Lunch Options

When I’m at conferences, I tend to prioritize the amount of time I have to spend on lunch over how good the food actually tastes. I frequently wind up eating at hotel or chain restaurants, picking away listlessly at a limp salad and wondering if the waiter will ever show up to take my credit card so I can run to the next session. Fortunately for us, Iowa City doesn’t have that problem due to an abundance of local flavor. Here’s a list of locally-owned places that you can check out in any given period of time, based on my own conference experiences and quick runs up the hill to downtown Iowa City between meetings at the library.

I have less than 30 minutes and might need to take my food to this meeting/group!

• Bread Garden: Buffet. Bread Garden has a pay-by-weight system for its lunch buffet. Choose a to-go container or a plate. Outdoor seating is available.

Image credit: Amy Hildreth Chen

• Heirloom Salad Company: Soups, salads, and sandwiches. To-go options available! Added bonus: it shares a space with Java House, though you are likely to get your salad quicker than your coffee.
• Mama’s: Soup and sandwiches. A lunchtime favorite for library staff in a hurry. Get it to go or in-house. You will have to wait a few minutes, but I’ve never seen it take longer than 5-10.

I have about an hour.

• Short’s Burger & Shine: Burgers. The lunchtime favorite of much of Iowa City, Short’s is known for their incredible burgers and fries and total lack of any other food. Their great bean burgers make Short’s vegan-friendly! Just don’t expect a side salad.
• Nodo: Sandwiches. For the serious sandwich-lover. Service can be a little slow sometimes, but it’s worth the wait! Outdoor seating is available.

Image credit: Amy Hildreth Chen

• Thai Flavors: Thai. Thai Flavors is a great lunch option, but can be a little slow sometimes. An hour should be enough time.
• Forbidden Planet: Pizza. Play some pinball while you wait for some of the best pizza in town. They have a wide variety of toppings and sauces to keep everybody happy.

Image credit: Margaret Gamm

• Moonrakers and One Twenty Six: Gastropub. Two restaurants (one upstairs, one downstairs) owned by the same couple. A perennial favorite for library interviews and people trying to escape the crowd. Outdoor seating is available.
• Masala: Indian. The lunch buffet is sizable and vegan-friendly. Come prepared to eat.

Image credit: Amy Hildreth Chen

• Food Republic: Asian. With a sizable menu, the relatively new Food Republic provides plenty of options.

I have about an hour and don’t mind a bit of a walk.

• Mosley’s: BBQ. Mosley’s normally gets your food out to you in record time, but is a little farther away. Pro tip: excellent drink specials from 4-6 and an array of affordable, incredible sides make this a great place for happy hour and a terrible place for vegans. Outdoor seating is available.

Image credit: Amy Hildreth Chen

• Oasis: Falafel. Oasis doesn’t take too long, but is a bit of a walk. Best hummus and falafel in Iowa City, by far.

I want/need to take my time and feel a little fancy while I do it.

• Atlas: A favored location for their spectacularly large, unique burritos and massive salads. Outdoor seating is available.

Image credit: Amy Hildreth Chen

• Basta: Italian. Excellent pizza and pasta options. A lunch favorite for those days when you need a nice break. Outdoor seating is available.
• Pullman Bar & Diner: Pullman is one of the newer restaurants in town. They have a variety of great lunch options. Limited outdoor seating is available.
• Iowa Chop House: Steakhouse. If the Midwest has put you in serious need of steak or a bison burger, look no further. Outdoor seating is available.
• Baroncini: Italian. Their $10 lunch special includes soup or salad and your choice of pasta dishes.

Happy eating!

–Margaret Gamm
Special Collections Librarian,
Acquisitions and Collection Management
The University of Iowa