Centro ★ 4.3
George Formaro's downtown Italian anchor occupies a former Masonic temple with open kitchen, white tablecloths and framed vintage Italian posters.
Signature: Kill-Bill Pork Tenderloin, Coal-fired pizza, Handmade pasta
Restaurants in Downtown
Table 128 ★ 4.4
A modern American bistro tucked into a westside strip mall that belies the quality inside. Seasonal, locally sourced ingredients underpin a menu ranging
Signature: Iowa pork shoulder steak, Faroe Island salmon, Beluga lentil barbacoa
Bubba ★ 4.1
Downtown Des Moines' Southern comfort destination pairs fried chicken, jambalaya and Southern fried catfish with an extensive brown-liquor selection.
Signature: Buttermilk fried chicken, Chicken and waffles, Shrimp and grits
Aposto ★ 4.5
Award-winning restaurateur Tony Lemmo's Aposto occupies a historic 1880 Victorian mansion on 18th Street, with herbs grown on site feeding the kitchen.
Signature: Handmade pasta, Seasonal garden herbs
Hessen Haus ★ 4.0
A full-scale German beer hall in downtown Des Moines with 50 German beers on draft and over 100 in bottles, claimed as the largest German beer selection
Signature: Wienerschnitzel, Currywurst, Schweinshaxe
Exile Brewing Company ★ 4.2
The closest full-service brewpub to downtown, reliable on Walnut Street since 2012; Ruthie Red Ale is the flagship and weekend brunch fills quickly.
Signature: Exile Burger with Bacon Jam, Pulled pork sandwich, Nashville chicken sandwich
Court Avenue Restaurant and Brewing Company ★ 3.9
The original Des Moines craft brewery since 1996, serving reliable American food and a small-batch experimental programme alongside the house ales.
Signature: French onion soup meatloaf, BBQ chicken pizza, Handcrafted house beers
Fine Dining in Downtown
Aposto ★ 4.5
Award-winning restaurateur Tony Lemmo's restaurant occupies a meticulously restored 1880 Victorian mansion with herbs grown in an on-site garden feeding
Table 128 ★ 4.4
Seasonal American fine dining with a strong Iowa-sourcing ethos; the tasting menu changes weekly with Faroe salmon and Iowa pork the frequent anchors.
Centro ★ 4.3
George Formaro's signature downtown Italian occupies a former Masonic temple. CIA-trained executive chef Michael Kolodzej brings professional rigour to a
Casual Dining in Downtown
Bubba ★ 4.1
Downtown Southern comfort with a broad menu spanning fried chicken, shrimp and grits, Southern fried catfish, jambalaya and an extensive whisky selection.
Signature: Buttermilk fried chicken, Chicken and waffles, Shrimp and grits, Jambalaya
Hessen Haus ★ 4.0
The German bierhalle on SW 4th Street serves large steins of draft beer alongside schnitzel, pretzels and wurst. Oktoberfest in autumn sells out weeks ahead.
Signature: Wienerschnitzel, Currywurst, Pork shank
Centro ★ 4.3
George Formaro's downtown Italian in a former Masonic temple: coal-fired pizza, house pastas and Italian-American classics in a serious evening room.
Signature: Coal-fired pizza, Kill-Bill Pork Tenderloin, Handmade pasta
Court Avenue Restaurant and Brewing Company ★ 3.9
Des Moines' first microbrewery, anchoring the Court Avenue bar district since 1996. Scratch-made food from homemade meatloaf to Reuben sandwiches pairs
Signature: French onion soup meatloaf, BBQ chicken pizza, Reuben sandwich
El Bait Shop ★ 4.0
A downtown Des Moines institution with a claim to over 260 American craft beers on tap and more than 75 in bottles, billed as the largest craft beer
Signature: Iowa craft beer selection, American bar food
Exile Brewing Company ★ 4.2
The unofficial beer of Des Moines festivals since 2012, Exile pairs award-winning lagers, sours and IPAs with a scratch kitchen producing burgers,
Signature: Exile Burger with Bacon Jam, Nashville chicken sandwich, Weekend brunch
Cafés in Downtown
Horizon Line Coffee ★ 4.3
A coffee bar and roastery in downtown's West End Artist District, Horizon Line roasts its own beans and rotates a seasonal menu of lattes and pour-overs.
