National Mac & Cheese Day 2025 – Who Has the Best in Iowa?

Happy National Mac & Cheese Day! In honor of today's holiday (July 14th), we went on a mission to find some of the BEST mac & cheese across the state of Iowa!

According to a 2024 article from Love Food, the most delicious mac & cheese in the state of Iowa can be found at Cheese Bar in Des Moines. They say that the restaurant's "World Famous Mac," which is served in a hot, cast-iron skillet, is the best of the best.

Unfortunately for me, my two absolute favorite restaurants to order mac & cheese here in the Corridor have both closed in recent years: Vivian's Soul Food and Edison's Eatery. Luckily, there are plenty of other Iowa restaurants that serve good mac & cheese! Here are a few of my personal favorites:

• Blind Pig, Cedar Rapids
• Crosby's, Cedar Rapids
• Raging Ryno's, Cedar Rapids
• Stadium Bar & Grill, Cedar Rapids
• Whiskey River Grill, Palo
• Zombie Burger, Des Moines

Courtesy of reviews and recommendations on Google, here are 30 Iowa restaurants with delicious mac & cheese:

*All included restaurants have a 4.4-star rating or higher and a minimum of 100 reviews*

• 30hop
  • Locations in Coralville, Cedar Rapids, and Ankeny
• Americana, Des Moines
  • 4.4-star rating on Google (2,262 reviews)
• Angry Goldfish Pub & Eatery, Des Moines
  • 4.7-star rating on Google (2,555 reviews)
• Beast & Bird, Vinton
  • 4.8-star rating on Google (112 reviews)
• Big Grove Brewery
  • Locations in Solon, Iowa City, Cedar Rapids, and Des Moines
• The Big Steer Restaurant & Lounge, Altoona
  • 4.6-star rating on Google (1,704 reviews)
• Blackstone, Iowa City
  • 4.4-star rating on Google (1,274 reviews)
• Bubba, Des Moines
  • 4.5-star rating on Google (2,649 reviews)
• Bubbies BBQ, Ankeny
  • 4.7-star rating on Google (217 reviews)
• Charlotte's Kitchen, Johnston
  • 4.8-star rating on Google (671 reviews)
• Cheese Bar, Des Moines
  • 4.6-star rating on Google (892 reviews)
• The Cheese Shop, Des Moines
  • 4.9-star rating on Google (297 reviews)
• Cornbred Barbecue, Ames
  • 4.5-star rating on Google (1,467 reviews)
• CR Midnight Smoker BBQ, Cedar Rapids
  • 4.8-star rating on Google (130 reviews)
• The Flying Elbow, Marshalltown
  • 4.8-star rating on Google (617 reviews)
• Hessen Haus, Des Moines
  • 4.6-star rating on Google (3,372 reviews)
• Hickory Park, Ames
  • 4.5-star rating on Google (6,530 reviews)
• Iowa Taproom, Des Moines
  • 4.6-star rating on Google (3,984 reviews)
• Jimmy Jack's Rib Shack, Iowa City
  • 4.5-star rating on Google (1,193 reviews)
• Kue'd Smokehouse, Waukee
  • 4.7-star rating on Google (966 reviews)
• Mac's Tavern, Davenport
  • 4.6-star rating on Google (765 reviews)
• Moski's BBQ, Cascade
  • 4.8-star rating on Google (170 reviews)
• The Pedaler's Fork, Cedar Rapids
  • 4.5-star rating on Google (822 reviews)
• Rodney's Kitchen, Waterloo
  • 4.6-star rating on Google (417 reviews)
• ReUnion Brewery
  • Locations in Coralville and Iowa City
• Shawnniecakes, Cedar Rapids
  • 4.8-star rating on Google (125 reviews)
• ShortE's BBQ, Johnston
  • 4.4-sar rating on Google (444 reviews)
• Smash Park, West Des Moines
  • 4.6-star rating on Google (2,925 reviews)
• Smokey D's BBQ, Des Moines
  • 4.6-star rating on Google (5,890 reviews)
• Tin Roost, North Liberty
  • 4.4-star rating on Google (2,313 reviews)