Smitty's Tenderloin Shop
- ★ 4.5
- American
- $
- South Side
Order Hand-breaded pork tenderloin sandwich
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
Vendors, food trucks and stalls: the cheapest, fastest, frequently best food in Des Moines.
Don't-miss vendors
8 places
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
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.
Book street food in Des Moines
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.
Graziano Brothers Italian Grocery
- ★ 4.5
- Italian deli
- $
- South Side
Order Italian sausage by the pound, Italian beef sandwich
The soul of Des Moines' south-side Italian-American community, Graziano Brothers has been producing house-made Italian sausage, cured meats and Italian
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.
Nothing matches.
Where to stay in Des Moines
A sample of Des Moines hotels from our booking partner, who list 5,815 here. Live prices and availability open on their site.
Econo Lodge Inn & Suites - Des Moines/Merle Hays Road
When you stay at Econo Lodge Inn & Suites - Des Moines/Merle Hays Road in Des Moines, you'll be in a shoppi...
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Frontdesk - Rowat Lofts East Village Des Moines
With a stay at Frontdesk Rowat Lofts East Village Des Moines in Des Moines (Downtown Des Moines), you'll b...
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Frontdesk - R&T Lofts Downtown Des Moines
Located in Des Moines (Downtown Des Moines), Frontdesk R&T Lofts Downtown Des Moines is within a 15-minute...
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Frontdesk - FLUX Apts Downtown Des Moines
With a stay at Frontdesk FLUX Apts Downtown Des Moines in Des Moines (Downtown Des Moines), you'll be with...
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