The 9 hottest new restaurants in Des Moines right now: October 2022 edition

Susan Stapleton, Des Moines Register

November 6, 2022 at 10:50 AM·9 min read

Des Moines area restaurant fans love to know what's new, what's hot and what favorite chef just launched a second effort that should be tried.

With that, the Des Moines Register updates its hot list, a look at some of the newest restaurants that diners can't get enough of.

Here's a look at nine of the hottest new restaurants in the Des Moines metro, an alphabetical list that will be updated as new restaurants arrive with newcomers removed as they reach six months old.

Newcomers include Allora, Bar Nico, Big Grove, the Continental and Destination Grille.

March 2022 hot list: The 6 hottest new restaurants to try in Des Moines right now

April 2022 hot list: The 8 hottest, new Des Moines restaurants to try right now

May 2022 hot list: The 7 hottest restaurants in Des Moines right now

June 2022 hot list: The 11 hottest restaurants in Des Moines right now

Is your favorite new restaurant missing from the list? Drop us a line at sstapleton@gannett.com and we'll check it out.

Allora Café

Head to the base of the Krause Gateway Center for Italian fare from Michael Lavalle at Allora Cafe. Breakfast brings pastries and breakfast sandwiches along with strata egg bakes and berry yogurt bowls, while lunch offers paninis made with chicken or ham, a mixed berry salad or chicken Parmesan with pasta or in a sandwich. The light and airy space offers a stunning view of the Pappajohn Sculpture Park across the street, a patio, and a spot to find an elusive lunch on a Monday.

Open from 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. weekdays.

Allora Café, 1459 Grand Ave., Des Moines.

More:The 33 essential restaurants of Des Moines: 2022 edition

Bar Nico

The East Village gains a new restaurant from Jason Simon of Alba, Eatery A and Parlor fame. Bar Nico specializes in modern Mexican fare from chef Matt Smart. The small but mighty menu uses heritage corn as a central ingredient, found in the tacos that make up the biggest section of the menu. Order versions with braised short ribs and sauerkraut, chorizo verde, shrimp with masa tempura, carnitas, battered walleye, sweet potato or mushrooms. For main dishes, the list includes grilled octopus with chimichurri, Berkshire pork shank with a black bean puree and Miller Farms half chicken with mole Colorado.

The bar at the front offers a robust list of tequila, mezcal and bourbon, and doubles as a space to order tacos for takeout before the restaurant officially opens for customers around 3 p.m.

Open Tuesday through Thursday from 3 to 10 p.m., Friday and Saturday from noon to 11 p.m., and Sunday from 3 to 9 p.m.

Bar Nico, 428 E. Locust St., Des Moines; 515-243-0611.

More:Bar Nico opens in the East Village with modern takes on Mexican food

Big Grove Brewery

One of the biggest breweries in the state opened a Des Moines outpost in Sherman Hill with a massive patio looking down on downtown Des Moines. Big Grove, based in Iowa City and Solon, brings its full roster of beers along with a menu from chef Benjamin Smart.

Order dishes such as a brewer’s board with a giant homemade pretzel, smoked jagerwurst sausage, sauerkraut, cornichon pickles and Boetje’s spicy mustard; beets and burrata with grilled flatbread; or lamb meatballs to start. Smart’s farmhouse burger comes with bacon, sunny-side up egg, and American cheese, and can sub out an Impossible burger. A Korean steak and egg bowl, tofu poke bowl, and paneer curry lean into an international menu along with a Korean barbecue chicken sandwich.

The brewery spans 12,000 square feet with plans to produce 20,000 cases of beer, including Des Moines exclusives that will be found on the 20 taps behind the bar.

Open Monday to Thursday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to midnight, and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Big Grove Brewery, 555 17th St., Des Moines; 515-777-2337.

More:Big Grove Brewery wants to experiment with beer styles at its new Sherman Hill location

The Breakfast Club

Fans of The Breakfast Club might find it a little easier to land a coveted weekend table, at least if they’re willing to make the trek to West Des Moines. A second location of the brunch restaurant opened in West Glen Town Center with a familiar menu of dishes along with some newcomers.

Customers can order drinks such as the Tipsy Turtle with salted caramel liquor, Bailey’s Irish Cream, Kahlua and Pammel Park cold brew out of Winterset or a coconut rum punch served in a pineapple-shaped glass. A Mega Mosa brings a 25-ounce dose of mimosa with sparkles, cotton candy and rock sugar.

Diners can find many of the dishes that delight customers in the East Village as well as new items such as breakfast eggrolls, a new spin on the Asian starter with bacon, potatoes and eggs inside. Stuffed French toast comes with a cornflake breading and cream cheese inside. Totchos feature black beans and scrambled eggs blanketing tater tots. A new de Burgo Benny pays tribute to Des Moines with a medallion of beef and de Burgo sauce smothering a poached egg. Breakfast fried rice comes with fried eggs, a thoughtful morning meal. Samoa pancakes with Nutella and chocolate as well as pineapple upside-down pancakes take over the sweet section of the menu, along with blueberry and cream pancakes, bananas Foster French toast and Dutch apple cheesecake French toast.

Open from 6 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily.

