You don’t know unless you try it. It’s cliché, sure, but it’s also the entire premise of Open Sesame, a Lebanese restaurant in Des Moines’ East Village that’s spent nearly two decades convincing Iowans there’s more to eat than pork tenderloin. Imagine going all your life never experiencing crumbly and warmly spiced falafel, fried with […]
Central Iowa Food & Drink
Posted inFood & Drink
Istanbul Grill Cafe & Bakery brings one of the world’s oldest cuisines to Urbandale
Michelle Kaya was reluctant to leave her Michigan home, where she had family, friends and a teaching career. But her husband Ahmet’s job in executive management necessitated a move to central Iowa. Early in the process, he was staying at a hotel near Jordan Creek Town Center. Michelle came to visit, and she wanted sushi. […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Her parents’ kung pao chicken had Des Moines obsessed. With Heavenly Asian Cuisine, Nhina Chau brought back the recipe — and explored her Vietnamese roots
Nhina Chau, owner of Heavenly Asian Cuisine, will never put freezer-burned veggies in her egg drop soup. She crinkles her nose at the thought of it. “I personally hate the smell of frozen peas and carrots,” Chau said, squirming in her chair. Egg drop soup is a Chinese restaurant classic. The people of West Des […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Review: Unroll some injera at Habesha Ethiopian & Eritrean Restaurant, serving multi-sensory banquets in Des Moines
I finish the last bite of lentils I can manage, scooped up with a piece of fresh injera. My friend remarks at my “tumeric-stained lips,” so I get up to head to the washroom. “Do you want to try some Ethiopian coffee?” our server Asmeret asks me. Asmeret B. Ayele, along with Bashatu Gutama and her […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Review: Walleye, poutine and decadent s’mores help make Guesthouse Tavern + Oyster in WDM a superb supper club experience
Food, like all cultural exchange, is relative. One person’s adventurous meal out of their comfort zone is another person’s daily staple. An example: even though I’m born-and-raised Iowan, I had never heard of a supper club before dining at West Des Moines’ Guesthouse Tavern + Oyster. “Oh, is it like a book club for foodies?” […]
Posted inFood & Drink
LV Recommends: Daisy Chain Coffee in the East Village boasts delicious drinks and curious decor
I don’t normally write reviews at the place I’m reviewing, but I’m glad I decided to write in Daisy Chain Coffee today. Owner Daniel Bosman greets customers as they pop in, showing them his new coffee grinder. The fig tree behind me rustles as a breeze comes through the open door, and I hear the […]
Posted inCommunity/News
These bike-riding burrito slingers are some of Des Moines’ most trusted aid workers
They’re affectionately called “the burrito people.” Or sometimes “the burrito slingers.” They’re easily recognizable by their bright yellow bicycle jerseys, T-shirts and welcoming smiles. Every Thursday evening, you can find them in the basement of the Capitol Hill Lutheran Church in the Des Moines East Village neighborhood. They’re volunteers for the Urban Bicycle Food Ministry […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Excellent tacos from a ‘bad’ place, 30-inch pizzas and other food to wolf down in Ames and Des Moines
For the 2025 Bread & Butter dining guide, Little Village food reviewers visited and reviewed 10 locally owned central Iowa eateries. DES MOINES Clyde’s Fine Diner 111 E Grand Ave Suite 111, Des Moines, 515-243-3686 Clyde’s is one of my staples and legitimately one of the best restaurants I’ve ever been to. Truly putting the […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Coffee Cats in Valley Junction, Iowa’s first cat cafe, has homed more than 1,600 felines
After 40 years as a mental health counselor, Mary Jankowski wanted to do something different, but wasn’t sure what. Then she saw an article about a cat cafe and thought it looked fun. So she partnered with the Animal Rescue League of Iowa and, in the summer of 2020, opened Coffee Cats, the first cat […]
Posted inBread & Butter Dining Guide
LV Recommends: 12 local restaurants to try in Des Moines & Ames
Chain and Spoke is half coffee shop, half bike shop. Cycling gear fills in the industrial décor, and walls of windows give the space natural light.
Posted inFood & Drink
LV Recommends: The Bartender’s Handshake, an intimate place for a cozy cocktail in Des Moines
For 2024, “stale, cheesy cocktail bars” are out and “vibey, modern cocktail bars” are in. The Bartender’s Handshake located on Ingersoll in Des Moines is no stranger to the latter. Walking in, you’re greeted with moody lighting and the soft murmur of both conversation and music that elicits speakeasy vibes. The bartender behind the beautifully […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Joe Tripp on his trio of Des Moines restaurants, (accidentally) making gluten-free fried chicken and where the next Basic Bird may roost
If you Google “best restaurants in Des Moines,” you’ll be hard-pressed to find a list that doesn’t include Harbinger. The vegetable-forward, small-plate restaurant co-owned by husband-and-wife duo Joe and Alex Tripp has been a fine dining destination since it opened in 2017. In 2022, the duo opened Windsor Heights’ Little Brother, a breakfast-centric joint with […]
