Over easy, scrambled or sunny-side up, however you like to order your eggs, there is much more to explore in the different breakfast places across the state of Iowa. While there are plenty of places that offer breakfast fare throughout the day, not every establishment in Iowa includes the relaxing environment that seems to pair nicely with hash browns and bacon strips. To find not only quality food items, but a place to truly sit down and enjoy your meal, your best bet will be to find one of these 7 best breakfast places in Iowa
While Iowa City has no shortage of delicious breakfast places to choose from, the Bluebird Diner on Market Street tends to shine above the rest thanks to their tantalizing menu options and aesthetic location within the Northside Marketplace of the Iowa City Downtown District. Whether you stop in for a carefully cooked omelet or whip-cream dolloped piece of pie, maybe even just a cup of coffee, the Midwestern soul food in combination with the friendly environment will make your breakfast experience at Bluebird a memorable one.
To find the quintessential Iowa breakfast in the Hawkeye State, look no further than the two different locations the Machine Shed Restaurant operates within Iowa. Whether you choose the Davenport location, or you head to the Urbandale storefront, be prepared to feast on a meal that will either give you energy for the rest of the day or cause a post-breakfast nap to incur. Featuring menu items like the Pork Producer’s Breakfast, the Country Market Skillet or sweet rolls the size of your plate, the Machine Shed Restaurant aims to get you ready for a long day of hard work using your hands in the Iowa soil.
For the best hash browns in the universe, look no further than the Milky Way and the breakfast bar at the Waveland Cafe in Des Moines. It’s not just the hash browns either, and the Waveland Cafe has full menu of potential favorite breakfast items including chicken-fried steak, omelets and every American classic you can think of. Denizens of Des Moines and beyond flock to the Waveland Cafe for the food, and stay after the bill for the friendly atmosphere that’s served alongside the never-ending cups of coffee.
For a classic neighborhood diner, make your way down to Waterloo and check out Morg’s Diner on Mulberry Street. Serving the community staple breakfast items for over 50 years now, Morg’s has breakfast soul food perfected in their charming booth-style eatery and lounge. If you happen to find yourself any day of the week, sitting in a Morg’s booth with a hot cup of coffee, with a server asking what you would like to have for breakfast, the rest of your day is bound to be a good one.
Located adjacent to the Iowa State University campus in the Ames Downtown District, the Grove Cafe caters towards students and community members alike, and if you’re in the mood for something savory or something sweet, the Grove Cafe has you covered. From hash browns to French toast and every egg variety in between, the Grove Cafe couples their full breakfast, lunch and dinner menus with a comfortable environment complete with booths and barstools to enjoy your meal, no matter what you decide to order.
No “Best of Iowa Breakfast” list would be complete with mentioning the Iowa City breakfast institution, the Hamburg Inn No. 2, which is nationally recognized both on the political and all-star breakfast scene. Home to many political candidates’ tour stops during the Iowa Caucus, you don’t have to a politician to enjoy the many staple food items on the menu at the Hamburg Inn, including in-house favorites like the Iowa Breakfast, the Hawkeye Hog omelet, bison burgers or the world-famous pie shakes, making for a whole list of items to keep you back coming through the Hamburg doors.
From Florentine omelets to stuffed French toast, if you have even a single taste bud remaining, you’ll find something to like at the Breakfast House Cafe in Cedar Rapids. Located a half mile west of the Veteran Memorial Stadium, home to the Cedar Rapids Kernels, this Cedar Rapids staple has been serving up breakfast for over 30 years with only a short respite when the floods of 08’ wiped out the original shop. Check out the remodeled location today for the same quality food the Breakfast House Cafe has been serving for over three decades, and whatever you go for, just know that you’ll want to come back for more.