Plain Talk Books & Coffee

The atmosphere and the food were modern and tasty. We had sushi and bolognese so our tastes were…read morevaried. Our guest took his party the next day.

I went twice in one day lol I only have pictures from brunch…read more For brunch, I had the eggs your way with scrambled eggs, chicken sausage, and a gluten free pancake. The food was plentiful and very good. The gluten free pancake was made out of rice flour. It was dense but still good. I personally like my sausage on the very well done side so they switched out my sausage from the one pictured. Went back for dinner and got the Half Roasted Chicken with Lemon Pan Sauce with the mini lavey mocktail. The dish was great. The greens had a bit of crunch to them. If I could change anything, I would get the sauce on the side. It was a bit overpowering but did not ruin the dish. I felt that the dish was seasoned well on its own. The mini lavey was *fine*. I wouldn't get it again. It was overpriced for the size and the taste was just fine. Service was 10/10. Bathrooms clean. Well decorated.

Dining area

Golden Dragon Street Noodles

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Fresko Salad

South Union Bread Cafe

4.2(78 reviews)

1.1 mi

We had the Pesto Chocken melt and the Billy club . Both were big portions, we could have honestly…read moreshared and it would have been enough for both of us. Sandwiches came out quick even though there was a steady stream of people coming inside. We enjoyed the sitting area, they played fun music.

Great quality sandwiches. Proportionate meat, bread and other ingredients. Also a good process in…read moreplace to move lines along.

The Union

Chicken caesar salad and potato and pepperjack cheese soup.

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Beautiful old architecture.

Hummus Mediterranean Grill

4.6(8 reviews)

0.9 mi

Amazing food! Love the spice and flavors! And the floppy bread. Got the sampler platter thingy! So…read moregood!!

Food was good. I did a lamb and beef bowl and it was great. The only thing is I wish the meal was a…read morelot warmer.

Hummus Mediterranean Grill - The bowl with rice, red pepper hummus, falafel, tomatoes, cucumber, cabbage, red onion, olives, spicy feta w/spicy taziki sauce.

The bowl with rice, red pepper hummus, falafel, tomatoes, cucumber, cabbage, red onion, olives, spicy feta w/spicy taziki sauce.

Gyro in a bowl..so good!

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Love the floppy delicious uncircumcised schlong bread!!

The Royal Mile

4.2(225 reviews)

0.7 mi

Locally owned & operated

Sports on TV

Dave C. Appreciate the conversation and scotch…read morerecommendations, we'll be back The fish and chips are incredible

I stopped by here early on a Saturday afternoon for a late lunch/early dinner. There was a decent…read morecrowd, but plenty of seating. I found myself a spot across from a tv so that I could watch some Olympic hockey. Very attentive but not intrusive staff. When I finished one drink or my food, my glass/plate were swiftly whisked away. The tiny Guinness shot was adorable, and honestly worth the money for the selfie opportunity alone. I also had their lamb burger with fries, which was quite good as well. They had plenty of pub favorites on the menu, but if I stopped by again, I would probably still get the lamb. It's such an underrated option.

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Centro

4.2(687 reviews)

1.1 mi

The person who checked us in seemed a little rude, but our waitress was very friendly! We placed a…read morereservation, which I would highly recommend because otherwise, there's a 1 hour and 30 minute wait. We learned that from the day before, when the front lady completely seemed to ignore us. Anyway, our food was very good, and the restaurant has a very classy, rich vibe. I got the gnocchi, but I feel like the grated cheese on top didn't really go with the pasta. Other than that, it was good, but it's just not really my type. I'd probably skip this one. Since I didn't eat much of it, I got the kids' Alfredo pasta. WOW. Chef's kiss! That was the best Alfredo I've ever had. So cheesy and saucy--definitely a MUST. The complimentary bread was also very good, but the texture made it seem like it definitely wasn't fresh. It tasted a little old, but I still ate it . My family loved their food, and the chicken was absolutely delicious. Overall, definitely a spot you should try!

