31 great brunches to try in the Des Moines area right now, including Early Bird, Eatery A
Susan Stapleton
Restaurants in the Des Moines metro like to make a spectacle of brunch. Some offer simple dishes of steak and eggs, French toast and omelets. Others offer a mix of breakfast and lunch dishes. Some like to bring bloody Marys and mimosas into the mix. And some restaurants serve it seven days a week.
This list is by no means comprehensive, but includes a mix of old standards and newcomers alike, with some offering just on the weekend and others spreading the love all week long.
Here, a look at 31 brunches to try in the Des Moines area. Enjoy.
Have a favorite brunch that we're missing? Send me details with the time, date, and menu at sstapleton@gannett.com, and I'll check it out.
Americana
Head out to the G.O.A.T. of brunches at Americana at 1312 Locust St., Des Moines, which serves its Bottomless Bombshell Brunch buffet from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Head to the mac and cheese bar, or the mashed potato bar, or the brunch taco bar, or the grilled cheese station, or a salad bar and the dessert bar, then wash it all down with a bloody Mary/mimosa/screwdriver bar with a plethora of mixers and add-ins.
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Angry Goldfish Pub & Eatery
Dive into Angry Goldfish Pub & Eatery, 2301 S.W. Ninth St., Des Moines, serves brunch on Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Order biscuits and gravy, quiche filled with eggs and ham, a hangover burger with an over-easy egg and bacon, or an angry bowl with tater tots in beer cheese topped with two over-easy eggs and bacon. Mimosas are $5 each.
Bar Nico
Bar Nico, 428 E. Locust St., in the East Village, started serving brunch back in October as it celebrated its first year in business. Stop by every Friday through Sunday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. to try chef Matt Small's dishes. Start with an order of breakfast tacos or mushroom queso fundido. Egg dishes include a frittata with roasted poblano, a shakshuka with lamb meatballs, huevos rancheros with refried beans, and a Benedict with heirloom corn biscuits and a poached egg. Main dishes range from chicken and bean enchiladas to sweet corn pancakes and carne asada fajitas. Mix up the typical brunch cocktails with a Bloody Beet with mezcal or bourbon, a Morning IV with mezcal or gin, or a Cafecito with mezcal combined with coffee and coconut milk. Everything at Bar Nico is gluten free.
The Breakfast Club
The Breakfast Club (212 E. Third St. Suite B, Des Moines; 5525 Mills Civic Parkway, #100, West Des Moines; 1465 SW Park Square Drive, Ankeny) specializes in brunch, pairing morning cocktails and novelty dishes as fun as the bright colors and artwork. Crepe flights, totchos decked out like nachos, de Burgo Bennys and more can be paired with five different bloody Marys, coffee cocktails, and Mega-Mosas. The menu even includes vegan dishes. Stop by daily from 6 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
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Bubba
Don a straw hat, a seersucker suit and a bow tie and drop by Bubba (200 10th St., Des Moines) for brunch with a Southern flair on Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. Dig into dishes such as peach cobbler French toast; chicken and waffles; a smothered skillet with hash browns topped with two eggs, sausage crumbles, and country gravy; or pulled pork hash. Order white cheddar grits or red beans and rice on the side, or just go for deviled eggs or a stack of apple-cinnamon silver dollar buckwheat pancakes to share.
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Buzzard Billy‘s
Buzzard Billy’s, 615 Third St. in Des Moines, close to Wells Fargo Arena, offers a combination of sweet and savory dishes from 8 to 11 a.m. Friday, 8 a.m. to noon on Saturday, and 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday. Order country fried steak and eggs, biscuits and gravy or Billy’s loaded hash browns with ham, bacon, sausage, bell pepper, onion, jalapeno peppers, and cheddar jack cheese all on top of hash browns. That’s not all. There are two eggs and optional gravy or queso on top.
