Iowa City eats?

I have to spend two days in Iowa City for business next month. Anyone have places that are good for breakfast, lunch and dinner? Price is really no object, although I am not sure that will be a problem. (One never knows though) I am open to driving a little bit. Thanks for help.

Iowa City has a great number of places to eat, I went to college there and happily partook of them during my four years there. There are your usual college places (Fitzpatrick's), and some better Italian restaurants (Givanni's, Brown Bottle), but you can get those anywhere. Here are my don't miss places when I'm back visiting.

A great breakfast place for your basic biscuits 'n gracy, pancakes, etc. is:
Hamburg Inn, not far off the downtown/campus of U of Iowa. They have excellent burgers for lunch as well, and I would say if you're looking for inexpensive great food, this is the place.

Two higher-end restaurants are great for dinner. Both serve an American/French version of entrees and are very customer-centered.

They are: Devotay and Linn Street Cafe, located almost next door to each other on Linn Street.

Check out The Sanctuary for decent food and great live music usually Jazz and blues. Lots of great bands and solo acts come through there and it's a very relaxed atmosphere where you're left alone to enjoy the music and whoever it is you're with.

Also, no trip is complete without a stop at John's Grocery. Just ask anyone around campus where it's at and they will get you there.

Let me know how the trip goes. Enjoy!

Hamburg Inn
214 N. Linn Street

Devotay
117 N. Linn Street

Linn Street Cafe
121 N. Linn Street

The Sanctuary
405 S. Gilbert Street

Just wanted to follow up on my visit to Iowa City. I actually got there early so I went out to the Amana Colonies, only about 20 minutes west. I ate at the Ox Yoke Inn. The food is old style German, served family style. I've had better brats and knockwurst, but the all you could eat kraut was very good.

Next I visited the Millstream microbrewery in Amana. It was very small and not much too see. They did have a tasting room and with beer and pop for sale. I sat in the nice outdoor seating area where I had a beer and spoke with a couple from Chicago.

Then I headed back to IC and walked around campus, eventually finding John's Grocery. A neat little market with an extensive selection of beers. The micro brews and foreign beers seemed out of place in a college town that caters to the Keystone, Natural Light crowd. It bills itself as the largest beer selection between Chicago and Denver.

That night I had dinner at a place called the Atlas Grill. A friend who lives in IC heard good things about it, so he and I both tried it for the first time. The place was rather large with a number of dining rooms and a large sidewalk cafe. Atlas describes itself as a world grill, but it definitely has an Iowa take on the word "world" grill. The menu was American with meat with some seafood and pasta.

I got the pork tenderloin that was served with two fried mashed potato cakes and a mango chutney. The pork was very good. The server asked how I wanted it done and it came out medium, like I asked. The mango chutney was excellent, blending very well with the pork and the potatoes. My friend got the Jamican jerk chicken. Which looked alright and he said tasted alright, but he had had better. The bill with two drinks, an order of chips and salsa and the meals was $50. I enjoyed my meal and would go back if in IC again.

On the ride home, I stopped in Mt. Carroll, IL and ate a late lunch at the Carroll Inn. The place was downstairs and was more bar with a limited menu. I just chose the place because it took credit. The special of the day was a hot beef sandwich. Very tender slices of roast beef, on white bread, topped with mashed potatoes and gravy. Very good for the price, $5.





Ox Yoke Inn
4420 220TH Trl
Amana, IA 52203

http://www.millstreambrewing.com/

John's Grocery Inc.
401 E. Market St.
Iowa City, IA 52245

Atlas Bar & Grill
127 Iowa Ave
Iowa City, IA 52240

I spent the weekend back in the old stomping grounds. Saturday night it was windy and rainy and I was looking for a place not far from the B&B where I was staying.

I stumbled upon a place called Motley Cow Cafe that from the outside looked warm, cozy, and funky. I took a quick look at the menu (which included a delicious sounding duck breast) posted, and walked in. The restaurant is one large room, with 8 tables, and the kitchen is not separated from the rest of the place, it is just off in one corner. All food on the menu is made with locally grown, organic ingredients and it shows. I had roasted skate wing with parsnips, mushrooms, and onions: a great fall dish. All of the flavors worked so well together and everything tasted extremely fresh. I enjoyed every bite of this meal, and would chalk it up as one of my favorites of the last month. My dinner Friday night at Brasserie Jo was the antithesis of this: I also had skate wing but it was dry, bland, served without much care and heaping, mushy potatoes.

If you're ever in this area, I suggest making a stop here. You see all sorts of people: grad students, professors, and writers mingling in this intimate space. It is apparent the staff takes great care with the food they prepare and serve. And, as a bonus, when you have to go to the washroom you get to walk through Paul Revere's Pizza next door and down a bright, white corridor to their bathroom in the back of the pizza place. Only in a college town.

