Best Restaurants in Des Moines Iowa include seasonal small plates, Italian cuisine, Southern comfort food, barbecue, Mediterranean dishes, and contemporary American cooking. Downtown, East Village, and Ingersoll Avenue offer especially useful local choices.
Harbinger focuses on vegetable-forward small plates made with seasonal ingredients. Additionally, Southeast Asian influences help give its frequently changing menu a distinctive character.
Centro serves Italian-inspired cuisine in the heart of downtown. Also, its menu includes coal-fired pizza, pasta, seafood, steaks, and other approachable dishes.
Alba serves contemporary American cuisine in Des Moines’ Historic East Village. Meanwhile, seasonal cooking and chef-driven dishes make it useful for date nights and special dinners. Alba Restaurant
Bubba specializes in Southern-inspired comfort food in the Western Gateway area. Plus, its approachable setting works well for brunch, dinner, or a casual gathering. Bubba
Eatery A combines Mediterranean-inspired dishes with wood-fired pizza on Ingersoll Avenue. Shareable plates and a casual atmosphere make it practical for groups. Eatery A
Smokey D’s BBQ specializes in slow-smoked meats and hearty barbecue favorites. Additionally, its casual format makes it approachable for families, groups, and barbecue fans. Smokey D’s BBQ
Lucca offers chef-driven Italian cuisine in the East Village. Its structured dinner experience and pasta dishes provide an alternative to Des Moines’ more casual restaurants. Lucca
Des Moines combines Midwestern ingredients with an increasingly diverse restaurant scene. Italian, Southern, Mediterranean, barbecue, and seasonal American cooking provide plenty of local variety.