i know that a lot of you have been anticipating the start of this foodie culture series of posts so i apologize for the delay. there are just so many fabulous places to choose from! every time i find a new favorite restaurant, a new one opens up begging for me to try it - i admit i just cannot get enough of food, especially when it is presented to me so beautifully.
this blog features my personal love - brunch. when else can you have both breakfast and lunch foods together?! i love getting family together and going all out, but on those rare days where i need to play it down a bit or want to get out for a little bit with my husband, i have found that Des Moines always has a great offering and assortment of brunches around town.
here are just a few of my favs. so get your paper and pen ready because you are going to want to try all of these asap! that is just how delicious this post is going to be. p.s. it might get a tad long so grab a snack too - this is a food post after all.
la mie
ahh la mie where to start?
why we love it | this place is amazing - french bakery/cafe inspired and all! their menu is delicious, but their pastries and desserts are famous in Des Moines (at least i like to think so). you can even find them at the downtown farmer's market on saturday mornings.
so let's discuss this - fresh bread, a variety of pastries and desserts (danishes, chocolate brioche, puff pastries with fruit, key lime tart, french macarons, eclairs), smoked salmon omelettes, asparagus and tomato quiche, apple-almond oatmeal - is your mouth watering yet? i thought so. finish it all off with a cafe au lait or hot chocolate = total bliss.
louie's wine dive
okay okay so this is not just a Des Moines restaurant since it has three other locations, but hey that just means that you can eat their amazing brunch when you are traveling too! bonus!
why we love it | this is one of my neighborhood haunts. i am here a lot - or as much as i can be anyways. their brunch menu is definitely my favorite out of all of their menus of course. what is extra exciting is that their menu options change every now and then so you never know for certain what you will get.
so what is my fav? the mac daddy omelet of course! picture it - an omelet stuffed with mac and cheese and topped with roasted tomatoes and la quercia prosciutto. i know right! they have many other tempting offerings too, such as steak benedict, corned pork hash and a rise and shine burger - certified angus beef encrusted in ground coffee with bacon and an over-easy egg. i think you are already looking at the menu now. plus it's a wine dive - go a little crazy. i won't tell.
django
why we love it | um hello?! have you seen their menu? everyone is bound to like something on it. i personally recommend the wild mushroom crepes. if you don't like them, you might be a little crazy - kidding but only kind of. the bananas foster french toast is always tempting too with its bourbon maple syrup. don't forget to order the blood orange mimosa and a fresh croissant with fig jam. yep told you so.
but hey don't let those two selections stop you. want a burger? done. omelet or salad more you style. no problem. take a look at their menu and take my word for it. deliciousness! i will see you there soon!
americana
why we love it | this restaurant is retro-inspired meets girl-next-door meets the modern city. in essence, they serve all-american food with a totally modern and glamorous twist. who doesn't love that?! let me tell you more...
it's a brunch buffet (called the bombshell brunch = winner) with tons of food items to choose from. here is the twist - stations! plus a few unexpected items too. we are talking mexican egg fajita station, bread pudding, mac and cheese, grilled cheese station, and a potato bar to name a few. remember menu items can always change since they are seasonal.
p.s. cocktails are big here. they even offer mixology classes monthly so make sure to indulge a little. i recommend a bubbly betty, dsm manhattan or the strawberry b****. it's a naughty word but you will love the drink! promise!
royal mile
why we love it | i am a little London obsessed. i have been there five (or is it six) times and even lived there for a couple months while studying abroad and completing an internship. the royal mile offers me, as well as Des Moines, a way back there through food, and just recently, they added a breakfast/brunch menu. yay! it is something unique for your not-so-average bruncher.
they offer traditional english options, such as bangers, back bacon, beans, sauteed tomatoes and mushrooms, scotch eggs and steak and egg pie (don't knock it til you've tried it), but they also offer other items as well, including guinness braised potatoes, eggs benedict, yogurt & granola and irish steel cut oatmeal. all i have to say is that it is totally delicious, it's a pub for crying out loud!, it places you just off of court ave. and close to the east village for other foodie adventures and you don't have to pay for a plane ticket!
here are a couple of other local places to try too...
Drake Diner
{menu}
Waveland Cafe
hopefully that got your mouth watering and you now have a list of amazing places in Des Moines to try for brunch. i am picky so these will impress.
you will probably find these restaurants on several of my lists so stay tuned - the next foodie blog will focus on lunch places. Until then...
with love - P
Drake Diner {images}
