A still from ‘Polyester’ (New Line Cinema, 1981), featuring Tab Hunter and Divine.

Not every food scene Waters filmed is as unspeakable as Divine’s final bite in Pink Flamingos. From Mr. Pinky’s eclairs in Hairspray to the pizza aroma Polyester audiences inhaled via Odorama scratch-and-sniff cards (in between the scents of glue and gasoline), Dreamland joints occasionally make the stomach rumble amid all the churning. 

Here are some ways to satisfy your strange cravings while supporting local mongers.

Divine is attacked by a lobster in ‘Multiple Maniacs’ (1970, New Line Cinema).

Multiple Maniacs (1970)

In this one, Divine eats the heart right out of a man’s chest. Well, a cow heart that John Waters picked up from a Baltimore butcher two days prior. If you want to taste what Divine did that day in 1969 — minus the raw element; please cook your captain beefhearts — these three eastern Iowa meat purveyors should be able to help.

Iowa Farm Fresh Meats, West Branch

Thoma’s Meat Market, Iowa City

Ruzicka’s Catering, Solon

Pink Flamingos (1976)

Miss Edie (Edith Massey) welcomes the Egg Man (Paul Swift) in ‘Pink Flamingos’ (1972, New Line Cinema).

Eggs, eggs, eggs! If there’s one thing to know about the late, great outsider artist Edith Massey, it’s her devotion to yolks and folks who coax ’em. If you want to experience the thrill of waiting for the Egg Man to arrive, these purveyors do delivery.

Field to Family Online Market, Iowa City: Online orders can be picked up in Iowa City or delivered directly to your home via Chomp. Eggs from HIM Hearth N Home, Pleasant Grove Homestead and Lucky Star Farm are available, as well as the “meat and potatas!” Massey demands as Aunt Ida in Female Trouble

West Fork Farmstead, West Chester: Weekly home deliveries in Johnson and Washington counties

Haven Acres, Des Moines: Certified Regeneratively Grown eggs, delivered directly to subscribers in central Iowa on a weekly or bi-weekly basis

Southwest Iowa Egg Co-Op (SWIE), Massena: Weekly and monthly delivery of egg orders to locations in the region

Desperate Living (1977)

The Criterion Collection version of ‘Desperate Living’ (New Line Cinema), featuring its original theatrical poster.

The vile image of a dead rat served up on a nice table-setting is just the poster for this rabid 1977 Waters movie. Ironically, you have to go to some pretty fancy restaurants to get a taste of a rat-like rodent in Iowa. You might find rabbit on the menu at:

Baroncini Ristorante Italiano, Iowa City (Bucatini Con Coniglio)

Proudfoot & Bird, Hotel Fort Des Moines (Iberico Rabbit Meatballs)

Serial Mom (1994)

Beverly Sutphin (Kathleen Turner) may be the best mass-murdering meatloaf chef since Dr. Frank-N-Furter. Early in the film, she presents dinner to her idyllic suburban family, declaring, “Ladies and gentlemen, the perfect meatloaf.” I can’t promise you’ll find the same at these restaurants, but you’re less likely to get stabbed with a firepoker while using the restroom.

‘Serial Mom’ Beverly Sutphin (Kathleen Turner) serves “the perfect meatloaf” to her family, played by Sam Waterson, Matthew Lillard and Ricki Lake (Polar Entertainment/Savoy Pictures)

Cecil B. Demented (2000)

Hostages become part of the scenery when a cinephilic cult goes on a guerrilla filmmaking rampage around Baltimore. “All extras, continue eating the oysters or you will be shot and killed!” Stephen Dorff yells at one set of victims. Don’t mind if we do! You can find fresh oysters at:

Terrorist cult leader and indie filmmaker Cecil B. Demented (Stephen Dorff) barks orders at his hostages/extras. (Polar Entertainment, Le Studio Canal+, Artisan Entertainment)

Related interview:

John Waters returns to the land of pig filth with new books, an old grudge and a call to take over the world

This article was originally published in Little Village’s October 2026 issue.