Cheap Eats in Des Moines

La Mie Bakery

• ★ 4.6
• French Bakery
• $
• The Avenues

Order Croissants and rustic sourdough loaves

Widely cited as Des Moines' finest bakery, La Mie has been producing classic European breads and viennoiserie on 42nd Street since the early 1990s.

Iowa State Fair Food on a Stick

• ★ 4.6
• Fair Food
• $
• East Village

Order Pork chop on a stick, deep-fried butter, Iowa corn dog

The Iowa State Fair food programme: 11 August days, 400+ vendors and hundreds of items on sticks. Pork chop on a stick and Iowa corn dog are the standards.

Downtown Farmers' Market Food Stalls

• ★ 4.6
• Market food
• $
• Downtown

Order Iowa sweet corn, local honey, breakfast burritos, kettle corn

Operating on Saturday mornings from May through October across 12 city blocks in the Historic Court District, with stalls trading from 07:00 until midday.

Smitty's Tenderloin Shop

• ★ 4.5
• American
• $
• South Side

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

Zanzibar's Coffee Adventure

• ★ 4.5
• Coffee Roaster
• $
• The Avenues

Des Moines' oldest specialty roaster since 1993; small-batch roasting on Ingersoll Avenue with a travel-themed cafe and artefacts from coffee-growing regions.

El Bait Shop

• ★ 4.5
• Bar
• $
• Downtown

Drink 150+ tap handles of Iowa and US craft beer

The definitive Des Moines craft beer destination, El Bait Shop has maintained over 150 tap handles since opening in a renovated riverfront building.

Graziano Brothers Italian Grocery

• ★ 4.5
• Italian deli
• $
• South Side

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

Graziano Brothers

• ★ 4.4
• Italian deli
• $
• South Side

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

Scenic Route Bakery

• ★ 4.4
• Artisan Bakery
• $
• East Village

Order Seasonal pastries and sourdough loaves

Modern East Village artisan bakery with ample seating and a seasonal pastry rotation. Strong sourdoughs and enriched breads from locally sourced ingredients.

Horizon Line Coffee

• ★ 4.4
• Coffee Roaster
• $
• Downtown

West End Artist District roastery and cafe with light, transparent roast profiles. One of the more progressive specialty-coffee operators in the state.

Confluence Brewing Company

• ★ 4.4
• Brewery
• $
• Downtown

One of Iowa's most respected production breweries, Confluence has built a large following on clean, consistent American styles that have taken the Iowa

Bauder Pharmacy Soda Fountain

• ★ 4.3
• Bakery
• $
• The Avenues

Order Cherry phosphates and house-baked goods

Bauder Pharmacy, founded in 1916, has paired a working pharmacy with a vintage soda fountain and bakery counter on Ingersoll Avenue since the 1920s.

Northern Vessel

• ★ 4.3
• Cafe
• $
• Downtown

Drink Cold brew latte in 35oz retail bottles

Specialty coffee with a hospitality-first ethos, Northern Vessel rapidly became one of Des Moines' most popular cafe destinations after opening.

Fong's Pizza

• ★ 4.3
• Pizza
• $
• East Village

The most reliable late-night food stop in Des Moines, Fong's serves its Chinese-tiki inspired pizzas until 02:00 on Friday and Saturday nights.

Smokey D's BBQ

• ★ 4.3
• BBQ
• $
• North Des Moines

Over 200 BBQ competition awards turned into a reliable local chain. Pulled pork sandwich, brisket plate and house sauce variety at family-friendly prices.

Southern Cross Bakery

• ★ 4.2
• Artisan Bakery
• $
• East Village

Order Sourdough loaves and Danish pastries

East Village bakery with long-fermented sourdough and Scandinavian-influenced viennoiserie; limited weekend specials with a loyal E Locust Street following.

Oak Park Bakery

• ★ 4.2
• Artisan Bakery
• $
• Downtown

Order Long-fermented sourdough and croissants

Neighbourhood bakery with devoted following for long-fermentation sourdoughs and flaky croissants; limited production means sell-outs before noon on weekends.

Daisy Chain Coffee

• ★ 4.2
• Cafe
• $
• East Village

Drink Local honey espresso drinks

East Village specialty cafe with local honey espresso drinks and a dog-friendly environment, one of the most pleasant morning stops in the neighbourhood.

Maid-Rite Sandwich Shoppe

• ★ 4.2
• American
• $

Order Loose-meat sandwich (loose ground beef in a soft bun)

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

El Rodeo Taqueria

• ★ 4.2
• Mexican
• $
• South Side

Order Birria tacos and al pastor street tacos

One of Des Moines' most-loved taquerias, El Rodeo serves birria, al pastor and a full range of traditional street tacos on the south side, open daily.

