Restaurants in South Side

Tursi's Latin King ★ 4.2

Italian$$south-sideTue-Thu 11:00-14:00 and 16:00-21:00; Fri 11:00-14:00 and 16:00-22:00; Sat 12:00-22:00; closed Sun-Mon

A Des Moines institution since 1947, Tursi's Latin King operates from a country-villa building on Hubbell Avenue and serves the classic Italian-American

Signature: Spaghetti with house red sauce, Chicken parmigiana, Steak de burgo

Johnny's Italian Steakhouse ★ 4.3

Italian steakhouse$$$south-sideMon-Sat 11:00-22:00; Sun 11:00-21:00

The canonical address in Des Moines for steak de burgo: a 6 oz filet in roasted garlic, basil, oregano and rich cream sauce ($44 at dinner).

Signature: Steak de burgo, Filet mignon, Veal Sinatra

Jethro's BBQ Southside ★ 4.0

BBQ$$south-sideTue-Sun 11:00-20:00; closed Mon

One of several Jethro's BBQ locations anchoring the Des Moines smoke scene. Scratch-made sides, house-recipe sauces and a menu that spans ribs, brisket

Signature: Smoked ribs, Pulled pork, Brisket

Fine Dining in South Side

Johnny's Italian Steakhouse ★ 4.3

Italian steakhouse$$$south-sideMon-Sat 11:00-22:00; Sun 11:00-21:00Book Walk-in often available; weekends book ahead ahead

The canonical keeper of steak de burgo, the garlic-butter-herb filet that Italian-American families from the Francis Avenue neighbourhood invented

Casual Dining in South Side

Smitty's Tenderloin Shop ★ 4.5

American$south-sideMon-Sat 10:00-21:00; Sun 11:00-15:00

The Godfather of Des Moines tenderloin joints. Since 1966, Smitty's has been hand-breading and frying pork tenderloins on a flat-top griddle using family

Signature: King Tenderloin, Hand-breaded pork tenderloin sandwich

Tursi's Latin King ★ 4.2

Italian$$south-sideTue-Thu 11:00-14:00 and 16:00-21:00; Fri 11:00-14:00 and 16:00-22:00; Sat 12:00-22:00; closed Sun-Mon

Italian-American red-sauce cooking since 1947 in a country-villa building on Hubbell Avenue. Generous portions and consistent technique.

Signature: Spaghetti with house red sauce, Chicken parmigiana

Jethro's BBQ Southside ★ 4.0

BBQ$$south-sideTue-Sun 11:00-20:00; closed Mon

One of several Jethro's BBQ locations across the metro, with the south-side address serving the neighbourhoods most connected to the city's BBQ tradition.

Signature: Smoked ribs, Pulled pork, House sauces

Graziano Brothers ★ 4.4

Italian deli$south-sideMon-Fri 08:30-17:30; Sat 08:30-17:00; closed Sun

The heartbeat of Des Moines' Italian-American south-side community, Graziano Brothers has been supplying house-made Italian sausage, imported Italian

Signature: House-made Italian sausage, Imported Italian products

Street Food in South Side

Smitty's Tenderloin Shop ★ 4.5

American$south-sideMon-Sat 10:00-21:00; Sun 11:00-15:00

The most famous tenderloin shop in Iowa. Since 1966, Smitty's has hand-breaded and flat-griddled Iowa pork tenderloins using a family recipe that has

Worth the queue: Hand-breaded pork tenderloin sandwich

Graziano Brothers Italian Grocery ★ 4.5

Italian deli$south-sideMon-Sat 09:00-17:00; closed Sun

The soul of Des Moines' south-side Italian-American community, Graziano Brothers has been producing house-made Italian sausage, cured meats and Italian

Worth the queue: Italian sausage by the pound, Italian beef sandwich

El Rodeo Taqueria ★ 4.2

Mexican$south-sideMon-Sun 08:00-21:00

One of Des Moines' most-loved taquerias, El Rodeo serves birria, al pastor and a full range of traditional street tacos to the south-side community that

Worth the queue: Birria tacos and al pastor street tacos

Markets in South Side

Graziano Brothers Italian Grocery ★ 4.5

Italian specialty grocery$south-sideMon-Sat 09:00-17:00; closed Sun

Founded in 1912 by Italian immigrants from the south-side community, Graziano Brothers is one of Iowa's oldest continuously operating specialty food

Food Tours in South Side

South Side Italian Heritage Food Walk ★ 4.3

Food tour$$20-40 per personsouth-sideMon-Sat (Graziano's closes at 17:00)

The south-side Italian-American corridor that shaped Des Moines' restaurant identity can be walked in a half-afternoon.

Food Festivals in South Side

Italian-American Heritage Festival ★ 4.1

$south-side

An annual September festival celebrating the Italian-American heritage of Des Moines' south side, featuring traditional Italian street food, music and

Budget Eats in South Side

Smitty's Tenderloin Shop ★ 4.5

American$south-sideMon-Sat 10:00-21:00; Sun 11:00-15:00

The most famous cheap eat in Iowa: a hand-breaded, flat-griddled Iowa pork tenderloin that dwarfs the bun. The King Tenderloin is under $12 including a side.

Hidden Gems in South Side

Graziano Brothers Italian Grocery ★ 4.5

Italian deli$south-sideMon-Sat 09:00-17:00; closed Sun

Founded in 1912 and still occupying the same south-side block, Graziano Brothers is probably Des Moines' most culturally significant food business and one

Why locals love it: The south-side Italian-American heritage store that food tourism ignores

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