Restaurants in Iowa

Pork is king in Iowa, where an “Iowa Pork Chop” isn’t just a chop from local hogs. It is two or three times thicker than a pork chop from anywhere else, and its creamy goodness is beyond compare. Likewise, cinnamon rolls, available in virtually every restaurant, are immense. Iowa also is a nexus of the lower Midwest’s beloved tenderloin sandwich, and it is the custom in here to flatten a slab of tenderloin so it fries up three or four or five times wider than the bun that sandwiches it. Pies are blue-ribbon quality, too — fruit pies as well as that dairy country favorite, sour cream raisin pie – a delirious balancing act of sweet and tangy.

Iowa’s Most Famous Dishes

Mountainous sandwich holds pastrami, egg, French fries, cole slaw, and a tomato at Primanti Brothers in Pittsburg, PA

Sandwiches

Huge slab of prime rib extends far beyond its plate

Beef

Scoops of strawberry, pistachio, and vanilla ice cream accompany a slice of 4-layer chocolate cake.

Ice Cream

Salad plate includes slices of orange drizzled with dark balsamic vinaigrette.

Salads

Iowa’s Best Restaurants

Cecil’s Café - Cinnamon Roll
Cecil’s Café

MARSHALLTOWN, IA

Daily Grind

SIOUX CITY, IA

Blue Bunny Ice Cream Parlor

LE MARS, IA

Tall, sliced-open rare filet mignon steak
Archie’s Waeside

LE MARS, IA

Java Joe’s Coffeehouse - Dutch Letters
Java Joe’s Coffeehouse

DES MOINES, IA

Redwood Steakhouse

ANITA, IA

Dairy Sweet

DUNLAP, IA

Red Barn

EXIRA, IA

Old Rossville Store

WAUKON, IA

Mr. Bibbs

DES MOINES, IA

Larsen’s Pub

ELK HORN, IA

Bob’s Drive-Inn

LE MARS, IA

Huge tenderloin stretches far beyond its bun.
B & B Grocery

DES MOINES, IA

Wilton Candy Kitchen

WILTON, IA

Birdsall’s Ice Cream

MASON CITY, IA

Bauder Pharmacy

DES MOINES, IA

Coffee Cup Café

SULLY, IA

Crisp, flaky, sweet puff pastry the size of a plate, forms the letter "S"
Jaarsma Bakery

PELLA, IA

Tastee Inn & Out - Onion Chips
Tastee Inn & Out

SIOUX CITY, IA

Grove Cafe - Pancakes
Grove Cafe

AMES, IA

Sirloin steak with char marks from the grill
Jesse’s Embers

DES MOINES, IA

Iowa Articles & Guides

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Tastee Inn & Out - Onion Chips

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Java Joe’s Coffeehouse - Espresso

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Many restaurants serve steak, but some places are dedicated to it. Although no great steak house is cheap, some of the best are extremely informal (like Doe's Eat Place...

In a clear plastic cup, ice cream is topped with swirls of hot fudge and caramel, pecan halves, and a maraschino cherry

Heartland Turtle Sundaes

The turtle sundae is not unique to the heartland. Its sublime combination of crisp nuts, hot fudge and caramel sauce atop vanilla ice cream can be found from coast...

Iowa's Big Buns

Cinnamon rolls can be found almost everywhere, but no state has better (and bigger) ones than Iowa.

Smitty’s Tenderloin Shop - King tenderloin

Iowa Tenderloins

There are excellent tenderloins in Indiana, and some in Illinois, but no state has as many great ones as Iowa. By tenderloin, we don't mean a roast that requires...

Bun holds loosemeats and cheese

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Great Iowa Recipes

Dutch Lettuce

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