From a restored 1914 general store serving reinvented American classics to a nationally revered small-town pizza spot to an authentic mom-and-pop Korean restaurant. Whether you are craving carefully crafted concepts to hole in walls, consider this your guide for planning weeknight dinners, date nights, or after-work fare across the Iowa City corridor.
Káva House & Café
Káva House & Café is located in downtown Swisher in a restored 1914 general store. A longtime staple, the restaurant might be best known for its fine coffees, but it is also a full-service restaurant with breakfast, lunch and dinner options. The menu reinvents American deli standards, including Otto’s old-fashioned meat loaf hot sandwich and a variety of loose meat sandwiches
Details: 122 Second St. S.W., Swisher, 319-857-5000, kavahousecafe.com
Price range: $10 to $20
Ramen Belly
Ramen Belly is tucked away in the Peninsula Neighborhood in Iowa City. In 2023, the restaurant was named to Yelp’s Top 100 Restaurants in the Midwest. While ramen is in the restaurant name, the spot offers a wide variety of Japanese cuisine, from poke bowls to donburi, dumplings and short ribs…