For the 2025 Bread & Butter dining guide, Little Village food reviewers visited and reviewed 10 Cedar Rapids area eateries. You can find more local restaurant coverage here.
MARION
New York Gyro
808 7th Ave, Marion, 319-200-1750
I feel like once a year when I do these reviews, there’s always one restaurant I’ve never visited that becomes a new favorite in the rotation. I think 2025’s pick will be New York Gyro and their signature gyro. With beautiful deep-green lettuce and hefty slices of gyro meat piled into a pillowy pita and dripping with tzatziki sauce, it’s the platonic ideal of a gyro, the gyro that all lesser gyros aspire to. Served with lemon salt-dusted fries and a drink for under 20 bucks, it’s the ideal grab ‘n’ go lunch in Marion. —Malcolm MacDougall
Goldfinch Tap + Eatery
740 10th St, Marion, 319-826-2047
Goldfinch is the quintessential example of a restaurant genre I like to call “mother-in-law restaurants.” It’s the kind of place you go when your mother-in-law is coming to town and wants to go out to eat: a place that’s nice inside, with good service and a straightforward menu with just enough curveballs and tweaks to satisfy the family gourmand. Brunch at the ’Finch is especially good — if you nail the timing and come at a quieter hour, you’ll be able to appreciate the open, relaxing vibes as you chow down on some eggs benedict, or check out their rotating specials. There’s always something sure to whet your appetite. —Malcolm MacDougall
The Hip-Stir
1120 7th Ave, Marion, 319-200-5465
Have you ever felt like your dining experiences are missing a certain Zooey Deschanel quirkiness? Try the Hip-Stir, where doors festoon the ceiling, flocks of stained-glass lamps hang above barrel-like enclosed booths, and chintz is king. The menu has an equally exuberant eclecticism: Lobster and shrimp and cheese ramen bowls! Edamame blasted with spicy lime mix with an additional kimchi dipping sauce! A fried chicken sandwich with Buffalo sauce and smoked onion ranch! There’s as much room for boring food at the Hip-Stir as there is breathing room in Arcade Fire’s jeans. —Malcolm MacDougall
CEDAR RAPIDS
Dash Coffee Roasters
120 3rd Ave SW Ste 2, Cedar Rapids, 319-423-9297
Dash is the coffee shop’s coffee shop: perfect to sit in and do homework, or meet with a friend, or just enjoy a bite. The coffee, of course, is great. I recommend a close perusal of the roast options available; the flavor notes are spot-on and it’s a great way to find a new favorite. The food’s solid as well. Normally I’d be sniffy about the concept of going out to get a bowl of oatmeal, but look, you roll in at like, 7 a.m., grab a coffee and a Chunky Monkey bowl (steel cut oats, banana, chocolate, pecans, milk) and that’s fuel all morning long, baby. —Malcolm MacDougall
Sushi House
2665 Edgewood Pkwy SW #100, Cedar Rapids, 319-396-1990
This southwest CR spot is a solid pick for sushi and Japanese comfort food. The rolls are fresh and well made and the portions are just right. If you’re not feeling sushi, their menu has a nice mix of classics and warm dishes like udon, ramen and bento boxes. The vibe is chill and unpretentious, which makes it great for a casual weeknight dinner or an easy date night. The service is kind and unhurried, which adds to the calm atmosphere. If you’re craving quality sushi with no frills, Sushi House is your place! —Madelyn Williams
Dine in or take out, Sushi House is an ideal chowdown spot just off of Edgewood. The salmon-skin salad is a particular standout — there’s a subtle smokiness to the flavoring that had me pouring the remaining dressing over my rice to savor every drop. The Mandarin eggplant with seafood was also fantastic. It’s stuffed with scallops and shrimp and doused with sauce so that the eggplant melds with the food and adds a subtle earthy note for a combo I didn’t expect to love. What’s more, the portions are generous for a reasonable price, especially as it gets harder and harder to buy a meal without having to take out a home equity loan. —Malcolm MacDougall
Tornado’s Grub & Pub
1600 3rd St SE, Cedar Rapids, 319-364-9378
All of my coworkers at my factory day job consider this to be the best burger in Cedar Rapids, and I’m inclined to agree. The Tornado’s burger is a proletarian burger; after eight to 10 hours of manual labor there’s nothing that hits you better than a chunk o’ meat on a bun, served dripping with toppings so generously slopped on that I had to eat my burger with a knife and fork. If your arteries don’t have the necessary iron cladding to hold up to that onslaught, there’s plenty more to peruse, including some surprisingly decent salads and bagel sandwiches. Top pick: the F3 “Both” burger with mushrooms, Swiss and brown gravy. Grab plenty of napkins and tuck in. —Malcolm MacDougall
If you’re wanting a burger in Cedar Rapids, there is only one right answer — Tornado’s! While their pork tenderloin, bagel sandwiches and pepperjack cheese curds get a lot of love, their perfectly cooked and seasoned burgers are what keep people coming back. Finished with their branded buns, Tornado’s never misses. The loaded nachos and fried sides are perfect for sharing or keeping all to yourself. From the outside, it might not catch your eye, but step inside and you’ll find a welcoming, lively atmosphere filled with locals catching a game, playing darts or just hanging out. —Madelyn Williams
Old Neighborhood Pub
608 16th St NE, Cedar Rapids, 319-449-4726
Old Neighborhood Pub feels like that friend’s house you never want to leave. It’s tucked into a quiet Cedar Rapids spot and keeps things simple in the best way. The hearty breakfast plates are a sleeper hit here. Mondays are for their Mexi specials, and of course, hand pattied burgers every day of the week! Regulars swear by the friendly bartenders and their solid beer selection. It’s part dive bar, part neighborhood hangout, and just the right level of noise. Nothing fancy, but you’ll want to stay a while, and probably come back next weekend. —Madelyn Williams
Aroma Pizza
1100 3rd St SE, Cedar Rapids, 319-777-6119
Aroma Pizza’s not just the corner fixture at NewBo Marketplace anymore. There’s a new location on First offering an expanded menu, better seating and scoops of gelato after you’re done (recommendation: the lemon poppyseed is great). The pizza’s the same — a pleasantly yeasty, slightly flaccid crust loaded with toppings, with a red sauce on the sweeter side. The barbecue chicken is a great choice as well, deliciously saucy with a generous hand of shredded chicken. Size up if you want — the pizza’s great the next morning straight out of the fridge. —Madelyn Williams
Lu’s Deli
1010 3rd St SE, Cedar Rapids, 319-200-2221
Lu’s Deli in downtown Cedar Rapids serves straightforward, well-made lunches in a space that’s clean, comfortable and laidback. The menu covers all the basics like sandwiches, soups and salads without overcomplicating anything. Ingredients are fresh, and Lu’s Pasta Salad has a cult following for good reason. Orders come out quickly but the place never feels rushed. The daily specials change things up just enough, and if you stop in on a Sunday morning, they’ll have fresh Donutland treats! —Madelyn Williams
Need Pizza
207 2nd Ave SE, Cedar Rapids, 319-362-6333
This downtown Cedar Rapids pizzeria has a chill vibe with large windows, Edison-bulbed light fixtures, a fish tank, some chalkboard walls, a long bar backed with retro refrigerators and other eye-catching decor. The pizza is New Haven style, meaning big thin crust slices with a nice char that you can fold or eat with a fork if you’re feeling fancy. You can build your own with over 30 topping options and four different sauces, so it’s easy to go classic or get weird. The drink menu is stacked, and the crowd is always a mix of regulars and first-timers. —Madelyn Williams
This article was originally published in Little Village’s August 2025 issue.
