Italian in the midwest for me is usually incredibly underwhelming. But this place is an outlier. Tumea & Sons aren't afraid of seasoning or garlic, the food was portioned for normal sized humans and tasted amazing. Usually I don't see Italian places offer angel hair so was happy they offered that for some of their dishes. Desserts they offered a variety of nice options such as tiramisu, lemon cake, peach dessert and more. Nice mom and pop restaurant. Speedy service too. read more

Tumea & Sons Restaurant - Peach Dessert - Italian Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

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In town for the Junior Olympics and needed to carbo load. The place was packed on a Wednesday at 6 PM, but the service was still fast and friendly. The meatballs were easily some of the best I've ever had. The wedding meatball soup also hit the spot, and the Diablo pasta with shrimp and steak was delicious with a big kick of spice. I'm talking clear your sinuses SPICY. The manicotti and the bread were just okay. And the chicken tenders weirdly looked like calamari lol. The tap water had a really strange taste to it. Overall though, good portions and reasonably priced. Get the meatballs! read more

This place is the best Italian food ever, fresh ingredients, great atmosphere and the owner and staff were amazing, just getting the history of the place and being treated like family from the time we sat down until filling up on almost everything on the menu was and truly wondering experience. We will be back soon to get more sorties and exceptional food. read more

Tumea & Sons Restaurant - Wine valpolicella - Italian Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

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We sat at the bar and the service was quick and very friendly! The app, drinks, and entree came out so quickly and the flavors were amazing! Will be recommending this place to others read more

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Since I've moved to the Des Moines area 2 1/2 years ago, I've been searching for a really good Italian restaurant. This evening my wife and I went to eat at Tumea and Sons. Over the time I've been here, I've consistently seen raves about this restaurant. A couple of weeks ago I saw an article stating that Tumea and Sons was the best Italian restaurant in the state. Throughout my life I've always used veal parmigiana as the standard for judging the food quality of an Italian restaurant. The first thing I noticed was their soup choices. They're house soup in Wisconsin Cheese, not minestrone, not pasta fagioli. Then for my wife's salad she asked for Caesar dressing and was told they don't serve that dressing. So, by now I'm starting to question my choice and thinking that the anticipation I was feeling was misplaced. With salad you get served plain rolls, almost all Italian restaurants I've eaten at serves you some kind of garlic bread or roll with your salad. Yes, it's available as an appetizer, but in my mind, you should get some bread or rolls with your meal. Next came the main dish. It was served en casserole, a style I love. But when I started to cut a piece there was a lot of resistance. I put it n my mouth and found it was incredibly tough. Veal is suppose to be very tender, but not the piece I experienced. In addition the cheese was very salty. My wife ordered the shrimp scampi, and the obviously previously frozen shrimp were chewy. Good things to note. The vegetable side dish of onions and peppers were excellent as was the bus person and our server, Bianca. Now, I've tried three Italian restaurants in the area so far. Burattas, which shouldn't even call themselves an Italian restaurant since they have no veal on their menu and Portifinos in Ankeny. Of the three Portofinos Is by far the best. Not great, but decent. Tumea and Soms charges $29.99 for veal parmigiana. I can get a much better cut of veal at Portofinos for $19.99. Plus they have Caesar dressing, garlic rolls with dinner, minestrone and pasta fagioli. read more

Usually would never do the horrible thing of ordering chicken tenders at an Italian restaurant but unfortunately it was too hot for some pasta. But yum. Take your children here for their chicken tenders girls! Their fries are great too (not pictured). But my usual order is house salad with steak... holy moly everytime it never does me wrong. But on a lovely evening I do tend to go for their chicken diablo... again holy moly so good. For dessert I also tried the peach... wow usually not a fruity sweet girl but that was beautiful. The service here is 10/10 with it being a family restaurant you can truly feel the love coming from everyone and every meal. It's such a cozy environment with family pictures and warm lighting and a relaxed intimate feel. Tumeas you will never get rid of me read more

Tumea & Sons Restaurant - Chicken tenders - Italian Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

