See the 2025 Des Moines Register Essential Restaurants
What are the best restaurants in Des Moines? These entries from the Des Moines Register’s Essential Restaurants list won’t let you down.
Des Moines diners are always hungry for the latest buzz — the hottest openings, trending spots and the next big move from a favorite chef.
To satisfy that craving, the Des Moines Register keeps its hot list fresh, spotlighting the newest restaurants that locals can’t stop talking about. These are the places where tables book up fast and waits are part of the experience. For even more dining inspiration, check out our 2025 Essential Restaurants guide, featuring top picks across the metro.
This month’s lineup features a diverse range of options, from a chic breakfast-and-lunch café and classic diner fare to pizza, Italian favorites, elevated comfort food, and smoky barbecue. Expect indulgent desserts, bold Indian flavors, brunch destinations, and even Japanese-French fusion.
Here are 14 of the hottest new restaurants in the Des Moines metro, listed by opening date. We update this list monthly, removing spots once they hit the six-month mark — so check back often for the latest arrivals.
Is your favorite new restaurant missing from the list? Drop us a line at sstapleton@gannett.com and we’ll check it out.
Opened: Oct. 20
Nestled in a restored brick building in Waukee’s Old Town, Littleleaf Luncheonette is a cozy breakfast-and-lunch spot with a focus on sustainability and elevated comfort food. Owners Mallory Holt and Ryan Nicholson spent three years transforming the building into a warm, inviting space with exposed brick, a skylight, and plenty of windows to let sunshine in. The menu features thoughtful dishes like yellowfin tuna melts, steak and eggs, grain bowls, and seasonal smoothies. Parlor Coffee from Brooklyn anchors the beverage program. With plans to evolve into a wine bar with tapas, Littleleaf is already a standout for its charm and culinary creativity.
Details: 405 Sixth St., Waukee, littleleafluncheonette.com
Opened: Oct. 2
This restaurant from Full Court Press took over the former Fong’s Pizza space in downtown Des Moines. During a renovation to repair flood damage, the team discovered the original tile with The Empire Bar emblazoned on it. The bar operated at 233 Fourth St. from 1905 to 1906. The discovery sparked an idea — opening a restaurant and bar dedicated to the former bar to create a space for breakfast, coffee, lunch, dinner, and cocktails made for the neighborhood. The Empire offers comfort food such as Coney dogs, chicken pot pies, sloppy joes, hot beef sandwiches, and hot ham and cheese, along with cocktails and coffee from Ritual Café.
Details: 223 Fourth St., Des Moines, 515-369-1905, theempiredsm.com
Opened: Sept. 22
Joy and Lou Savelli decided to expand their pizza empire to Pleasant Hill, opening a third home for Taste of New York with New York-style pizza crusts and Italian dishes. The 6,000-square-foot Pleasant Hill location offers a full restaurant with seated service for around 150 customers, a bar, a game room, and eventually a patio, all with a sports bar theme and plenty of televisions. Pizza still takes center stage, but the restaurant also offers wings (10 bone-in or boneless) and tenders (four to an order), baked ziti, penne alla vodka, fettuccine alfredo, and spaghetti and meatballs. The must-order? The chopped cheese sandwich with caramelized onions, hamburger, and American cheese, mixed until the cheese melts, served on a hoagie roll.
Details: 1225 Copper Creek Drive, Pleasant Hill, 515-335-8388, thepizzabaria.com
Opened: Sept. 17
A craft cocktail lounge and restaurant debuted off Court Avenue with courthouse-themed décor. Judges DSM offers elevated American fare such as a double-bone pork chop, salmon, quinoa bowl, and “The Verdict” burger, as well as a full bar. This New American restaurant took over the former Stuffed Olive space in the Court Avenue neighborhood. The name is a tip of the hat to the restaurant’s proximity to Polk County courthouses and the U.S. Southern District Court.
Details: 208 Third St., Des Moines, 515-214-1355, judgesdsm.com
Opened: Sept. 16
Mee Mochi Donuts & Soft Serve brought a wave of playful, creative Asian-inspired desserts to Waukee with fish-shaped waffle cones, chewy doughnuts, Korean corn dogs, and Vietnamese coffee. The dessert shop from Thi Nguyen and Angie Vu offers soft-serve ice cream in chocolate, ube (a purple yam), matcha, and cookies and cream, and that can come with taiyaki, fish-shaped waffle cones that come filled with paste such as red bean or custard, either on the side or on top of the ice cream. Mochi doughnuts —chewy, slightly sweet doughnuts made with rice flour for a unique texture — come in flavors like matcha, chocolate, ube, Biscoff, churro, crème brulee, cookies and cream, chocolate sprinkle, and glazed.