Gateway Market Deli

• ★ 4.2
• American deli
• $
• Sherman Hill

Order Seasonal sandwiches with house-made provisions

The specialty grocery Gateway Market maintains a deli counter producing sandwiches, prepared salads and grab-and-go meals from seasonal local ingredients.

Mars Cafe

• ★ 4.1
• Cafe
• $
• Drake Neighbourhood

Drink Espresso and house-roasted filter coffee

A space-themed artisan coffeehouse near Drake University, Mars Cafe serves coffee, espresso, tea, wine and beer alongside locally baked goods, sandwiches

The Slow Down Coffee Co.

• ★ 4.1
• Cafe
• $
• Downtown

Drink Seasonal espresso menu

A north-side Highland Park favourite with vintage charm, reclaimed wood and espresso from local roasters; community events and warm neighbourhood vibe.

Chain and Spoke

• ★ 4.1
• Cafe
• $
• The Avenues

Drink Specialty lattes

Combined coffee shop and bicycle repair studio with bright, airy design and specialty espresso drinks; one of Des Moines' more characterful cafe experiences.

Plain Talk Books and Coffee

• ★ 4.1
• Cafe
• $
• East Village

Drink Specialty espresso

A bookshop and coffee combination at the quieter eastern end of the East Village, combining a curated independent bookshop with quality coffee in a calm,

Tasty Tacos

• ★ 4.1
• Mexican-American
• $
• Downtown

Order Crispy Mex shell tacos and breakfast burritos

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.

Jethro's BBQ

• ★ 4.1
• BBQ
• $
• Downtown

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.

The Breakfast Club

• ★ 4.1
• American
• $
• East Village

Open seven days a week from 06:00, The Breakfast Club in the East Village is the most reliable all-morning option in the city's densest dining

Maxie's Pastry Studio

• ★ 4.0
• Pastry shop
• $
• The Avenues

Order Croissants and tarts

Pastry studio near Drake University producing excellent croissants, quiche and rotating seasonal tarts; the tart rotation follows the weekly market produce.

Gateway Market Bakery

• ★ 4.0
• Bakery
• $
• Sherman Hill

Order Artisan loaves and house-baked pastries

The in-house bakery at Gateway Market, Des Moines' leading specialty grocery, produces a daily rotation of artisan loaves, muffins and cookies.

Grounds for Celebration

• ★ 4.0
• Cafe
• $
• Beaverdale

Drink Fresh-roasted house espresso

An established Beaverdale institution with spacious seating, strong Wi-Fi and fresh-roasted beans that supply the cafe's own espresso programme.

Vibrant Coffeehouse and Kitchen

• ★ 4.0
• Cafe
• $
• East Village

Drink Specialty coffee with full kitchen menu

A coffeehouse and kitchen on E Grand Avenue in the East Village: specialty coffee alongside a full breakfast and lunch menu, daily from 07:00.

Brooster Coffee

• ★ 4.0
• Coffee Roaster
• $
• East Village

A newer East Des Moines roastery and coffee bar with a community-first approach. Brooster roasts approachable profiles that perform well as espresso.

Twisted Vine Brewery

• ★ 4.0
• Brewpub
• $
• East Village

Drink Rotating roster of ales and seasonal special releases

A neighbourhood craft brewery on the SE 4th Street edge of the East Village, known for accessible hop-forward ales and a rotating seasonal programme.

Wellman's Pub

• ★ 4.0
• Bar
• $
• East Village

Drink Iowa Hawkeyes game day specials

Lively East Village pub with multiple screens and Iowa Hawkeyes games; the covered rooftop patio is the neighbourhood's best warm-weather drinking spot.

515 Brewing Company

• ★ 4.0
• Brewery
• $
• Downtown

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.

Drake Diner

• ★ 4.0
• American
• $
• Drake Neighbourhood

An all-day diner feeding Drake University students on generous plates of eggs, burgers and daily specials at prices that undercut every nearby restaurant.

Zombie Burger + Drink Lab

• ★ 3.9
• Burgers
• $
• East Village

East Village's theatrical burger destination: zombie-themed patty combinations, deep-fried mac and cheese buns, and a Drink Lab serving cocktails.

Mullets

• ★ 3.9
• Brunch
• $
• Beaverdale

A south-side breakfast and brunch room known for enormous portion sizes, a serious Bloody Mary programme and Iowa's largest selection of drink flights.

Iowa Roast Co.

• ★ 3.9
• Coffee Roaster
• $
• Downtown

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.