They’ve outlasted recessions, floods and indoor smoking bans. Every other customer through the doors is a regular. Longtime employees dispense beer, life advice and local legends in equal measure. Some are nestled into neighborhoods, aging alongside generations of residents who find it hard to imagine their hometown without “the bar.” Every nicked table, specific smell […]
Bread & Butter Dining Guide
Posted inBread & Butter Dining Guide
Herbivore hangouts in the CRANDIC
Iowa is home to the fifth highest number of organic farms in the United States, so it’s no surprise that the first place to look when seeking out vegetarian fare in the Hawkeye State is at your local farmers market. There you can find fresh, local produce of a bewildering variety sold alongside Amish pies, […]
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LV Recommends: Baked goods, made from scratch in Eastern Iowa
If you’re on the hunt for an award-winning bread program, a neighborhood gem or the most satisfying cookies, these bakers have what you’re looking for. Deluxe Cakes & Pastries 812 S Summit St, Iowa City 319-338-5000 View Website Walking in the front door of this neighborhood bakery is an immediate mood-lifter and hits reset on […]
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Six days a week, 52 weeks a year, Iowa City’s Free Lunch Program continues to meet hungry neighbors where they are
An open door, a full plate, no questions asked. It’s a simple, humble mission, but for everyone involved with the Free Lunch Program (FLP), from the diners to the directors, it is less about charity than collaboration, enriching the life of both server and guest. This is a truth strongly felt by Diane Platte, one […]
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A guide to eating the day away in Cedar Rapids and Iowa City
Whether you’re from Eastern Iowa or just visiting, chances are there’s a fantastic restaurant you’ve never tried right around the corner. So get out there, support local and enjoy what the area has to offer! Don’t know where to start? Give these CR and IC restaurant itineraries a try. Cedar Rapids First stop: Bea’s Cafe, […]
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Brewed, French-pressed or poured-over, here are some of the best caffeine peddlers in the CRANDIC
Neighborhood coffee joints have remained a source of comfort and caffeine during these uncertain times. The CRANDIC area is overflowing with options, many new to the scene, while others recently expanded or pivoted to meet community needs. Daydrink 125 S Dubuque St, Iowa City View Website Daydrink opened in September of 2020 within the Basic […]
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COVID-19 changed Iowa’s dining industry. Will restaurants (and customers) continue to remain flexible?
In 2019, the restaurant industry in Iowa was flying high. According to the Iowa Restaurant Association, there were close to 6,500 restaurants and bars across the state. Nearly 155,000 people worked in the restaurant and bar industry that year. Just over 100,000 were working in restaurants in Iowa in 2014. “The food world was king,” […]
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The world at your forktips: 15 international restaurants and markets throughout the CRANDIC
From empanadas to masala, jollof rice to donburi, let these international eateries take your tastebuds on a trip. Pinoy Cafe 1100 3rd St SE, Cedar Rapids 319-343-8081 View Website Blanche Vega’s Filipino restaurant, Pinoy Cafe, got its start in a small spot in Cedar Rapids’ NewBo City Market in 2018. Vega graduated to a slightly […]
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Trendy diets are doctor-prescribed treatment for some Iowa patients
It’s likely you’ve heard buzzwords like keto and paleo over the past few years. They’ve become somewhat of a cultural phenomenon, popularized in bestselling books and specialty food products. Flashy advertorials featuring celebrities and social media influencers proclaim that going keto changed their lives, helping them to “lose weight and feel more energized!” What often […]
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Restaurateurs look to local creatives to elevate their exterior
Even if you’re in it for the food and drink, a good view never hurts. At restaurants across the CRANDIC, that view is enhanced by artists. The confluence of art and food is visible in everything from grab-and-go items eaten on brightly painted picnic benches dotting Iowa City’s downtown, to an intentional sit-down meal (with […]
Posted inCOVID-19
‘Microfood’ operations flourished in the pandemic, from home bakers to couriers
The COVID-19 pandemic taught many of us how to switch gears and pivot. In March 2020, as the regular 9-to-5 ruptured, many people quit their desk and retail jobs and started doing the things they’d always wanted to do, either as a side hustle or completely new beginning. “As a person who works in the […]
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Where are the best chicken wings? Ask the Iowa City Wingmen
Since 2019, the original Iowa City Wingmen (Jeff Mannix and Brian Johannesen) have tirelessly scoured the Iowa City chicken wing scene in search of that perfect combination of flavor and texture with the intent of crowning the ultimate, most bodacious chicken wing in Iowa City. Well, that’s a bit dramatic. We mostly just like chicken […]