It's been an Italian week I guess. Just like Friday found us at Latin King... This past Saturday we made our way over to Tumea & Sons. Once again a later night dinner. There's a large parking lot adjacent to Tumea & Sons. The place was packed. We were greeted right away as we walked in and were told it would be a 30-40 min wait. We knew there were some smaller parties already waiting and at least a party of eight in front of us. There was a very outspoken stereotypical Nonna representing the party of eight...and who was really giving the host the business... Lol We found standing room at the bar where we decided to wait. The bartenders were doing a good job. There were a few people seated and we weren't the only ones waiting for a table... The decor inside is WAY more old school casual than Latin King. It's a little dated. I'd say it has a blue collar working man's feel to it... That works for me! I guess I'm still a little rough around the edges sometimes... Opened in 1998... Their family history is proudly displayed on their walls! Seating is a combination of booths and low top tables and chairs in the main dining area. Standard bar seating. booths, and a couple high tops in the bar area. I think we were right about at our estimated wait time when we were called over to go to a table. 2x Bud Light bottles 2x Cranberry and vodka 2x Mixed drinks (Malibu, pineapple juice, and grenadine) 2x Fountain drinks (Coke products) 1x Onion Rings (half order) - Thinly sliced & hand-breaded 1x Steak De Burgo. Side salad (house creamy garlic dressing) - Two five ounce beef medallions served in a rich garlic herbed cream sauce 1x Fried Shrimp with fries and a side salad (house creamy garlic dressing) - Seven double breaded, deep fried shrimp, served with cocktail sauce 1x Pasta Diablo. Add chicken. Side salad (house creamy garlic dressing) - Penne rigate served with a spicy tomato cream sauce 1x Raspberry tiramisu Standard table service. Drink orders first and then on to the food. Our server did a great job and the food was fantastic! The wait wasn't long after ordering before food started to hit the table. Rolls and salads first. I don't normally like thin onion rings, but I really liked these. Crispy. Drained properly. Not the soggy greasy limp mess I've come to associate with thin onion rings... Lol The pasta diablo wasn't near as spicy as I thought it might be from what I've heard from others. Pretty mild... Great flavor though! The raspberry tiramisu was pretty good. I'm more of a traditional tiramisu guy, but one of my friends doesn't care for the taste of coffee... Made in a very similar style but cream and raspberry sauce. Staff was friendly and personable even though you could tell they were nearing the end of a hectic Saturday dinner service. All three of us were pleased with our food! No one walked away hungry...! I can definitely recommend Tumea & Sons! Already looking forward to going back...! read more

Looking for a timeless experience then head to the neighborhood restaurant icon Tumeau & Sons. My favorite dish is Chicken DeBurgo where creamy sauce is full of a kaleidoscope of flavors that Cha Chas down every part of your palate with fresh roasted veggies. What's an Italian lunch without a "canoli'." My wait staffer -- Nina -- offered various options which was "Ottimo." The old school charm of neighbors chatting and the "old timers meeting to reminisce was what movies were made up especially when they say "let's to do this again or "Mangiamo." read more

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Family and I went here before a Iowa Cubs game for the first time a few weeks ago. We made a reservation a couple hours ahead of time. Our server was very nice but she was a little busy. The service was still pretty good though. The food was awesome. Love the soup of the day which was potato pepper jack the bread was good as well. I got the chicken de Burgo. I would get it again, but I would also like to try something else, the star of the show was the peach shortbread dessert. It was very unique and unlike anything that we've had before. My boyfriend got the hot Italian sub and he absolutely loved it and can't wait to go back to get another one as well as another dessert. Ambience is very nice and family like very welcoming and casual. read more

Tumea & Sons Restaurant - Italian Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

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Worth the visit, food and staff great, old school setting, one of the finest in Des Moines, go for it, you won't regret it !!!

Gotta say Tanner Loyd Ya GOT ME! The 9s & 10s I flew into town and was all in! This is by the the blandest, worst Italian restaurant I've been to since I can remember.... Cheese sticks 1/10; cheese garlic bread o/10, pepper steak 2/10 - SO BLAND Lost all credit points with me brother... I'll check the other two places he recommends if this one doesn't give me food poisoning read more

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This was my boyfriends and I second time here and it was even better than the first. I started off with the soup. I don't remember the exact name, but it was basically a meatball potato soup that was delicious. My boyfriend had a salad again. The house creamy parmesan garlic dressing is so good. The best part of my meal was the chicken de burgo over penne noodles. The garlic herb cream sauce was perfection. I will be dreaming about this meal. My chicken was a little dry, but the sauce made up for it. What I loved most was it didn't feel too heavy or too much for Italian food. My boyfriend had the Brashioli again and loved it. When you come here dessert is a must. We love it so much we ordered both the peaches and cannolis. Both are delicious and we couldn't come here without ordering them. The cannolis are the best I have found around the area. The service is always exceptional and the ambiance is perfect for an Italian meal. I can't say enough wonderful things about this place. It is definitely a staple in our household. read more

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Ordered chicken saltimboca. What I got resembled chicken soup. House Chianti tasted like house dishwater. Avoid. read more

