Best Restaurants for Lunch in Iowa

Guest praise · Iowa

What makes a restaurant the right choice for your next visit to Iowa? For this guide to best restaurants for lunch, the starting point is the meal between a busy morning and the rest of the day. Give the next Iowa meal a little intention: one promising restaurant can change the character of an otherwise familiar day. Lunch can be a break, a catch-up, or the centre of an afternoon out. The best choice is the one that suits the moment you want to make. For this Iowa search, picture a meal break that leaves you glad to have made time as you compare the places that interest you. The current list includes restaurants in Okoboji and Des Moines.

For a Iowa visit that fits your plans, decide how much time you want at the table before choosing between a quick meeting and a longer lunch. If your plans take you toward Sioux City or West Des Moines, choose the area first and give the meal its own time in the day. Continue the restaurant discovery through Best for Business Dining in Iowa alongside Best for a Quick Bite in Iowa. For a wider restaurant discovery beyond Iowa, follow Best Lunch across the United States.

The places guests praise most.

Best Lunch · Iowa

Top 3 · Best Lunch in Iowa

More Best Lunch favourites

Illustrative image: Chef-led tasting counter framed in warm wood
#4

Wahlburgers

West Des Moines, Iowa

16.6
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Illustrative image: High-end plated dish
#5

Local Bites

Des Moines, Iowa

74.5
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Illustrative image: Refined sushi or chef counter interior
#6

Short's Burger & Shine

Iowa City, Iowa

68.0
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Illustrative image: Destination dining room
#7

South Union Bread Cafe

Des Moines, Iowa

74.3
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Illustrative image: Close-up of a bright coastal restaurant dish
#8

Subway

Mount Ayr, Iowa

73.8
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Illustrative image: Moody restaurant interior with polished service
#9

Palmer's Deli & Market

West Des Moines, Iowa

69.9
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Illustrative image: Chef-led tasting counter framed in warm wood
#10

The General Store Eatery

West Des Moines, Iowa

14.4
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Illustrative image: High-end plated dish
#11

Cafe Baratta's

Des Moines, Iowa

67.0
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Illustrative image: Refined sushi or chef counter interior
#12

Lu's Deli

Cedar Rapids, Iowa

77.3
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Illustrative image: Destination dining room
#13

Pickerman's Soup & Sandwich

West Des Moines, Iowa

67.6
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Illustrative image: Close-up of a bright coastal restaurant dish
#14

Lunchbox Market

Webster City, Iowa

68.6
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Illustrative image: Moody restaurant interior with polished service
#15

The Main Event

Bettendorf, Iowa

69.1
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Illustrative image: Chef-led tasting counter framed in warm wood
#16

La Mie Elevate

Des Moines, Iowa

63.5
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Illustrative image: High-end plated dish
#17

Palmer's Deli & Market

Urbandale, Iowa

78.6
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Illustrative image: Refined sushi or chef counter interior
#18

Mama's Deli & Catering

Iowa City, Iowa

14.3
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Illustrative image: Destination dining room
#19

Her Soup Kitchen

Iowa City, Iowa

16.9
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Illustrative image: Close-up of a bright coastal restaurant dish
#20

The Hungry Mind

Mason City, Iowa

55.9
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Illustrative image: Moody restaurant interior with polished service
#21

Johnston Noodle Zoo

Johnston, Iowa

13.2
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Illustrative image: Chef-led tasting counter framed in warm wood
#22

Nodo Downtown

Iowa City, Iowa

73.5
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Illustrative image: High-end plated dish
#23

Annie's Vietnamese Sandwiches Shop

Iowa City, Iowa

85.3
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Illustrative image: Refined sushi or chef counter interior
#24

Girl + food by cafe fresh

Davenport, Iowa

73.0
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Illustrative image: Destination dining room
#25

Steak 'n Shake

Waukee, Iowa

64.1
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