This place is literally legendary. Home of the famous Dutch letters and all kinds of Dutch…read moregoodness, Jaarsma Bakery is the kind of place that takes you back to the old school in the best possible way. With a staff dressed in traditional Dutch outfits and fresh pastries filling an entire room, Jaarsma smells and looks about as close to bakery heaven as you can get. The sheer amount of pastries, breads, cookies, and treats is impressive. You can also grab various foods and sides, along with a great collection of Dutch products that won't disappoint. I arrived around midday, and some of the favorites were already gone or running low, which probably tells you everything you need to know. I was on a mission for the letter "S" pastries and the cream-filled bars, and they absolutely delivered. Since I had flown into Pella on a private plane, I also ordered some thank-you treats to bring home for a few supportive people in my life. It was the perfect place to find something unique and memorable. If you come to Pella, you come here. It's really that simple. Do not miss Jaarsma....your stomach will thank you!

Jaarsma is deserving of this 4-star review based on its size, selection and general quality. Please…read moreunderstand that's not a bad thing. They did a nice job on the Dutch letter and Chicago Cubs frosted sugar cookie that I tried. I did find the place to be overrated compared to the mass' reviews and the legend that it has outside of Pella. But no doubt, you kind of "have to" go there if you're in Pella. Hopefully a 5-star experience awaits you.

I've heard multiple people tell me about the Dari Barn and how legendary it is. So while in town, I…read moremade a stop to check it out. Reports are accurate, this place rocks. Delicious ice cream and chicken nuggets. I loved it! Glad we made it before they close for the season.

This place got me through college, and if you're a struggling Grinnellian, it will get you through…read moretoo. I was always a huge fan of the daily froyo flavors and some of the hot foods (do try the cheese curds!). Portion sizes are gigantic, which I cannot complain about.

Absolutely delicious. This was my second visit. Both times I got a Twister in a small. Neither time…read morecould I finish the whole thing but gave it a good try. The quality of the ice cream and the toppings is great. The staff are friendly and patient as you try to choose from all the varieties. The cute patio is perfect for a summer evening. I can't wait to go and try more.

Sometimes I struggle with my reviews between giving a place a 4 or a 5 star rating but that is not…read morethe case here. This place is AWESOME! The quality ingredients and amazing flavor combinations will keep us coming back again and again. I wouldn't change a thing about this place.

Best tenderloin I've ever had! We came in for lunch and the pork was juicy, tender, and perfectly…read morefried with breading. Their atmosphere was cute and customer service was welcoming and kind. The portion was huge and I can't wait to have the leftovers for dinner! The fries, cheese curds, and ice cream were good too!

Saving room for dessert initially seemed daunting due to the size of the award winning pork…read moretenderloin sandwich with which I started my meal. The fried cutlet is twice as big as the bun. However, that's not as great as it sounds. The tenderloin, itself, was okay, but I won't say "award-winning" impressive. The best taste came when biting into the bun and mixing in the mustard, ketchup, onions and pickles. Fortunately, there were mustard and ketchup bottles at arms length to enhance the dish. As for the ice cream, there were all sorts of shakes, sundaes and twisters with all sorts of toppings. I think I would have been better served going that route. My decision to just get a basic chocolate cone led to a basic dessert experience. The vanilla on my wife's cone was a modest upgrade in taste. Everyone working there was very nice and made sure that we were well taken care of.

It's the local favorite for a reason!…read more Graham's Ice Cream is truly the backbone of Ottumwa, IA. There is always customers here no matter the time or weather. They have very fair prices and dish out huge servings. My personal favorite is the peanut butter shake, but you can never go wrong with a crunch cone! Make sure to have cash on hand because they are a cash only establishment.

Excellent ice cream! Reasonably priced! Tasty!! Wish it was open year around! Big portions--I…read morelove the hot fudge!

Very friendly workers. The ice cream is the best around. I like the variety of weekly flavors…read more Well worth the drive.