Service 5/5 Food 3/5…read moreAtmosphere 4.2/5 We had a reservation for 21:00 on a Saturday evening. Our server was welcoming and courteous, but they were understaff for hosts it seemed. We were given a complimentary bread which is not pictured in my photos. For the most part the bread was already warm and not freshly made. It didn't come with butter but olive, cheese and chili flakes were provided at the table. That bread was a 2/5 given the texture and flavor. Even the way it might've been cooked could improve. The Zelda alcoholic drink was sweet and tangy. I'd recommend it if you're up for it. Bruschetta appetizer kind of disappointed us. Bread was a little overcooked and didn't have much flavor. It came with the cheese, tomatoes and onions. I'd say try a different appetizer instead. Entrees were hot when they came out. Chicken saltimbocca could be best described as rich in flavor. Had a savory chicken and a strong white wine taste to it. The fettuccine Alfredo was cheesy. Ricotta gnocchi had a strong tomato flavor to it. I enjoyed the added cheese to the gnocchi. This was cooked very well and the portion size was big I couldn't finish it. Lastly, The dessert hazelnut brownie tiramisu was cold when served. Easy to put the spoon into. Strong hazelnut flavor and great mascarpone. The bottom half has the brownie part to it. It did have some nuts at the top. The server checked on us enough but not to the point where it was overwhelming. Again they could improve on their beginner bread and bruschetta bread.

Inside

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Palmer's

4.0(29 reviews)

0.8 mi

Delicious sandwiches made from scratch! Great deli sides and good amount of choices! They also have…read moremonthly special sandwich of the month!

Palmers has always been a great experience for me. I'm only in town once and awhile for work but…read morealways make it here for lunch. It is conveniently located in the skywalk really close to where I work. The ordering process can be a little hard to figure out when you walk in but after watching a few people I figured it out. Maybe some signs on how it works. They have different sections for sandwiches, soups, and salads. Then you pay at the end. I usually get the chef salad with the creamy garlic dressing which is fantastic. Salads also come with a roll which they have a wide variety of options. Everything is tossed together in front of you and can add or take out things. The staff is always very friendly and helpful. I am usually here alone and it's a great spot with lots of space for solo eaters as well as tables of 4 or more. Definitely recommend for a quick lunch.

I apologize for the half eaten sandwich. I couldn't stop. The "Sub"

Potato soup

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Veggie sandwich. Huge portion sizes and quite delicious!

Potbelly

3.7(46 reviews)

0.8 mi

I order delivery from this location to work and have never visited so I can't speak to in-store…read moreexperience. However, always great experiences with delivery orders. Accurate, warm, delivered on time and they always find our storefront which appears to be a trick for the other delivery services in town. Delivery drivers are always friendly and professional to boot. I can't say the same for the corporate app -- when it works it's great but that's only a small percentage of the time. Lots of rewards and freebies come with the app, I would recommend as you can redeem via in person or when you call in an order.

Cubano sandwich and half Mac and cheese. My sandwich was very very disappointing. Good flavor for…read morewhat I could taste but hardly anything besides bread in each and every bite. Mac and cheese was good as normal just a smaller portion than normal too.

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Gateway Market

4.0(266 reviews)

1.8 mi

Love the food and the grocery store! I feel the Italian beef…read moresandwich is 1 of the best I've ever had. Love the cinnamon and pecan rolls!

I recently visited this place wow leaving the Des Moines area and I thought I could find some good…read morefinds here just because I love seeing and visiting natural food stores. Overall, I was pretty underwhelmed with my experience just because it lasts a fair amount of items that I was hoping to find. The staff here was very friendly and I did like their selection of alcohol too. They didn't have too much of a crab and go selection either though they didn't have a nice little Bakery with some great vegan options. A decent selection of fresh produce. Easy access to the streets and Highway nearby which was the primary reason I came by too. Prices is here were a little Sky High too. Thankfully it's nice and peaceful if you come here in the morning

Huevos Motulenos

French Toast

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French Toast

Bubba

4.1(601 reviews)

1.1 mi

First time trying out Bubba's. We ordered:…read more Southern bread basket comes with butter and jam Coffee with cream and sugar Smoke chicken salad Crab cake Benedict with hash browns. Server and host were friendly and wonderful. Atmosphere was beautiful with natural lighting allowed in. Food came out fast and was hot. I liked the intense flavor for the crab cake Benedict. It was super filling and the egg was just cooked perfectly. We would come again!

