Eastern Iowans Share Their Favorite Local Restaurants in 2025

Earlier this week, I highlighted 25 of the best things I ate at local Iowa restaurants in 2025 (you can check that out HERE). Now, it's your turn!

As part of our 2025 '12 Days of Questions,' we asked Eastern Iowans to share with us their favorite local restaurant they visited this year. It could be a place that's brand new, a place that's new to you, or a place that you visit all the time! Brain's pick was Sally's on Broadway in Springville, because his family is a huge fan of the buffet. Mine was Stack Wellness Cafe, because I go the Downtown location 2 to 3 times a week to order the same exact lunch (the Pesto Rice Bowl and the Peach Fusion Smoothie) and I'm STILL not sick of it!

From small town bars to popular Des Moines restaurants, here are some of our listeners' favorite Iowa restaurants that they went to in 2025. You may want to add some of them to your list of places to try in 2026!

Eastern Iowans Share Their Favorite Local Restaurants in 2025

From small town bars to popular Des Moines restaurants, here are 50 of our listeners' favorite Iowa restaurants that they went to in 2025. You may want to add some of them to your list of places to try in 2026!

Gallery Credit: Courtlin

GALLERY INFORMATION

Karla Praska - "Smitty’s Tenderloin Shop in Des Moines"
- 1401 Army Post Rd, Des Moines
Matt Collins - "Salsa Guy Cafe is my happy place."
- 2874 Mt Vernon Rd SE, Cedar Rapids
- 3925 Blairs Ferry Rd NE, Cedar Rapids
Bill Smutz - "Beast & Bird, Vinton"
- 314 N K Ave, Vinton
Tyann Petersen Lester - "Costa's in Fairbank, Iowa!"
- Costa's Sports Bar & Grill: 99 Main St E, Fairbank
Sheryl Funke - "English Pub, Dyersville"
- 210 1st Ave E, Dyersville
Chris Pacha -"Cafe Tacuba for breakfast!"
- 1006 3rd St SE, Cedar Rapids
Susie Hundley - "Jimmy D's in Hawkeye"
- 113 E Main St, Hawkeye
Emily Klimes - "Ox Bar & Grill has awesome tacos!"
- 213 S Augusta Ave, Oxford
Nicklaus Ulrich - "Crosby's"
- 1028 3rd St SE, Cedar Rapids
Staci Fritz - "Moski’s BBQ in Cascade!!"
- 329 1st Ave W, Cascade
Cassidy Carter - "The Classic Deli & Ice Cream Shoppe in Brooklyn, Iowa - The Italian Stallion Panini is soooooo good!"
- 120 Jackson St, Brooklyn
Lona Herrald Steuer - "Blind Pig in Cedar Rapids and Monticello"
- 3325 Center Point Rd NE, Cedar Rapids
- 126 E 1st St, Monticello
Amy Ryan Ganske - "Reds in North Liberty"
- Reds Alehouse: 405 N Dubuque St, North Liberty
John Walter - "Stockyard Restaurant, Osterdock"
- 3559 Kiln Rd, Guttenberg
Christina Schlimmer Bush - "Scooters, Anamosa"
- Scooters Bar & Grill: 10537 Shaw Rd, Anamosa
Kimberly Frasher Perry - "Backyard BBQ"
- 2020 Scotty Dr, Cedar Rapids
Mark Eberling - "Gunder Roadhouse in the little town of Gunder, Iowa."
- 17455 Gunder Rd, Elgin
Jennifer Gaudet Lubow - "Definitely Troy's Sandwiches in Waterloo"
- 3146 Kimball Ave, Waterloo
Sue Bliss - "Villa's Patio"
- 433 7th Ave, Marion
