The Most Popular Breakfast Spots in Iowa, According to Iowa Road Trip Followers
Where can you find the best breakfast in Iowa?
We recently asked Iowa Road Trip followers to name their favorite breakfast spot. More than 500 responses came in, ranging from classic small-town cafés to restaurants known for oversized pancakes, homemade cinnamon rolls, skillets and biscuits and gravy.
After combining alternate spellings and different versions of the same restaurant name, these locations received the most recommendations. They’re listed in order based on how frequently followers mentioned them, although we’ve left out the totals.
This isn’t a scientific ranking, but it offers an excellent starting point for anyone planning an Iowa breakfast road trip.
Restaurant information can change. Check current hours before making a special trip.
Waveland Cafe in Des Moines
Address: 4708 University Avenue, Des Moines, Iowa
Website: wavelandcafedsm.com
Waveland Cafe has been a Des Moines breakfast institution since 1984. This cozy neighborhood diner is especially well known for its hash browns, hearty skillets, omelets and generous servings of classic breakfast favorites. It’s common to find a line on busy weekend mornings, but loyal customers say it’s worth the wait.
Sunrise Cafe in Le Grand
Address: 908 West Main Street, Le Grand, Iowa
Website: Sunrise Cafe on Facebook
Sunrise Cafe serves traditional diner breakfasts in the small community of Le Grand. The menu includes pancakes, waffles, French toast, omelets and other filling breakfast plates. Several followers specifically noted the generous portions.
Morg’s Diner in Waterloo
Address: 520 Mulberry Street, Waterloo, Iowa
Website: Morg’s Diner on Facebook
Morg’s Diner is a longtime Waterloo favorite with a classic, no-frills diner atmosphere. The restaurant is particularly famous for its enormous pancakes and handmade hash browns. Morg’s has been serving the Cedar Valley for more than 60 years and offers breakfast throughout the day.
LD’s Filling Station in Mason City
Address: 616 12th Street NE, Mason City, Iowa
Website: LD’s Filling Station on Facebook
The automotive memorabilia covering the walls makes LD’s Filling Station almost as memorable as its food. This family-owned Mason City restaurant serves breakfast and dinner throughout the day, including omelets, skillets, pancakes and chicken-fried steak with eggs.
It’s My Jam Cafe in Ankeny
Address: 7015 NE 14th Street, Ankeny, Iowa
Website: itsmyjamcafe.com
It’s My Jam Cafe specializes in breakfast, brunch and lunch with a combination of familiar comfort food and more creative selections. French toast, breakfast skillets, homemade cinnamon rolls and pies are among the reasons followers recommended making the trip.
The Hay Market in Decorah
Address: 201 Washington Street, Decorah, Iowa
Website: The Hay Market listing
The Hay Market might look like a downtown neighborhood bar, but it has also developed a loyal following for its weekend breakfast. Expect hearty portions, breakfast burritos and traditional morning favorites served in a relaxed, unpretentious setting. Breakfast is currently offered Thursday through Sunday, so check the schedule before visiting.
Crouse Cafe in Indianola
Address: 115 East Salem Avenue, Indianola, Iowa
Website: crousecafeia.com
Crouse Cafe has been a family tradition since 1946. Located just off the Indianola town square, it serves breakfast throughout the day along with homemade comfort food. The cafe is also famous for its cherry pie, hand-breaded tenderloins and fried chicken prepared in an iron skillet.
Javi’s Grill in Spirit Lake
Address: 914 Lake Street, Spirit Lake, Iowa
Website: Javi’s Grill on Facebook
Javi’s Grill is a casual Spirit Lake breakfast and lunch restaurant known for substantial servings and classic morning comfort food. Followers called attention to its cinnamon rolls, skillets, smothered hash browns and chicken-fried steak breakfasts.
Flip’N Jacks Pancake House & Eatery
Locations: Ames and Altoona
Website: Flip’N Jacks on Facebook
As its name suggests, pancakes are a major attraction at Flip’N Jacks, but its menu extends well beyond the griddle. Diners will find French toast, crepes, waffles, skillets, omelets and other breakfast and lunch choices. Followers recommended more than one of its Iowa locations.
Carpenter’s Diner in Waterloo
Address: 518 Jefferson Street, Waterloo, Iowa
Website: Carpenter’s Diner online
Carpenter’s Diner carries on a multigenerational Waterloo restaurant tradition. Breakfast and lunch are served throughout the day, with pancakes, omelets, biscuits and gravy, hash browns and classic diner meals filling the menu.
