolutely divine. The restaurant is decorated in a myriad of antiques, most of which are for sale. Not only is the food wonderful, but also the scenic drive along the Mississippi on Balltown Road makes the trip to the tiny town well worth the time.

Submitted by: Jamie Patton

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Country Junction

913 15th Avenue SE

Dyersville, Iowa

(319) 875-7055

Type of Food: American

Dress: Casual

Recommended Dish: Prime Rib on Saturday night

About the Restaurant: The Country Junction is a quaint restaurant housed in a barn-like structure. Be sure to stop for a drink at the bar in the silo.

Submitted by: Jamie Patton

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Flying Wienie

103 8th Avenue SW

Cedar Rapids, Iowa

(319) 861-3036

Type of Food: American

Dress: Casual

Recommended Dish: Chili Dog

About the Restaurant: The Flying Wienie is a cute restaurant that serves a mean dog. It is hard to miss with its bright colors and airplane on the roof.

Submitted by: Jamie Patton

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Hungry Mind

16 South Commercial Alley

Mason City, Iowa

(515) 423-0121

Type of food: American

Dress: Casual

Recommended Dish: The burgers

About the Restaurant: It is a pub/restaurant with great atmosphere. None of the chairs match!

Submitted by: Julie McLaughlin

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Irish Democrat Pub and Grille

3207 1st Avenue SE

Cedar Rapids, Iowa

(319) 364-9896

Type of food: American

Dress: Casual to Dressy

Recommended Dish: Chicken fingers

About the Restaurant: This is a pub/restaurant with great atmosphere. The food is great and so is the company. A great place to relax after a hard week at the office.

Submitted by: Jamie Patton

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Joensy's Restaurant

220 Franklin Street

Center Point, Iowa

(319) 849-1789

Type of Food: American

Dress: Casual

Recommended Dish: Pork Tenderloin with Cheese

About the Restaurant: Joensy's serves one of the best pork tenderloins in east-central Iowa. You can choose to have your tenderloin breaded or grilled.

Submitted by: Jamie Patton

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Mabe’s Pizza & Restaurant

110 East Water Street

Decorah, Iowa

(563) 382-4297

Type of food: Pizza

Dress: Casual

About the restaurant: Nice old time pizzeria in the downtown.

Submitted by: Lee Burras

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Marco's Italian and American

2022 Central Avenue

Dubuque, Iowa

(563) 588-0007

Type of food: Pizza, Italian

Dress: Casual

About the restaurant: Just really good food!

Submitted by: Shane McMahon

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Mario’s Italian Restaurant

1298 Main Street

Dubuque, Iowa

(563) 556-9424

Type of food: Pizza, Italian

Dress: Casual to nice

About the restaurant: Great pizza and traditional Italian dishes

Submitted by: Lee Burras

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Martha's

305 Main Avenue

Clear Lake, Iowa

(515) 357-8720

Type of food: Home cooking

Dress: Casual

Recommended dish: Breakfast type foods are best but anything is good.

About the restaurant: It is on the main street of Clear Lake. And open very early in the morning to accommodate all of the fisherman on the lake.

Recommended by: Julie McLaughlin

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Northwestern Steak House

304 16th St. NW

Mason City, Iowa

(641) 423-5075

Type of Food: American

Dress: Casual

Recommended Dish: Either the petite filet or the chicken.

Submitted by: Lee Burras

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Pei's Mandarin Restaurant

5131 Council Street

Cedar Rapids, Iowa

(319) 395-9741

Type of Restaurant: Chinese

Dress: Casual to Dressy

Recommended Dish: All are good--Mandarin Beef and Fried Wontons

About the Restaurant: This is one of my favorite Chinese restaurants. The food is excellent. Compared to most Chinese restaurants I have eaten at, Pei's dishes are heavy on the garlic but not too heavy, so bring a breath mint.

Submitted by: Jamie Patton

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Starlite Room

3300 1st Avenue NE

Cedar Rapids, Iowa

(319) 362-4759

Type of food: American

Dress: Casual

Recommended dish:1/2lb cheeseburger

About the restaurant: a bar in Cedar Rapids

Submitted by: Shane McMahon

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Tremont on Main

22 West Main Street

Marshalltown, Iowa

(641) 752-1234

Type of Food: Upscale Americana.

Dress: Nice

About the Restaurant: This is a new restaurant in a building that was formerly a hotel. It has wonderful service and a culinarily interesting menu that includes good soups (e.g., the last time we went they had pumpkin soup), lamb shanks, roast duckling, etc.

Submitted by: Lee Burras

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White Springs Night Club

30165 Klein Brewery Road

McGregor, Iowa

(319) 873-9642

Type of Food: Full dinners, sandwiches, etc.

Dress: Casual

About the Restaurant: White Springs is an old restaurant and bar that serves

great dinners. If you are not familiar with its location you can drive

right by it because it is outside of McGregor. Every meal starts with a

huge relish tray.

Submitted by: Lee Burras

Outside of Iowa

Wow – this is impossible to try to put this together but here are a few without any explanation. Perhaps I can develop that in the future?

Minnesota – Twin Cities: Café Brenda (Minneapolis), Good Earth (Roseville & Edina).

Nebraska – Lincoln: Green Gateau.

Tennessee – Memphis: Corky’s (even one in the airport!)

Wisconsin – Madison: Blue Marlin, L’Etoile.