Driving from Chicago to Iowa City. Help...

Hi All,
I'm driving from Chicago to Iowa City this coming weekend. I was planning on stopping for breakfast somewhere in the middle (wherever that may be) and need some leads. And while I'm at it, are there any stellar places to have lunch while in Iowa City? Any recommendations would be much appreciated...Mark

Just toodling around a long long time ago, I found a nice little cafe and bakery in Peru, a few minutes off 80. (You basically have to get off to find anything-- 80 might as well be an underground tunnel to Iowa.) No idea what the name was or if it's still there, just suggesting that if you get off and look around in a real town, who knows what you might find.

ADDENDUM: Likeliest candidate:

Fourth Street Bakery & Cafe
1255 4th St
Peru, IL 61354
Phone: (815) 224-1927

[This is kinda the flip side of the trip reported here, but before I bought the camera.]

Well, anyways, I recently drove to Iowa City. Took two days, but I'm sure you'll go faster.

First, here's some notes I cribbed before my trip of possible stops, they sound interesting, but I cannot personally vouch for either as I did not get there.

Bishop Hill – 160 miles west of Chicago near I-80 – Swedish Utopian village from 1800’s; Red Oak Red Oak restaurant, home made Swedish style food, pies, etc. (http://www.theredoak.com/index.htm )

Rip's Tavern = fried chicken
Ladd, Ill. (population, 1,313), is not even on the road atlas I keep in my car. Take exit 70 (Spring Valley/Ladd) off Interstate 80, and drive a few miles north on Ill. Hwy. 89 until you come to a brick building with a line out the door and a big neon chicken in the window. The structure housing Rip's Chicken has recently been rebuilt, but Rip's goes back to 1936 (Rip's grandson runs the place).
There’s no menu at Rip’s. You order while standing in line: chicken strips or quarters of light or dark meat, hand-cut french fries, pickles or fried mushrooms; as an appetizer, there are “crumbs”—fried bits of batter. The chicken’s superb, moist and tender, with a delicate flaky crust. Rip’s is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays, and on other days it’s open only for dinner,

The first real food stop we had outside of the Chicago area was a Maid-Rite in a mall in Moline. I really wanted to try Maid-Rite, and I really expected to like it, but alas I did not. It was both bland and overly salty if that's possible. I like to think I went to a faulty new corpo-Maid-Rite*, and I would be pleasantly surprised at some small Iowa town Maid-Rite.

Then, it was dinner at Miss Mamie's in Moline, which is right down the street from the mall, so you too can try Maid-Rite first. [I also mentioned Miss Mamie's here, where there is other advice on this route.] Needless to say, I really enjoyed Miss Mamie's. I mean with the salad (a not quite gourmet level but interesting house made garlic dressing) comes a circle of bread, tasting mostly like a muffie, you know muffin top. Then, after the salad but before the entree, as a sorta intermezzo, a big basket of sticky buns came out. This was followed by nicely fried bone-on catfish and bread pudding with Whitey's cinnamon ice cream. A nice taste of the Quad cities for sure. [The address is in the linked thread.]

The next morning, having sampled Maid-Rite, we were off to try that other bastion of franchised Iowa, Machine Shedd. Luckily (I think) a little buzzer went off in the VI mobile and said, well maybe that's not the best of ideas. Instead, we went to Riefe's in Davenport; the kinda place where some of the other customers were eating delicious looking pork tenderloin sammy's for breakfast. All of the regular stuff was well made, and of course, you get comped a basket of homemade donuts--these were donuts I dream the Oak Park Farmer's market served (and you know how I still adore those). The folks at Riefe's make salsa for the Davenport Farmer's Market (Saturday's); after breakfast we were talking to the owners and admiring their tomatoes. As if the donuts were not enough, they gifted us with a big brown bag of the most surreal, oblong, bulging in the middle, streaked, old thyme, new fangled, heirloom plum tomatoes. I wish I had my camera then! (Riefes Restaurant, 1417 W Locust St. Davenport, IA)

After breakfast, we drove by Bix's boyhood home, and I tried to explain to the kidz that he was once as popular as Panic at the Disco; they hardly believed me. There's a bunch of other neat houses in Davenport and some great views from above the bluff's. Also, a good used bookstore downtown there (Source Bookstore).

