For the 2025 Bread & Butter dining guide, Little Village food reviewer Sunil Malapati visited and reviewed six Dubuque eateries. You can find more local restaurant coverage here.
Adobos Mexican Grill
756 Main St, 563-556-4407
For a quick lunch getaway or a more leisurely dinner, Chef Jaimie Salazar’s personal blend of spices, salsas and marinades make for great tacos, burritos and quesadillas. Barbacoa — slow-cooked beef in a tamarind marinade — is the standout filling. If you can stand the heat, the Diablo sauce is highly recommended. Adobos also has a food truck hawking its hugely popular breakfast burritos; you can find them at the farmers market on Saturday mornings.
Swagat Indian Cuisine
1108 Locust St, 563-552-0027
Meaning “welcome” in Sanskrit, Swagat has quickly become the place to feast in Dubuque. A clean black-and-white aesthetic lets the food shine. Predominantly Punjabi (northwest Indian), the menu also showcases global influences with dishes like chilli gobhi, a personal favorite. Fresh naans, distinctive curries and flavorful biryanis (rice with meat) all compete for your attention and tastebuds. Go with a group and try as many as you can!
Driftless Pizza Co.
333 E 10th St, 563-275-3444
Crust, sauce, toppings — when they are all great and cooked to perfection, you are in for a treat. Driftless whips up New York-style round pizzas — the large air bubbles speaking to its quality — and Detroit-style square pies with focaccia-quality bread, the sauce poured over the cheese. Cauliflower crust and non-dairy cheese are also available for vegan visitors. A stand-out recipe, the Tie Dye, sees marinara, vodka, pesto and garlic confit swirled over the cheese in a true celebration of sauces. Dine in or carry the pizza over to Backpocket Brewing in the same building for some retro arcade games or duckpin bowling.
7 Hills Brewing Company
1085 Washington St, 563-587-8306
Dubuque was once the beer brewing center of Iowa, and 7 Hills Brewing Company (est. 2017) aims to rebuild that reputation. The brewpub’s restaurant serves the perfect food to accompany the beer; brisket burgers with seasoned fries are a highlight. Unusual combinations abound, from a chicken sandwich piled with bacon, blackberry compote, garlic pepper cream and balsamic glaze on brioche, to the peanut butter and pepper bacon aioli burger on a pretzel bun.
Roux & Lucia
333 Bryant St, 563-552-7151
A modern bakery and coffee shop in a historic milkhouse, Roux & Lucia seem to have perfected the art of laminated dough. The croissants and derivatives such as cruffins, pinwheels and croissant sandwiches are flaky delights. The quiches are a complete breakfast unto themselves. While picking up the baked goods and coffee drinks, take time to peruse an array of imported foods.
Coffee Lab
2728 Asbury Rd Ste 750
Have you ever had a flight at a coffee shop? This calming spot in a historic mansion in the Fountain Park area lets you pick four drinks from their menu — which changes every month as owner Nicki Waugh and her staff experiment with new recipes — to sample, including plenty of kid-friendly concoctions. Perfect for the noncommittal sipper! Accompanying the varied drinks is a solid selection of scones, muffins and pastries.
This article was originally published in Little Village’s August 2025 issue.
