Cedar Rapids — the city of five seasons/smells, and home of Iowa’s best pizza scene. To celebrate the foundational piece of CR pizza that is Leonardo’s (2228 16th Ave SW) let’s take a look at its origins. The story begins in the early 1950s when Tony and Leo Naso opened Cedar Rapids’ first pizzeria, Naso’s […]
Eastern Iowa Food & Drink
Posted inCommunity/News
‘They’re devastated. I’m shocked’: Iowa River Power Restaurant is closing
Iowa River Power Restaurant is closing its doors in November. And while it’s possible the restaurant may reopen after the owner of its building finishes a major renovation project of the property, the restaurant’s owners, staff and Sunday brunch beloved by local diners over the past three decades will never be the same. Iowa River […]
Posted inEastern Iowa
25 Iowa food festivals celebrating sweet corn, bacon, beer and more
Add these homegrown food festivals to your 2023-24 calendar: Sweet Corn Festival, West Point, Thursday-Sunday, Aug. 10-13, 2023, Free Taste of Iowa City, Downtown Iowa City, Wednesday, Aug. 23, 2023, Free Latino Fest, Downtown Iowa City, Saturday, Aug 26, 2023, Free World Food & Music Festival, Western Gateway Park, Des Moines, Friday-Sunday, Aug. 25-27, 2023, […]
Posted inEastern Iowa
Seven stellar newcomers to the CRANDIC restaurant scene
Mesa 503 2302 Muscatine Ave, Iowa City 319-519-6170 Yolanda Amaya and Luis Hernandez immigrated to the U.S. from El Salvador in 1993. Nearly 30 years later, in May 2022, they opened Salvadoran restaurant Mesa 503 on the east side of IC. A sister restaurant to downtown’s Mesa Pizza, Mesa 503’s large menu features pupusas (with […]
Posted inCommunity/News
Hamburg Inn has closed indefinitely for the second time this year
This story originally appeared in LV Daily, Little Village’s Monday-Friday email newsletter. Sign up to have it delivered for free to your inbox. Republicans running for president are moving into full-campaign mode in Iowa as the state GOP hosts its annual Lincoln Dinner fundraiser on Friday night, featuring 10-minute speeches from 13 candidates (including Donald […]
Posted inCommunity/News
Joel and Katrina Anderson hope their new Mt. Vernon ‘brew lab’ is up to scratch
If you’re familiar with Wake Up Iowa coffee, then you’ll recognize the names and faces behind Iowa’s newest coffee roaster, Little Scratch Coffee. Joel and Katrina Anderson’s path has taken them around the Midwest from Iowa to Madison, Wisconsin, to Chicago and back to Iowa and through careers spanning education, engineering and coffee roasting. After […]
Posted inEastern Iowa
A guide to getting the most out of India Cafe’s lunch buffet
Opened in 1994, closed in 2020 due to you-know-what, and then gloriously reopened in March 2023, India Cafe’s lunch buffet is an incredible value and never disappoints. There is a fine art to curating the perfect plate from the India Cafe lunch buffet, one of the best lunch spots in downtown Iowa City, and it […]
Posted inEastern Iowa
LV Recommends: Front Street Pub & Eatery builds on rich (and delicious) history of the Bucktown neighborhood
One of the things I find handy about living in eastern Iowa is my relatively close proximity to the Illinois border and that state’s, uh, produce markets. Every month or two I gaze into an empty jar, curse my home state’s regressive vegetable supply policies, gas up the car and drive east for exactly one […]
Posted inFood & Drink
100 dishes from bygone Iowa City-area restaurants, remembered by LV readers
In March, Little Village asked followers on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, “What are some of your favorite dishes from bygone local restaurants?” The posts received hundreds of comments from nostalgic (and clearly hungry) current and former locals, recalling restaurants long gone and recently deceased. Below are 100 of those responses. Do you know the recipe […]
Posted inEastern Iowa
Thousand Island dressing for success: The Reuben review 2023
You know, the Reuben is one of those sandwiches that you can probably find on at least half of the menus in America, and it will be, in many cases, fine. Pretty good even, if you’re into that sort of thing. But they are rarely special. And so, readers, we’re here to take you on […]
Posted inFood & Drink
LV Recommends: Blue Elephant Thai Restaurant in Coralville has all the marks of excellence
For two years now, Blue Elephant Thai Restaurant has been serving delicious and nourishing food off 2nd Avenue in Coralville, in between Nailville Salon and Almost Paradise Tobacco & Vapor. Thai cuisine is known for its blend of sour, sweet, salty, savory and sometimes creamy notes, and it’s this perfect meld of flavor that Blue […]
Posted inEastern Iowa
Spoil your sweetheart (or sass your ex) with Valentine’s treats from around Iowa City and Cedar Rapids
No matter your relationship status or feelings surrounding Valentine’s Day, it’s a convenient excuse to indulge in a fancy meal, cocktail, dessert, or all three. Spend Tuesday, Feb. 14 in good spirits — and out of the waiting area — by supporting local IC/CR businesses, planning ahead and getting straight to the good stuff. Paint […]
