Daily Grind

** THIS RESTAURANT IS PERMANENTLY CLOSED **

Book store, art gallery, coffee house, and quick-lunch spot, Sioux City’s Daily Grind is all kinds of good. For those who simply need a well-brewed cup of coffee and/or a couple of shots of espresso, it has all the basic blends from decaffeinated breakfast-mild to deep, dark French roast. If on the other hand, you crave more exotic kinds of coffee, may we suggest a cup of cinnabun, French vanilla almond, praline, or snickerdoodle? All are regularly-made flavors at this lively gathering place in downtown Sioux City.

To eat with morning coffee, there are many kinds of pastries, including bagels; but the one we zero in on is the Iowa favorite, a cinnamon bun. Daily Grind’s buns are big, yeasty, and swirled with plenty of sweet frosting – the ideal companion for several cups of coffee. When we asked the woman behind the counter if the rolls were made here, she answered, “Yes, they are just like grandma made. Literally. I grew up on these rolls.”

Later in the day, there are salads and sandwiches for lunch; and if you need a pick-me-up to go with that afternoon coffee, there are few morsels better than a modest slice of turtle cheesecake dripping with chocolate and caramel and dotted with crunchy nuts.