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Going out in Des Moines.
New openings, what's on this weekend, and honest guides to the neighborhoods, from the people who send the weekly list.
Iowa State Fair Grandstand 2026: the full concert lineup and how to get tickets
NewsThis WeekOctober 19, 2026Des Moines Going Out: Tenderloins and Tacos
It's Porktober, Iowa crowned its best tenderloin, our taco scene got a national nod, and the sushi belts start rolling Wednesday. A very Iowa food week.
Read more- NewsThis WeekOctober 15, 2026
Des Moines Going Out: Sushi, Smoke, and Scares
Iowa's first conveyor-belt sushi is about to start rolling, there's brisket worth a short drive, and haunted house season is in full swing. Here's your week.
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NewsThis WeekSeptember 22, 2026Des Moines Going Out: Apple Season and Fall Fun
A light week for new openings, but fall is doing the heavy lifting: apple picking is open and the corn maze is up just southwest of town. Here's what's worth the drive.
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NewsThis WeekAugust 31, 2026Des Moines Going Out: Open Sesame, a Fest, Waukee
A love letter to a longtime East Village cafe, a food festival that beat the weather, and some big names signing on out west. Here's what's worth knowing this week.
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NewsThis WeekAugust 24, 2026Des Moines Going Out: The Fair Wraps, Fall Ahead
The fair closed Sunday, a Des Moines pizzeria got a national nod, and fall is next. Here's what's worth knowing this week.
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NewsThis WeekAugust 17, 2026Des Moines Going Out: Fair eats, Dutch Bros, and lobster
The fair is in full swing, Iowa finally got a Dutch Bros, and a Maine lobster truck is rolling into the metro this weekend. Here's what's worth it this week.
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NewsThis WeekAugust 10, 2026This week in Des Moines: Restaurant Week is on, and La Mie's Art Center café
Restaurant Week is on now through Sunday, La Mie has quietly made the Art Center café worth a trip of its own, and central Iowa's first whitewater wave is taking shape on the river.
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GuideFood & DrinkAugust 10, 2026The best tacos and Mexican food in Des Moines
From the 1961 puffy-taco institution to birria trucks, al pastor stands, and a gluten-free upscale room, here's where to eat tacos and Mexican food in Des Moines.
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GuideFood & DrinkAugust 10, 2026The best sushi and Asian food in Des Moines
From the metro's most ambitious sushi room to steaming bowls of pho, real-deal Thai, Korean fried chicken, and tableside hibachi, here's where to eat Asian food in Des Moines.
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GuideFood & DrinkAugust 10, 2026The best steakhouses in Des Moines
Des Moines is a steak town. Here's where to go, from the downtown prime splurge to a Beaverdale supper club to the steak de burgo that was basically invented here.
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GuideFood & DrinkAugust 10, 2026The best restaurants in Des Moines
Des Moines eats better than it gets credit for. Here's the local shortlist, the special-occasion tables, the institutions, and the best pizza, tacos, and coffee in town.
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GuideFood & DrinkAugust 10, 2026The best pizza in Des Moines
Des Moines pizza runs the whole map, Asian-fusion pies, Detroit squares, 1950s tavern thin-crust, wood-fired Neapolitan, and 3 a.m. slices. Here's where to go for each.
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GuideFood & DrinkAugust 10, 2026The best date-night restaurants in Des Moines
Whether you want a grand special-occasion room, an intimate chef's tasting, or a buzzy cocktail-forward night, here are the best date-night restaurants in Des Moines.
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GuideFood & DrinkAugust 10, 2026The best coffee shops in Des Moines
Skip the chains. Des Moines has real roasters, great pastries, and cafes worth lingering in, whether you want a perfect pour-over, a laptop table, or a patio.
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GuideFood & DrinkAugust 10, 2026The best burgers in Des Moines
From over-the-top loaded stacks to griddle smash burgers to a legendary dive-bar patty topped with a donut, here's where to eat the best burgers in Des Moines.
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GuideFood & DrinkAugust 10, 2026The best breakfast in Des Moines
Not the bottomless-mimosa brunch, actual breakfast. Diners, biscuits and gravy, breakfast burritos, and bakery mornings, here's where Des Moines starts the day.
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GuideAugust 5, 2026Things to do in Des Moines: the complete local guide
Everything worth doing in Des Moines in one place: downtown culture, parks and trails, family outings, free ideas, great food, and the events worth planning around.
