Ah, the French fry. One’s of man’s greatest culinary creations. There is something about the crunch, the variety and the finger-licking tastiness of French fries that make them a staple of the American diet. If you happen to be in the state of Iowa when the French fry fix hits you, thankfully you don’t have to drive very far to find a variety of options. Ranging from out-of-this-world poutine fries in Des Moines to the regular crispy classic, Iowa not only provides some of the best fries, the state also provides some of the best varieties. To start tasting some of these awesome French fries in Iowa yourself, it’s recommended to check out these 10 best places for French fries in Iowa!
Home of not only some of the best burgers in the state of Iowa, the French fries at Short’s are worth the visit alone. While every burger and black bean burger you order at Short’s comes with a side of their state-famous, incredibly crispy fries, if you want the full experience from Short’s, you can order the bacon cheese fries appetizer that comes loaded with toppings. Whether you get them as a side or appetizer at Short’s, you’ll quickly see why this local establishment has some of the best fries in the state.
Well known as one of the best French restaurants in Iowa, Django of Des Moines is full of tantalizing menu items featuring authentically French cuisine and French-inspired entree options worth visiting twice for. Among the many delicious items of this staple Des Moines restaurants includes the duck frites. Also known as a French fries cooked with duck fat, these first-class fries will set a high-bar for all other French fries that follow. Served with an aioli sauce and curry ketchup, the duck frites can serve as just a great beginning to a full meal at Django.
One hunred percent locally owned and operated, Burgerfiend in Cedar Rapids is quickly becoming one of the best places in Eastern Iowa to get your burger fix. Alongside with the better burgers served at Burgerfiend, this laid-back establishment also provides some of the best French fries you’ll find in the state. Hand cut each day from never-frozen Idahoan potatoes, the fries at Burgerfiend are always made to order and provide the right crunch you expect from a first-class French fry. Also serving made-to-order milkshakes and malts alongside the burgers and fries, the Burgerfiend serves up the holy trifecta of eating with each visit.
With two locations in Eastern Iowa, including Iowa City and Solon, there is double the chance to dine out on the artfully created food at Big Grove Brewery. With no shortage of beers to pair your food choice with, a great recommendation from the menu includes Big Grove’s parm fries, which takes fresh French fries and douses them with even more flavor. While the parm fries at Big Grove can satisfy anyone’s appetite, both menus of each location of Big Grove provide plenty of culinary creations that can take your taste buds to new adventures and beyond.
Featuring nearly every piece of the puzzle to have a good time, the Quarter Barrel of Cedar Rapids offers vintage video games, pinball and a full menu of delicious French fry flavors and beer. Outside of one of the biggest arcade collections in the state of Iowa, Quarter Barrel also has a wide selection of French fries on the menu, including classic curly fries, poutine and parmesan truffle fries. All the different French fry options at Quarter Barrel provide a rich taste, and a reason to use a napkin before handling the video game controllers, and whether you visit for the fun or the food, a high recommendation is to take part in both on your next visit to Quarter Barrel in Cedar Rapids.
Serving as the self-touted home of Iowa’s original No. 1 pork tenderloin sandwich, Darrell’s Place of Hamlin also serves up some pretty mean French fries. While all sandwiches, including the famous pork tenderloin, comes with the option of potato wedges or traditional French fries, for the real treat at Darrell’s, the sweet potato fries off the appetizer menu can really provide a taste to remember. However you like you fries at Darrell’s, they all pair nicely with the tenderloin sandwich, making for a complete Iowa meal.
There is just something about diners that seem to add to any French fry experience, and for one of the diners with the best French fries in Iowa, look no further than the Highway 63 Diner in Waterloo. Featuring classic American staples including burgers, steaks, soup and salad, the real treat that can come with just about any meal at the Highway 63 Diner is the French fries served hot and made to order. Coming in with three different choices, ranging from traditional to American and sweet potato, the fries are only the icing on the cake for a delicious meal at the Highway 63 Diner.
With four locations in Des Moines, and eight total locations exclusively in the state of Iowa, the carhop charm of B-Bop’s represents one of Iowa’s best local burger chains. The aroma that wafts through the air at B-Bop’s while you’re waiting to place an order is reason enough to put this burger establishment towards the top of the list of best French fries in Iowa, and with just one bite it’s easy to realize why they clench the title. Nothing pairs better with the French fries at B-Bop’s than their burgers, and with just one visit to this nostalgic burger drive-in, you’ll quickly understand while you’ll soon be back for more.
While the Emerald Isle of Imogene might be best known for their Irish atmosphere and festive celebrations, this Irish Pub is also home to some of the best French fries in the state of Iowa. Whether it’s their crispy exteriors or expertly seasoned statures, the French fries at Emerald Isle have gained quite the reputation for being one of the many reasons to visit this fun Irish pub. Whether you pair them with a burger and sandwich, or perhaps just a beer, as is true in most of life, once you start digging into the French fries at the Emerald Isle you’ll find it hard to stop.
Best known for their unique burger combinations and long-listed milkshake menu, Zombie Burger of Des Moines has also garnished quite the accolades for their well-seasoned French fries. With seven different French fry options to choose from at Zombie Burger’s Des Moines location, including garlic bacon and blue cheese fries and a “Dr. Heiter’s Poutine Basket” full of regular fries, chili-cheese fries and poutine fries, whichever route you go at Zombie Burger, you’ll be sure to fulfill that endless hunger associated with the undead.