Signature drink: Seasonal lattes with alternative milks
Northern Vessel ★ 4.3
Specialty coffee with a hospitality-first ethos, Northern Vessel rapidly became one of Des Moines' most popular cafe destinations after opening.
Signature drink: Cold brew latte in 35oz retail bottles
The Slow Down Coffee Co. ★ 4.1
A north-side Highland Park favourite with vintage charm, reclaimed wood and espresso from local roasters; community events and warm neighbourhood vibe.
Signature drink: Seasonal espresso menu
Hobnob Coffee and Wine Bar ★ 4.1
Coffee shop by day and wine bar Wednesday-Friday evenings inside the restored Hotel Fort Des Moines; one of downtown's most atmospheric morning rooms.
Signature drink: European-style espresso and by-the-glass wine
Bakeries in Downtown
Grande Dolce Pastry ★ 4.1
A small patisserie specialising in French technique applied to American occasions: macarons, entremets and celebration cakes in flavours inspired by
Worth the queue: French macarons and hand-crafted layer cakes
Oak Park Bakery ★ 4.2
Neighbourhood bakery with devoted following for long-fermentation sourdoughs and flaky croissants; limited production means sell-outs before noon on weekends.
Worth the queue: Long-fermented sourdough and croissants
Coffee Roasters in Downtown
Horizon Line Coffee ★ 4.4
West End Artist District roastery and cafe with light, transparent roast profiles. One of the more progressive specialty-coffee operators in the state.
Northern Vessel ★ 4.3
Northern Vessel roasts in small batches and serves at its downtown cafe, where the bottled cold brew latte programme has become a local retail staple.
Iowa Roast Co. ★ 3.9
Iowa Roast Co. is a small batch roastery with a cafe at the edge of East Village and a focus on accessible medium and darker roast profiles designed for
Wine Bars in Downtown
Noce Jazz Club ★ 4.4
While primarily a jazz club, Noce curates a wine programme designed for the table before a jazz set; one of the most atmospheric wine rooms in Des Moines.
Wine focus: Classic Old World bottles; cocktail pairings for jazz sets
Hobnob Coffee and Wine Bar ★ 4.1
The wine programme at Hobnob within Hotel Fort Des Moines runs Wednesday through Friday evenings with a by-the-glass list across European and New World
Wine focus: European and New World by the glass; approachable natural options
Bars in Downtown
Noce Jazz Club ★ 4.5
Des Moines' premier live jazz venue: an intimate Walnut Street club booking national acts with a quality cocktail and wine programme alongside the music.
Signature drink: Classic cocktails alongside a curated spirits list
El Bait Shop ★ 4.5
The definitive Des Moines craft beer destination, El Bait Shop has maintained over 150 tap handles since opening in a renovated riverfront building.
Signature drink: 150+ tap handles of Iowa and US craft beer
Hessen Haus ★ 4.2
Des Moines' authentic German bierhalle, serving large-format steins of German draft beer alongside schnitzel, pretzels, sauerkraut and wurst in a massive
Signature drink: German draft beers in 1-litre and 2-litre steins
High Life Lounge ★ 3.9
One of Des Moines' most beloved dive bars, High Life Lounge has a loyal neighbourhood following for cheap beer, irreverent character and occasional live
Signature drink: Miller High Life cans and shot specials
Pints Pub ★ 3.9
A westside pub with a tight tap list focused almost entirely on Iowa craft production. The small, unpretentious space is exactly what it intends to be: a
Signature drink: Iowa craft tap selection
Street Food in Downtown
Maid-Rite Sandwich Shoppe ★ 4.2
The original Des Moines-adjacent Maid-Rite, best visited via day trip to Ames, serves the loose-meat sandwich that is a uniquely Iowa street food
Worth the queue: Loose-meat sandwich (loose ground beef in a soft bun)
Tasty Tacos ★ 4.1
Des Moines institution since 1961: the local Tex-Mex fast food chain the city adopted as its own. Crispy hard-shell tacos and breakfast burritos citywide.
