What’s in Season in Des Moines

What is in season in Des Moines, and what to order when the market changes.

Next up in Des Moines

31 Oct

Spring

Downtown Farmers' Market opening: The Downtown Farmers' Market reopens in early May after the winter pause, drawing a celebratory crowd to Court Avenue. Early spring offerings are Iowa
Morel mushrooms: Iowa morel season runs April through May; local foragers supply restaurants including HoQ, Harbinger and Alba with the state's most prized wild ingredient.
Pella tulip season and Jaarsma Bakery Dutch pastries: Pella holds its annual Tulip Time festival (typically early May) when tulips across the Dutch-settled town are in full bloom. Jaarsma Bakery's Dutch letter
Iowa asparagus: Local Iowa asparagus appears at the farmers market from April and features on spring menus at farm-to-table restaurants.

Iowa sweet corn: Iowa grows some of the finest sweet corn in the world, and July-August corn at the Downtown Farmers' Market is a genuine food event.
Iowa State Fair food on a stick: The 11-day Iowa State Fair in August is the concentrated peak of Iowa food culture. The pork chop on a stick, corn dog and annually introduced novelty items
World Food and Music Festival: A three-day late-August festival in Western Gateway Park with 56 food vendors from 23 countries. Admission to the food areas is free; the concentrated global
Iowa heirloom tomatoes: Peak Iowa tomato season from July through early September brings heirloom varieties to the Downtown Farmers' Market.

Going to Iowa State Fair?

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Iowa apple season: Iowa apple orchards supply the farmers market from late August through October with fresh-press cider, pie apples and dessert varieties.
Hessen Haus Oktoberfest: The German bierhalle runs its Oktoberfest celebration across three weekends from mid-September, the city's largest recurring food and drink event.
Iowa squash and root vegetables: The autumn farmers market (October sessions, earlier close at 12:00) brings butternut squash, delicata, acorn squash, sweet potatoes and root vegetables.

Iowa pork and braised meats: Winter menus in Des Moines lean into Iowa's dominant agricultural product: pork. Slow-braised pork shoulder, house-cured charcuterie and pork-centric dishes
Holiday season at Gateway Market: Gateway Market's specialty food selection expands substantially for the November-December holiday season, with an enlarged cheese counter, local charcuterie
Winter baking at La Mie and Scenic Route: Both La Mie Bakery and Scenic Route Bakery run expanded holiday and winter baking programmes with seasonal spiced pastries, holiday breads and celebration

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