If you’re looking for the best Des Moines restaurants in 2025, you’re in the right place. Des Moines has become one of the Midwest’s most exciting food destinations, with a wide mix of classic favorites, trendy new spots, and locally owned gems. Whether you’re a lifelong local or visiting for the weekend, this guide highlights the can’t-miss restaurants that define the Des Moines food scene.
Continue reading “The Best Des Moines Restaurants to Try in 2025: Your Local Food Guide”TOP 5 COFFEE SHOPS IN DES MOINES
As Iowa’s largest metropolitan area, Des Moines offers many shops and places for locals to get their daily caffeine fix. Our writers went around the metro area, trying drinks at the various locations, then compared notes to rank and bring readers our top five picks of Des Moines coffee shops.
Mars Cafe
Mars Cafe is a coffee shop in the Drake neighborhood in Des Moines. Mars Cafe prioritizes ensuring quality coffee for customers and a comfortable environment. In the cafe, there is a large seating area for customers to relax, do work, or visit with friends. Mars has a helpful and friendly staff, which furthers the experience by creating genuine interactions between customers and employees.
Smokey Row
Smokey Row has many locations in Iowa, including a few in Des Moines. This shop has an immense amount of history behind it, including a great story of how it was founded. They pride themselves on their mid-west hospitality, good employees, and the appeal it has to all ages. Not only does Smokey Row have coffee, but it also has an old-fashioned soda fountain to heighten its appeal. This shop’s ultimate goal is to make people’s day.
Horizon Line
Horizon Line is located in Downtown Des Moines. Horizon Line prioritizes serving good coffee and caring for customers. They specialize in creating unique coffee creations. Horizon Line works hard to implement an inclusive community and environment in their shop. They strive to be more than just a classic coffee shop. They hope that customers not only enjoy their coffee but also enjoy their experience.
Slow Down Coffee Co.
The Slow Down Coffee Co. is located in the Highland Park area of Des Moines. They hope that customers will take time to slow down and enjoy the cafe experience. Taking time to slowly sip the coffee and live with intention. Customers who have visited state that the staff is extremely friendly and helpful to customers. In addition, the cafe serves a wide array of coffee drinks to accommodate everyone’s preferences.
Daisy Chain Coffee
Daisy Chain Coffee is located on Grand Ave. in East Village. They serve specialty coffee and sell local Iowa honey that is collected from a beehive by the owner, Dan, every day. The shop opened in 2020, and since then has been achieving its goal of caring for people, supporting the local community, and providing accessible and quality coffee. According to Google Reviews, the coffee is reasonably priced, and they have great customer service.
Best of Des Moines Coffee Shops
Surprisingly, the Des Moines area has some strong competition for the title of best coffee. Whether you are looking for a place to work on homework and snack or just a great cup of coffee, there are so many places to explore. Today, we are going to be highlighting our top 3 favorite Des Moines coffee shops.
Chain & Spoke
Chain & Spoke, Coffee and Cyclery, is located in Des Moines, Iowa, at 515 28th Street, Suite 102. This local spot offers a unique combination of coffee and bicycle services and accessories. Although they are closed on Sundays, Chain & Spoke is open from 8 am to 5 pm Monday through Friday, and 8 am to 3 pm on Saturday.
Northern Vessel
Northern Vessel is located in Des Moines at 1201 Keosauqua Way. They are a coffee shop that likes to pride itself on creating an experience for its customers. They started their business in a garage in 2019, to then be able to buy a location in 2022. They are open Monday through Friday from 6 am to 3 pm, and 8 am to 2 pm Saturday and Sunday. They also make a weekly appearance at the farmers market downtown Des Moines every Saturday, selling their most popular item, which is the Cold Brew Latte.
Daisy Chain
Daisy Chain is a specialty coffee located in the East Village of downtown Des Moines at 505 East Grand Avenue #104. The owner, Daniel, opened the shop in 2020. He also sells the honey he collects from his beekeeping. They are open Monday through Friday from 7:30 am to 4 pm and Saturday to Sunday from 8 am to 4 pm.
Honorable Mention
Smokey Row has many locations in Iowa, but the original is located in Pleasantville, Iowa. It features a wide variety of things on the menu, with coffee being their claim to fame, and has the saying “Good Coffee. Good People”. Their homey feel and amazing staff set this place apart and make it truly a staple in Des Moines
I hope you enjoyed getting to hear our favorite Des Moines Coffee spots and hope you will give them some love. The Des Moines area, in particular, is known for having great local business opportunities, especially in the coffee and food scene. That is why we are happy to use our platform as a resource for all viewers to find trusted businesses and for the businesses to further gain traction. As well as promoting the importance of supporting small businesses in the Des Moines community.
