For anyone who’s been practicing their cooking skills during the pandemic, the Iowa City Downtown District has an opportunity to put that talent to the test — and it’s also an opportunity to try delicious food and recipes from Iowa City chefs. The annual Top Chef Downtown event allows attendees to taste various entrees, desserts […]
Iowa City restaurants
El Banditos is moving in with Billy’s High Hat Diner

Iowa City’s Northside Neighborhood has seen a number of changes recently, from the establishment of a temporary mini pedestrian mall to the debut of a racial justice-focused mural on the side of the new Market House building on North Linn Street. On Wednesday, a Northside business announced another big change. Mexican restaurant El Banditos is […]
Road closure allows Northside restaurants to take to the streets

This summer, Iowa City is home to two pedestrian malls. In an effort to encourage social distancing and outdoor dining as businesses reopen, the city has closed a small stretch of North Linn Street — from Hamburg Inn to the Market Street intersection — to traffic, allowing restaurants to expand their patios into the road. […]
The Mill is closing after nearly 60 years in Iowa City
Put your money where your mouth is: Black-owned restaurants in the Iowa City/Cedar Rapids area

The Eastern Iowa area is blessed to be home to a plethora of businesses owned and operated by black chefs and entrepreneurs. We’ve sung their praises in these pages before, but we haven’t covered them all yet—something that we aim to rectify in coming issues. In celebration of our black community, we’ll be focusing on […]
Life without restaurants

“It is a happy condition of affairs that philosophers, poets, merchants and artists can join together at a dinner, and without a blush perform the function of feeding themselves open in public.” –Lin Yutang, The Importance of Living On March 13, I consumed one of my last meals in a restaurant for the foreseeable future. […]
Here are the winning entrees, desserts and drinks at the 10th Top Chef Downtown competition

The Iowa City Downtown District (ICDD) held its 10th annual Top Chef Downtown at The Graduate on Monday night. This year’s event featured offerings from 29 Iowa City restaurants. Competing entrees ranged from classics like St. Burch Tavern’s braised short rib to less familiar fare like Oasis’s mansaf, as well as desserts such as The […]
Openings, closings and wanderings: 2019 restaurant news in review

It was a turbulent year for many restaurants in Iowa City and Cedar Rapids. Two that opened in January — BeerBurger in downtown Iowa City and Linn Street Dive — closed before the end of summer. But BeerBurger still has its North Liberty location, and in December, Linn Street Dive became Marco’s Grilled Cheese. Melk […]
Your Village: Why is George’s Buffet called ‘George’s Buffet’ when it doesn’t have a buffet?

“Why is George’s called ‘George’s Buffet’ when there’s no buffet?” – Elizabeth, Iowa City. At this point, the most accurate answer is probably “tradition.” Apparently, when George Kanak opened the bar in February 1939, he meant to make it stand out from other bars that served food by offering a full buffet. But if George’s ever had […]
Marco’s Grilled Cheese will open in December in the former Devotay and Linn Street Dive space

Linn Street Dive, which closed in May, will reopen as Marco’s Grilled Cheese at the beginning of December. The target date is Monday, Dec. 2, according to Mark Paterno, who owns the former Linn Street Dive space along with his wife Jade. The new restaurant will be a brick-and-mortar version of the Marco’s Grilled Cheese food cart […]
Sun Cafe and Zio Johno’s move, and Guild Wurst Tavern makes a major change

Two Iowa City restaurants are in the process of moving, and this will be the last week before a Coralville eatery dramatically cuts its hours. Sun Cafe is moving into Zio Johno’s spot on Riverside Drive, and Zio Johno’s has moving around the corner and will reopen in part of what used to be Paul’s Discount. […]
A snacking guide to Witching Hour 2019

Since 2015, Witching Hour has worked to expand the consciousness of festival-goers by stretching imaginations and perceptions of what a festival can and ought to be: a two-day smorgasboard of obscure discussions and performances that take place just as the weather starts to turn horrible. I’m here to stretch how you imagine filling your gullets.
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