Location: 772 W. Hickman Road, Waukee, mee-mochi.com
Opened: Sept. 8
Pleasant Hill’s dining scene got smokier with the arrival of Bubbies BBQ, a barbecue joint expanding from its original Ankeny location. Owned by restaurateur Oscar Sanchez, who also operates Filet Steakhouse and Oceanside Grill in Ankeny, Bubbies BBQ is all about slow-smoked meats and homemade sides. Signature dishes include brisket, pulled pork, burnt ends, jalapeno cheddar sausage, pulled chicken, and baby back ribs. The pulled pork, brisket, or pulled chicken can be served as a sandwich as well. Sides like jalapeño creamed corn, mac and cheese, coleslaw, and baked beans round out the experience.
Details: 1225 Copper Creek Drive, Suite E1, Pleasant Hill, 515-348-8030, bubbies-bbq.com
Opened: Sept. 4
Tribute Eatery & Bar, a polished yet approachable restaurant, took over the former 30hop space at the District at Prairie Trail in Ankeny. The sister restaurant to 30hop, which moved about 200 feet away into a larger space, offers a menu full of classic favorites and a bar program that leans into craft cocktails and wine. Try the Cubano and the Morty (shaved mortadella, burrata, arugula, tomato jam, and pistachio pesto on focaccia) or a lobster roll, steak frites, fish and chips with yuzu tartar sauce, roasted chicken with chimichurri, and seared scallops with corn puree and crispy prosciutto for lunch or dinner. The Ankeny location also offers Blueline Specials, nightly specials that include bone-in pork chops on Mondays and smoked ribeye on Fridays.
Details: 1615 S.W. Main St., Suite 105, Ankeny, 515-217-5995, tributebar.com
Opened: Sept. 2
The new West Des Moines location of Faustinos offers a Mexican breakfast menu of omelets stuffed with fajitas, birria, or carnitas; chilaquiles; and breakfast tacos. After 2:30 p.m., the kitchen shifts gears, offering tacos and other signature dishes for a late lunch or dinner. The new restaurant’s design echoes the original, with playful wall art and a family-friendly vibe.
Details: 2800 University Ave., Suite 400, West Des Moines, 515-963-6109, faustinosbreakfastandtacos.com
Opened: July 21
The owners of Chowrastha Indian Grill & Eatery in West Des Moines expanded to Ankeny with Spice Rasta, serving regional Indian cuisines, such as tandoori plates, slow-cooked curries, and biryanis. Try traditional dishes like paneer tikka, chicken tikka masala, and lamb curry. The restaurant also serves cocktails and wine. Head here for a lunch buffet with more than 20 items.
Details: 1701 S.E. Delaware Ave., Suite 300, Ankeny, 515-214-1288, spicerasta.com
Opened: July 4
Saffron Indian Cuisine offers a lunch buffet of Indian food made with traditional recipes that have been passed down for generations. Samosas, paneer butter masala, and tandoori chicken are just some of the options. Dinner features the full menu, as well as Indo-Chinese options such as fried rice and Sichuan noodles.
Details: 8769 Northpark Drive, Johnston, 515-897-0460, saffrondiner.com
Opened: July 4
French-Asian pastries, coffee, and tea make up the menu of Tous les Jours north of Jordan Creek Town Center. Almond croissants, milk breads, butter cookies, and macarons are among the menu of 300 items customers can pick. Tous les Jours is known for its cloud cake, a light and fluffy cake available in flavors such as vanilla, green tea, and strawberry. Additional flavors include Earl Grey tea, strawberry lychee, blueberry, peach, mango, and chocolate.
Details: 6880 E.P. True Pkwy, Suite 101, West Des Moines, tljus.com
Opened: June 14
This trendy and vibrant restaurant on Ingersoll Avenue specializes in Afro-Caribbean food. Palms DSM started as a food truck and later became a frequent vendor at farmers markets, and now offers jerk chicken, braised oxtail, and jollof rice. The sit-down restaurant features a full bar.
Details: 1905 Ingersoll Ave., Des Moines, 515-214-1213, eatpalms.com
Opened: June 6
Step into vintage glam at The Flamingo Lounge with velvet seating in pinks and teals, gold accents, and a retro-chic vibe. Try dishes such as blackened shrimp and grits, smoked kielbasa, a French onion soup burger, or chicken wonton flatbread. The restaurant offers a full bar and a weekend brunch. This is a sister restaurant to The Dam Pub in Beaverdale and the Angry Goldfish on the south side of Des Moines.
Details: 3089 North Ave., Norwalk, 515-981-1974, flamingoloungedsm.com
Opened: June 5
French and Japanese cuisines come together at Masao in the East Village. Owner Nick Hanke brought on Phil Shires to run the kitchen while Hanke staffs the sushi bar. The restaurant in an upscale setting offers dishes such as lavender eggs, Lapin à la Normande, foie gras Napoleon, and sushi on a menu that changes frequently. Masao also offers lunch.
Details: 512 E. Grand Ave., Des Moines, 515-207-1570, masao.restaurant
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Susan Stapleton is the entertainment editor and dining reporter at The Des Moines Register. Follow her on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, or drop her a line at sstapleton@gannett.com.
