Skip the Clif Bar: $5 Meals in Iowa City

There are a few excellent go-to solutions for eating on a budget in Iowa City without resorting to Clif bars, fast food, or peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Here are three recommendations for maximizing taste while minimizing cost. All these options come out under $5/meal (give or take with taxes).

First, it is important to note that the main conference venue the Vetro/Sheraton has a food market with a hot bar and an outdoor patio. Grab up $0.99 yogurt and $0.26 bananas to your heart’s content without facing hotel mark up.

Breakfast:

Cortado

For breakfast head over to Cortado, the newest coffee shop in Iowa City that has quickly become a fan favorite – even with Food Network star Alton Brown.

The pastries and breakfast sandwiches are made in house and range from $2-4, and the expertly crafted drinks that would tempt even the serious coffee fanatics range from just $2-4.

Recommendation:

Chocolate croissant – $2.75
16 oz Café Au Lait – $3

Alton Brown outside of Iowa City’s Cortado coffee shop

Lunch:

Pizza is usually cheap in college towns, but Iowa City boasts two options for a $5 pizza lunch with gourmet toppings in unique combinations.

Mesa:

The first option is Mesa for pizza by the slice. The Dune-like sandworms painted on the walls initially gave me pause, but this place is serious about pizza and always comes out on top ten lists in Iowa City. Oversized slices and specialty creations are always available at the counter, with 8 vegetarian options always ready to go, and they finish it off in the oven for you just before serving.

Recommendation:

Avocado Delight pizza with black beans, chopped tomatoes, feta cheese, and avocados ($4.75 slice/drink special or try the slice of the month $3 with a side salad for $2)

Pizza by the slice at Mesa

Forbidden Planet:

Don’t let “slice” fool you, the $5 slice/drink lunch special at Forbidden Planet, just steps away from the Sheraton, includes a slice that is actually a generous personal sized pizza with a thin and crispy crust.

If you’re willing to go over budget, drop some quarters into the classic arcade games.

Le Gourmet

Located in the Old Capitol Town Center is a tiny counter tucked in the side of the wall serving Korean pastries, selected Korean dishes, and sandwiches. (Also a place to procure an excellent croissant). An asterisk on the menu, listed on a sign sitting on the counter, is the large bowl of rice porridge in rotating daily flavors for $4.75.

Le Gourmet, in the Old Capitol Town Center

Dinner:

Bread Garden Market

For dinner, go no further than the hot bar back in the Bread Garden Market, but choose wisely. Fruit especially can be deceptively heavy. Stick to buying whole fruits offered over in the market. However, bread is included free with any meal from the hot bar, so here is my recommended choice to come out just under $5 while maximizing flavor.

Recommendation:

Bread Garden Hot bar:
- Four chicken strips (sriracha ranch dressing for dipping)
- Generous amount of sautéed sesame kale (which is super light – great deal!).
- Grab your favorite free bread
- Add on a $0.25 banana

You’ll definitely come out under $5.

La Regia

For those of you at the Hampton Inn, you are close to the best tacos in the area. La Regia taqueria tops everyone’s list for delicious Mexican food in Iowa City. First a fabulous food truck, they now boast a physical location for their incredible authentic tacos served on house made corn tortillas and sprinkled with onions and cilantro. Most choices are $1.50-$2 per taco. Skip the rice and beans. Just order more tacos.

Recommendation:

For a really unique choice, try the Potato Taco special for $4.99 (3 fried taquitos on corn served with a 2oz side of guacamole topped with lettuce, cotija cheese, and sour cream)