Quaint cheese shop in the middle of Des Moines right off of I235…read more Tiny shop with great selection of craft cheeses. Walk right in and was helped immediately. Good service and efficient. Able to taste test and try all sorts of meat and cheeses. Also a tiny bistro like restaurant to the side of the shop. Visited on Black Friday and it was packed out! Came for the craft cheeses to look for something unique. Walked out with $70 worth of cheese and salami and a loaf of La Mie ciabatta bread sold in this store. Pretty pleased with the whole experience. Would visit again!

One of my favorite places! If you're looking for the spot to get hard to get cheeses in Iowa, this…read moreis the place. I've been stopping here ever since I was in college. I used to be part of the cheese subscription but I found out there are some cheese to funky for me pretty fast lol. I recently stopped in for the first time in a while and saw they'd expanded their dine in area, where it used to just be a sandwich of the day and a table or two, they now have about 5 tables and a menu with multiple options. I think I can confidently say this is the best sandwich I've had in Des Moines! The service is always great and insightful, and I love the vibe of the shop. Planning on stopping in almost every time I'm back in town now!

Hand's down, the best beef sticks and jerky I've ever had! I lived in KC and currently NYC. But it…read moremust be something in their Iowa meat, because theirs is the best of the best. Though I don't recommend getting more than a 1/2 lb of either. Your jaw might be sore for a little while after eating all of it. Trust me.

I went in and not too long ago and the service is really friendly really cool food was great and…read morethe aviances have a rustic I like that and there is some girl that work there some lady with their Vicky I think or Nikki or something like that she was really cute and helpful. I would definitely recommend it to anyone

Award winning goat cheese right here in good ole Iowa. They sell all around the state at co-ops,…read more Gateway Market/Des Moines, The Cheese Shop of Des Moines...but I always, always get mine at the Downtown Farmers Market. I get the blend feta ...not sure what that is...and it is the best I have ever had, EVER! I dice it up and toss it with arugula, fresh seasonal fruit, and a homemade vinaigrette and EAT it! Per their website and staff last up to 6 weeks after batch date! Mine doesn't...it disappears somehow!

Yum! So excited in exploring the downtown Des Moines area to find a section referred to as little…read moreItaly. Within the little Italy area is an Italian grocery that has been here for well over 100 years. Graziano Bros offers, sausages, cheeses, breads, meatballs, etc. plus dry goods offered in wholesale amounts for additional savings. A wonderful little shop with a feeling of nostalgia and a focus on excellent customer service. It has a wonderful aroma of amazing food selections. During lunchtime, they offer amazing Italian sandwiches. This is a must stop for your pantry and or freezer when in the Des Moines area. Bring an ice block!

My mom is visiting from out of town. She loves charcuterie so we stopped in for some cheese and…read moremeat. She left with it bag of other little things off the shelf- lemon tarts and fresh bread and biscotti and sparkling water and bottled tea and marinated mushrooms and olives and cherry BBQ chips ... Its a little expensive but the staff are friendly and the store is clean and cozy. The deli worker gave my 1 year old a slice of spicy pepperoni after she cried when a man in front of us sampled it.

Went with some friends who live in town. I got the Mac and cheese, my friend got the special, and…read moreher husband also got Mac and cheese. The food was really good. The manager(possibly owner) chatted with us for a bit. He was very friendly and our server/bartender was as well. Both were knowledgeable about the food but also the beers on tap. The place was packed so we got to sit at the bar. Definitely will return when I am in town.

Really enjoyed our lunch, service was top notch as were the sandwiches. This place is a gem.read more

No tours even though the sign out front said they have tours. Came all the way from California for…read morethe tours. Lady at the front was rude and expected us to know they no longer do tours since covid.

Was here a few years ago and tried their blue cheese, I came back for more and bought a few other…read morecheeses too. Their reserve blue just melts in your mouth! Got some of their recipes this time too and I can't wait to try them.

I liked the selection here. The beef sticks were really good. I also ordered a few different…read morecheeses. We bought the strawberry rhubarb pie which was delicious. The frozen cranberry relish was not a favorite. It has a spice we couldn't place but was quite strong. One thing we did think that would be helpful would be a list of ingredients on the premade food items. Service was great.

Terrific smoked meats. Counter service is average and prices are reasonable. The dried beef and…read moreGouda sandwich on raisin bread is really yummy.

The had a blast making our own boards during our virtual event. The meat and cheese was…read moreexceptional and I even went out afterwards to purchase some of the habanero cheddar. Great work And thank you for the super fun class. I could see this as a fun team building event for my crew.

The only one of its kind in the IC Downtown District, Brix Cheese Shop & Wine Bar has it all. (And…read moreby all, I mean cheese and wine. What more could you need?) What started as a wine and cheese shop with a small bar has grown into a full-service restaurant with a small shop. It boasts outdoor seating (though, be careful for falling acorns during the fall-- those are hazardous)! I stopped in on a Friday evening, prior to another reservation. I got a crisp glass of rose and enjoyed the beautiful October day. I'd d I recommend street parking, down Linn Street. Though the Tower Place Parking Ramp is a short .25 mile walk away. Honestly, I bumped this up a star for two main reasons. 1) STAFF. Man, just the most helpful, knowledgeable and personable folks work here. Kind folks. I mean Kind with a capital K -- and it starts from the top. During the pandemic, the owner donated $13k during the peak of the pandemic to local businesses. (By challenging his customers: For every $100 Brix gift card purchased, he would pay forward 100 percent, with 75 percent of the money going to various downtown venues, restaurants and retail, and 25 percent to the Englert Theatre.) Additionally, each year Brix does a Rosé vs Wade event raising money for the local Emma Goldman Clinic of Iowa City. 2) Wine classes. I am always so intrigued to see the wine classes Brix puts up on Facebook. I adore wine but I am not anything close to a sommelier. Keep an eye out for these informative and tasty classes! Brix is one of a kind in Downtown Iowa City. Sip, sip hooray! Stop by.

A distinctive feature of txakoli is the "txotx" pouring method, where the wine is poured from a…read moreheight into a glass to aerate it and release its aromas. This practice is common in Basque pintxo bars and adds a cultural ritual to the drinking experience. Only these guys can't be bothered to serve it that way. Shame on you for being lazy. Marks you as a hick bar in the cornbelt. Surprised you don't have sawdust and discarded peanut shells littering the floor.