Nate Kaeding sits with his back resting on the mahogany brown diner chair facing the shrine-like wall at Hamburg Inn No. 2. Adjacent to his coffee mug that sits on the white laminate-covered table, dozens of classic photos and memorabilia take space on the wooden panels that surround the 90-year-old diner.
Kaeding and Gold Cap Hospitality purchased the restaurant in Aug. 2023. Since the community staple reopened the following October, families have gathered in the redesigned space that blends nostalgia with reinvention.
Much like the Hamburg Inn, Kaeding holds a familiar presence in Iowa City. The Iowa City West graduate was an All-American placekicker at the University of Iowa from 2000 to 2003 before spending nine years in the NFL.
Iowa’s all-time leading scorer and two-time All-American, Kaeding made his mark on the gridiron as one of Kirk Ferentz’s flagship players, but the Hawkeye legend’s top priority today is in real estate and development.
Kaeding spearheads Gold Cap Hospitality, which owns several popular Iowa City restaurants, including the Hamburg Inn, Pullman Bar & Diner and St. Burch Tavern. The former professional football player also works in real estate and hospitality for Hodge Construction, a construction management and real estate development company based in Iowa City.