- 5200 Fountains Dr NE, Cedar Rapids
Kim Vande Voorde - "Dundee Bar & Grill"
- 103 N Center St, Dundee
Dana Luebbers - "Mirabito's Italian Restaurant in North Liberty!!"
- 40 Sugar Creek Ln, North Liberty
Jessica McCormick - "Parlor on Main"
- 433 E Main St, Central City
Ashley Axtell - "Rio Burritos"
- 5001 1st Ave NE, Cedar Rapids
Katie Miller - "Hale Tap"
- Hale Tap & Supper Club: 5522 Co Rd E45, Wyoming
Mike Gross - "Whiskey River, Palo"
- Whiskey River Grill: 2882 Palo Marsh Rd, Palo
Jessica Mary - "Blue Elephant in Coralville"
- Blue Elephant Thai Restaurant: 2301 2nd St, Coralville
Pam Parizek Kregel - "Tornado's"
- Tornado's Grub & Pub: 1600 3rd St SE, Cedar Rapids
Keri Wilson - "Iowa PrimeHouse in Shell Rock is amazing!!!"
- 202 S Cherry St, Shell Rock
Brandon Schrader - "The Grove Bar & Grill in Scotch Grove"
- 11668 Co Rd E17, Scotch Grove
Tricia Wetjen - "Pop's BBQ, Iowa City"
- 130 N Dubuque St, Iowa City
Tina Jungers Groninga - "502 in Iowa Falls"
- The Five O Two (502 Grill House): 502 Washington Ave, Iowa Falls
Mindy Nolan - "The Map Room"
- 416 3rd St SE, Cedar Rapids
Morse Carilyn Keck - "Mi Tierra in Tipton"
- Mi Tierra Mexican Grill: 310 Cedar St, Tipton
Heather Carl - "Kula's It's Just Sauce"
- 114 Greene St, Walker
Jodie Beck - "PrairieMoon On Main"
- 103 E Main St, Prairieburg
Lacinda Oxley Taplin - "Bluebird Cafe, Solon"
- 112 E Main St, Solon
- 650 W Cherry St, North Liberty
Bekah Simmons - "Boondocks Emporium, by far!!"
- 130 E Main St, Anamosa
Kera Recker - "The District CR"
- 415 3rd Street SE, Cedar Rapids
Gail Merrill - "The WY Saloon in Wyoming, Iowa"
- 127 W Main St, Wyoming
Shawn Rife - "Kava House and Cafe"
- 122 2nd St SW, Swisher
Dennis-Joan Robinson - "Pat and Fran's, Coralville. The best fish 'n chips, and just excellent food. Good beer on tap, also."
- 808 5th St, Coralville
Diana Aschbrenner Steffen - "AllyCatz GrubHouse in Denver!!"
- 107 S State St, Denver
Susan Miller - "Waterfront in West Des Moines"
- Waterfront Seafood Market: 2900 University Ave, West Des Moines
Kelly Vaughn Morin - "Need Pizza"
- 207 2nd Ave SE, Cedar Rapids
Lauren Keiser - "Casa Magnolia in Marengo, Iowa"
- J.A. Casa Magnolia: 1159 Court Ave, Marengo
Christine Irvin - "Micky's Irish Pub & Grill"
- 11 S Dubuque St, Iowa City
- 720 Pacha Pkwy, North Liberty
- 429 E 3rd St, Davenport
Danielle Kirkpatrick - "Whitey's Bar and Grill in Lisbon"
- 125 E Hwy 30, Lisbon
Kaye Lown Hughes - "Tiffy Jo's. Of course."
- Tiffy Jo’s Diner & Energy Bar: 2727 6th St SW, Cedar Rapids
Denise Engen - "BIT Brewery in Central City"
- 26 N 4th St, Central City
Doug Kennedy - "LP Street Food, Cedar Rapids"
- 302 3rd Ave SW, Cedar Rapids

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2025 Christmas Pop-Ups in Iowa

Here are some of the bars & restaurants in Iowa that will be decked out from top to bottom in lights, trees, ornaments, and other Christmas decor in 2025!

Gallery Credit: Courtlin