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 […]
Iowa City restaurants
Posted inCommunity/News
‘They’re devastated. I’m shocked’: Iowa River Power Restaurant is closing
Iowa River Power Restaurant is closing its doors in November. And while it’s possible the restaurant may reopen after the owner of its building finishes a major renovation project of the property, the restaurant’s owners, staff and Sunday brunch beloved by local diners over the past three decades will never be the same. Iowa River […]
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 inEastern Iowa
A guide to getting the most out of India Cafe’s lunch buffet
Opened in 1994, closed in 2020 due to you-know-what, and then gloriously reopened in March 2023, India Cafe’s lunch buffet is an incredible value and never disappoints. There is a fine art to curating the perfect plate from the India Cafe lunch buffet, one of the best lunch spots in downtown Iowa City, and it […]
Posted inFood & Drink
100 dishes from bygone Iowa City-area restaurants, remembered by LV readers
In March, Little Village asked followers on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, “What are some of your favorite dishes from bygone local restaurants?” The posts received hundreds of comments from nostalgic (and clearly hungry) current and former locals, recalling restaurants long gone and recently deceased. Below are 100 of those responses. Do you know the recipe […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Iowa City Starbucks files to become first unionized store in the state
Workers at the Starbucks in downtown Iowa City have begun the formal process that will allow them to unionize. Unionization drives at the coffee chain have swept through locations around the country during the last two years, but the workers at the Starbucks at the corner of Burlington and Clinton Streets are the first in […]
Posted inEastern Iowa
Thousand Island dressing for success: The Reuben review 2023
You know, the Reuben is one of those sandwiches that you can probably find on at least half of the menus in America, and it will be, in many cases, fine. Pretty good even, if you’re into that sort of thing. But they are rarely special. And so, readers, we’re here to take you on […]
Posted inEastern Iowa
Spoil your sweetheart (or sass your ex) with Valentine’s treats from around Iowa City and Cedar Rapids
No matter your relationship status or feelings surrounding Valentine’s Day, it’s a convenient excuse to indulge in a fancy meal, cocktail, dessert, or all three. Spend Tuesday, Feb. 14 in good spirits — and out of the waiting area — by supporting local IC/CR businesses, planning ahead and getting straight to the good stuff. Paint […]
Posted inCommunity/News
Hamburg Inn No. 2 closes ‘for physical and spiritual repairs,’ will reopen by February
Hamburg Inn No. 2 has closed for maintenance, but should reopen next month, the restaurant’s new manager told Little Village on Monday. “We need to tear up the basement floor to fix a crushed sewer line,” Manager Joseph Mulvihill said. On Dec. 30, managers of the Hamburg Inn said that due to a series of […]
Posted inCommunity/News
Hamburg Inn No. 2 will close ‘indefinitely’ in January (Updated)
Update: One day after managers and staff at Hamburg Inn No. 2 confirmed the restaurant would be closing in January, an attorney for owner Michael Lee told KCRG, “There are no plans to close the restaurant.” The attorney’s statement said, “The Hamburg Inn has been operating at reduced hours the last few weeks and will […]
Posted inCommunity/News
Tired of sports bars? The Green House owner Emily Salmonson wants to offer a ‘calming’ alternative
Emily Salmonson thinks the pandemic brought plant fanatics out of the woodworks. After months of quarantine, people dove into recreation, emerging as hikers or bikers, or they brought the outdoor indoors, becoming plant parents. “I have just huge love of plants. I’ve always had plants just around me growing up. My mother had tons of […]
Posted inBread & Butter Dining Guide
A guide to eating the day away in Cedar Rapids and Iowa City
Whether you’re from Eastern Iowa or just visiting, chances are there’s a fantastic restaurant you’ve never tried right around the corner. So get out there, support local and enjoy what the area has to offer! Don’t know where to start? Give these CR and IC restaurant itineraries a try. Cedar Rapids First stop: Bea’s Cafe, […]
