Forum: HoseHeads Sprint Car General Forum (go)
Moderators: dirtonly  /  dmantx  /  hosehead

In north Des Moines, Scotty D's BBQ. Contest champs that have great food. Worth the drive. Also ask if Big Moe will be in town vending that weekend. Either one will be worth looking up if you want real, slow smoked BBQ greatness. This is what I do now after wrenching, BBQ smokers and comps. Know both of them and know their standards. Enjoy your trip. Steve.

I wouldn't consider Des Moines at or around Knoxville but I know many of you travel from there so here goes...

Some of these are repeats 

If I had to choose a place to eat at in Knoxville I'd choose the Rib Shack, it's not large but has great food and is at a great location. Don't forget about Peace Tree Brewery just off the square. Other than that in my opinion there are better options elsewhere.

Pella, Osky,  Pleasantville, Indianola,

Pella:

Kaldera's is my favorite place. It's greek food with a little of everything and probably one of the nicer sit down restaurants in the area. 

Pella:

Also has the sports page, (the most common sports bar ever) on the west end of Pella. Good place to get a burger and watch some sports.

Pella:

  Has a good little Italian restaurant on the square called Capris. Nothing fancy here but their food is good and prices are as well. I'm a stickler for service and I've never had poor service at this location. 

Osky:

Doesn't have much to offer other than Mi Ranchito which is now located on the NE corner of the mall. Good prices and good service but run of the mill mexican food. The one in Pella is better as someone has mentioned, but la Casa in INDIANOLA tops them all. 

Osky:

Also has a newer restaurant called On the Green. It's not on the main roads but they have a nice atmosphere and some good sanwiches. I like to get a tenderloin wherever I go and they're right up there with the best I've had anywhere! Nice thick and juicy. lol. They also have some cheap wings on Monday nights... I think 30 cents dine in only. Their service is spotty but I let it pass with them opening not that long ago.

Oh yes they also have a Jimmy Johns just as you come into town off of 92 across from the western most Casey's and a good chinese buffet on the same road just about a mile further east. 

Pleasantville:

The checkerboard. Pretty old fashion but they have good pizza and great onion rings. The original smokey row coffee house is good too if you're around the area it's definitely worth checking out plus the cool sprint car mural across the street. 

Indianola:

I have not lived there for years but they also have a Sports Page, go figure, and the same owners as the one in Pella I believe. The chinese restaurant is decent but my favorite is La Casa. They have an awsome super, or delux, or grande quesaDILLAH. 

Des Moines you have a smorgesboard of options. Like others have said, Zombie Burger has become a destination restaurant but is difficult to get into at the prime time of the day and sometimes in the middle of the day. You don't have to be a fan of The Walking Dead or zombies to appreciate what type of sandwhiches they create here. There's also Jethros. There are a few of these scattered around the Des Moines metro area so google it to find your closest one. There's about every kind of chain restaurant around the Jordan Creek Mall. 

DO NOT DRIVE PAST Prarie City and not go to Goldies. If you're an ice cream lover and like the same ole same ole, don't go here, go to DQ instead. They have some really good combination of flavors and ingrediants that you don't typically see around. 

I could go on forever but these are my favorites. 

Keep It Real

Bianchiboys in Altoona Ia has awesome food. 

No matter how hard you try.........you can't polish a 
terd!!!

Not this.   If you have never had a real Iowa pork tenderloin please try it  somewhere.   After doing a quick search it looks like B&b deli in Des Moines would be the place to try a tenderloin.   I have been to kings I think? out by the airport it was good.   Mr C's in K'ville also has a good tenderloin. 

The wife and I are lucky enough to be returning to the Nationals this year, and I have enjoyed the suggestions here. We will definitely partake of some of them.

Our favorite is Mexican food. Suggestions in either Knoxville or the east side of Des Moines??

I am lucky enough to work at one of the best tracks 
anywhere.

If near the airport on south side of Des Moines, head east on Army Post rd for two good places for a tenderloin. Smittys and Nicks both are close to each other. Both are very good.

Bianchi Boys also has a Knoxville location... Right next to Dingus

Mr. C's is for breakfast, then Tasos for lunch, and Swamp Fox for dinner.  