Consistently great ice cream and even better service! My go to is the medium fruity pebble udder,…read morewhich is like a large. Very generous portions. They use to be cash only but they now accept cards. You can also get pints to go! It's usually a long wait but it's worth it.

A lot of ice cream cookies have too much ice cream or too much cookie. This combination was just…read moreright I did ragbrai and stopped at Thelma's booth most days. I tried Snickerdoodle, birthday cake, and choc chip. They were all amazing I also enjoy chatting with the owner and seeing his daughter help out. She is so professional but also personable and thoughtful. Des Moines, you have a gem here. Go try it

I'm not sure what happened to poor Louise, but Thelma has decided to go it alone and bake up these…read moredelicious homemade yummy cookies in the trendy part of hipstery East Des Moines. Basically this is Insomnia cookies if Insomnia Cookies was not a chain named Insomnia Cookies and did not make cookies aimed at Insomniacs but at regular-hours-folks. They have pretty delicious homemade cookies which are dirt cheap and are better when they are gooey and hot but still really good regardless. Very impressive indeed. And extremely nice people in here as well. It shares a space with a local coffee shop so you can get a bit of both. Similarly, I'm very girlie but have big muscles so when you date me, you can get a bit of both.

I love this neighborhood, family friendly corner spot. It's a town staple. When I crave an ice cold…read moretreat, this place serves it the coldest. I like their flurries ans they do not skimp on the flavors/candy/toppings. I tend to get snickers and every bite is ice cold with a mouthful of snickers. Totally delicious and satisfying. They also have other great bites/snacks and lunch and dinner options. They have a drive thru and picnic tables to sit outside and enjoy your treats. Sometimes, if you are lucky, you can score some farm fresh tomatoes and cucumbers.

the sour cream tastes like absolute poop. tell me why my mac and cheese bites were cold.. good…read moreservice tho, food not so good.

Simply divine. Stopped by for cake and a cocktail yesterday and were amazed by the london fog cake…read morewith strawberry compote and lemon frosting. The decor and dish ware are fun and funky, we enjoyed a game of I spy using the mural. And we also are always a fan of places that are safe community spaces.

This was one of our last stops before leaving Des Moines. We picked up several items:…read more 1) milk bread with ube 2) milk bread with red beans 3) ube rice krispie treats 4) milk bread cinnamon roll 5) scotcheroo 6) matcha Blondies with white chocolate chips Coming from Chicago, it is relatively easy to come across milk bread and/or baked goods with ube and matcha. The first three items did not have a strong flavor profile and therefore didn't leave much of an impression with us. The ube in the rice krispie treats was very subtle and I'm not sure what the black components were. It looked like black sesame but we couldn't taste it. The latter three items were more appealing.

This place is incredible. Easily one of the best desserts I've had. I tried the pistachio dipped in…read morehazelnut and then covered with sweetened condensed milk. It was amazing! The service was quick and they were happy to provide suggestions. I want to come back and try every single flavor!

After swimming on a beautiful day, we wanted some ice cream. I had heard of this place and thought…read morewe were close to it. Sure enough, only a couple miles away. We arrived after 3:30pm and were the only customers. The workers were friendly, explaining the process to us and answering any questions. My kids quickly gravitated to which paletas they wanted. My daughter wanted a Reese's paleta with Nutella drizzle and crushed Oreos on top. My son selected the Fruity Pebbles paleta with chocolate drizzle and sprinkles. It took me a bit longer to decide on my paleta. I decided the strawberry cheesecake is what I'd get. I had it dipped in white chocolate and topped with Graham cracker crumbs. These were all so delicious!! Each one of the paletas had such amazing flavor. They truly didn't even need to extra dips, drizzles, or toppings. Also worth noting is it's a beautiful space inside. Lighted sign, butterfly murals, and gorgeous colors. We truly cannot wait to come back!