Stopped in before an Iowa Cubs game. I tried for reservations but it's for 6+. No problem getting in 4:50 pm on a Saturday! And such great service! Our drinks came quickly, as did our salads & food! Waitress was attentive! We had creamy parm for dressing, but it is more a creamy garlic. Salads were colorful & good! Rolls come out immediately. They were ok--perhaps day old. But the butter accompanying them was spreadable! Nice touch. Hubby's shrimp diablo was creamy & and a big portion! Friend's salmon & veggies was tasty, as was his wife's chicken d'burgo! She had penne pasta as a side & loved the red sauce. My pasta with sausage red sauce was spicy! And tasty!! I loved it & brought home 1/2!! The decor is like it was 20 years ago. Old time supper club! Good Italian food! We'll be back! read more

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Tumea has been open a long time. The best option if you are interested in visiting is to get in a reservation. Since we did have a larger group going it did benefit us to put in a reservation about a week ahead. They were very accommodating as we learned of our group number changing. We arrived on time for our table and were sat right away. The restaurant was full. We had a great waitress who was kind and understanding as we waited for the rest of the party to show. We waited over 20 min before we found out that the last of our party was not coming. She was still very cool and started taking our orders as soon as we let he know. There was lots to choose from. Everyone around me got something different. I kept hearing great things about the chicken Marsella. I ordered the chicken Marsella and it came with a salad. The house salad dressing is a "creamy garlic." The waitress called is a creamy parmesan. I can say.... it was garlic more than parmesan. We all had a good chuckle how much we were tasting the garlic and could smell it on our breath. The rest of the meals came out with no problem. Fresh bread was pre meal and everyone had a good time. I didn't hear of anyone having any issues at our table of 12 people. I think I will choose a different meal next time. To me, the chicken seemed dryer than I would have liked, but when i stole some bites of my husbands meal, his was rather good. It has been many years since we had been there last. Mostly due to the location to where we live. I am sure we will get back there again in the future. read more

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Despite a full parking lot we were seated in great time. Our waitress was kind and attentive and the atmosphere was homely like a proper Italian eatery should be. It was very clean throughout, the noise of good food being eaten, and all kinds of pictures of family & Italy The blue cheese was nice and bitter as opposed to sour which I liked. My date enjoyed her French Dressing. We then both shared the Manicotti and the Fettuccine Alfredo which were divine. The ricotta was creamy and the tomato sauce was tangy, a perfect Manicotti. The Alfredo came with a thick fettuccine noodle and moist blackened chicken breast. Coupled with fresh baked bread loves this meal reminds me of my favorite restaurant from home. A delicious meal to be sure. read more

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You will not be disappointed at Tumea! Service was great, food was excellent and even got a bag of Wanda's for the road.

Delicious Italian family meals! We have enjoyed sharing this place with our family and friends. Fond memories of special occasions here and more meyof just a regular to go meal made special by Joes tomato salad! read more

The service was se one to none. The food was delivered hot and delicious. The portion size was reasonable and the price was so reasonable. We both had the chicken deburgo. I had the salad with the house dressing and my mother had the cheese soup. I had the rice pilaf and she had the cottage fries. All of it was great! The atmosphere was what you would expect from an old style Italian joint would been... family pictures adorn the walls and vinyl table cloths are on the table. There was so much nostalgia in this place and the food was outstanding too... If you want an authentic experience I would suggest a trip here... read more

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Fabulous service, food and atmosphere. I can't believe it took me this long to discover this gem. It was a busy night so we sat at the bar which was fine. Time was limited for us so we skipped apps and ordered right away. I had the pasta Diablo with added chicken & veggies. My daughter had the chicken Alfredo. Both to die for, came salad and bread. So flavorful & huge portions. We will return for apps & dessert soon. All food coming out looked & smelled great. read more

Tumea & Sons Restaurant - Pasta diablo - Italian Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

What an AWESOME meal! Started with the hand breaded onion rings, which were excellent! The salads and soup were very good. The entrees were incredibly delicious! The side of pasta is served with their red sauce, which is very good, but next time I'll ask for no sauce as the entrees had such great sauces, the pasta would have been very good mixed in. Although we barely had room, we also had the cannoli dessert and the best Dutch letter cheesecake, which sounded different, but was the BEST cheesecake any of us had ever had, and between us, we've tried a lot of cheesecakes!! We will be frequent customers when were in DSM. What a pleasant experience! read more

I had never heard about Tumea and Sons. It is apparently a local legend. While the place is a little dated, it works. You feel like you have walked into a family spot that has served the famous. There are lots of old photographs on the wall. The servings are big enough to serve two or take home leftovers. I had the lasagna. Next time I will try something different, but it was tasty. My friend had an amazing spicy shrimp pasta dish and was really impressed with his selection. The service was great! Go check out this little hideaway. read more

Tumea & Sons Restaurant - Dinner with my sweetie - Italian Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