In my opinion the best Tenderloin sandwich is at a small bar at the corner of E 17th & Grand in DesMoines called Kelly's Little Nipper and in Osky I would certainly make a stop at Big Ed's on the S W corner of the square. They have excellent southern BBQ, as well as down home style cooking & amazingly excellent German specialities, as Ed's wife prepares these & she is from Germany & it's very authentic.

I think you mean Smoky D's on 2nd Avenue just off 80/35, agree that they have the best BBQ in Des Moines hands down.  My opinion is that Jethro's is okay but not great.

Another pretty good BBQ place is on Merle Hay road called Cactus Bob's, not the reputation of Smoky D's but the food is just about as good.

Enjoy

Another great eating establishment, whether just passing through Des Moines or attending the fair is Home Plate Diner. It's accross from the fairgrounds on the corner of E 30th & Locust & another location on NE 14th St. They have quite resonable pricing & the homestyle cooking is GREAT! Try the fried chicken & hot beef sandwiches especially.

Head south on highway 5 to albia and go to boggies, best steak in the state of Iowa.

i live in Missouri, and definitely do not consider Pizza Ranch as must eat.   

A new 28 foot BBQ concession trailer - Prime Country BBQ & Catering is going to be parked right next to the ticket office on the south side of the track. Our smoker is in the back 9 feet of the trailer and have a full commercial kitchen on the front 19 ft.  We will be smoking on sight day and night so all meat will be just off the smoker fresh.  Prime Country BBQ is going to be serving up the best brisket, pulled pork, loaded prime rib steak sandwiches you have ever tasted.   Homemade sides - cheesey potatoes, homemade mac n cheese, smoked beans (4 hours) on the smoker, cole slaw, and the best hot peach cobbler you have ever had will be served.   Please come see us and give us a try - you won't be sorry!!  We are told every day that we have the best food they have ever eaten and wherever we go we have a long line waiting for our food.  If there is a line - don't be scared to wait  - we serve everyone very fast.  We will also have some pub tables for you to eat by and also can do your meal in to go containers or we also have 50/50 cups which we fill with your choice of brisket or pulled pork along with your choice of one side.  Great way to get some amazing bbq and be able to walk around and eat it out of a logo'd Prime Country cup while on the go.  Stop in and see us -  BEST BBQ AROUND!!!

A new 28 foot BBQ concession trailer - Prime Country BBQ & Catering is going to be parked right next to the ticket office on the south side of the track. Our smoker is in the back 9 feet of the trailer and have a full commercial kitchen on the front 19 ft.  We will be smoking on sight day and night so all meat will be just off the smoker fresh.  Prime Country BBQ is going to be serving up the best brisket, pulled pork, loaded prime rib steak sandwiches you have ever tasted.   Homemade sides - cheesey potatoes, homemade mac n cheese, smoked beans (4 hours) on the smoker, cole slaw, and the best hot peach cobbler you have ever had will be served.   Please come see us and give us a try - you won't be sorry!!  We are told every day that we have the best food they have ever eaten and wherever we go we have a long line waiting for our food.  If there is a line - don't be scared to wait  - we serve everyone very fast.  We will also have some pub tables for you to eat by and also can do your meal in to go containers or we also have 50/50 cups which we fill with your choice of brisket or pulled pork along with your choice of one side.  Great way to get some amazing bbq and be able to walk around and eat it out of a logo'd Prime Country cup while on the go.  Stop in and see us -  BEST BBQ AROUND!!!

Please feel free to check our our Prime Country BBQ & Catering Facebook page.  Like us and it will give you all the information, ratings and pictures of our fabulous brand new concession trailer.

Jethro's is by far the best BBQ place I have ever ate. Mo place in Texas, Memphis, Nashville, North Carolina, Kansas City has anything on Jethros. The Brisket is superb. The only place I couldn't eat the whole breaded Tenderloin. Seemed the size of a man hole cover. 

I don't know if it is still open, but the Williamson Tap used to have good Hamburgers and Sausage Sandwiches.

I like Jethro's, but to say that it is the best BBQ place ever is a bit of a stretch.  Not sure the places you've hit up in the cities that you mentioned, but apparently they weren't the right ones.

When are you setting up? 

Dave Boy

We will be setting up on Friday of the 360's and will be there Friday, Saturday, and Sunday of the 360's - reloading for the 410's and will set up on Wednesday of the 410's and will be there Wednesday, Thursday , Friday and Saturday.  Thanks for the Inquiry. You WON"T be dissappointed if you try our food!!