Club Car Restaurant & Lounge
Charming Club Car Restaurant & Lounge (13435 University Ave., Suite 200, in Clive) serves loaded hash browns topped with two eggs and smothered in sausage gravy or breakfast rarebit with bacon, egg, and ham during brunch every Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to noon. The restaurant, which opened in 1996, takes its name from its location near railroad tracks in Clive and the Country Club housing development next door. Look for retro railroad memorabilia, original framed posters, model train cars, and signs, all in a casual atmosphere. A second location in Ankeny does not offer brunch.
Dam Pub
Stop by the Dam Pub at 2710 Beaver Ave. in Des Moines for brunch dishes such as Garfield’s breakfast lasagna with all the savory breakfast ingredients and topped with avocado cream sauce, chicken and waffles, or the Dam bowls with tater tots topped with breakfast gravy or queso, two over-easy eggs and sausage or bacon. You can also order a make-your-own mimosa bucket for $20, an infused bloody Mary for $7.50, and half-off sangria on Sundays. Grab brunch every Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Early Bird
Early Bird (9250 University Ave. Suite 107, West Des Moines, and 1520 S. Ankeny Blvd., Ankeny) serves brunch daily, featuring favorites such as the No. 16 with three blueberry pancakes drizzled in a lemon glaze and topped with cream cheese and streusel or steak jack burrito stuffed with pepper jack cheese, scrambled eggs, and grilled steak. Down them with cocktails such as the sunrise sangria or a mimosa daily from 6:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. If you head to the restaurant's website, you can sign up for the waitlist and skip the line.
Eatery A
Consider the brunch at Eatery A (2932 Ingersoll Ave., Des Moines) as a daily option every Monday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Try an Italian ham Benedict with a harissa aioli, hanger steak hash topped with poached eggs, or a Nutella French toast, as decadent as it sounds. Share an order of lemon ricotta pancakes or go vegan with cauliflower and chickpea falafel. Shrimp and grits, chilaquiles rojo or rojo, and shakshuka round out the breakfast items. Grab a seat on the patio when the weather cooperates.
Eggs & Jam
Eggs & Jam (1907 EP True Parkway #102, West Des Moines) takes its inspiration from ’90s hip-hop music and features fun artwork on the walls, giving you plenty to look at while you wait. Phat stacks of fluffy pancakes; Yo Homes to Bel Air, an omelet with Philly-style steak and grilled onions; and You Can Touch This egg rolls stuffed with chorizo, bacon and eggs make up some of the musical-themed brunch items. Gluten-free and vegan options abound. Spiked coffee drinks, dirty Old Fashioneds, and mimosas by the glass or carafe go well with the kitschy décor. Open Wednesday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.
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Egg Bistro
Egg Bistro opened at 2010 S.E. Delaware Ave., Suite 222, Ankeny, with a diner feel. The usual suspects of a breakfast burrito, chicken fried steak, corned beef and hash, biscuits and gravy, and chicken and waffles all make an appearance on the menu. Look for tres leches or cinnamon swirl pancakes, banana split waffles, and chocolate banana crepes on the sweet side, as well as skillets, omelets, and Benedicts on the savory side. For those in the mood for lunch, the restaurant offers burgers, salads, and a chicken sandwich. Coffee starts at 50 cents. Open Tuesday through Sunday from 5:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Either/Or
Either/Or (6222 Grand Ave., Des Moines) now serves brunch every Saturday and Sunday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. The restaurant from Scott and Whitney Selix, who also own Lua Brewing in Sherman Hill, offers dishes such as chilaquiles, avocado toast, veggie omelets, buttermilk pancakes, and more. A brunch burger comes with a fried egg and bacon while the brunch bologna sandwich comes with a fried egg. The Dunbar combines the two. Cinnamon rolls, black pepper biscuits, shrimp and grits, and chicken fried chicken round out the menu. Note that gluten-free items are marked on the menu, and many items can become vegan.
Firebirds Wood Fired Grill
Firebirds Wood Fired Grill, 440 S. 68th St. in West Des Moines, offers baked French toast with a caramelized cinnamon custard, pork belly and grits, and a steak and egg bowl. Pair your meal with an espresso martini for the brunch that starts at 11 a.m. Saturdays and Sundays.
