Where to Source Food Locally for Your Table in Downtown Des Moines

Incorporating more local and seasonal foods can be easy, inexpensive and tasty! We put together this curated list of resources to help you stock your fridge and pantry with locally sourced food from businesses and restaurants in Downtown Des Moines (DSM). If you’re a locavore or foodie or epicurean, you’ll want to take notes and schedule your next visit to explore Downtown Des Moines’ local food culture

Local Downtown Des Moines Grocery & Food Markets

Downtown Farmers’ Market

May – October | Historic Court District
Bringing together hundreds of vendors from across the state of Iowa, The Market offers a variety of products available for purchase including locally sourced and specialty items. If you’re looking to stock your fridge and pantry with fresh, locally sourced food, the Downtown Farmers’ Market is the place to shop. Additionally, the Winter Market also offer holiday items and late-season produce sold in November and December.
dsmpartnership.com/desmoinesfarmersmarket

Gateway Market

2002 Woodland Ave., Des Moines
A longtime staple in Downtown DSM, priding itself on offering good, fresh food including locally grown fresh produce. Browse the market for a bountiful selection of the finest natural, organic and specialty foods sourced both locally and from around the world. The café is also available for you to stop in and enjoy a hot, freshly prepared meal! Pro Tip: Keep your eyes peeled for local products on the shelves, like the seasonal Apple Cider available in the fall months by Wilson’s Orchard!
gatewaymarket.com

Graziano Brothers

1601 S. Union St., Des Moines
A southside tradition since 1912, Graziano Brothers offers a variety of ingredients for Italian cooking and more. Just outside Downtown DSM, they are famous for their locally made pastas, sausage and bread that is sold at the original storefront, as well as many supermarkets and restaurants in the region.
grazianobrothers.com

Hy-Vee Fourth + Court

420 Court Ave, Des Moines
Located centrally in Downtown DSM on Fourth Street and Court Avenue, the Fourth + Court Hy-Vee offers everything you could ask for in a grocery store and more. Featuring aisles of fresh produce, organic treats, dine-in options, take-and-bake dishes, locally sourced food and more, Fourth + Court Hy-Vee is happy to serve Downtown residents and workers as they go about their days.
facebook.com/FourthCourtHyVee

Fun Foodie Fact: World Food & Music Festival, held annually in August, holds a unique cooking competition where contestants are pitted against each other to make the perfect meal. The contest starts with participants shopping for ingredients at Downtown Farmers’ Market to use in their dishes.

Downtown Des Moines Specialty Food Stores & Ready-Made Meals

AllSpice Culinarium

400 E. Locust St., Ste. 5, Des Moines
Looking to make something delicious? Pop into AllSpice in the Historic East Village, and shop a broad selection of herbs and spices, rubs, extracts, oils and vinegars. You’ll also find fun products and accessories for baking, cooking, grilling and more. Don’t skip their website for a laundry list of tasty recipes, too!
allspiceonline.com

The Good Butcher

555 17th St. Ste. 103, Des Moines
Opening in Fall 2024, this butcher shop located in historic Sherman Hills is dedicated to being your source for the highest quality fresh and cured meats in Downtown DSM. Their goal is to connect you and your family with the farmers and companies that are raising, feeding and handling their animals in the best way possible on high quality family farms with integrity and sustainability. Its easy to support local farmers and eat local with offerings such as fresh beef and pork cuts, whole animal butchery, as well as bratwurst, sausages and charcuterie made in-house.
thegoodbutcherdsm.com

New World Kitchen

1620 Pleasant St., Des Moines
A takeout-only, healthy meal prep business serving up small batch vegan dishes in the Sherman Hills neighborhood of Downtown DSM. The pop-up’s menu centers around whole food ingredients, such as grains, beans, vegetables, nuts and seeds and includes locally sourced food when possible. Place your plant-based food order Tuesday through Thursday, selecting the dishes that sound tastiest to you. Choose pick up or delivery in checkout for the following Monday and heat up and enjoy your vegan meals at home. It’s that easy!
newworldkitchendsm.com

Eat Local at Downtown Des Moines Restaurants

These Downtown Des Moines restaurants offer menus that heavily emphasis locally-source ingredients and a farm-to-table experience. Check out the restaurants listed below for an exceptional culinary experience while eating local.

Fresko

909 Locust St., Ste. 103, Des Moines
From salads to tacos, this restaurant serves up vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free eats, all natural and fresh from the bounty of nearby Iowa farms.
freskodsm.com

HomeGrown

555 17th St., Ste. 102, Des Moines
With its unique home in the historic Crescent Chevrolet building near the Sherman Hill Neighborhood, you just can’t go wrong with their full menu of breakfast, lunch and brunch goodies featuring locally sourced ingredients.
homegrownkitchen.com/homegrown-des-moines-menu

HoQ

303 E. 5th St., Des Moines
With a frequently rotating menu with a heavy emphasis on local, sustainable and seasonal products, this farm-to-fork restaurant is a must-visit to experience the freshest flavors of Iowa’s farms.
hoqtable.com

Mulberry Street Tavern

206 6th Ave., Des Moines
Tucked inside the Surety Hotel, Mulberry Street Tavern’s menu is peppered with local bites like Iowa sweet corn, cheeses curated by the local Cheese Shop of Des Moines and more. Be sure to peep their menu for a list of their local partners like Blue Ribbon Gardens, Rhinehart’s Family Farm and Lee’s Greens.
suretyhotel.com/mulberry-street-tavern

Table 128

220 SW 9th St. #120, Des Moines
You don’t have to venture to the countryside to find farm-to-table freshness. Chef Lynn Pritchard brings the best of the best to the heart of the city, with a rotating menu highlighting seasonal products from local producers.
table128bistro.com

Trellis Café

909 Robert D. Ray Dr., Des Moines
Located inside the Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden and a local lunchtime destination, Trellis’ locally sourced, plant-inspired menu changes each month! You’ll find seasonal soups, pastas, salads and more — and priced-right, too. The kids' menu, desserts by Doré Bakery and drinks (both alcoholic and non-alcoholic) are also available.
trelliscafedsm.com

Find even more Downtown Des Moines restaurants, including farm-to-table eats, international dishes, unique flavors and more.