There are many quirky, surprising and downright delicious dining opportunities within a day’s beautiful drive of Iowa City. Here’s a guide to get you started. [vc_text_separator title=”Grinnell” title_align=”separator_align_center” align=”align_center” color=”orange” el_class=”bb-separator”] “The jewel of the prairie,” Grinnell’s small but mighty liberal arts college campus is well known for sating the fiendish needs of area cultural […]
Bread & Butter
LV Recommends: 9 places in the Iowa City area that combine good eats with great music
[vc_row full_width=”” parallax=”” parallax_image=””][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_column_text] Good eats, lively tunes; two birds, one stone. From oysters and jazz, to blues and beer, there’s something for everyone at these live music venues. [vc_separator color=”orange” align=”align_center” border_width=”4″][/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row full_width=”” parallax=”” parallax_image=”” el_id=””][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_column_text el_class=”bb-image”] [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row full_width=”” parallax=”” parallax_image=””][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_column_text] Feelin’ Jazzy: Clinton Street Social Club 18 1/2 S. Clinton […]
LV Recommends: 5 places to get delicious, authentic pho in the Iowa City area
[vc_row full_width=”” parallax=”” parallax_image=””][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_column_text] What could be better? A bowlful of slurpy rice noodles, deliciously seasoned broth, and a personal buffet of vegetables and herbs to customize it just to your liking. Visit these local restaurants for the real deal. [vc_separator color=”orange” align=”align_center” border_width=”4″][/vc_column_text][vc_column_text] Pho Zaika / I <3 Pho Old Capitol Mall (201 […]
Spotlight: These chefs and proprietors are breaking the culinary gender barrier—and making fantastic food while they do it
[vc_separator color=”orange” align=”align_center” border_width=”4″] Cooking, teaching and writing poetry have this in common: All are considered “women’s work” until the elite tier of each is reached. Then? It’s a man’s world, baby. Gender disparity skyrockets. Far more published poets are men, as are college professors, and the same is true amongst chefs and restaurateurs. But […]
LV Recommends: 9 places to find premium pizza in the Iowa City area
[vc_row full_width=”” parallax=”” parallax_image=””][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_column_text] Maybe it’s 2 a.m. and you need pizza more than you’ve ever needed anything. Maybe it’s a weekday evening and you’re in the mood for locally foraged mushrooms. Or, maybe you eat pizza only when it’s accompanied by videogames. For each and all of the above, the local area’s pizza […]
LV Recommends: 4 spots that prove you don’t have to leave Iowa for great seafood
[vc_row full_width=”” parallax=”” parallax_image=””][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_column_text] Turns out landlocked Iowa can do seafood. These four area spots are proof that there’s fabulous fish to be had without hopping a plane. [vc_separator color=”orange” align=”align_center” border_width=”4″][/vc_column_text][vc_column_text] Oyama Sushi 1853 Lower Muscatine Rd., Iowa City 5350 Council St. NE, Cedar Rapids Oyama is an authentic Japanese restaurant. It’s Iowa […]
LV Recommends: 3 homegrown coffee roasters that’ll have you buzzing
Meet three local roasting outfits delivering unique brews to fuel your caffeine addiction [vc_text_separator title=”Wake Up Iowa” title_align=”separator_align_center” align=”align_center” color=”orange” el_class=”bb-separator”] What began in 2011 for owner Jarrett Mitchell as a charming coffee cart in a parking lot, has transformed over the years into a full-fledged roasting operation. With previous iterations as both a small […]
LV Recommends: 4 spots in the Iowa City area where brunch reigns supreme
[vc_row full_width=”” parallax=”” parallax_image=””][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_column_text] Save your last-minute, behind-schedule morning routine for the weekdays. Slow your roll and linger over your breakfast plate at one of these area institutions. [vc_separator color=”orange” align=”align_center” border_width=”4″][/vc_column_text][vc_column_text] Pullman Bar & Diner 17 S. Dubuque St., Iowa City So you’re headed to brunch, and you want some deeply comforting food. […]
LV Recommends: 5 places with must-have sandwiches in the Iowa City area
[vc_row full_width=”” parallax=”” parallax_image=””][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_column_text] You’d be hard-pressed to visit the area and not find a sandwich you love. But there are a few noteworthy places where the humble sandwich—something we’ve been eating since we were kids—moves from a tasty and convenient way to deliver nourishment, to a next level meal you can’t stop thinking […]
LV Recommends: Notable restaurant newbies in the Iowa City area
[vc_row full_width=”” parallax=”” parallax_image=””][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_column_text] The areas newest restaurants have upped the culinary ante. Put these on your list; you don’t want to miss these fresh faces. [vc_separator color=”orange” align=”align_center” border_width=”4″][/vc_column_text][vc_column_text] Mosley’s Barbeque and Provisions 525 S. Gilbert St., Iowa City Perhaps you’ve followed your nose and been lured into Mosley’s Barbecue and Provisions’ rustic, […]
LV Recommends: 5 Restaurants worth waiting for in the Iowa City area
[vc_row full_width=”” parallax=”” parallax_image=””][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_column_text] Don’t let the crowds deter you from these popular area spots. Your tested patience and hanger-management skills will be handsomely rewarded when you take that first bite. [vc_separator color=”orange” align=”align_center” border_width=”4″][/vc_column_text][vc_column_text] Hamburg Inn #2 214 N. Linn St., Iowa City Heaven help you if it’s a Sunday. This #2 diner […]
LV Recommends: 4 places to eat in the Iowa City area for those with fastidious diets
[vc_row full_width=”” parallax=”” parallax_image=””][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_column_text] Eating clean doesn’t have to mean doing without. These local establishments happily cater to those with dietary restrictions. [vc_separator color=”orange” align=”align_center” border_width=”4″][/vc_column_text][vc_column_text] Monica’s 303 2nd St., Coralville Inviting, comfortable, casual but classy, Monica’s offers a large and hearty menu, highlighting two things that most gluten-free eaters have long forgotten: pizza […]




