Three blocks from the bar colony of downtown Iowa City sits the Northside Market, a neighborhood some of the quieter and more niche businesses call home. There’s Dirty John’s Grocery, the endless kitsch of Artifacts and the town’s only falafel joint, Oasis. There is also a little place called George’s Buffet. A slender two-story frame […]
Food & Drink
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 inCommunity/News
Iowa City Farmers Market opens its 2024 season on Saturday, along with Des Moines, Waterloo and more
The Iowa City Farmers Market returns to the Chauncey Swan Parking Ramp this Saturday. The market’s hours this year will be 7:30 a.m. to noon on Saturdays from May 4 to Oct. 26. One new thing at the market this season will be the person in charge. “This is my first season as the supervisor […]
Posted inCommunity/News
Photos: Table to Table’s big potato rescue
Little Village captured photos at Table to Table’s potato packing party on Friday, March 15. The nonprofit received a donation of an entire semi truckload of russet potatoes (an estimated 58,000 pounds). Volunteers from United Way of Johnson & Washington Counties and 5224Good sorted and moved the spuds into more manageable boxes. Table to Table […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Crossing the Reub-icon: Seven Iowa-made sandwiches, reviewed
From this year’s Reuben pageant sprung an unexpected star — a deviation, a meatless challenger from the sidelines. In the spirit of progress, we allowed its ascension; perhaps to set up 2025’s review, when the kitchen at Octopus in Cedar Falls should be in full service (owner Dave Diebler describes his tempeh Reuben as “off […]
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Pour things from Iowa breweries to imbibe this Oscar season
We’ve paired a pair of Iowa-made beers with each of this year’s Best Picture contenders so no matter who wins, you’re golden. American Fiction Bankrupt On Selling fruited sour6.4% ABVLua Brewing, Des Moines Mummer Saison-style mumme6% ABVQuarter Barrel Arcade & Brewery, Cedar Rapids Lua’s Bankrupt on Selling is packed with blackberry, pineapple, cinnamon and nutmeg. […]
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LV Recommends: New Taste of India spices up a ’50s diner in West Liberty
Many of us who lived in Johnson County in the ’80s and ’90s can remember Rockitz, an iconic traditional American diner right off interstate 80 by the West Liberty exit. I’m pretty sure Fonzie frequented there, or some scene of American Graffiti was shot there. The diner didn’t make it past the turn of the […]
Posted inEastern Iowa Food & Drink
Cedar Rapids Restaurant Week returns with a 10-day week and 19 restaurants
The name may say “week,” but Cedar Rapids Restaurant Week is a 10-day-long celebration of the city’s breakfast, lunch and dinner options. The “Cedar Rapids” part isn’t strictly accurate either, since Cedar Ridge Winery & Distillery in Swisher and the hip-stir in Marion are among the 19 restaurants participating this year. The week expanded to […]
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 […]
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LV Recommends: Lacayo brings exceptional Latin cuisine and fresh flavors to a beloved Cedar Rapids restaurant
The owners of Lacayo — the NewBo restaurant that was formerly Caucho — “boomeranged” back to Cedar Rapids with the dream of opening their own restaurant. Armina Grizak Lacayo and Daniel Lacayo lived in Chicago before moving to Daniel’s hometown of Cedar Rapids in 2015 to work for local restaurateurs Carrie and Andy Schumacher. “It’s […]
Posted inFood & Drink
LV Recommends: Burgers, bologna and beer reign at Either/Or, a new restaurant from the crew behind Lua Brewing
Either/Or is the latest venture from the restaurant group behind Lua Brewing in the Sherman Hill neighborhood of downtown Des Moines. “Lua is about craft beer and food, and it was our first so [it’ll] always [be] our baby, but it’s small,” said co-owner Scott Selix. “Either/Or is bigger on just about every scale. We […]
Posted inCommunity/News
Iowa’s loose-meat sandwiches go by several names (just don’t use the wrong one)
There’s no question that Iowa is the birthplace of the loose-meat sandwich — that beefy, slow-cooked and wonderfully messy American comfort food served on a hamburger bun. But which version of this sandwich is the definitive Iowa loose-meat sandwich is a debate that’s raged from river to river for nearly 100 years. Most Iowans call […]