When Erik M sez his last meal on earth would be at the original Lagomarcino's, I pretty much knew I had to go. Yet, in true chowhound fashion, we found ourselves, on the way, smack in front of Jim's Rib Haven, another place on my notes. We decided ribs here ice cream there. Jim's is a pretty good place, especially if exactly on the spot as we happened to be, but maybe not detour worthy. The ribs were well smoked, but then hacked and tossed in a large container. I've had worse, when steam holding leaches so much, but the lack of freshness marred these ribs a bit. Service, however, was ultra friendly perfect. (Jim's Rib Haven - 531 24th St., Rock Island)

Dessert at Lagomarcino did not disappoint. I cannot comment on it's last meal worthiness as I skipped two course and went straight for the turtle sundae. This is a real classic in (what's left of) downtown Moline and should not be missed. I'd love it just for the tile floor and wooden booths, but the sweet ice cream was pretty good in its own right. Green River pop made to order is pretty cool too. (Lagomarcino's 1422 5th Ave Moline, IL)

Thinking we were crossing the river, we ended up by error in the Rock Island Aresenal. We used this mistake as an opportunity to visit the house museaum. Cases and cases of guns and a bazooka or two can be pretty fascinating even to an Oak Parker. Worth an hour or so.

A lot of Iowa farmer's markets are in the afternoon, as was Bettandorf's (whose town motto might be, "the least decrepit of the Quad Cities" and I mean that in a nice way!). It was pretty small, but I love all farmer's markets. Some neat turnovers for the kids who needed more sweets after Lagomarcino (not). As usual, I could not resist the jellies. Of course the kidz did not appreciate it, but I was quite pleased that we made it to each of the Quad cities that day.

I was so full from "lunch" that I did not eat that night in Iowa City. My kids ate a grilled cheese sandwich from one of the vendors on Dubuque Street. Honestly, not very good. The next morning, we went to Hamburg Inn, whose place as the diner of Iowa City was screamed in all media (including the NY Times). And honestly, it was no Mickey's Dairy Bar. Having been inspired by the previous day, I tried to order a tenderloin for breakfast. Out! So, I got the namesake burger, maybe slightly above average, but well, maybe, I'm no Hawkeye....

...I will say that Iowa City was all around a nice place with lotsa college town kinda shops and a famous and good bookstore (Prairie Lights) and a scenic river. (Hamburg Inn 214 North Linn St Iowa City, Iowa)


Happy travels.

*In some peeking at the Roadfood.com site, there appears to be some talk about lesser corporate Maid-Rites.

I can't think of any bakeries on the way that may help, but as for Iowa City, I've profited from this thread... to the extent that profit can be wrung from Iowa City food. Nothing I've had there has been exceptional. Closest was a Motley Cow dinner; Linn St Cafe lunch was fine, Hamburg Inn breakfast was fine. (You will like Hamburg Inn better if you're the kind of person for whom binge drinking still holds some novelty, and you practiced it the night before.)

Though, I do kinda like one pizza place there, Bob's Your Uncle, but cannot explain what it is that I like about it-- diminished expectations?-- so I won't go so far as to recommend it. Iowa City also has some Whitey's Ice Cream, which, in keeping with today's theme, is pretty good but short of terrific.

You're apt to find better food in the Quad Cities; here's another thread on that.

