Smitty's Tenderloin Shop ★ 4.5
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
Worth the queue: Hand-breaded pork tenderloin sandwich
Vendors, food trucks and stalls: the cheapest, fastest, frequently best food in Des Moines.
Don't-miss vendors
Maid-Rite Sandwich Shoppe ★ 4.2
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
Worth the queue: Loose-meat sandwich (loose ground beef in a soft bun)
Tasty Tacos ★ 4.1
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.
Worth the queue: Crispy Mex shell tacos and breakfast burritos
Iowa State Fair Food on a Stick ★ 4.6
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.
Worth the queue: Pork chop on a stick, deep-fried butter, Iowa corn dog
Downtown Farmers' Market Food Stalls ★ 4.6
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.
Worth the queue: Iowa sweet corn, local honey, breakfast burritos, kettle corn
Graziano Brothers Italian Grocery ★ 4.5
The soul of Des Moines' south-side Italian-American community, Graziano Brothers has been producing house-made Italian sausage, cured meats and Italian
Worth the queue: Italian sausage by the pound, Italian beef sandwich
El Rodeo Taqueria ★ 4.2
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.
Worth the queue: Birria tacos and al pastor street tacos
Gateway Market Deli ★ 4.2
The specialty grocery Gateway Market maintains a deli counter producing sandwiches, prepared salads and grab-and-go meals from seasonal local ingredients.
Worth the queue: Seasonal sandwiches with house-made provisions
Book street food in Des Moines
The Deadly Dirge of Des Moines Ghost Tour
Uncover the eerie secrets of Des Moines with our captivating ghost tour, where you'll wander through the city's most haunted and historic sites under the cover of night.