2020 is for the birds. And turkeys. And ducks. All we know is we're hungry. We've come up with a few ways to recreate your favorite food scenes from all the holiday classics; all while supporting local right here in Greater Des Moines.  

A Christmas Story – The Dinner Scene 

Bless the network executives for keeping up the age-old tradition of showing "A Christmas Story" 24-7 on the 25th. Even if the neighbor's dogs didn't make off with your Christmas turkey, you're still well served to order Peking duck from Le's Chinese Bar-B-Que, located just north of downtown. Duck aficionados sing the praises of this hidden gem, offering traditional BBQ Peking duck as well as dishes like BBQ Duck Noodles soup.    


Christmas Vacation – Clark Carves the Bird  

Remember in "Christmas Vacation" when Clark "carved" the bird, and it let out a sad, dry cough and a puff of smoke? Avoid that embarrassing scenario by trying Basic Bird, the delicious new offshoot for the culinary geniuses at Harbinger. Order some Korean Fried Chicken with three different sauces and pair it with family-style sides like potato salad, Korean cheese corn, and kimchi fried rice. And it's boneless, so you can avoid all that awkward crunching.  


The Santa Clause – Diner Scene  

In "The Santa Clause," after he torches the turkey, Scott Calvin takes his son to Denny's, which he calls an "American institution." How about trying the Drake Diner, a "Des Moines institution," instead? Drake Diner can equip your crew with whatever comfort foods you're craving (probably hash browns) PLUS chocolate milk AND pie! Now offering curbside takeout if you prefer to recreate that diner ambiance at home.  


Elf – Spaghetti Breakfast 

Nothing symbolizes the sense of togetherness that the holidays bring quite like a fancy meal. Take, for instance, an Italian feast featuring spaghetti. And syrup. And Pop-Tarts. And marshmallows. Maybe go easy on the sugar this year and stick with more traditional toppings while digging into a plateful of tasty carbs from Spaghetti Works. Try their Fast 4-pack with your choice of pasta, sauce, salad dressing, and garlic bread. Pop-Tarts not included and, quite frankly, highly discouraged.   


Home Alone – Cheese Pizza  

Party like your parents left you "Home Alone" (and let's be honest, you really might be home alone this year) while they flew the rest of the family to Paris and treat yourself to the most decadent of luxuries... a cheese pizza. Little Nero's may not deliver to Greater Des Moines, but Fong's Pizza does, where you can get classic cheese or something for more grown-up palettes like Honey Garlic Alfredo or Crab Rangoon pizza.  


Polar Express – Hot Chocolate Nightcap 

Toast your holiday movie marathon with a hot chocolate nightcap a la "Polar Express," minus the uncanny valley animation. Feel like a kid again when you sip on silky "haut chocolate" from Chocolaterie Stam. They also offer Holiday bonbons and new 'Peppermint Shivers.' Also, just as a reminder, Tom Hanks is a national treasure and must be protected at all costs.  


How the Grinch Stole Christmas – Roast Beast  

While we may not have any restaurants in Greater Des Moines serving rare roast beast (phew?), you can get a pretty good approximation at Chicago Speakeasy, who offer their famous Prime Rib to go. The beef includes Au Jus and is par-cooked to rare with instructions to bring it up to temperature at home. Sure to make your heart (and belly) grow three sizes that day.   


Die Hard – candy bar scene  

Of course, "Die Hard" is a Christmas movie. Didn't we quash that debate years ago? Now that we're done arguing about it, how about calling a truce over a sweet treat? Even the baddest baddie finds comfort in chocolate. You can find plenty of that at Crème Cupcake, which offers curbside pickup for their famous cupcakes, cookies, cakes, and this year's elusive stocking stuffer: hot cocoa bombs. Yippee Ki-Yay!  


It's a Wonderful Life – Honeymooon dinner scene 

In "It's a Wonderful Life," George and Mary enjoy their wedding night while two friends serenade the couple outside in the rain. Meanwhile, there's a charming rotisserie cooking up a few chickens for the couple. You're on your own when it comes to recreating that storybook romance, but we can point you in the right direction for good chicken, courtesy of Gateway Market. They offer some of the best roast chicken dinners in the metro, and for those feeling a little more indulgent, you can also order fully-catered meals like roast turkey and brown sugar ham. Smells like romance to us!