I’m in a bathroom in Highland Park at 11 p.m. on a Friday night. The walls are painted deep red, and the room is lit almost exclusively by prayer candles. Pictures of Jesus line the walls, including one shadowbox image backlit by a single bulb. A black toilet looms in the corner, directly opposite a […]
Des Moines dining
Posted inCommunity/News
Linzi Murray and her West Des Moines bookstore/cafe are hitting their stride
Linzi Murray, owner of Reading in Public Bookstore and Cafe, lifted her pants leg, pointing to a tattoo on her left ankle. Although her dad, Keith, died of lung cancer 10 years ago, “he still jokes with me,” she said with a chuckle. They had a special bond, despite his drinking, her trauma as an […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Review: Unroll some injera at Habesha Ethiopian & Eritrean Restaurant, serving multi-sensory banquets in Des Moines
I finish the last bite of lentils I can manage, scooped up with a piece of fresh injera. My friend remarks at my “tumeric-stained lips,” so I get up to head to the washroom. “Do you want to try some Ethiopian coffee?” our server Asmeret asks me. Asmeret B. Ayele, along with Bashatu Gutama and her […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Review: Walleye, poutine and decadent s’mores help make Guesthouse Tavern + Oyster in WDM a superb supper club experience
Food, like all cultural exchange, is relative. One person’s adventurous meal out of their comfort zone is another person’s daily staple. An example: even though I’m born-and-raised Iowan, I had never heard of a supper club before dining at West Des Moines’ Guesthouse Tavern + Oyster. “Oh, is it like a book club for foodies?” […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Locals Bar & Stage is ‘bringing entertainment back’ to Walnut Street
You could say it has risen out of the rubble — a long-awaited, much-needed presence in the neighborhood. Locals Bar & Stage is helping bring Walnut Street in Des Moines back to life. The area has suffered some losses: the shutdowns of the Gas Lamp, Vaudeville Mews and other downtown establishments have left the area […]
Posted inFood & Drink
LV Recommends: Daisy Chain Coffee in the East Village boasts delicious drinks and curious decor
I don’t normally write reviews at the place I’m reviewing, but I’m glad I decided to write in Daisy Chain Coffee today. Owner Daniel Bosman greets customers as they pop in, showing them his new coffee grinder. The fig tree behind me rustles as a breeze comes through the open door, and I hear the […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Excellent tacos from a ‘bad’ place, 30-inch pizzas and other food to wolf down in Ames and Des Moines
For the 2025 Bread & Butter dining guide, Little Village food reviewers visited and reviewed 10 locally owned central Iowa eateries. DES MOINES Clyde’s Fine Diner 111 E Grand Ave Suite 111, Des Moines, 515-243-3686 Clyde’s is one of my staples and legitimately one of the best restaurants I’ve ever been to. Truly putting the […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Iowa gastrology: Local restaurant recommendations based on your zodiac sign
If astrology is a method of divination based on the positions of stars and planets used for predicting and explaining human events, then gastrology must be a method of divining dining destinations based on cosmic culinary cravings. Read on for your hunger horoscope. ARIES (Mar 21-Apr 19) Oak Park, Des Moines Energetic, influential, confident and […]
Posted inBread & Butter Dining Guide
LV Recommends: 12 local restaurants to try in Des Moines & Ames
Chain and Spoke is half coffee shop, half bike shop. Cycling gear fills in the industrial décor, and walls of windows give the space natural light.
Posted inFood & Drink
LV Recommends: All-day breakfast spots in central and eastern Iowa
Sometimes you just want pancakes for dinner — specifically, a stack of hotcakes fresh off the seasoned griddle of a local diner, presented with a carafe of syrup, crispy hashbrowns, eggs any style and a cocktail or two. Whatever your dream brinner may be, there are plenty of restaurants in the Des Moines and Iowa […]
Posted inFood & Drink
The new Wilson’s Orchard and Farm is growing its own farm-to-table tradition in central Iowa
Since 1980, Wilson’s Orchard, located just north of Iowa City, has been a popular “you-pick” opportunity for area families, students and couples in the late summer and fall months. After Paul Rasch and Sara Goering took ownership in 2009, the beloved orchard, pumpkin patch and bakery grew into a cidery, restaurant, wedding and reception venue, […]
Posted inFood & Drink
LV Recommends: The Bartender’s Handshake, an intimate place for a cozy cocktail in Des Moines
For 2024, “stale, cheesy cocktail bars” are out and “vibey, modern cocktail bars” are in. The Bartender’s Handshake located on Ingersoll in Des Moines is no stranger to the latter. Walking in, you’re greeted with moody lighting and the soft murmur of both conversation and music that elicits speakeasy vibes. The bartender behind the beautifully […]
