West community names best restaurants of the Iowa City area
West students and faculty were asked to name their favorite places to grab food in a variety of categories. Here are the results.
Best Asian restaurant:
A relatively newer restaurant, Red Ginger opened in 2016 and has since risen in popularity due to its Japanese cuisine. Its sushi and bento box options are particularly well-liked.
Honorable mentions: Formosa, Taste of China, Thai Spice
Best bakery:
Offering cupcakes and cakes across Iowa, Scratch Cupcakery serves over 300 flavors of cupcakes and delivers to a variety of events.
Honorable mentions: Deluxe, Molly’s Cupcakes, Panera Bread
Best barbecue:
Jimmy Jack’s Rib Shack was created in 2005 and holds restaurants in Iowa City and North Liberty.
Honorable mentions: Mosley’s Barbecue and Provisions, Pop’s BBQ, Texas Roadhouse
Best breakfast place:
Though Bluebird Diner offers food all day, it is renowned for its breakfast options. Offering all-day breakfast, this restaurant brings a retro feel to the downtown Iowa City food scene.
Honorable mentions: Hamburg Inn No. 2, IHOP, Iowa River Power Restaurant
Best burgers:
Though it is recognized for its burgers, Stella also makes pizzas, wings and a variety of Cajun foods. Its proximity to Kinnick Stadium makes it popular particularly during football season.
Honorable mentions: 30hop, Short’s Burger & Shine, Teddy’s Bigger Burgers
Best coffee shop:
The Java House has served the Iowa City area since 1994. Its ten locations offer baked goods in addition to various beverages.
Honorable mentions: Capanna Coffee, The High Ground Cafe, Starbucks Coffee Company
Best dinner place:
Monica’s serves traditional American foods, Italian options and brick oven pizza. It was named the best restaurant overall in the Press-Citizen’s “Best of the Area” survey.
Honorable mentions: Basta Pizzeria Ristorante, LongHorn Steakhouse, Olive Garden
Best fast food restaurant:
Pancheros Mexican Grill offers “Tex Mex” food in 71 locations across the country. The first location, opened by Rodney Anderson in 1992, is located in Iowa City.
Honorable mentions: Chick-fil-A, Culver’s Restaurant, Steak ‘n Shake
Best fries:
McDonald’s is the world’s largest fast food restaurant chain, with a new restaurant opening ever 14.5 hours on average.
Honorable mentions: Chick-fil-A, Nodo, Steak ‘n Shake
Best lunch place:
Panera Bread is an American chain that holds 2,000 restaurants across the U.S. and Canada. It serves a variety of soups, salads and sandwiches in addition to baked goods.
Honorable mentions: Heirloom Salad Co., Nodo, Pancheros Mexican Grill
Best ice cream/frozen yogurt:
Yotopia offers frozen yogurt in the heart of downtown Iowa City. This self-serve frozen yogurt shop features a variety of toppings and flavors.
Honorable mentions: Cold Stone Creamery, Dane’s Dairy, Heyn’s
Best Italian restaurant:
Basta Pizzeria Ristorante was created by Executive Chef Brady McDonald with the support of Jack Piper and James Adrian after studying Italian cuisine in Florence, Italy. Basta offers upscale Italian food in downtown Iowa City.
Honorable mentions: Baroncini Ristorante, Monica’s, Olive Garden
Best Mediterranean restaurant:
Oasis Falafel is known for Middle Eastern street foods, including kebabs, gyros, falafel and baklava. This restaurant is also vegetarian-friendly.
Honorable mentions: Pita Pit, Sparti’s Gyros, Tabooleh
Best Mexican restaurant:
La Regia Taqueria offers authentic Mexican food and drinks in a small restaurant that also features a Mexican grocery store.
Honorable mentions: Cactus, Casa Azul, Pancheros Mexican Grill
Best overall restaurant:
Basta Pizzeria Ristorante was created by Executive Chef Brady McDonald with the support of Jack Piper and James Adrian after studying Italian cuisine in Florence, Italy. Basta offers upscale Italian food in downtown Iowa City.
Honorable mentions: Bluebird Diner, Monica’s, Pullman Bar & Diner
Best pizzeria:
Wig and Pen Pizza offers pasta and desserts in addition to a multitude of pizzas.. This restaurant is styled after a United Kingdom pub of the sam name.
Honorable mentions: Blaze Pizza, Maggie’s Farm Wood-Fired Pizza, A & A Pagliai’s Pizza
Best sushi:
A relatively newer restaurant, Red Ginger opened in 2016 and has since risen in popularity due to its Japanese cuisine. Its sushi and bento box options are particularly well-liked.
Honorable mentions: Formosa, Oyama, Sushiya
Best vegetarian/vegan restaurant:
Trumpet Blossom Cafe offers organic vegan cuisine in downtown Iowa City. This restaurant strives to use as many local ingredients as possible.
Honorable mentions: Bread Garden Market, Fair Grounds Coffeehouse, Oasis
Best wings:
Buffalo Wild Wings is a national restaurant chain that is infamous for its variety of chicken wings.
Honorable mention: Coach’s Corner, Donnelly’s Pub, The Vine
This list was generated based on a sample size of 218 individuals.
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Anjali is a senior and third-year staffer on West Side Story. She is the Print Managing Editor and Co-Copy Editor. When she's not complaining about Oxford...
