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Des Moines, Iowa, is a culinary anomaly in the heart of America. With 210,000 inhabitants, the city is not among the 100 largest cities in the United States in terms of population (number 105), yet it has one of the highest per capita densities of restaurants in the United States. country: 28.2 per 10,000 inhabitants. at the Iowa Restaurant Association, which places it in front of all major American cities, with the exception of San Francisco. And it's not just corn dogs and fried pork tenderloin stores, either (although there are many, many) – today, in Des Moines you'll find an airy Australian cafe, several area restaurants / ingredient-based / sustainable / variety products from the farm to the table, and a solid vegan burger house. Why the restorative surplus? This probably has something to do with the presidential election.
Every four years, the American political theater is in the spotlight of Des Moines. The Iowa caucuses, which will be held again in February 2020, are the first nominating contest in the US presidential election. For Democrats in particular, Iowa has often changed the game: a win in the 2008 caucuses pushed Barack Obama, an Illinois senator appointed for a first term, while his defeat (2004) has been torpedoed. Howard Dean, then Governor of Vermont, widely considered the favorite before the contest. This year, 24 Democrats are contesting the nomination, and each of them – with the panic of campaigning agents and managers – gets their hands on the ground up to a year to In advance to fight for each vote, closely followed by a voracious pack of media composed of writers, photographers and TV crews documenting every moment.
The increase in traffic can be considerable. In previous caucus years, local favorite Zombie Burger – located in the booming East Village neighborhood – has seen its sales increase by 15 to 20 percent, according to chef Tom McKern. "I expect it will be a little higher this year because of the number of orders online," he adds. Even the newcomer, St. Kilda Cafe & Bakery, saw its sales increase by 25% in 2019. Other restaurants in the region recorded similar increases and even made operational decisions around the election cycle. according to Monks' register Food and Beverage Journalist Brian Taylor Carlson, restaurants such as Baru 66 and Al Punto in West Des Moines, are moving closer to downtown in the fall to take full advantage of the caucus period.
I recently joined the caucus crowd to dive first into the bipartisan food scene, interview influential actors, and explore the city 's most discussed hot spots. So, if you want to spy on a campaign strategy, meet your favorite presenter, or recharge your batteries after a long day of ringing for votes, we have what you need. Discover the following 18 essential restaurants in Des Moines, a varied selection recommended by locals, journalists and politicians.
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Note: The restaurants on this map are geographically listed.
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