A Southern-style restaurant with Southern-inspired food…read more We started with the fried green tomatoes and my only recommendation would be to use cornmeal to make it a true Southern taste. All I could taste was the breading which seemed like a very bland option to showcase the tomatoes. I had the red beans and rice and my Husband had mac & cheese, Brussels sprouts, and an open-faced sandwich. He wished the sauce they used on the sandwich had been a little less so he could've enjoyed what was underneath all of it. For dessert, we had a Coca-Cola cake. It was moist and served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Interior

Buttermilk Fried Chicken - 3-piece

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A Clausmopolitan martini

Jimmy John's

3.2(25 reviews)

1.3 mi

Came here for a small meal for lunch. This place is a busy little corner store. There's at least 10…read morepeople working here at once, lines are pretty long as well as processing the online order list. Bathrooms are clean too. Staff was really great about reminding me about some of the rewards I had that I haven't used yet. Overall, besides the longer than usual wait times. I recommend this place.

I've had Jimmy John's a few times before all the locations in Buffalo closed up and I was never…read morereally a fan of them. I was on a very long drive from Buffalo, NY to Las Vegas, NV and was making a pit stop to see what's Des Moines was all about when we needed some fuel for our stomaches and since not much was open, we settled on getting some sandwiches from Jimmy John's. This locating was pretty large, super duper fast with getting us the food (I'm talking we ordered and had two sandwiches in less then 5 minutes), and was friendly as well. I ended up ordering an 8" with turkey, bacon, lettuce, and mayo and I enjoyed it way more then I thought I was going too. It was made well, it tasted great, and I probably should of ordered the 16"! Overall, I had a great experience at this Des Moines Jimmy John's. Good, quick food at a reasonable price and you get a thumbs up from this guy!

Corner of Locust and 13th Street.

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Jimmy John's downtown great location

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2 reviews that are not currently recommended

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Stacey E.

2 years ago

I think the other people who have left reviews might need to go back and read the webpage about this fantastic spot

Pat G.

9 years ago

Love it...great staff...great coffee...great old world coffee shop atmosphere!

Plain Talk Books & Coffee - media - Updated October 2026

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I stopped here because it is one of the coffee hop locations. The ambiance is perfect if you are…read morejust stopping in for a coffee and a chat or if you need to sit and get some work done. The gentleman working was so kind and we had a nice chat while I was ordering. I ordered a caramel iced latte. I could have used an extra pump or two of syrup, but I definitely do like my coffee a little sweeter. My boyfriend really enjoyed it though. We both really enjoyed the espresso. They also have several pastries that are available. They all looked delicious. I ordered one with cream cheese and a strawberry filling which I really enjoyed. There is also lots of items displayed for purchase. Everything was so cute and I will be back for coffee and to buy a few gifts!

Came in for a warm up and place to perch for a bit. Drinks were hot, not too sweet for lattes which…read moreI prefer. Baristas were super helpful in giving info on the menu to make our decision. The place is cozy. Great spot!

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It is a very solid option with friendly staff. A good place to hang out as well. Coffee was very…read moregood, espresso based drink were just fine. I did not try any food options, they did look good.

Mayalu Coffee

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What a great spot! I came in to try it while staying at a hotel near airport. I took it to go…read more Great clean place, friendly staff, great food & coffee.

Service was AMAZING. The owner was so kind. Matcha also AMAZING. It's ceremonial grade and they…read moremake it pretty strong (the way I like it). I got it with lavender and oat milk. Super yummy. I also loved the different seating options. There's booths, tables, and an area with floor cushions and low tables to sit comfortably on the ground if that's your vibe!

Friedrichs Coffee

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This is my favorite Friedrichs in town Love Abby & Alexis so much!!! They always make me feel like…read moreI'm home when I swing by. I love the outdoor sitting area as it has the best summer vibe ever!!! Oh & coffee is pretty great, too! The only thing I'd improve is merch. I'd love to see it get a more trendy aesthetic, but apart from that, everything else is top tier

I went first to the wrong end of the counter and was kindly redirected. Then I had questions about…read morea drink that were answered fully and satisfactorily. My drink was made so fast that when I asked for a modification they thought they'd have to remake it; no!! Just add to it! It was DELISH. The outside chairs aren't comfortable but luckily there were seats inside. Staff at this location on this day was much better than at a different location and the drink was fabulous. Would go back and hope to encounter the same folks again.

