Fairfield is so much more than transcendental meditation (although there is a lot of that). The town has an abundance of food options, including plenty of vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free options. For the biggest range of choices, schedule your day trip to Fairfield for late-week; Thursday through Saturday is optimal. Many restaurants only have weekday […]
Bread & Butter 2023
Posted inCommunity/News
Ramen chefs across Iowa are making magic with noodles and broth
Over the last few years, Iowa has seen a range of ramen-focused shops open, from DSM Ramen Club, a monthly ramen pop-up in Des Moines; to Ramen Belly, an intimate shop in Iowa City’s Peninsula neighborhood; to Broth Lab 641, an Asian-influenced restaurant in Fairfield; plus various pop-ups throughout Eastern Iowa. Each of these newer […]
Posted inCommunity/News
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. Vernon, making it readily accessible for folks in Cedar Rapids and Iowa City. It’s also […]
Posted inEastern Iowa
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 and a BeerBurger franchise — and mustered through the pandemic. She now operates several other […]
Posted inEastern Iowa
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 spot. Aaron Hall: I have certain places along my delivery route that I know I […]
Posted inFood & Drink
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 and clients, cooking and creating menus for weddings and celebratory brunches, hosting ticketed multi-course seasonal […]
Posted inEastern Iowa
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, Free World Food & Music Festival, Western Gateway Park, Des Moines, Friday-Sunday, Aug. 25-27, 2023, […]
Posted inEastern Iowa
Seven stellar newcomers to the CRANDIC restaurant scene
Mesa 503 2302 Muscatine Ave, Iowa City 319-519-6170 Yolanda Amaya and Luis Hernandez immigrated to the U.S. from El Salvador in 1993. Nearly 30 years later, in May 2022, they opened Salvadoran restaurant Mesa 503 on the east side of IC. A sister restaurant to downtown’s Mesa Pizza, Mesa 503’s large menu features pupusas (with […]
Posted inCommunity/News
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 Chicago and back to Iowa and through careers spanning education, engineering and coffee roasting. After […]
