Highest-rated cheap eats in Des Moines by diners

Americans spend a lot of money on eating out—in 2024, that totaled $1.54 trillion, or nearly 59% of all food spending. So, it's only natural to want the best bang for your restaurant dollar.

Value has become a key component of what diners look for when they eat out, with more than 7 in 10 consumers eyeing menus for value meals. At the same time, many diners also look for something new and exciting, hoping to sample new flavors or food with ingredients that are too expensive to make at home.

Many ethnic cuisines also provide a lot of value because they aren't as expensive to produce. Many Mexican dishes fall into this category because tortillas are cheaper to produce than bread. Many Asian cuisines, including Chinese, Filipino, and Cambodian food, also rely on low-cost ingredients and simple food preparation techniques.

Food trucks and street food vendors also offer cheaper food, thanks to lower overhead costs. Their limited menus typically focus on one type of food, allowing them to simplify purchasing and pass the savings on in the form of lower prices.

Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated cheap eats restaurants within 10 kilometers of the Des Moines area using data from Yelp. Data is as of Aug. 8, 2025. Businesses were selected using Yelp's ranking system, which calculates an adjusted rating value that takes into account the number of ratings as well as the rating score itself. Only businesses with at least 20 reviews were considered, and a cost of "$" (out of 4) were considered. Also, in an effort to highlight independent businesses and local chains, those with more than five locations nationally, based on the Yelp data, were not included.

100th St Corner Cafe

1 / 29

#29. 100th St Corner Cafe

- Rating: 4.2/5 (118 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 3017 100th St. Urbandale, Iowa
- Categories: Cafes, Breakfast & Brunch, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp

Norwood Inn

2 / 29

#28. Norwood Inn

- Rating: 4.2/5 (31 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 4592 Northeast 29th St. Des Moines, Iowa
- Categories: New American
- Read more on Yelp

El Rey Burritos

3 / 29

#27. El Rey Burritos

- Rating: 4.2/5 (46 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1310 Grand Ave. West Des Moines, Iowa
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

South Union Bread Cafe

4 / 29

#26. South Union Bread Cafe

- Rating: 4.3/5 (75 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1007 Locust St. Des Moines, Iowa
- Categories: Pizza
- Read more on Yelp

Blaze Pizza

5 / 29

#25. Blaze Pizza

- Rating: 4.3/5 (112 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1551 Valley West Drive West Des Moines, Iowa
- Categories: Salad, fast food, Pizza
- Read more on Yelp

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Alohana Hawaiian Grill

6 / 29

#24. Alohana Hawaiian Grill

- Rating: 4.3/5 (234 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 802 Southeast Oralabor Road Ste 128 Ankeny, Iowa
- Categories: Hawaiian, American
- Read more on Yelp

Pho All Seasons

7 / 29

#23. Pho All Seasons

- Rating: 4.3/5 (183 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1311 East Euclid Ave. Des Moines, Iowa
- Categories: Vietnamese, Bubble Tea
- Read more on Yelp

Ernie's Boondock

8 / 29

#22. Ernie's Boondock

- Rating: 4.3/5 (23 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 440 East Grand Ave. Ste A Des Moines, Iowa
- Categories: Beer Bar, Burgers
- Read more on Yelp

Kelly's Little Nipper

9 / 29

#21. Kelly's Little Nipper

- Rating: 4.3/5 (60 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1701 East Grand Ave. Des Moines, Iowa
- Categories: New American
- Read more on Yelp

C Fresh Market

10 / 29

#20. C Fresh Market

- Rating: 4.3/5 (82 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 801 University Ave. Des Moines, Iowa
- Categories: Vietnamese, Grocery, Meat Shops
- Read more on Yelp

Fernando's Mexican Grill

11 / 29

#19. Fernando's Mexican Grill

- Rating: 4.3/5 (116 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2650 University Ave. Des Moines, Iowa
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

Fawn's Asian Cuisine

12 / 29

#18. Fawn's Asian Cuisine

- Rating: 4.3/5 (77 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1107 East University Ave. Des Moines, Iowa
- Categories: Chinese, Asian Fusion
- Read more on Yelp

