And just like that, we have a new top tenderloin in the state of Iowa! This week, the Iowa Pork Producers Association announced that Dairy Sweet in Dunlap is the 2024 winner of their Best Breaded Pork Tenderloin Contest!

If the name Dairy Sweet sounds familiar, it might be because it's not the first time the restaurant has won the 'Best Tenderloin' title. Owned by Lori and Greg Thomsen, the Iowa Pork Producers report that the win "marks a triumphant return to a legacy that began in 2005 when the restaurant first won under the ownership of Lori’s parents." The restaurant changed hands and locations back in 2013, but it is still making the tenderloins that made them so popular.

Dairy Sweet, Facebook
Dairy Sweet, Facebook
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The tenderloins at Dairy Sweet are so beloved that they sell around 40,000 of them each year! In fact, most of the people in the restaurant were eating tenderloins when the judges went in for their final visit. Something tells me that number will go up quite a bit over these next few months!

For winning the Best Tenderloin contest, Dairy Sweet will receive $500, an official plaque, and a big banner. This year's runner up was Ruby's Pub and Grill in Stuart, and they will also receive a plaque, as well as $250. The other three finalists for 2024 were:

Making the top five out of the 532 nominated restaurants is a pretty big deal!

You can get more info on the 2024 Best Breaded Pork Tenderloin Contest HERE.

All the Restaurants That Have Won Iowa's Best Pork Tenderloin Contest

The Iowa Pork Producers Association has been hosting their annual Best Breaded Pork Tenderloin Contest since 2003! Here are all of the winning restaurants that are still in business:

Gallery Credit: Courtlin

The Iowa Tenderloin Trail 2.0

Iowa's best food tour is the Iowa Tenderloin Trail, which was put together by the Iowa Pork Producers Association! Here are all 13 restaurants on the list:

Gallery Credit: Courtlin

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