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Fresko Natural Food
Fresko, 909 Locust St. in Des Moines, offers a daily, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Options include a smoked salmon eggs Benedict, strawberry banana crepes, banana pecan pancakes, a seitan scramble, and a green chili pork skillet. Try an omelet or order a breakfast cocktail such as a Cafe Fresko with cold brew coffee and bourbon or a Morning in Mexico with tequila, mezcal and cold brew.
HomeGrown
Breakfast is the best meal of the day and the most fun when it includes friends or family. HomeGrown opened in Sherman Hill next to Big Grove Brewery in the Crescent Building with a roster of brunch favorites and cocktails to boot. Try a homemade Pop Tart and an order of eggs Benedict at the restaurant at 555 17th St., Suite 102, Des Moines, and pair it with a bloody Mary topped with a pickle, celery and bacon. Gluten-free items available. Opens at 6:30 a.m. daily.
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La Mie
La Mie's French-inspired brunch menu at 841 42nd St., Des Moines, has a wide array of omelets, quiches and tartines that make you feel like they arrived on a breeze straight out of Paris. Queue up in front to order pastries from fruit Danishes and filled croissants to sticky rolls, grab dishes to go, or order at the counter, and then sit outside when the weather is nice. Open Monday through Saturday from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Kitchen closes at 2 p.m.
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Little Brother
Five-time James Beard Foundation semifinalist for Best Chef Midwest Joe Tripp and his wife, Alexandra, run this Windsor Heights diner that focuses on Jewish-inspired brunch favorites. Little Brother serves the soon-to-be-famous breakfast sandwich with a steamed egg on a house milk roll and options such as sausage, Canadian bacon, fire-roasted avocado, or bacon. A chicken-fried Portobello mushroom, Manischewitz-braised short ribs skillet, yeasted waffles with batter-fried chicken, and caramelized French toast make the menu. Ask about the seasonal cheese blintz or split a big cinnamon roll. Order brunch daily from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
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Louie‘s Wine Dive
If you’re in the mood for a late breakfast, make a date with Louie’s Wine Dive, 4040 University Ave., Suite A, Des Moines, for brunch. Start with a basket of beignets followed by a salmon Benedict, a Rise & Shine flatbread (do swap out marinara for sausage gravy) with eggs done your way and breakfast sausage, or the Blue Plate special with two eggs, bacon, breakfast potatoes, and choice of toast, English muffin or biscuit. The kids will like the French toast. The adults will like the bloody Mary or mimosa. Gluten-free items are noted. Brunch runs on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Mitzi's Kitchen & Cocktails
If you need to fuel up while power shopping in Valley Junction, head to Mitzi's Kitchen & Cocktails, 206 Fifth St., West Des Moines. Brunch every Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. features dishes with punny names such as the Breakfast at Mitzi’s, a breakfast burrito stuffed with hash browns, cheese, sausage and scrambled eggs, or the Some Kind of Wonderful, a breakfast poutine. Even the kids can get a pancake or scrambled eggs and sausage (dubbed the Kids Are Alright) for $6.95. Vegan items noted.
Motley School Tavern
Motley School Tavern in Beaverdale at 1903 Beaver Ave., Des Moines, serves a brunch Tuesday to Thursday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Friday through Sunday starting at 8 a.m. Order dishes such as shrimp and grits, chorizo hash, cinnamon roll pancakes, a ginger sage sausage omelet, and chicken fried chicken. Try a Bellini, mimosa, or bloody Mary as well. Nic Gonwa, a former semifinalist for Rising Star Chef from the James Beard Foundation, runs the kitchen here.
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Mulberry Street Tavern
The Surety Hotel's Mulberry Street Tavern (206 Sixth Ave., Des Moines) wraps around the corner with an open-hearth kitchen serving tavern fare. Try biscuits and gravy, a braised pork breakfast burrito with scrambled eggs, or a . Add an espresso martini, bloody Mary or mimosa as well. Brunch is served Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Parlor
Breakfast at Parlor, 4041 Urbandale Ave., Des Moines, every Friday through Sunday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. includes a loaded egg and potato skillet, a fried egg sandwich, pineapple upside down pancakes, and a pecan roll. Head out to the patio when the weather is nice.
