We Have a Winner! Iowa’s Best Breaded Pork Tenderloin for 2025 Has Been Chosen

"Porktober" is almost over, which means the Iowa Pork Producers Association has named an official winner for their annual Best Breaded Pork Tenderloin Contest. Congratulations to Hometown Heroes in Grinnell!

The Winner

Hometown Heroes, located at 908 Main Street in Downtown Grinnell, first opened for business in late 2019. It's owned by Paul and Kalyn Durr, as well as partners Shannon and Todd Reding, with Paul also serving as the restaurant's executive chef.

One of the judges for this year's competition was retired chef and culinary instructor Phil Carey, who had great things to say about this year's winning sandwich. The press release from the Iowa Pork Producers Association reads:

“Hometown Heroes was one of the first ones that we judged, and as we (the judging panel) left, we agreed that this one would be hard to beat. The pork was tender and juicy; it was evenly pounded and well-seasoned… the pork was the star of the show! It was made complete by being served hot on a toasted bun. It’s a great sandwich!”

The winning tenderloin at Hometown Heroes is called 'The Blindside,' because "it’s so good you won’t see it coming!" The sandiwch features a homemade breaded pork tenderloin topped with bread and butter pickles, Heroes’ aioli, lettuce, tomato, and onion, all served on a brioche bun.

Hometown Heroes gets several prizes for taking home the crown in this year's competition: $500 in cash, a plaque, and a big banner to hang up at the restaurant. If you'd like to try their tenderloin, the restaurant is open Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.

The Runner-Up

The second place winner for 2025 was The 1854 in Gilbertville, Iowa! The popular ice cream shop is located at 1406 5th Street and is incredibly tiny. According to the Facebook page, the inside of the restaurant only has seven tables! They've already seen a huge influx in customers from all over the Midwest since being named a finalist earlier this month, and business is only going to increase now that they're the official runner-up.

The Finalists

In addition to Hometown Heroes and The 1854, the other three finalists to make up the top five tenderloins for 2025 are:

• Dexfield Diner & Pub, Redfield

• Sugar’s Lounge & Diner, Council Bluffs

• Walker’s, Salix

Previous Winners

READ MORE: The Winner of the 2025 Iowa’s Best Burger Contest