With its bustling university, agricultural heart, and walkable downtown, Ames is a picture of modern Iowa: ambitious, family-focused, and unexpectedly cosmopolitan.
The Café
A community centerpiece, The Café serves breakfast through dinner with menus shaped by what’s local and in season: farm egg scrambles, scones, and homemade granola in the morning; sweet corn risotto, Iowa pork chops, and decadent bakery pies by night.
The airy, light-filled space buzzes with families, students, and professors from ISU.
Hickory Park
Ames’ barbecue haunt since the 1970s, Hickory Park is a citywide ritual for hickory-smoked ribs, piles of pulled pork, pit-cooked chicken, and an incredible lineup of homemade ice cream sundaes.
Large tables fill with extended families and sports teams and service moves with classic Midwest cheer.
Provisions Lot F
Trendy and welcoming, Provisions brings big-city flavor to Ames with wood-fired pizzas, kale and roasted beet salads, creative grain bowls, and a swoon-worthy bakery selection.
Afternoon coffee gives way to wine flights and buzzier dinners, and the patio is a haven during Iowa’s precious spring and fall evenings.
Aunt Maude’s
Old-school Iowa, Aunt Maude’s dishes up comfort with a side of class: sizzling steak, breezy fish and chips, and a killer bread basket.
The mood is warm—think vintage lamps, deep booths, and servers who know your order.
Perfect for Sunday dinner, grandma’s birthday, or college-town date night.
Haymarket
A nod to Ames’ historic market downtown, Haymarket brings in classic American fare with a twist: rotisserie chicken, fried brussels sprouts, house-made pimento cheese, and a full tap of local Iowa brews.
The stone-walled room and bustling weekend brunch cement its status as a town must-have.
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