12 restaurants in Des Moines, editor-picked for monday dinner. Open on monday, the day most kitchens go dark. All restaurants in Des Moines.
Harbinger ★ 4.7
the-avenues · 2724 Ingersoll Ave, Des Moines, IA 50312
Hours: Sun-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
Alba ★ 4.6
east-village · 524 E 6th St, Des Moines, IA 50309
Hours: Daily 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
Lua Brewing ★ 4.6
sherman-hill · 1525 High St, Des Moines, IA 50309
Hours: Mon-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
Centro ★ 4.3
downtown · 1007 Locust St, Des Moines, IA 50309
Hours: Sun-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.
Johnny's Italian Steakhouse ★ 4.3
south-side · 6800 Fleur Dr, Des Moines, IA 50321
Hours: Mon-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).
Smokey D's BBQ ★ 4.2
north-des-moines · 5055 NW 2nd St, Des Moines, IA 50313
Hours: Mon-Thu 10:30-20:00; Fri-Sat 10:30-21:00; Sun 10:30-20:00
Competition BBQ team turned brick-and-mortar champion with 200+ competition awards. The pulled pork and brisket plate are the benchmarks; four sauce styles.
Eatery A ★ 4.1
the-avenues · 2932 Ingersoll Ave, Des Moines, IA 50312
Hours: Mon-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
Bubba ★ 4.1
downtown · 200 10th St, Des Moines, IA 50309
Hours: Mon-Thu 11:00-21:00; Fri 11:00-22:00; Sat 10:00-22:00; Sun 10:00-21:00
Downtown Des Moines' Southern comfort destination pairs fried chicken, jambalaya and Southern fried catfish with an extensive brown-liquor selection.
Fong's Pizza ★ 4.1
east-village · 317 E Court Ave, Des Moines, IA 50309
Hours: Sun-Mon 10:00-23:00; Tue-Thu 11:00-23:00; Fri 11:00-24:00; Sat 10:00-24:00
The Chinese-tiki pizza bar Des Moines made its own: crab rangoon pizza, General Tso's chicken topping, and conventional pies in a bar format.
Hessen Haus ★ 4.0
downtown · 101 SW 4th St, Des Moines, IA 50309
Hours: Mon-Thu 11:00-23:00; Fri-Sat 11:00-02:00; Sun 11:00-22:00
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
Zombie Burger + Drink Lab ★ 3.9
east-village · 300 E Grand Ave, Des Moines, IA 50309
Hours: Sun-Thu 11:00-22:00; Fri-Sat 11:00-23:00
East Village's theatrical burger destination: zombie-themed patty combinations, deep-fried mac and cheese buns, and a Drink Lab serving cocktails and
Court Avenue Restaurant and Brewing Company ★ 3.9
downtown · 309 Court Ave, Des Moines, IA 50309
Hours: Mon-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.