The Breakfast Club, West Glen Town Center, 5525 Mills Civic Parkway #100, West Des Moines; 515-224-7030.

More: Head to West Des Moines for The Breakfast Club's new location with pineapple upside-down pancakes

Casa Cancun Mexican Bar & Grill

The asado negro Venezolano is a cut of beef smothered in a dark sweet sauce for $15.

Newcomer Casa Cancun Mexican Bar & Grill is hiding a big secret inside. It not only took over the former Strudl Haus space in Des Moines, but it has a tight menu of Venezuelan dishes.

Try the tasty empanadas that use a corn dough that’s stuffed with chicken, beef or cheese and then deep fried for $3 each. The hallacas are a Venezuelan tamale stuffed with cornmeal, raisins and olives, then your choice of beef, pork or chicken for $13. The asado negro Venezolano is a cut of beef smothered in a dark sweet sauce for $15.

Open Tuesday through Thursday from 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 10:30 a.m. to 11 p.m., and Sunday from 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Note: Casa Cancun is closed through Nov. 1 for a renovation.

Casa Cancun Mexican Bar & Grill, 1951 Indianola Ave.; 515-330-1035.

More: Off Hours: Where to find great sweet treats at the Downtown Farmers' Market and 2 new brunches

The Continental

The ode to New Orleans fare rises again in the East Village. The Continental returned after a two-year hiatus in new space, just around the corner from the bar’s home for 15 years, now occupied by Bar Nico. Favorite dishes from the old menu return, including melon and prosciutto crostini, truffled mushrooms, pomme frites, a roasted pear salad and blackened chicken sandwich.

Newcomers include fried mozzarella on a stick, baked goat cheese and a double mash burger and beignets.

Of course, cocktails were always a staple at The Continental, and many favorites such as the all-day bloody mary or maria return along with seasonal spritzes such as a Southern Belle with sweet tea vodka and mint or Unicorn Juice with vodka and Prosecco go for $10.

Open Monday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m.

The Continental, 407 E. Fifth St.; 515-528-2300.

More:The Continental returns to Des Moines' East Village with New Orleans-inspired fare

Destination Grille

This mammoth restaurant in Grimes brings casual fare from a walkup counter for lunch, a sit-down restaurant for dinner, and a second-floor patio and indoor space with its own bar.

Destination Grille has lobster rolls, Italian melts and Reubens, along with pizza by the slice for lunch as well as a grab and go section for a quick meal. Dinner includes a trio of filet medallions, spiced glazed salmon with wild mushrooms, a shellfish pan roast, and chicken de Burgo. Most of the menu is gluten-free.

The bar offers smoked cocktails, seasonal drinks and specialties such as the Heat up the Bricks with blackberry-infused Tito’s and beet syrup, Au Revior with Averna Amaro and Tito’s, and the Field of Clover with Fiji rum and spiced honey brulee.

Open Monday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Destination Grille, 2491 E. First St., Grimes; 515-355-1153.

More:Off Hours: Des Moines sure is passionate about its favorite restaurants

Irina’s Steak & Seafood

Horseradish-encrusted 16-ounce New York prime comes with buttermilk potatoes.

Irina Khartchenko and her husband Dmitry Iakovlev, the owner’s behind Urbandale’s upscale Russian-American restaurant Irina’s Restaurant & Bar, opened their second location in West Glen Town Center in West Des Moines.

Irina's Steak & Seafood takes over the former Bonefish Grill space with a menu of customer favorites and new dishes. Bang bang shrimp appetizer and salmon au poivre, a tender salmon filet coated in peppercorns with a cognac cream reduction, asparagus and lobster sweet potatoes, make the menu, along with a horseradish-encrusted 16-ounce New York prime steak with whipped buttermilk potatoes.

Much like the original restaurant in Urbandale, the West Des Moines location also carries more than 100 labels of vodka.

Open daily from 3 to 10 p.m.

Irina’s Steak & Seafood, 650 S. Prairie View Drive Unit 100, West Des Moines; 515-225-8020.

More: Irina's Steak & Seafood now open in West Des Moines with an elevated dining experience

Pura Social Club

Pura Social Club atop the Lyon Apartments building features floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the Des Moines River and downtown in the former home of Sam & Gabe's Italian Bistro, which closed in 2018. Customers can find a range of cocktails such as The Skyline, a riff on a White Russian that uses Revelton Distilling Co. whiskey and soy cream liqueur.

Former 801 Chop House and Tangerine at the Art Center executive chef David Malfara created the menu with dishes meant to share such as a flatbread version of elote pie, whiskey-glazed pork belly in a molasses dipping sauce, chicken and jalapeño wontons in a hoisin sauce, and barbecue bacon and chicken flatbread.

Open from 5 to 11 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday and from 5 p.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday.

Pura Social Club, 660 E. Fifth St. Suite A, Des Moines; 515-864-7120.

More: Pura Social Club opens with shareables, classic cocktails and an unbeatable view of Des Moines

Susan Stapleton is the entertainment editor at The Des Moines Register. Follow her on Facebook, Twitter or drop her a line at sstapleton@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Hot new restaurants in Des Moines to check out this fall

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