Riverside parks, Czech roots, and Midwestern warmth: Cedar Rapids is Iowa’s second city, where you’ll find a sophisticated food culture grown from farms, hard work, and a community proud to support its own.
1. Cobble Hill Eatery & Dispensary
Cobble Hill is Iowa’s farm-to-table darling: house charcuterie plates, pork belly buns, wild mushroom ragout, and a chef’s tasting menu that changes weekly to echo the seasons.
Everything, from the bread to the pickles to the apple butter on the pork chop, is house-made.
Servers are seriously knowledgeable; cocktails are as craft as they come.
The room—brick, wood, candles—makes you want to settle in for a long, slow meal.
2. Zeppelins Bar & Grill
Neighborhood tavern, elevated: Zeppelins serves up burgers piled with creative toppings (pineapple-jalapeño salsa, smoked gouda), ginger chicken tacos, bacon-wrapped meatloaf, and “churro fries” for dessert.
Sports play in the background; regulars catch up with bartenders about local politics, softball scores, and who’s coaching Little League this year.
3. Biaggi’s Ristorante Italiano
A Midwestern outpost for seriously good Italian—classic pastas, ruby red Chianti, generous salads, and standout desserts (tiramisu is unbeatable).
The grand dining room buzzes with milestone dinners, and the bar pours regular happy-hour specials.
4. Czech Village Restaurant
Honoring Cedar Rapids’ Czech population, this homey spot is the place for svíčková (beef in creamy dill sauce), potato dumplings, sausage and sauerkraut, and cherry kolaches.
The weekends bring lively polka music and stories of the city’s immigrant past.
Grandkids and grandparents come together to share heaping plates and fill the room with laughter.
5. LP Street Food
A fun, modern take on the trend, LP serves empanadas, Korean fried chicken sandwiches, poke bowls, and loaded tater tots—washed down with house margaritas or boozy milkshakes.
The industrial-chic space, garage doors rolled up on nice days, is a magnet for young professionals and artsy types.
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