Friedrichs Coffee

4.1

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Love this coffee shop! I got a large iced campfire mocha (chocolate and toasted marshmallow). It's…read moreso yummy. They didn't put a ton of ice, which I appreciate. It's nice and sweet which I really appreciate too! I also got a cream cheese danish and holy stars this pastry is amazing. Even cold, it's delightful. I have to mention how lovely and sweet the whipped cream is. If you want a treat, get whipped cream on your drink and savor it. Someone has handmade knitted items for sale and they are CUTE! There were only 3 items left because it's Valentine's Day, but I can only imagine how cute other items are.

Been here a few times to meet clients for work. Unsuspecting little hang out tucked in the corner…read moreof a strip mall. Staff is very friendly. Kinda a sweet beverage drinker's paradise. I've only tried the smoothies since I'm not a coffee girlie, but highly recommend.

Petite Cafe

4.9

(12 reviews)

Looking for a place to grab lunch while doing my civic duty I came across Petite Cafe…read more What a hidden gem of a coffee shop. I am going to say the gals name at the front was Sasha and I loved her warm welcoming energy. I got a mocha latte and it was gorgeous. The flavor was fantastic. I need a larger size of this next time. Loved the foam and deep mocha flavor was phenomenal. Made my lunch trip worth it and I knew then that the food was going to hit well. I got the BLTA and added the chicken after asking Sasha about it. She suggested adding the spicy mayo and the suggestion was spot on. What a delightful sandwich. The sourdough had a hard crust but a soft center toasted to perfection. The creamy avocado was velvet smooth mixed with the spicy mayo, crisp lettuce, juicy tomato, crispy smoky bacon, and the tender chicken was incredible flavor that left you satisfied. Just a wonderful lunch experience and then the bells starting playing the star spangled banner. Listen to my video, sorry it's short I didn't want to accidentally record someone. I feel like Sasha should have given a warning about how addictive this was, but then in away she had. She mentioned there can be a long line in the morning and I can see why that would be. I can't wait to go back and get this sandwich again. I would recommend her suggestion on the spicy mayo. Chocolate & Caramel Chunk Cookie with Sea Salt. Oh my goodness don't sleep on this cookie. Crisp edge with nice chunks of chocolate and caramel and the salt just sends it next level. Feel like I need this in a brown butter version as well. This was the trifecta of lunch- Latte, Sandwich, and Cookie. Made doing my civic duty a little better because now I had a solid lunch option and a reason to go back. I also need to try a scone when I return. I also learned they have a chicken salad sandwich on croissant so now I am trying to make it back so I can sample that. There are some really good options on the menu and they have local coffee plus everything you would expect in a gem of a coffee shop. The service was stellar and the vibe was warm and welcoming. Got a cookie for my lady so $32 I believe with $5 tip and the chicken is worth the add on. A great value for lunch with quality fresh ingredients and the cookie is large.

Cute little cafe with great bites and high-quality lattes. We're espresso/latte/matcha snobs and we…read moreliked it! Super friendly staff, too!

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I have been super excited to try this place as I have the coffeehop pass and have had serval people…read moremention this coffee shop. I thought it was pretty good and was a different environment to grab a coffee. A friend and I went on a Sunday morning, so it was pretty busy and we had to wait a little bit to find a seat. We found street parking on Ingersoll and had a short walk over which didn't bother us, but I can understand how parking is an issue during busier times. My friend and I both enjoyed our drinks but weren't blown away. I also tried the breakfast burrito which was okay, but I probably wouldn't order again. I was hoping to try the breakfast sandwich but they were sold out. I liked this shop, but it is not a place I would go out of my way for.

Weird interaction with the workers here.. ordered a cappuccino and but got a flat white. When I…read morenicely asked if I could have a cappuccino I was rudely spoken to and told a flat white is a cappuccino. Huh? Definitely had me second guessing so I quietly went back to work but I later looked it up and it's not the same thing.. i don't think I'll be coming back here.

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5.0

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Just had coffee, but it was really good. Sandwiches was really good too and the staff was very…read morefriendly.

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