Where to Get the Best Soul Food in Iowa [PHOTOS]

When it comes to soul food, there's one restaurant in Iowa that does it perfectly! A recent article from Love Food outlines the best soul food restaurant in all 50 states, and the pick for Iowa has only been around for about a year!

Tupelo Honey Southern Kitchen & Bar opened its doors at 665 Grand Ave in Des Moines back in the spring of 2022. According to the official website, "Tupelo Honey is a revival of Southern food and traditions rooted in the Carolina mountains we call home. Our recipes are simply crafted and made from scratch with responsibly sourced ingredients that bring the best of every season. For over 20 years, we have infused our Southern spirit into every bite." The restaurant serves lunch, dinner, and weekend brunch, plus signature cocktails (both alcoholic and non-alcoholic) and local beer and spirits.

The menu at Tupelo Honey changes with the seasons, so there's always something new to try. They're best known for their fried chicken, which is brined for over 18 hours and available in Original Honey-Dusted or Sweet & Spicy. They also serve their famous chicken with waffles! One of the varieties is the Asheville Hot Fried Chicken with Mac-N-Cheese Waffles, which comes with spicy fried chicken, mac-n-cheese waffles, house-made garlic buttermilk ranch, pickles, and chives. YUM.

Some of the other items available on Tupelo Honey's menu include fried green tomatoes, the shrimp po'boy, shrimp & grits, bourbon peppercorn-glazed meatloaf, biscuits, fried pickles, harvest bowls, brown butter pecan pie, and banana pudding. After looking through photos from customers on Instagram, I can see why this place is so highly recommended!

Tupelo Honey is not a restaurant that's unique to the state of Iowa, although the menu does differ by location. There are currently more than 20 restaurant locations across the U.S., including one in Indianapolis, Columbus, Milwaukee, and Grand Rapids, Michigan. There are more locations "coming soon," like one in Omaha and another in Lenexa, Kansas. The Des Moines Tupelo Honey is the only one in Iowa.

Have you tried Tupelo Honey before? We would love to hear your review! Share it with us in the comments!