Worth the queue: Crispy Mex shell tacos and breakfast burritos
Downtown Farmers' Market Food Stalls ★ 4.6
Operating on Saturday mornings from May through October across 12 city blocks in the Historic Court District, the Downtown Farmers' Market supports over
Worth the queue: Iowa sweet corn, local honey, breakfast burritos, kettle corn
Breweries in Downtown
Confluence Brewing Company ★ 4.4
One of Iowa's most respected production breweries, Confluence has built a large following on clean, consistent American styles that have taken the Iowa
Exile Brewing Company ★ 4.2
The closest full-service brewpub to downtown since 2012; Ruthie Red Ale is the flagship. Weekend brunch with house beer flights is the most popular ritual.
515 Brewing Company ★ 4.0
Just over the western border in Clive, 515 Brewing has earned a loyal fan base for its approachable and well-made session-strength ales and lagers.
Court Avenue Brewing ★ 4.0
The original Des Moines craft brewery on Court Avenue since 1996: reliable American food, a small-batch experimental series and house ales in a historic room.
Markets in Downtown
Downtown Des Moines Farmers' Market ★ 4.7
Iowa's largest farmers market, running every Saturday morning from May through October across 12 city blocks of the Historic Court District.
Iowa Food Hub at Mainframe Studios ★ 4.0
An emerging food hub in Mainframe Studios on Keosauqua Way, hosting rotating food vendors and pop-up markets near downtown; the creative-district anchor.
Food Festivals in Downtown
World Food and Music Festival ★ 4.3
A three-day August festival in Western Gateway Park that brings together food vendors from more than 23 countries alongside live music stages.
Downtown Des Moines Farmers' Market ★ 4.7
The Saturday morning farmers market operates every weekend from early May through late October across 12 city blocks of the Historic Court District.
Hessen Haus Oktoberfest ★ 4.3
Hessen Haus runs Des Moines' most popular Oktoberfest celebration across three-plus weekends starting in mid-September, with German draft beer in litre
Cooking Classes in Downtown
Culinary Annex ★ 4.2
The Culinary Annex in West Des Moines operates small-group hands-on cooking classes in an intimate kitchen studio.
Iowa Culinary Institute at DMACC ★ 4.1
The Iowa Culinary Institute at DMACC trains professional chefs and maintains a public-facing lunch restaurant where culinary students prepare seasonal
Budget Eats in Downtown
Tasty Tacos ★ 4.1
A Des Moines original since 1961: crispy hard-shell tacos with seasoned beef and breakfast burritos at quick counter prices. Multiple metro locations.
Jethro's BBQ ★ 4.1
Beloved local BBQ chainlet born in Des Moines: BBQ nachos with pulled pork, half-rack of ribs and mac-and-cheese brisket sandwich at family-friendly prices.
Brunch in Downtown
Exile Brewing Brunch ★ 4.2
Weekend brunch at Exile Brewing pairs the kitchen's creative egg dishes, beer-battered French toast and house-cured meats with a flight of brewery-fresh
Centro Sunday Brunch ★ 4.2
Centro's Sunday brunch takes the kitchen's Italian cooking strengths into the morning: eggs in purgatory with spiced tomato sauce, frittata and
Late-Night Eats in Downtown
Hessen Haus ★ 4.2
The German bierhalle keeps serving pretzels, bratwurst and schnitzel until late on weeknights and into the small hours on Friday and Saturday.
El Bait Shop ★ 4.4
The 150-tap craft beer bar operates until 01:00-02:00 and while the kitchen is primarily bar snacks in the late hours, the beer quality remains constant.
Nightlife in Downtown
Noce Jazz Club ★ 4.5
Des Moines' most important live music destination: an intimate basement jazz club on Walnut Street booking national touring jazz acts and strong regional
Hessen Haus ★ 4.2
Hessen Haus hosts live German folk, polka and contemporary music regularly, with the Oktoberfest season (September-October) being the most intensive live
Blazing Saddle ★ 4.1
Des Moines' most established LGBTQ bar, with a long history in the East Village and a programme of drag shows, karaoke nights and themed events across the
Noce Jazz Club ★ 4.5
Noce functions as Des Moines' only genuine listening bar: the music is the purpose, the environment is designed around hearing, and the cocktail programme
High Life Lounge ★ 3.9
One of the city's most beloved dive bars, with cheap Miller High Life cans, irreverent decor and occasional live music on weekend evenings. The regulars span
← Back to the Des Moines food guide