Des Moines Water Works
Des Moines Water Works Overview
Des Moines Water Works is a public water utility located in the capital city of Iowa. The municipal facility has the motto “Think Downstream,” which ultimately encourages members of the community to be cautious and think about their environmental impact on the city’s water sources.
Recently, Des Moines Water Works passed new water rates beginning in 2026. Commercial and industrial customers will be charged $10.70 a month per thousand gallons of Des Moines water used. The increase is reported to have come from the large flush of nitrates into the water sources from farming and residential lawn care. Nitrate removal systems were working overtime from June to August 2025 to produce safe and reliable drinking water for the public.
Des Moines Water Works states their mission to be “Leading and advocating to deliver Water You Can Trust For Life.”
Water Works Park
The Des Moines Water Works park is infamous around the city for its beautiful landscaping and public art. Spanning approximately 1,500 acres, the Water Works park covers nearly twice the amount of ground that Central Park does.
The park is also home to the Arie Den Boer Arboretum, named after its developer in 1930. The arboretum is home to one of the largest collections of crabapple trees in the world, making for a beautiful bloom when the trees flower in the spring.
Des Moines Water Works Park often hosts outdoor concerts for the community, with recent performers being Jessie Murph, Willie Nelson, and REO Speedwagon.
The park also hosts Biergarten, an annual, family-friendly German-themed beer garden. Attendees can purchase and enjoy multiple kinds of local craft beer and stop by street-food stands selling hotdogs, pretzels, and more.
Additionally, Water Works has become an iconic spot for Des Moines photographers. Thanks to the unique designs and photo ops around the park, hundreds of people take advantage of the scenery each year to plan grad or family photos.
Des Moines Community Outreach
In addition to its parks and arts investments, Des Moines Water Works also promotes pollution prevention. Outreach includes specific suggestions on how homeowners in Des Moines can limit their environmental footprint — and improve water quality for the community. Des Moines Water Works recommends using natural cleaning products and warns against disposing environmentally toxic materials — Household Hazardous Materials (HHMs) — down drains or into sewers. Recycling and reducing household waste is also part of the equation.
Des Moines Water Works also lists specific guidelines for yard maintenance practices. Because grass clippings and other yard manicuring by-products can block sewer drainage, Des Moines Water Works advises homeowners to bag up waste and put it in CompostIt! Bags.
In public spaces such as parks, Des Moines Water Works encourages community members contribute to group clean-up efforts.
All in all, Des Moines Water Works is more than just a utility company. They care about the Des Moines community and improving water quality for all.
Raise Your Cup With Your Pup: Paws and Pints, Des Moines
By Drake Student
Paws and Pints is a dog park with a half bar and grill situated on the south side of Des Moines. Visitors can enjoy a cocktail or burger in the Best Friends Bar while letting their furry friend run around in the large fenced-in dog park. The patio has an inside portion and an outside option to give the dogs more space and allow Paws and Pints to stay open year-round. Large windows on the side of the restaurant ensure the owners can see that their dog stays safe and engaged.
Best Friends Bar
The restaurant isn’t exactly amazing, but I wouldn’t necessarily base my opinion strictly on the food. The restaurant environment feels like the millennial burger places going viral on TikTok. Some of the food seems a bit overpriced for what you would get. A burger alone could cost around $15.00. Seating is also extremely uncomfortable. No seats had padding on them, and at the inside tables, there were what were essentially lawn chairs.
However, they do have an interesting take on cheese curds with their honey glaze topping. Overall, my favorite aspects of the restaurant would have to be the cheese curds and the house sauce that they put over the burgers.
Along with the main bar and restaurant, there is also an additional bar located outside. However, the outside bar is seasonal and only used during the summer months.
Coffee Shop:
Another thing that I find special about this location is the built-in coffee shop. When customers bring their dogs in the morning, they can enjoy a coffee or latte from the connected coffee bar. The coffee shop has more limited hours than the main restaurant, though, as it is only open in the morning and afternoon.
Pet Services:
Beside the main dog park, Paws and Pints offers dog grooming and a new transportation service. Customers can now request that Paws and Pints pick up their animals from their homes and transport them to their appointments. Destinations for this service can range from a day at the dog park or grooming appointment to other doctor appointments off-site.
Dog Park:
Dogs can attend the park only if their owners register an account with Paws and Pints and upload the dog’s veterinarian records for proof of vaccination. Owners can also purchase a day pass or the membership option. While bringing a dog is expensive, entering the park without animals is completely free.
Thoughts:
Paws and Pints is an underrated place in Des Moines for the many things it offers. It’s a great place to get some food and play with dogs. In my experience, it’s a great stress reliever and a great way to get some love from furry friends.
