Having an eggsistential crisis on where to get brunch? Then check out the list of Best Brunch Spots in Greater Des Moines, as voted by locals, that will have you raising your bottomless mimosa to toast the most important meal of the day.
Drake Diner
Served all day
No list of Des Moines institutions is complete without Drake Diner, which has been slinging hash in the Drake neighborhood since 1987. Bask in the old-school diner ambiance while sipping a cup of joe and enjoying one of their specialties like Santa Fe grits, pumpkin pancakes, Cap’n Crunch French Toast sticks, or their signature omelet with Iowa sausage, mushrooms, and cheese. They serve lunch and dinner, but Rule #1 of diner dining is if they have all-day breakfast, you order it.
Eggs and Jam
Served all day
Sure, you can get eggs and jam at just about any place on this list. But where else are you gonna get it with funky 90’s hip-hop theme, replete with a Tupac and Biggie mural? These chronically good dishes are as creative as the names; try the Yo Holmes to Bel Air (omelette w/Philly Steak, provolone, grilled onions) or the Toast Face Killah (French Toast w/raspberry whipped cream and chambord syrup) and wash it all down with the I Just Crush A Lot mimosa flight. It was a good day indeed.
Waveland Café
Served all day
This no-frills neighborhood diner is home to the “best hash browns in the galaxy” (an objective fact) and plate-sized pancakes. It has a legion of loyal fans, perhaps none as recognizable as actor and Hawaiiowan Jason Momoa. If you have the metabolism of a superhero, try his namesake “Da Mamoa” - biscuits and gravy served over hash browns with sunny side eggs and a mound of bacon. Many of the waitstaff have served at Waveland since it opened in 1992, and they make sure to treat everyone like family, celebrity status or not.
The Breakfast Club
Served all day
This buzzy new breakfast spot in the East Village may very well be the best thing to emerge from the pandemic. Think kitschy retro cool décor, with decidedly progressive dishes like Huevos Benedictos, Cherries Jubilee (French Toast), and Seoul Food loaded hashbrowns with bacon, kimchi, and sriracha mayo. The drink menu serves up all the classics, but also has some fun twists like a Key Lime Pie Mule and Cold Fashioned. They even have an Email Joke List...brunch with a side of Dad jokes? Yes, please!
Mullets
Served all day (most items)
With a name like Mullets, how can it not be great? This food means business, with a party in the back in the form of their two-tiered patio with the best view of downtown in the city. There’s no better place to pre-game before an I-Cubs game, mowing down a breakfast burrito, chilaquiles or meatloaf hash browns, and washing it all down with one of their famous Bloody Marys.
Jethro's BBQ
Served weekends from 11 a.m. - 2 p.m.
While Jethro's may be known for their barbecue, they also have a delicious weekend brunch that can't be forgotten. Most of the Jethro's just serve brunch on the weekend, but Jethro's BBQ 'n Bacon Bacon serves it every day for all your breakfast needs. You can stick to the meat with omelets, sandwiches, and skillets, or, you can satisfy your sweet tooth with Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Pancakes or The Elvis Presley Peanut Butter Bacon Banana Pancakes. Either way, it's sure to be delish.
University Library Café
Saturday – Sunday: 8 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Two words: breakfast nachos. Sure, there are other equally amazing options at this Drake hidden gem like the Cheese Shop Omelet, Hangover Hash, and Breakfast Burger, but they don’t have that “Voted Best Nachos” sign on the side of building by accident. The fresh flour tortilla chips are the differentiator here, topped with scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, onions, peppers, and topped with Monterey cheese sauce.
Gilroy’s
Saturday – Sunday: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Regular brunch is great, but what if you could get second and third brunch? At this brunch buffet in West Des Moines, choose from a long list of breakfast options such as cornflake French toast, breakfast pizza, biscuits and gravy, made-to-order eggs and omelets, bottomless Bloody Marys, Mimosas, and Screwdrivers, and stacks and stacks of flapjacks! Bonus for families – kids under the age of six eat free!
Americana
Saturday – Sunday: 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Speaking of epic brunch buffets, Americana practically invented it with their now legendary Bottomless Bombshell Brunch. With more than 40 items, you’ll want a reservation and a couple of hours to work your way through options like loaded hash brown casserole, fried donut holes with vanilla frosting, and grilled cheese sandwiches. And if you’re not supplementing it with the bottomless Bloody Mary and Mimosa Bar, what are we even doing here?
Motley School Tavern
Tuesday – Sunday: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.
The charming Beaverdale neighborhood is always good for some underrated hidden gems, and Motley School Tavern fits the bill perfectly. With a warm and inviting interior that is effortlessly cool, there are few better places to enjoy the most important meal of the day. Pastrami hash? Wild mushroom omelet with goat cheese and fried brussels? Buttermilk and blueberry pancakes? Do we really need to go on?
Early Bird Brunch
Served all day
Early Bird Brunch made a tasty name itself in Omaha, and recently opened a highly anticipated location in West Des Moines. Now we don’t need to drive two hours to enjoy their famous A.M. Pot Pie (flaky puff pastry with sunny eggs, sausage turkey gravy, and hash browns), S’mores pancakes, or Shimp Grit Benny. They even have a breakfast appetizer menu (hash holes, tot poutine, bacon sampler), which is such a great idea we’re mad we didn’t think of it first.
Bubba
Saturday and Sunday: 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Bubba has quickly become a Des Moines staple thanks to their swanky-yet-cozy atmosphere and tasty southern classics. If you’re looking for a Southern-style brunch with shrimp and grits, creole omelets, fried green tomato benedict, or chicken fried steak and eggs, then look no further than Bubba downtown. Southern charm with a side of Iowa Nice.
Fresko
Saturday – Sunday: 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Fresko has made a name for offering a little something for everyone and doing it all very well. For brunch, we’re partial to their Crab Cake eggs benedict, Maine Lobster omelet, and Strawberry Banana Crepes, chased with an Aperol Spritz. We’re fancy like that. Fresko means “fresh” and they’re certainly true to their word.
St. Kilda
Served all day
St. Kilda has been around less than five years, but if feels like they practically invented the “elevated brunch” scene in Des Moines. We’re pretty sure they also invented avocado toast. With locations both downtown and now in Valley Junction, this “Australian style” café and bakery is the place to go for everything from steak & eggs to chicken & waffles to the aforementioned avocado toast for your Instagram feed.