The Grove Cafe in Ames
Address: 124 Main Street, Ames, Iowa
Website: The Grove Cafe on Facebook
The Grove Cafe is a compact, old-fashioned downtown diner best known for pancakes that nearly cover the plate. The Ames restaurant has been serving customers since the late 1940s, and its oversized pancakes have attracted attention far beyond Iowa.
Jerry’s Main Lunch in Burlington
Address: 501 South Main Street, Burlington, Iowa
Website: jerrysmainlunch.com
Jerry’s Main Lunch is a vintage Burlington diner that has been serving customers since 1946. It opens exceptionally early and serves breakfast all day, making it an especially useful stop for early risers. Traditional breakfasts, daily specials and homemade pies keep longtime customers returning.
Klunder’s Kafe in New Hampton
Address: 929 West Milwaukee Avenue, New Hampton, Iowa
Website: klunderskafe.com
Klunder’s Kafe is a casual, family-style restaurant serving breakfast, lunch and dinner. It opens early and offers the kind of traditional, homestyle breakfast that fits perfectly into an Iowa road trip. Followers mentioned it repeatedly as a New Hampton favorite.
Machine Shed
Iowa locations:
- 11151 Hickman Road, Urbandale
- 7250 Northwest Boulevard, Davenport
Website: machineshed.com
Machine Shed pays tribute to Iowa agriculture through its farmhouse-inspired surroundings and generous servings of Midwestern comfort food. Both Iowa locations serve breakfast daily, with pancakes, omelets, biscuits and gravy, stuffed hash browns and oversized cinnamon rolls among the choices. Weekend brunch buffets are also offered at select locations.
Milk & Honey in Harlan
Address: 919 Seventh Street, Harlan, Iowa
Website: Milk & Honey online
Milk & Honey brings a different style of breakfast to downtown Harlan. The farm-to-table cafe uses ingredients from Iowa producers and makes much of its menu from scratch. Along with breakfast and lunch, visitors will find baked goods, coffee and craft cocktails.
J’s Homestyle Cooking in Cedar Falls
Address: 1724 West 31st Street, Cedar Falls, Iowa
Website: jshomestyle.toast.site
Located near the UNI-Dome, J’s Homestyle Cooking serves large portions of familiar American comfort food. Breakfast selections include pancakes, French toast, omelets, skillets and biscuits and gravy. One follower specifically recommended the Panther Omelet.
Drake Diner in Des Moines
Address: 1111 25th Street, Des Moines, Iowa
Website: drakediner.com
A Des Moines landmark since 1987, Drake Diner combines a retro-diner atmosphere with classic homemade comfort food. Located just south of the Drake University campus, the family-owned restaurant serves breakfast all day. The menu includes omelets, pancakes, French toast, breakfast sandwiches, eggs Benedict and other diner favorites.
Honorable mentions
These restaurants were also recommended multiple times by Iowa Road Trip followers. They’re listed in order according to how often they appeared in the responses:
- Toast on Hill, Spirit Lake
- Sue-Z-Q Family Dining, Cresco
- Mullet’s, Des Moines
- Lou’s Diner, Perry
- Hungry Bear, Burlington
- HomeGrown, Des Moines
- Early Bird, Des Moines metro
- Dottie’s Cafe, Dubuque
- Cedar Falls Family Restaurant, Cedar Falls
- The Breakfast Club, Des Moines metro
- Boonies Bar & Grill, Fort Madison
- Argo Corners, Argo
- Town & Country Cafe, Madrid
- Tommy’s Cafe, Davenport
- Toast of Burlington, Burlington
- Sunshine Restaurant, Dubuque
- Sunshine Cafe, Eldora
- Sunset Family Restaurant, Manchester
- The Sunny Spoon, Menlo
- Pottsie’s Cafe, Burt
- OJ’s Diner, Marshalltown
- Maggie’s Diner, McGregor area
- Lincoln Cafe, Belle Plaine
- Legends Cafe, Council Bluffs
- Jay’s, Cedar Falls
- Iowa 80 Kitchen, Walcott
- Harvey’s, Sioux City
- Guppy’s, Elgin
- Frontier Cafe, Grinnell
- The Filling Station, Ames
- Family Table, Decorah
- Costa’s Sports Bar & Grill, Fairbank
- Brightside Cafe, Sioux City
- Booneville Bar & Grille/Waveland West, Booneville
- Bluebird Diner, North Liberty
- BecMar Diner, Osage
- Ankeny Cafe, Ankeny
Which of these Iowa breakfast spots have you tried, and which one should be your next road-trip destination?