The Motley Cow Cafe
327 E. Market Street
Iowa City, IA 52245
319-688-9177

I just got back from a conference in Iowa City where I followed some of KatyK's recs. We stopped at The Sanctuary, a very cool old pub with an impressive beer selection on the first night. I was very impressed to find Wittekerke beer on TAP! We had a very good pizza (medium thickness) with jalapenos, cilantro pesto and roasted red peppers. I usually go for cracker thin crust but the hearty crust on this one was needed to hold up all the toppings.
I also ate at Devotay-an eclectic, tapas/fusion bistro-ish place. Apparently their specialties are datiles (dates stuffed with chorizo, wrapped in bacon, in piquillo bbq sauce--I don't know why I didn't order this given how much I love the version at Avec), paella and pork osso bucco ("rated the best pork in Iowa" and according to my Iowan waiter, Iowa has the best pork in the world). I had a braised pork shoulder wrap with sweet potatoes, goat cheese and asiago cheese served with roasted tomato and garlic soup with thyme. My companion had a salad and the pan-seared scallops. Everything was terrific, especially the pork chunks in my wrap which were flavorful and fatty in a perfectly delicious sort of way.
Anyway, thanks for the recommendations.

The Sanctuary Pub
405 S Gilbert St Iowa City

Devotay
117 N Linn St, Iowa City, IA

I had an enjoyable visit to Iowa City, somewhere I'd never set foot before. This college town's compact business district offers quite a few options within easy walking distance. Lunch of lamb-couscous soup and a pork sandwich at Motley Cow Café was a highlight.







The pig, which grew up just outside of town, provided flavorful, juicy meat. I loved the slab of creamy sweet potato, the drizzle of rosemary jus and the lightly toasted, substantial roll. Great sandwich. Subtle seasoning of the soup let the strong lamb flavor shine through. Sutliff hard cider, from a town 20 miles north, went perfectly with this meal. I seriously thought about returning for dinner but it was not to be.

After lunch I walked a couple blocks to John's Grocery to inspect their beer collection, one of the best in the Midwest.





Have a look at their selection of JW Lees barley wines. At a glance it might not look too impressive but note that every row is different. At the top are Harvest Ales from 1999 through 2009. Beneath are the cask-aged versions—sherry, calvados, Lagavulin and port—all in multiple vintages. The people are as knowledgeable and helpful as you'd hope. That gray building at the right of the above photo is John's House of Glass, with the best selection of beer vessels I've seen.

Looking at all that beer got me in the mood to partake and also worked up an appetite so I walked a block down the street to George's, Iowa City's beloved old dive (since 1938).







The dark interior with old wooden booths isn't fancy but it's extremely relaxing. I could have spent the rest of the day there. A glass of Millstream Pale Ale (Amana IA) and a cheeseburger (cooked in their ancient electric broiler oven) really hit the spot. I think it was the sprinkle of garlic pepper, George's secret ingredient. My second biggest regret of the trip is not ordering a cup of warm cashews. How can you not love a place with a mint-condition Little Nut Hut behind the bar?

I spent quite a bit of time at Prairie Lights Bookstore, a remarkably well-curated shop, the John's Grocery of the book world if you will.

Not far away is Short's Burger & Shine with an admirable all-Iowa draft beer selection.





I settled on a pint of Peace Tree Red Rambler (Knoxville IA) as well as a burger since they looked pretty good. The cows they grind up come from 26.5 miles away, the menu informs. Unfortunately closer doesn't necessarily mean tastier. Short's puts out a surprisingly flavorless burger complemented by equally flavorless bacon and sautéed onions (that green chili sauce provided the only interest). I hate to say it but I enjoyed George's industro-puck quite a bit more. I'm mad at myself for not sticking to beer only at Short's, then returning to Motley Cow to eat. There's always next time.

Motley Cow Café
160 N Linn St (note new address)
Iowa City IA
319-688-9177

John's Grocery
401 E Market St
Iowa City IA
319-337-2183

George's
312 E Market St
Iowa City IA
319-351-9614

Prairie Lights Bookstore
15 S Dubuque St
Iowa City IA
319-337-2681

Short's Burger & Shine
18 S Clinton St
Iowa City IA
319-337-4678

am spending the nite just aways north of Iowa City tonite(Mt Vernon)--while the schedule won't allow stopping for lunch but hopefully will be able to make it to Johns Grocery when passing by on the way to Otumawa for lunch
thanks

Any suggestions for Iowa City restaurants for a nice Saturday night dinner?

Haven't been there for 3 years. Not looking for bar food or pizza (no Airliner type places).
A few years ago I went to Atlas. That was nice. Anything else similar?
I know there's also that Power Company and Light (something like that) that is fancy.

Thanks in advance.

Not sure where to put this, but Iowa's Best Bite Restaurant Challenge is giving away a startup restaurant just outside Iowa City in West Liberty. The prize is a commercial space filled with restaurant supplies and marketing and other stuff valued at $120,000.00 The deadlines for video entries are in June:

Who can enter?

Anyone with a dream and the willpower to do amazing things! We’re REALLY looking for a dynamo who has it all: Business savvy to keep things profitable, a kitchen wiz who can thrill our wide range of tastes from simple to sublime, and someone who understands the importance of marketing to those OUTSIDE our community as well.

That sounds like me!

Good. Then do this:

STUDY West Liberty! Make sure your concept matches our community.
SUBMIT: A one-page description of your concept with sample menu (with estimated price points please), a business plan and a three year financial projection*. These are all required.
While a video isn’t required, it’s highly encouraged so we can get to know you better, PLUS it’s a chance to automatically make the semifinals to impress us in person!

ENTRY DEADLINE: 8am Monday, June 16, 2014
VIDEO ENTRY DEADLINE: 8am Monday, June 16, 2014

https://www.facebook.com/iowasbestbite
http://www.iowasbestbite.com/