North of the city on Highway 1, in Solon, is a noteworthy pork tenderloin sandwich. North of that, in Mt Vernon, is the Lincoln Restaurant, which I have not tried... but I have a hunch that that may be among the best options around (we spied on brunchers last Sunday). But this is only a hunch, and like they say, "You can't cash a hunch." (Feel free to follow up and let me know.)


ps: "Bettendorf: the least decrepit of the Quad Cities..." I love that, VI.



Whitey's Ice Cream
112 E Washington St
Iowa City, IA
(319) 354-1200 [there's also one in the Coralville Mall; full listing here.]

Bob's Your Uncle
2208 N Dodge St
Iowa City, IA
(319) 351-7400
http://www.bobsyourunclepizzacafe.com

Lincoln Cafe
117 1st St W
Mt Vernon, IA
(319) 895-4041
www.foodisimportant.com [!]

I grew up in Peru, which would be about the middle of your journey if you take I-80, but unfortunately cannot think of a place in the area to recommend for breakfast. The Fourth Street Cafe that Mike G. talked about used to be (as recently as a couple of years ago) a Big Apple Bagels. (could be the same ownership, but I don't know)

If you are heading back through this area late on Sunday, I would highly recommend Rip's or Lanuti's in Ladd (for fried chicken) or Ron's Cajun Connection north of Utica. (All three have been mentioned here before)Sunday is the only day that Ron's is open for lunch; Rip's doesn't open until 2:30 on Sundays; Lanuti's probably not until 4:00.

Although I have never been there, the Machine Shed in Davenport that VI talked about is known for their cinnamon rolls.

I think that I am little more optimistic about the dining options in IC than daveco_hen. That said, I have not been impressed with any of the higher-end places I have gone in IC. (Givanni's, Atlas, Iowa River Power Company) The Hamburg Inn was wonderful the first time I was there for breakfast, but only mediocre the second time. I love the Pizza (thin crust) at Pagliais, but they are only open for dinner. I have heard/read good things about Devotay, Motley Cow, and the Old Capitol Brew Works, but haven't been to any of them. (I am a big fan of Whitey's from my days at Augustana; For some reason, it tastes better in the QC locations than the two in IC.)

Rip's Tavern
311 North Main
Ladd, IL 61329
(815) 894-3051
www.ripstavern.com

Lanuti's
302 North Main
Ladd, IL 61329
(815) 894-2124

Ron's Cajun Connection
897 East U.S. Highway 6
Utica, IL 61373
(815) 667-9855
www.ronscajunconnection.com

Machine Shed
7250 Northwest Blvd
(I-80/Exit 292)
Davenport, IA 52806
(563) 391-2427
www.machineshed.com

Pagliai's Pizza
302 E. Bloomington
Iowa City
(319) 351-5073

Devotay
117 North Linn Street
Iowa City
319-354-1001

Old Capitol Brew Works
525 South Gilbert Street
Iowa City IA 52244
319-356-6900

The Fourth Street Cafe that Mike G. talked about used to be (as recently as a couple of years ago) a Big Apple Bagels.

Then that's NOT the place I went, circa 2000.

..."Bettandorf's (whose town motto might be, "the least decrepit of the Quad Cities" and I mean that in a nice way!)..."

There used to be a billboard as you entered Bettendorf that said, "Iowa's Most Exciting City." It could be true... ;)

stopped at made rite dinner in muscutine,ia. a week or so ago.
got the loose meat sammy with mustard,pickle,onion.
this is a great sammy

About 20 minutes from Iowa City is the Amana Colonies, and the Colony Inn's breakfast, which I highly recommend. The fruit is fresh, the pancake overlaps the dinner size plate, and the rest speaks for itself.
The Colony Inn's Famous Family Style Breakfast


We will serve you a glass of orange juice, beverage, fruit, pancake, toasted English muffins with our own homemade jam, fried eggs, Amana sausage, bacon, and fried potatoes. Remember, refills on any item are included in our family stye breakfast. This is served seven days a week, 7:00 a.m. 'till 11:00 a.m.

hit maid rite again today .
there onion rings are above avg.