The Best Spots for Brunch In Des Moines, Iowa

Brunch
Brunch | Photo by Lee Myungseong on Unsplash
Benjamin M. Smith

Des Moines, Iowa, is a Midwestern state that values a hearty and steaming plate of grub to start the day off right. Des Moines has a number of excellent morning options for the discerning traveler, from its best bakeries to its finest diners. Here’s a look some of the best.

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Mullet’s Restaurant

Mullet’s Restaurant is a popular brunch destination located next to the Des Moines River. Doubling as a roadhouse at night, the reasonably priced fare always attracts brunch crowds the following day, especially for its popular breakfast burritos and Bloody Marys. Eat here before catching an Iowa Cubs game, which just so happens to be very close by!

The Waveland Café has perfected everything that makes up a quintessential small town diner. They simple yet delectable breakfast options, such as their Everything hash browns, complete with runny egg and greasy meat. The ambiance at Waveland Café is best described as down-to-earth and homey, highlighted by their attentive service and personable front-of-house.

Zanzibar’s Coffee Adventure

With over 14 types of espresso drinks, be ready for the caffeine-fueled experience that is Zanzibar’s Coffee Adventure. This Ingersoll Avenue cafe boasts a worldwide selection of coffee beans, and even roasts its own in-house. So, if it’s a cup of coffee you’re after, be sure to stop into Zanzibar’s Coffee Adventure to get some of the best joe in all of Des Moines.

Perkup Café

Breakfast with fried eggs, juice, coffee and fruit

As a recent addition to West Des Moines, the Perkup Café is a great place to get a delicious home-made breakfast. The family-operated restaurant has a variety of breakfast options, although the bacon here is quite the specialty.

Bandit Burrito

Located in nearby Johnston, IA, Bandit Burrito is the perfect fix for the ultimate breakfast food: the breakfast burrito. Opening at 6am every day of the week, this restaurant caters to hungry early birds in need of a solid breakfast for their morning commute.

Drake Diner

For over 25 years, Drake Diner has provided a variety of hearty brunch plates for hungry Iowans, in a vintage, 1950s diner setting. Take advantage of the changing restaurant specials to try something a little different – like the deep-fried waffle sausage, for instance.

La Mie Bakery

Caprese sandwich in a fresh baguette

Breakfast at La Mie Bakery starts with its delicious, artisan bread. Before sunrise, bakers here are already hard at work kneading the day’s fresh baguettes and putting the finishing touches on its pastries. In addition to its bread, La Mie Bakery also offers a variety of egg dishes, tartines and sweet breakfast options to accommodate patrons of all kinds.

Palmer Deli & Market

Palmer’s Deli & Market has evolved into one of the most respectable chains in Des Moines. Thanks to the effort of Carol and Gayle Palmer, Palmer’s is a common household name that goes hand in hand with quality food. The breakfast at their Ingersoll Avenue location is always in high demand, with tantalizing items like their challah French toast and their house-baked pastries and muffins.

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