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GuideAugust 5, 2026Things to do in Des Moines with kids
From the Science Center and the zoo to spraygrounds and nature centers, here's how to keep kids happy in Des Moines, rain or shine.
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GuideAugust 5, 2026Outdoor things to do in Des Moines
Gray's Lake, Water Works Park, 800 miles of trails, and one glowing bridge. Here's how to get outside in Des Moines.
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GuideEventsAugust 5, 2026Iowa State Fair 2026 parking: where to park, free shuttles, and how to skip the traffic
Parking is the one thing everyone complains about at the fair. Here's every option for 2026, including a brand-new free park-and-ride, and how to skip the University Avenue crawl.
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GuideAugust 5, 2026Free things to do in Des Moines
Some of the best things to do in Des Moines cost nothing at all. Here's the list, from the sculpture park to free summer concerts to hundreds of miles of trails.
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GuideAugust 5, 2026Date night in Des Moines: the best restaurants, drinks, and ideas for two
Whether you want a white-tablecloth splurge, a dim cocktail bar, or a free walk by the water, here's how to plan a great date night in Des Moines.
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GuideEventsAugust 3, 2026Iowa State Fair 2026: dates, tickets, parking, and everything you need to know
Everything you need to plan a day at the 2026 Iowa State Fair, Aug 13-23: tickets, parking, the new free shuttle, concerts, food, and the tips that make the day easier.
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NewsThis WeekAugust 3, 2026This week in Des Moines: Hinterland wraps, and the fair takes the stage
Hinterland dominated the weekend with Mumford & Sons, Lorde and Kali Uchis. Now the Iowa State Fair takes over the calendar - here's what's next.
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GuideFood & DrinkJuly 31, 2026The best patios and rooftops in Des Moines
Des Moines patio season is short and glorious. Here's where to drink outside, from rooftops with skyline views to acre-sized beer gardens with fire pits.
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GuideEventsJuly 30, 2026Iowa State Fair 2026: what's new and what to eat
The 2026 Iowa State Fair runs August 13 to 23 with more than 80 new foods. Here are the three finalists you get to vote on, and the new stuff actually worth the walk.
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GuideEventsJuly 30, 2026Fall things to do in Des Moines: your 2026 guide
Once the fair packs up, Des Moines fall gets going: Oktoberfest, orchards, haunted houses, and leaf-peeping. Here's what's actually worth doing this season.
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GuideFood & DrinkJuly 30, 2026The best brunch in Des Moines
Des Moines does brunch well. Here's the honest shortlist, from the bottomless-mimosa scene to from-scratch pop-tarts to a patio with a skyline view.
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GuideCommunityJuly 28, 2026We asked Des Moines what it loves (and can't stand). Here's what you said.
We asked the r/desmoines community a simple question: what's your favorite and least favorite thing about living here? The answers were honest, funny, and occasionally brutal. Here's what locals actually said.
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NewsThis WeekJuly 27, 2026Des Moines Going Out: The Tea Festival, and a Clive Closure
A lighter week around town, with a world of tea downtown and an unlucky break for a Clive bar.
Read more- GuideHappy HourJuly 26, 2026
The Des Moines happy hour guide
Happy hour is the cheapest way to try a place before you commit to a full night. Here's where to find a good one in Des Moines, by neighborhood.
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NewsThis WeekJuly 26, 2026Des Moines Going Out: Openings, Closings, Fest Season
A big week for eating and drinking around town, with a new bar opening, two longtime spots closing, and a Fair plate that might make your wallet flinch.
Read more- EventsThis WeekendJuly 26, 2026
The Des Moines summer isn't over: what's still ahead
Late July flips Des Moines into its best stretch of the year. Here's what's still ahead: a music festival in the hills, the fair, and a food festival downtown.
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New OpeningsWhere to GoJuly 24, 2026New in Des Moines: a few spots worth knowing right now
Des Moines keeps adding good rooms. A women's sports bar, a brunch spot that outgrew its old address, and a running list worth bookmarking.
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GuideNeighborhoodsJuly 20, 2026Where to go out in Des Moines: a neighborhood guide
Des Moines is a city of neighborhoods, and each one is good for something different. A quick guide to where to go, and for what kind of night.
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