DSM Restaurant Week: Discover Epic Deals Aug. 16 – 25, 2024
What can you expect during this year’s DSM Restaurant Week? From Aug. 16 – 25, 2024, Greater Des Moines (DSM) restaurants participating in the annual 10-day event will offer lunch specials between $15 and $25 as well as dinner specials between $40 and $80. The Business Publications Corporation annual event has grown to include new restaurants since it began in 2008.
This popular event is your opportunity to try special menu items created by top chefs around the region from your favorite DSM dining spots or visit a new restaurant you’ve been itching to get to but haven’t yet had the chance. Whether you work in Downtown Des Moines (DSM) and want to try one of the 15+ spots across Downtown neighborhoods or live in the ‘burbs and want to grab a delicious meal on a patio close to your house, you’ll find exactly what you’re looking for during dsm Restaurant Week!
In Johnston, Trostel's Greenbriar is a casual dining experience offering signature cocktails, steaks and other menu items. In the Jordan Creek area in West Des Moines, Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse and Wine Bar creates a steak and wine experience with a side of inspired hospitality. Sit on the patio at The Urban Grill in Urbandale or taste local flavors at Fresko in Downtown’s Western Gateway Park ... there are so many options!
dsm Restaurant Week Q+A with BPC Associate Editor Hailey Evans
What is the history of DSM Restaurant Week?
The first dsm Restaurant Week started in 2008, when all participating restaurants offered a dinner for $20.08. (Sorry to all the servers who had to make the exact change). The concept already existed in several other cities, but we wanted to bring it here and give it a uniquely Iowa flavor. One of our early food writers, Jim Duncan (also known as Cityview’s “Food Dude”) put together a special section for dsm magazine that listed dozens of local restaurants along with his own observations about how Des Moines’ food scene had grown and diversified since the 1970s.
When and why did it begin and how has it grown?
The week began in 2008 to celebrate Des Moines’ growing restaurant and dining scene and encourage folks to try new places. The city’s dining options have proliferated even further since that initial 2008 celebration, but the goal remains the same: Every year, dsm Restaurant Week introduces people to some of the city’s best restaurants. In the guide to that first year, Duncan noted: “If there’s still a joke in the food scene here, it’s on the fool who drove all the way across Iowa without stopping to eat.”
Are there any new restaurants on the list this year, and if so, how excited are you to have them participate?
We’re excited to include new restaurants almost every year. There seems to be a steady flow of new offerings, so there are usually a few new names on the list, along with those that jump back in after a break. This year we’re excited to welcome back Table 128, in its new location, plus newer kids on the block, like Cooper’s Hawk, Prime & Providence and Wasabi Urbandale.
What do you hope the community gets out of DSM Restaurant Week, besides really good food?
We hope that the week encourages diners to venture to a new place and try a new dish or two. The week is all about taking pride in the great food and great service of Des Moines restaurants — most of which are locally owned, which is worth celebrating and supporting. We also hope the chefs, bartenders, managers and owners feel that support and love from the community during the week. After all, we wouldn’t have much to celebrate with their hard work, talent and creativity pushing our dining scene forward.
What if you cannot go into restaurants this week? Are there other ways to support this?
Deals vary from one restaurant to the next, but dsm Restaurant Week offers plenty of flexibility to suit almost every schedule and preference. If you can’t dine in, call up your chosen place and see if you can get their special menu to-go. If you’re skipping dinner, try their signature drink. Otherwise, feel free to share menus with your friends and family and spread the word about the participating restaurants.
What are the staff appreciation awards? How are those decided?
Each year, Society Insurance honors top hospitality professionals at dsm Restaurant Week’s participating restaurants. The awards honor employees who go above and beyond to deliver outstanding customer service or team support and boost the business in positive ways. QR codes are placed throughout participating restaurants for patrons to nominate both front-of-house and back-of-house staff. The restaurant pro with the most nominations in each category wins $250!
Participating Partnership Members
See the list below:
Learn more about DSM Restaurant Week and see the full list of participating restaurants at dsmrestaurantweek.com. Follow DSM Restaurant Week on Facebook and Instagram for menu updates.
When dining out in Greater Des Moines (DSM), local restaurants, craft breweries, local wineries, coffee shops and more have this foodie scene covered. Find out more about the region’s most popular restaurants and new additions here.
The Greater Des Moines Partnership calendar of events is a one-stop resource for activities taking place throughout the region. Find networking information for Greater Des Moines (DSM) businesses, including Chamber luncheons, roundtables and ribbon cuttings. You can also find live music happening each week thanks to the “Live Music This Week in DSM” blog series.
Greater Des Moines Partnership
The Greater Des Moines Partnership is the economic and community development organization that serves Greater Des Moines (DSM), Iowa. Together with 23 Affiliate Chambers of Commerce, more than 6,500 Regional Business Members and more than 400 Investors, The Partnership drives economic growth with one voice, one mission and as one region. Through innovation, strategic planning and global collaboration, The Partnership grows opportunity, helps create jobs and promotes DSM as the best place to build a business, a career and a future. Learn more at DSMpartnership.com.