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Hungry for a hike? Try these Iowa state park and local restaurant pairings

It’s easy to work up a hunger exploring a state park. Refuel for your next adventure at these nearby eateries. Illustrations by Ethan Edvenson Palisades State Park 700 Kepler Dr, Mt. Vernon Palisades-Kepler State Park is located just outside Mt. […]

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With La Wine Bar, ShanShan Kong has turned an unlucky block into a downtown IC oasis

ShanShan Kong has been making hard-to-come-by Korean and Chinese dishes available in downtown Iowa City for three years. She opened La Wine Bar & Restaurant in fall 2019 at 180 E Burlington — the short-lived home of a Zombie Burger […]

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Eastern Iowa restaurant insiders dish on their go-to meals, best food memories and tips for diners

What are you looking for in a meal off the clock? Anthony Green: Something very different than what I just spent the last 14-16 hours cooking. Oftentimes if it’s simple, delicious and prepared by someone else, that will hit the […]

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Meet Alex Smith, Iowa City’s newest chef, recipe developer and restaurateur

Meet Alex Smith, Iowa City’s newest foodie transplant from Bloomington, Indiana. She’s the driving force behind Plated Table, a business specializing in small event catering, weekly meal deliveries and dreamy, intimate dinner parties. Smith takes on a variety of events […]

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LV Recommends: Raise a slice to Leonardo’s, Cedar Rapids’ 70-year-old time capsule

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 […]

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‘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 […]

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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, […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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LV Recommends: Naughtea, Iowa’s only K-dog joint, lets you customize your tea and ‘dog in endless ways

Naughtea, a Korean corn dog and bubble tea shop located in a strip mall in quintessential suburbia, smells of fresh, high-class corn dog breading. Rabbit imagery hangs on the walls of this Ankeny business, which debuted at the end of […]

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