Hidden gems: Food & Drinks in Iowa City

Discover the city's hidden treasuresβ€”remarkable spots that are relatively undiscovered but offer exceptional experiences. Our selection criteria? A rating of 4.5 or higher with fewer than 150 reviews. Explore these lesser-known yet outstanding places that promise a delightful visit in Iowa City. This list contains 47 places from Food & Drinks category.

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Cracken's Grill image
1
Cracken's Grill
American restaurant
πŸ‘πŸ‘ Super clean shop & yummy food! Honey Mustard Chicken Sandwich wasn't just a Sysco chicken breast on a Sysco bun. The fried chicken was cooked fresh and seasoned well. The bun was a fluffy, tasty kaiser (I think?) with corn meal on top! Staff is super nice. Menu board is positioned a bit awkwardly, b...
$ $$$
5.00 (43 reviews)
Scout's Honor image
2
Scout's Honor
Pizza restaurant
5.00 (43 reviews)
GYRO HICKS image
3
GYRO HICKS
Soul food restaurant
πŸ‘πŸ‘ Today was my first time having their Sunday Soul food...and it is Amazing! I have had the Italian beef several times & polish and they are very, very good!!! But the catfish, dressing, yams, mac & cheese, and even the green beans are all πŸ”₯. Seasoned to perfection! Keep doing what you are doing! I d...
$$ $$
5.00 (16 reviews)
DAYDRINK image
4
DAYDRINK
Cafe
πŸ‘πŸ‘ Cozy spot for coffee people or some vibey coworking. Amazing brew!
5.00 (13 reviews)
Hawkeye Vapor Iowa City image
5
Hawkeye Vapor Iowa City
Vaporizer store
πŸ‘πŸ‘ Nice to have a good vape shop close to home with good products not just esco bars and the staff was cool and made me feel like bro we should have been chillin
5.00 (10 reviews)
Brass Ring Coffee image
6
Brass Ring Coffee
Coffee roasters
5.00 (6 reviews)
Pump it Up image
7
Pump it Up
Cafe
πŸ‘πŸ‘ When I went to pump it up, they immediately got right to the point. They took off my tire and pumped it up to 30 psi. My ride home was smooth sailing. Thank you pump it up for pumping up my tire and saving the day.
5.00 (5 reviews)
Department of Theatre Arts image
8
Department of Theatre Arts
Academic department
5.00 (5 reviews)
DAYDRINK image
9
DAYDRINK
Coffee shop
πŸ‘πŸ‘ Super cute coffee house. We went to the walk up window.. The barista suggested a lovely latte. My husband thoroughly enjoyed it. If we were close to day drink again we would definitely go back. Your coffee comes in a glass jar if you take it back you get a dollar off. Recommended.
4.90 (91 reviews)
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10
Wild Culture
Cocktail bar
πŸ‘πŸ‘ Great spot to relax and refresh. Relaxing atmosphere and friendly staff. Great selection of kombucha made in house with seasonal selections always rotating on tap. Craft beer on tap as well. Really enjoy this place.
4.90 (81 reviews)
HOT & ROLL food truck image
11
HOT & ROLL food truck
Mediterranean restaurant
πŸ‘πŸ‘ Saw the perfect 5 star reviews and got intrigued, have to say it’s MORE than deserved. The fries were perfectly crispy and the special sauce was great. The tzatziki sauce was the best I’ve ever had, actually killer. All in all the food was bussin, the prices are reasonable, and Ali is that guy, supe...
$$ $$
4.90 (75 reviews)
fix! Coffee image
12
fix! Coffee
Coffee shop
πŸ‘πŸ‘ Really great experience! I had a Burundi washed pour over that was made to perfection. Staff were knowledgeable and friendly. The space was open, clean, and has good vibes. Definitely recommend.
4.90 (69 reviews)
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13
The Box
Sports bar
4.90 (18 reviews)
Mesa 503 image
14
Mesa 503
Salvadoran restaurant
πŸ‘πŸ‘ Having dinner at Mesa 503 was a very good experience. This is a small, simple restaurant with friendly, patient help. We enjoyed several types of pupusas, ribs, a chicken tamale (had potato and green pepper in it, wrapped in a banana leaf) and plantain with crema. Excellent - not greasy, tasted fres...
$ $$$
4.80 (119 reviews)
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15
Tru Coffee
Coffee shop
πŸ‘πŸ‘ So glad the guys at Iowa City Parkrun recommended this place! I had a smashing cup of coffee and the avacado toast really hit the spot! Super chill atmosphere and super friendly staff 😎
$$ $$
4.80 (82 reviews)
The Green House image
16
The Green House
Bar
πŸ‘πŸ‘ If you are a plant lover this is a must! The vibes are very zen and relaxing! The plants are healthy and the staff is kind.
4.80 (74 reviews)
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17
Da Flava Unit Xpress
New American restaurant
πŸ‘ First time trying here and the customer service is really good 🀌🏾 the lady is really nice and helped me with some other things because I’m new to the area. The food was good I ordered the jerk chicken, rice, and plantains. Only thing I would say is the rice was a little too smoky and dry for me b...
4.80 (51 reviews)
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18
The Black Angel
American restaurant
πŸ‘πŸ‘ Food is tasty and prepared well. Slim menu, which is always a good sign (I don't trust restaurants with huge menus). Po' boys are a good choice, as are the Perez tacos. Has the same problem as every other restaurant in town- not enough wait staff-so service is slow. Bar is well-stocked, bartender se...
$$ $$
4.80 (49 reviews)
Everbowl - Iowa City image
19
Everbowl - Iowa City
Açaí shop
πŸ‘ For some reason this location doesn't offer their bowls in Size Small which was very disappointing since we weren't that hungry. Tried the new Mango but wasn't a big fan. Once again, I really wish there was more nutritional info on the few staple bowls they offer. The bases are between a sorbet...
4.80 (48 reviews)
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20
Camp
Bar
4.80 (13 reviews)
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