Railroad Bill’s Dining Car
This quirky little spot in the East Village offers breakfast and lunch dishes such as biscuits and gravy, steak and eggs, burgers, and sandwiches. Do try a hash brown platter or corned beef brisket hash at Railroad Bill's Dining Car, 621 Des Moines St., Des Moines. A full line of classic sodas are available as well as a separate vegan menu, and there's a sizable kids' menu to boot. After filling up at Railroad Bill's, take a spin around the attached antique store. Open from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily.
Republic on Grand
Head to Republic on Grand on Sundays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. for a breakfast board with a spread that includes La Quercia prosciutto, Manchego cheese, a croissant, assorted seasonal berries, Greek yogurt and granola as well as salmon cake Benedicts, hangover tots with Hatch chile queso, or smoked salmon flatbread. The restaurant at 401 E. Grand Ave. in the East Village in Des Moines offers mimosas such as the blueberry Botanical Fizz and a flight of bloody Marys that includes one with beef au jus and another made with Exotico tequila.
Ruth’s Chris Steak House
Stop by Ruth’s Chris Steak House, 950 Jordan Creek Pkwy. Suite 1100, West Des Moines, for Cajun tenderloin eggs Benedict with blackened filet, creamed spinach, a cheddar biscuit, poached eggs and hollandaise or Creole biscuits topped with andouille spiked creole gravy, andouille sausage, and scrambled eggs. Ruth’s Chris offers several patios as well for outdoor dining. Brunch is served on Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Star Bar
Feel like a star after eating brunch at Star Bar, the cozy bar and restaurant with a killer burger at 2811 Ingersoll Ave., Des Moines. Eat dishes such as a Belgian waffle with berries, a three-egg omelet with ham and cheese, shrimp and cheese grits or sandwiches such as a Cuban or a breakfast Monte Cristo. Pair your meal with a specialty martini or mule. Brunch takes place on Saturdays and Sundays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Trailside Tap
A Greek omelet with Kalamata olives, feta and spinach; a birria burrito stuffed with scrambled eggs and a cheddar and poblano pepper potato hash; and a brunch burger with bacon, an over-easy egg and ham atop an everything bagel are just some of the dishes at Trailside Tap at 710 S.W. Third St., Ankeny. Try the apple fritters or cinnamon French toast. Brunch is served from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
Tuddy‘s Tavern
On Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., order brunch at the new Tuddy's Tavern, 6240 Mills Civic Pkwy., West Des Moines. Find Benedicts topped with fried chicken, chorizo, or a biscuit and pulled pork. Diners can find shrimp and grits, a giant cinnamon roll, avocado toast and skillets, as well as stuffed French toast, coconut lime ricotta pancakes, and bananas Foster pancakes. Order the bottomless bloody Mary and mimosa bar for $20.
Tupelo Honey Southern Kitchen & Bar
When you’re in the mood for chicken and biscuits for brunch, give Tupelo Honey Southern Kitchen & Bar at 665 Grand Ave., Suite 100, in Des Moines a try. The honey-dusted fried chicken and waffles, shrimp and grits, and eggs Benedicts. Brunch takes place every Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
University Library Cafe
This hidden treasure serves smothered potatoes topped with ham, onions, peppers, chili, cheese and two eggs as well as corned beef hash topped with eggs. The breakfast nachos feature scrambled eggs, sausage and bacon. Head to the University Library Cafe, 3506 University Ave., Des Moines, every Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. The weekends bring an expanded menu with chicken fried steak, biscuits and gravy, and a breakfast burger. You’ll have to wash down those eggs with one of the 40 beers on tap.
Susan Stapleton is the entertainment editor and dining reporter at The Des Moines Register. Follow her on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, or drop her a line at sstapleton@gannett.com.