American$$downtownMon-Thu 11:00-22:00; Fri 10:00-23:00; Sat 10:00-23:00; Sun 10:00-22:00
The original Des Moines craft brewery since 1996, serving reliable American food and a small-batch experimental programme alongside the house ales.
Signature: French onion soup meatloaf, BBQ chicken pizza, Handcrafted house beers
Brewpub$$sherman-hillMon-Wed 14:00-21:00; Thu 14:00-22:00; Fri 12:00-22:00; Sat 11:00-22:00; Sun 11:00-20:00
Voted the number one brewpub in the United States by USA Today in 2025, Lua in Sherman Hill earns the recognition with a precise beer programme spanning
Signature: Smash burger, Kimchi deviled eggs, Flatty Monster tenderloin
New American$$$east-villageDaily 16:00-close
Chef-owner Jason Simon's East Village anchor has delivered imaginative seasonal American cooking since 2008, earning a James Beard Restaurant Award
Signature: Marinated hanger steak, Braised lamb shank, Pan roasted halibut
Vegetable-forward small plates$$$the-avenuesSun-Thu 16:00-20:00; Fri-Sat 16:00-21:00
A vegetable-forward small-plates restaurant drawing on the chef's travels through southeast Asia, with a menu that follows the seasons and the farmers
Signature: Seasonal chef's tasting menu, Southeast Asian-inflected small plates
Italian$$downtownSun-Thu 11:00-21:00; Mon 16:00-21:00; Fri-Sat 11:00-22:00
George Formaro's downtown Italian anchor occupies a former Masonic temple with open kitchen, white tablecloths and framed vintage Italian posters.
Signature: Kill-Bill Pork Tenderloin, Coal-fired pizza, Handmade pasta
Mediterranean$$the-avenuesMon-Thu 11:00-22:00; Fri-Sat 09:00-24:00; Sun 09:00-21:00
A rustic neighbourhood room with a large patio and a wood-fired oven, channelling herbs and spices from Spain, Italy, Morocco and Egypt into an
Signature: Wood-fired pizza, Mediterranean small plates