Meet the 11 best new restaurants that opened in 2024 in the Des Moines metro
Susan Stapleton, Des Moines Register
Updated Sun, January 5, 2025 at 12:27 PM CST
Over the past 12 months, dozens of new restaurants opened in the Des Moines metro. Casual restaurants allowed you to walk up to the counter to order and then have food delivered to your table. High-end steakhouses and farm-to-table restaurants brought new spaces for special occasions to be celebrated. An ode to the supper club debuted, complete with pull tabs, walleye and relish dishes. Mediterranean food, Korean dishes and Vietnamese fare all made a mark on the region. Even a new brewery serving great food arrived.
Take a look back at some of the best new restaurants to open in 2024 in the Des Moines metro.
See a new restaurant opening? Have some restaurant news to share? Drop our dining reporter Susan Stapleton a line at sstapleton@gannett.com with details.
Arcadia
Aguachile at Arcadia leans into its Mexican side of the menu.
Head to Polk City between Saylorville Lake and Big Creek Lakes for Arcadia, an upscale restaurant that leans into fusion fare. The restaurant opened in August with seasonal fare that takes its inspirations from fresh ingredients, local farmers, and executive chef Mikel Nguyen's Vietnamese heritage.
Start with Vietnamese eggrolls in pork and beef that he hand rolls with his family, or Korean fried wings. Chef Axel Hernandez throws his Mexican heritage into the mix with aguachile made with shrimp or a roasted poblano chicken sandwich. For entrees, try a honey-soy glazed pork chop, sticky ribs, or beef bourguignon.
The cocktails from Antonio Aguilar have their own elevated spin with Light the Beam made with gin, lemonade and lavender honey or a Japanese highball that uses Japanese whiskey and ginger ale.
Location: 1010 Tyler St., Suite 4, Polk City
Contact: 515-207-0011 or arcadiapolkcity.com
Hours: Open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.
Happy hour: Tuesday through Saturday from 2 to 6 p.m.
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