Guidebook for Des Moines

Joanna
Guidebook for Des Moines

Food Scene

14 locals recommend
Mars Cafe
2318 University Ave
14 locals recommend
31 locals recommend
Smokey Row Coffee Co.
1910 Cottage Grove Ave
31 locals recommend
Try the shakes!
16 locals recommend
Drake Diner
1111 25th St
16 locals recommend
Try the shakes!
Great food and tons of local and specialty items in the adjoining market.
35 locals recommend
Gateway Market
2002 Woodland Ave
35 locals recommend
Great food and tons of local and specialty items in the adjoining market.
BRUNCH BAR. Try the bottomless bloody mary bar and the grilled cheese station.
19 locals recommend
Americana
1312 Locust St
19 locals recommend
BRUNCH BAR. Try the bottomless bloody mary bar and the grilled cheese station.
This is Chipotle 2.0, made in Iowa. Get the fresh tortilla. Add the queso. They BLEND your burrito so you get all the goodness in each bite.
Pancheros Mexican Grill
2708 Ingersoll Ave
This is Chipotle 2.0, made in Iowa. Get the fresh tortilla. Add the queso. They BLEND your burrito so you get all the goodness in each bite.
Gourmet grilled cheese, great wine, beer, and cocktail selection.
10 locals recommend
Cheese Bar
2925 Ingersoll Ave
10 locals recommend
Gourmet grilled cheese, great wine, beer, and cocktail selection.
Crab Rangoon pizza is a must try. Tons of fun pizzas with a Chinese food twist, it's all delicious and they have great happy hour specials.
42 locals recommend
Fong's Pizza
223 4th St
42 locals recommend
Crab Rangoon pizza is a must try. Tons of fun pizzas with a Chinese food twist, it's all delicious and they have great happy hour specials.
Downhome comfort food, Iowa style. Come hungry.
6 locals recommend
Machine Shed Restaurant Urbandale
11151 Hickman Rd
6 locals recommend
Downhome comfort food, Iowa style. Come hungry.
Fun spot with food trucks, local brews, and live music.
The Hall
111 S 11th St
Fun spot with food trucks, local brews, and live music.

Drinks & Nightlife

Rooftop bar with views over downtown. Usually have great live music.
7 locals recommend
300 Craft & Rooftop
300 W Martin Luther King Jr Pkwy
7 locals recommend
Rooftop bar with views over downtown. Usually have great live music.
Fun concert venue and usually a friendly crowd. Drinks are very decent priced.
20 locals recommend
Wooly's
504 E Locust St
20 locals recommend
Fun concert venue and usually a friendly crowd. Drinks are very decent priced.
Local Iowan brewery with 20+ options on tap, brewed in house. My favorite is the Orange Gose sour! Get a flight to try a few if you can't decide!
14 locals recommend
Peace Tree Brewing Company - Des Moines Branch
317 E Court Ave
14 locals recommend
Local Iowan brewery with 20+ options on tap, brewed in house. My favorite is the Orange Gose sour! Get a flight to try a few if you can't decide!
Local Iowa brewery with great food options. My favorite is the Exile Burger and the Beatnik Sour!
29 locals recommend
Exile Brewing Company
1514 Walnut St
29 locals recommend
Local Iowa brewery with great food options. My favorite is the Exile Burger and the Beatnik Sour!

Parks & Nature

Rent a kayak or just go for a walk around the lake. This is a beautiful place to see the sun go down over downtown.
28 locals recommend
Gray's Lake Park
2101 Fleur Dr
28 locals recommend
Rent a kayak or just go for a walk around the lake. This is a beautiful place to see the sun go down over downtown.
Bike & Hike Trail. This iconic bridge is part of the Rails to Trails program. At dusk, the bridge lights up a beautiful blue.
16 locals recommend
High Trestle Trail Bridge
2335 Qf Ln
16 locals recommend
Bike & Hike Trail. This iconic bridge is part of the Rails to Trails program. At dusk, the bridge lights up a beautiful blue.
Lakefront trails and intramural fields.
Raccoon River Park Nature Lodge
2500 Grand Ave
Lakefront trails and intramural fields.
Water Works Park is a 1,500 acre park near downtown Des Moines, Iowa. It is one of the largest urban parks in the United States. Located along the Raccoon River, the park offers trails, picnic areas, grills, and fields.
13 locals recommend
Water Works Park
2201 George Flagg Pkwy
13 locals recommend
Water Works Park is a 1,500 acre park near downtown Des Moines, Iowa. It is one of the largest urban parks in the United States. Located along the Raccoon River, the park offers trails, picnic areas, grills, and fields.

Sightseeing

Fun, hip neighborhood with a lot of personality, cute coffee shops, historic buildings, and local shops.
64 locals recommend
East Village
64 locals recommend
Fun, hip neighborhood with a lot of personality, cute coffee shops, historic buildings, and local shops.
Museum exhibiting over a thousand items related to Iowa's history, from cannons to bicycles.
19 locals recommend
State Historical Museum
600 E Locust St
19 locals recommend
Museum exhibiting over a thousand items related to Iowa's history, from cannons to bicycles.
The Des Moines Art Center is an art museum with an extensive collection of paintings, sculpture, modern art and mixed media.
87 locals recommend
Des Moines Art Center
4700 Grand Ave
87 locals recommend
The Des Moines Art Center is an art museum with an extensive collection of paintings, sculpture, modern art and mixed media.