But First, Breakfast: A Guide to Brunch Spots in Downtown Des Moines
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day! And if you’re looking for one of the best local places for brunch, Downtown Des Moines is beckoning you. Choose from this list of brunch and breakfast places in Downtown Des Moines to get started:
Breakfast + Brunch in Downtown Des Moines
Location: Western Gateway Neighborhood
This local weekend brunch spot in Downtown Des Moines is a ringer for its hearty weekend brunch menu, perfectly dubbed the Bottomless Bombshell Brunch. Custom grilled cheese station, 40+ brunch food items, gluten-friendly and bottomless Mimosas and Bloody Mary bar, of choice — treat yo’self, indeed!
Location: Near Western Gateway Neighborhood
Pop in on Saturday or Sunday until 2 p.m. for all things brunch at Bubba. Give the “Chicken Fried Steak and Eggs” a go: Breaded top sirloin piled atop hash browns, covered in country gravy and with two sunny-side-up eggs perched right on top!
Location: Historic East Village
Serving up breakfast every day of the week from 6 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. up breakfast and brunch from 6 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. eight days a week. We suggest the “Señor Borracho:” a cheese pupusa with pork carnitas and a poached egg, with salsa verde, pickled onion, cotija cheese and cilantro. You’re going to want to add a Mimosa Flight to your tab (trust us!).
Location: Gray’s Lake Area
Get your fill of yummy breakfast treats in Downtown Des Moines! You’ll find a broad selection of tasty and colorful donuts, plus other faves likes apple fritters, bear claws and cinnamon glazed twists.
Location: Historic Court District
Serving brunch both Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., CABCo. serves yummy breakfast faves like Huevos Rancheros and Biscuits & Gravy, plus new twists like Oreo Pancakes and Chicken & Waffles. During the summertime, opt for the patio with great views of Court Avenue and snag a brewed in-house craft beer to pair with your brunch. Cheers!
Location: Historic Court District*
May through October, the Historic Court District transforms into a full-fledged open air local market in the heart of Downtown DSM. There are ample options for breakfast and brunch foods to eat on-the-go while you shop, or to take home and enjoy the days following your Market visit. A stop for a breakfast burrito at Taqueria 3 Hermanos or an egg and cheese pupusa with a side of fresh fruit from Pupusas - El Salvador. *Of note, the Downtown Winter Farmers’ Market takes place in November at the Iowa Events Center, accessible by skywalk.
Location: Near Western Gateway Neighborhood
Skywalk Access: NO
Feelin’ fresh? Stop on by Fresko and give the “Chicken Chilaquiles” an order: achiote chicken, tortilla chips, cotija cheese, eggs customized to your specifications, spicy salsa, guacamole and sour cream. And…it’s gluten free!
Location: Sherman Hill Neighborhood
Stop in for a grab-and-go breakfast at Gateway Market’s café, or dine in-house alone, with a companion or for a work meeting. Try something a little decadent, like the “French Toast” made with challah bread, strawberries and toasted pecans, sprinkled with powdered sugar and doused with as much maple syrup as your heart desires. [Pictured in the header image above is the “Yogurt Parfait” from Gateway Market, as well!]
Location: Sherman Hill Neighborhood
Located within the Historic Crescent Building, HomeGrown Des Moines highlights seasonal flavors across its menu. Open daily from 6:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m., their made-from-scratch pop tarts and Bloody Mary flights have created quite the buzz around the DSM region!
Location: Near the Market District
This trailside restaurant stationed along the Meredith Trail and just over the river from Principal Park makes for a great stop for a bite of breakfast to eat and a Bloody Mary during your biking excursion!
Location: Historic East Village
Located in The Historic East Village, Railroad Bill’s Dining Car is an all-day breakfast and lunch classic diner that opened in 2017, adding a food truck and patio with outdoor seating in 2018. The restaurant features biscuits and gravy, hash brown platters and omelets for breakfast alongside patty melts, burgers and more for lunch.
Location: Near the Market District & Gray’s Lake Area
This Australian-esque bakery and café is great for breakfast or brunch in Downtown Des Moines. Try one of their house-made pastries or give the locally famed Avocado Toast a try.
More Breakfast at Downtown Des Moines Bakeries, Cafes + Coffee Shops
Location: Downtown Core
This fresh and local restaurant in the Downtown Des Moines skywalk serves a selection of coffee beverages and fresh orange juice, eggs and breakfast sammies, and a vast selection of insanely tasty pastries like raisin walnut scones, chocolate croissants, cinnamon rolls and fruit Danish — to name just a few and to get your mouth watering!
Location: Downtown Core
You just can’t go wrong stopping in to the Main Street Café & Bakery in Downtown Des Moines’ skywalk! Open at 7 a.m. Monday through Friday, this is a great spot for a morning meetup or grab-and-go fuel to start your day. Try the MAMMOTH-sized cinnamon rolls for a yummy breakfast treat to kickoff your day!
Location: Historic East Village
A great vegetarian or vegan breakfast spot in Downtown Des Moines, you’ll find smoothies, acai bowls, bagels and toasts, coffee drinks and more. Opens daily at 9 a.m.
Location: Historic East Village
Choose from a selection of book-themed coffee and espresso drinks, paired perfectly with an egg sandwich of your choice!
Location: Western Gateway Neighborhood
Iced coffee and hot espresso drinks, delicious hemp nut smoothies and hearty breakfast dishes, too!
Location: Historic East Village
Known for their yummy, handcrafted coffee and espresso drinks, and even yummier fresh pastries!
Location: Sherman Hill Neighborhood
This is a great spot for a work meeting or to post up away from the office. Also makes for a great study spot (located just a few blocks from Drake University!).
More Places for Brunch in Downtown Des Moines
Another place you might be surprised to find breakfast in Downtown Des Moines: hotels! Des Moines’ Downtown Marriott has a fantastic spot for a morning meeting over coffee and eggs at the Rock River Grill & Tavern, open daily beginning at 6:30 a.m.
Additionally, Park Street Kitchen at the Hilton Des Moines Downtown adjacent to the Iowa Events Center is open daily for breakfast. Also serving breakfast seven days a week is Scopri Restaurant, nestled within the Des Moines Renaissance Savery Hotel. Additionally, featuring its brunch menu on Saturday and Sunday only is Mulberry Street Tavern within the Surety Hotel.
Looking for even more Downtown DSM adventures? Each week we publish a list of five events you just can’t miss coming soon to Downtown. Explore the recent stories posted on our blog to learn more. Plan your visit to Downtown Des Moines (DSM) with these tips for parking and navigation and follow @downtownDSMUSA on Instagram for more epic, things-you-just-can’t-miss happening around Downtown.
Greater Des Moines Partnership
DSM USA is the regional identifier for Greater Des Moines (DSM). DSM USA is a bold statement to the world: This is a welcoming, diverse and vibrant community with affordable and accessible amenities for residents and businesses. This regional identifier is the result of significant quantitative and qualitative research.
The Partnership will champion the DSM USA message, and encourages its Investors, its more than 6,500 Regional Business Members and DSM USA Ambassadors to help share the region's story with One Voice.