Highest-rated Restaurants in Des Moines by Diners

Photo Illustration by Stacker // Canva

Highest-rated restaurants in Des Moines by diners

Humans are creatures of habit. We tend to stick to our morning routines, rewatch movies we've seen time and time again, and hit up the same tried-and-true restaurants when going out for a meal. In fact, 35% of Americans said they rarely, if ever, try a new restaurant they haven't been to before, and 5% say they never do, according to a survey of more than 2,600 diners from TouchBistro.

But those numbers look quite different when you focus on younger generations—56% of Gen Zers and 47% of millennials in the U.S. say they visit new restaurants once a month or more. When it comes to deciding which new restaurant to try, younger generations are also more likely to rely on online reviews, through sites like Yelp or Google or from social media. The TouchBistro survey found that 71% of Gen Zers and 72% of millennials have opted to try a new restaurant solely because of favorable reviews online.

Some of the best restaurants in your neck of the woods might be those established spots that customers have been visiting for decades, but some may be brand new. More than 10,000 new restaurants opened in 2023, up 5.7% from 2022, according to a report from BentoBox. The states that saw the most new restaurants open up in 2023 were Florida, Texas, California, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania, but new locales are popping up all over the U.S.

To help you determine which spots—both new and long-standing—to try out, Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated restaurants in Des Moines, according to Yelp reviews from diners as of January 2024. Only restaurants with at least 20 reviews were considered. Read on to find some inspiration for the next time you dine out.

Note: The photos in this article are stock images and do not necessarily reflect each restaurant listed.

1 / 22

Canva

#22. HomeGrown - Des Moines

- Rating: 4.5/5 (218 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 555 17th St. Ste 102 Des Moines, Iowa
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch, Coffee & Tea
- Read more on Yelp

2 / 22

Canva

#21. Francies

- Rating: 4.5/5 (157 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2100 Wakonda View Drive Des Moines, Iowa
- Categories: American, Sports Bars
- Read more on Yelp

3 / 22

Canva

#20. B & B Grocery Meat & Deli

- Rating: 4.5/5 (117 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2001 Southeast 6th St. Des Moines, Iowa
- Categories: Grocery, Meat Shops, Delis
- Read more on Yelp

4 / 22

Canva

#19. Lachele's Fine Foods

- Rating: 4.5/5 (106 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2716 Ingersoll Ave. Des Moines, Iowa
- Categories: Burgers, American, Diners
- Read more on Yelp

5 / 22

Canva

#18. Lucky Horse Burgers and Beer

- Rating: 4.5/5 (73 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2331 University Ave. Des Moines, Iowa
- Categories: Bars, American
- Read more on Yelp

6 / 22

Canva

#17. Clyde's Fine Diner

- Rating: 4.5/5 (89 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 111 East Grand Ave. Ste 111 Des Moines, Iowa
- Categories: Diners, Bars, American
- Read more on Yelp

7 / 22

Canva

#16. 3B Grill

- Rating: 4.5/5 (21 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 3500 Merle Hay Road Des Moines, Iowa
- Categories: Mediterranean
- Read more on Yelp

8 / 22

Canva

#15. NOSH Cafe & Eatery

- Rating: 4.5/5 (47 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 424 East Locust St. Des Moines, Iowa
- Categories: Vegan, Cafes, Juice Bars & Smoothies
- Read more on Yelp

9 / 22

Canva

#14. Parlor

- Rating: 4.5/5 (50 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 4041 Urbandale Ave. Des Moines, Iowa
- Categories: Pizza, Beer Bar
- Read more on Yelp

10 / 22

Canva

#13. Harbinger

- Rating: 4.5/5 (163 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2724 Ingersoll Ave. Des Moines, Iowa
- Categories: New American
- Read more on Yelp

11 / 22

Canva

#12. Curbin' Cuisine

- Rating: 4.5/5 (67 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2713 Beaver Ave. Des Moines, Iowa
- Categories: American, Pizza, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp

12 / 22

Canva

#11. Le's Chinese Bar-B-Que

- Rating: 4.5/5 (75 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1600 2nd Ave. Des Moines, Iowa
- Categories: Chinese
- Read more on Yelp

13 / 22

Canva

#10. Simon's

- Rating: 4.5/5 (259 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 5800 Franklin Ave. Des Moines, Iowa
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp

14 / 22

Canva

#9. Maccabee's Kosher Deli

- Rating: 4.5/5 (63 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1150 Polk Blvd. Des Moines, Iowa
- Categories: Delis, Kosher, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp

15 / 22

Canva

#8. La Cuscatleca Pupuseria & Restaurant

- Rating: 4.5/5 (54 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1240 East 14th St. Des Moines, Iowa
- Categories: Salvadoran
- Read more on Yelp

16 / 22

Canva

#7. Gursha Ethiopian Grill

- Rating: 4.5/5 (34 reviews)
- Address: 2316 University Ave. Des Moines, Iowa
- Categories: Ethiopian
- Read more on Yelp

17 / 22

Canva

#6. Freedom Blend Coffee

- Rating: 4.5/5 (24 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2329 Hickman Road Des Moines, Iowa
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp

18 / 22

Canva

#5. Tacos Degollado

- Rating: 4.5/5 (38 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1817 University Ave. Des Moines, Iowa
- Categories: Mexican, Patisserie/Cake Shop, Food Trucks
- Read more on Yelp

19 / 22

Canva

#4. Lzaza Indo-Pak Cuisine

- Rating: 4.5/5 (119 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1409 23rd St. Des Moines, Iowa
- Categories: Pakistani, Indian, Halal
- Read more on Yelp

20 / 22

Canva

#3. Donut Hut

- Rating: 5.0/5 (86 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 4941 Douglas Ave. Des Moines, Iowa
- Categories: Donuts, Bakeries, fast food
- Read more on Yelp