Rolling Wok

13 / 29

#17. Rolling Wok

- Rating: 4.3/5 (106 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1534 East Grand Ave. Des Moines, Iowa
- Categories: Chinese, Vietnamese, Thai
- Read more on Yelp

Zanzibar's Coffee Adventure

14 / 29

#16. Zanzibar's Coffee Adventure

- Rating: 4.3/5 (176 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2723 Ingersoll Ave. Des Moines, Iowa
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Breakfast & Brunch, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp

Vietnam Cafe

15 / 29

#15. Vietnam Cafe

- Rating: 4.4/5 (95 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 3800 Merle Hay Road Des Moines, Iowa
- Categories: Vietnamese
- Read more on Yelp

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Tequila Restaurante & Cantina

16 / 29

#14. Tequila Restaurante & Cantina

- Rating: 4.4/5 (54 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2824 Easton Blvd. Des Moines, Iowa
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

University Library Cafe

17 / 29

#13. University Library Cafe

- Rating: 4.4/5 (92 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 3506 University Ave. Des Moines, Iowa
- Categories: Cafes, Breakfast & Brunch, American
- Read more on Yelp

La Pena

18 / 29

#12. La Pena

- Rating: 4.4/5 (26 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2010 Indianola Ave. Des Moines, Iowa
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

Hansen's Manhattan Deli

19 / 29

#11. Hansen's Manhattan Deli

- Rating: 4.4/5 (167 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 3705 Ingersoll Ave. Des Moines, Iowa
- Categories: Delis, Soup, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp

B & B Grocery Meat & Deli

20 / 29

#10. B & B Grocery Meat & Deli

- Rating: 4.5/5 (135 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2001 Southeast 6th St. Des Moines, Iowa
- Categories: Grocery, Meat Shops, Delis
- Read more on Yelp

Sam's Fine Food Egg Rolls

21 / 29

#9. Sam's Fine Food Egg Rolls

- Rating: 4.5/5 (129 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 3300 Southwest 9th St. Ste 4 Des Moines, Iowa
- Categories: Chinese
- Read more on Yelp

Rancho Alegre Restaurant

22 / 29

#8. Rancho Alegre Restaurant

- Rating: 4.5/5 (20 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 3308 Indianola Ave. Des Moines, Iowa
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

La Cuscatleca Pupuseria & Restaurant

23 / 29

#7. La Cuscatleca Pupuseria & Restaurant

- Rating: 4.6/5 (64 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1240 East 14th St. Des Moines, Iowa
- Categories: Salvadoran
- Read more on Yelp

Coaches Kolaches

24 / 29

#6. Coaches Kolaches

- Rating: 4.6/5 (126 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2777 100th St. Urbandale, Iowa
- Categories: Bakeries, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp

A Taste of Italy

25 / 29

#5. A Taste of Italy

- Rating: 4.7/5 (81 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 8421 University Blvd. Ste D Clive, Iowa
- Categories: Grocery, Italian, Delis
- Read more on Yelp

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La Barista Coffee

26 / 29

#4. La Barista Coffee

- Rating: 4.7/5 (34 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1963 Grand Ave. West Des Moines, Iowa
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Breakfast & Brunch, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp

Tacos Degollado

27 / 29

#3. Tacos Degollado

- Rating: 4.7/5 (43 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1817 University Ave. Des Moines, Iowa
- Categories: Mexican, Patisserie/Cake Shop, Food Trucks
- Read more on Yelp

Maccabee's Kosher Deli

28 / 29

#2. Maccabee's Kosher Deli

- Rating: 4.7/5 (76 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1150 Polk Blvd. Des Moines, Iowa
- Categories: Delis, Kosher, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp

Donut Hut

29 / 29

#1. Donut Hut

- Rating: 4.8/5 (96 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 4941 Douglas Ave. Des Moines, Iowa
- Categories: Donuts, Bakeries, fast food
- Read more on Yelp

This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou, writing by Jill Jaracz, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 388 metros.