WATERLOO: RIVERFRONT
Rodney’s Kitchen
624 Sycamore St, Waterloo
319-234-3663
The po’ boys are so fresh and expertly battered that you might think it’s time to be getting back home to batten down the hatches for hurricane season. If you are well prepared for a flavor storm, then come in and enjoy the provisions provided by one of the nicest restauranteurs I’ve ever met and all-around raddest Rodneys in town, Rodney Lewis. You won’t even need to sell your soul for the devilishly delightful catfish and chips.
Hungry Charlie’s Lunch Box
206 E 4th St, Waterloo
319-610-9355, facebook.com/hungrycharlieslunchbox
Alf may have had a thing for cats, but Hungry Charlie is an all-beef hot dog man. Forgotten lunch boxes line the walls and retro tunes set the scene to live all your ’80s fantasies in this well-preserved time capsule. Their affordable menu includes gourmet dogs, paninis, flatbreads and homemade soups that will leave you pitying the fool who chose the gas station for lunch. To jumbo, or not to jumbo—that is the question.
Basal Pizza
225 W 4th St, Waterloo
319-333-0180, basalpizza.com
I trust a pizza made by a chef named Tony, always. Basal Pizza owner Tony Eischeid is fire roasting his way through the pizza encyclopedia, currently crafting Neapolitan pies perfect for a person or two (and, as this reporter discovered, with enough left over to sate a crafty campsite raccoon! I don’t blame him at all.) He also dishes up Detroit-style delights fit for a small group, and is currently working on adapting the cult classic Quad Cities-style pizza (a strip-cut pizza with a malty crust and spicy sauce), so stay tuned! Beautifully balanced cocktails and craft beers are available for pairing with your choice of pizza pie.
Sub City II
118 E 4th St, Waterloo
319-236-2300, subcitywest.com
This is the place to go if you’re hungry and want freshly sliced meats and freshly sliced non-meats all lovingly wrapped in a submarine sandwich. There are few things in life more wonderful than a well-oiled piece of deliciousness ergonomically designed for mouth-stuffing. You can enjoy your slice o’ paradise in the beautiful, historically preserved restaurant or, if dining al fresco, at the charming biergarten right across the street.
Morg’s Diner
520 Mulberry St, Waterloo
319-234-2416
When you come to Morg’s Diner, be prepared to claim the nearest bar stool or booth and don’t be timid. The meek might inherit the Earth but the mighty need a stack of pancakes and a hearty pile of breakfast meats. Morg’s is an actual blast from the past, with tabletop jukeboxes and all! You can come in 21st century hungry and leave as satisfied as a 1950s teenybopper ready to rock ‘n’ roll. If you like breakfast and good service and time-traveling then this is your joint, daddy-Os.
This article was originally published in Little Village’s 2024 Bread & Butter special issue. Don’t see your favorite restaurant or neighborhood on the list? Let us know at editor@littlevillagemag.com.