Tumea And Sons arruved about 15min before anyone in my party, and it took about that long for someone to come and get my drink order (albeit the rest of my party wasn't there). Nobody died, I survived the thirst, and got a drink order in as the rest of my party was arriving. Calamari - was good, nothing to write home about but it was good. IMO would've been better with marinara over honey mustard. House salad w/ Italian dressing was good. Chicken Saltimbocca - great flavor and lots of sauce. Different than others I've had, not in a bad way. Cavatelli w/ sausage - was good. Flavor was on point, and pasta was al dente. Hefty cheese baked on top to keep this dish nice and piping hot. Penne Salsiccia - a pound of pasta, tasty and al dente, very good. Shrimp Diablo - not spicy at all, shrimp was slightly undercooked. Not the best Shrimp Diablo around but it was good. Located just south of downtown. Everything was good, no complaints. read more

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We ended up here at the suggestion of a tour guide at the Iowa State Capital. EXCELLENT suggestion. We had lemon chicken, veal parmigana and a pasta dish. WOW. Lemon chicken had a fantastic flavor, the veal was so tender. Plan on ordering a glass of wine - everyone in the place had one. This is a family-focused retaurant with many family members on staff. Parking was tight, as the restaurant was full. Don't let this dissuade you. It's worth it. read more

A true family restaurant atmosphere. Staff made you feel at home waitress was quick and made sure that we were taken care of. Had veal Parmesan and veal saltimbocca. Both were excellent. Red sauce has great taste and is not sweet (personal pet peeve). Was able to thank the owner for our experience. This would be a weekly stop of if I lived in Des Moines read more

Great family restaurant. We've enjoyed many items on the menu. Would recommend to anyone.

Always a must do whenever I am in Des Moines. The food is always amazing. The atmosphere is as it was when they first opened. It is inviting and friendly. read more

Tumea & Sons Restaurant - Cavatelli Pasta Dinner This dish is always flavorful and filling. You can't go wrong with it!! My go to meal here. - Italian Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

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Good place for Italian cuisine. Have eaten here three times and never been disappointed. Tonight's choice was lasagna with tiramisu for dessert. Started with the toasted ravioli. All of it was incredibly delicious. Have also had the Chicken Saltimbocca and Pasta Diablo in the past, and every dish is on point with quality and flavor. The house dressing had a nice kick for the salad, and the chefs always create interesting specials. Good atmosphere and great Italian food make for a wonderful evening of dining. read more

Tumea & Sons Restaurant - Lasagna - Italian Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

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Times and Sons never changes. And that's a good thing. Met friends for an early dinner. Never disappointed here. I had the Diablo Pasta with beef tips. Delicious. Creamy rich sauce and tender beef. One of the ladies had lasagna. It was fire. Just right amount of spice. Yum. Service was great. Friendly and fast. read more

Been there three times for dinner. This was my first lunch. The shrimp penne Diablo was outstanding. Always delicious. Great staff. I highly recommend this place read more

Tumea & Sons Restaurant - Italian Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

Not only is this our absolute favorite Italian restaurant but it is our favorite restaurant to patronize. Those nights when the "what do you want, idk"start we go here because we can always find something. Always a clean establishment, staff is extremely friendly, and great food. Need I say more? read more

Oh my gosh- I've lived in this city all my life and Just discovered Tumea and Sons! What a 6-plus star restaurant experience. Family owned, house-made food,excellent service- what's not to love! Their steak de burgo is the best I've ever had. The steak was fork-tender and the sauce was perfect. Spicy sausage sauced pasta was a Huge portion- I made 3 more meals with the leftovers! The rolls were delicious as were the onion rings. If you haven't been there-Get there! read more

It was our first time here. This place came highly recommended. I was seeking to eat Chicken Parmesan for the first time and was assured this place would not let me down. Unfortunately I did not find the Chicken Parmesam to be very good. The chicken was tough. My daughter ordered the meatball sandwich and loved the bread but thought the meatball (loose meat) lacked flavor. We had to wait about 30 minutes for a table but they were slammed and we hadn't made a reservation, so understandable. The staff was working hard to turn tables. I loved the family pictures and wall space dedicated to the kids. I probably won't be back because I think I'll be able to get better food elsewhere. read more

Very friendly staff and food came quick on a busy Friday Food was very good 10/10 would dine again read more

I went in for a meatball sandwich. It was OK. The bread was not homemade, the meatballs were more like sloppy Joe meat, not formed into balls. It has the requisite cheese and sauce but I was not blown away. Bartender didn't know how to make a Negroni. How is that possible? read more

Traditional Italian restaurant. Friendly staff, seating is tight quarters so prepare to bump elbows with your seating party. Today's special dessert was German chocolate cheesecake. WOW! So delicious. read more

Tumea & Sons Restaurant - Italian Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

A Des Moines institution. Was able to secure a table for 7 for a birthday dinner via reservations on a Saturday night. Upon arrival greeted and seated immediately. Fabulous service and great food. Table started with onion rings followed by salads and dinner entrees. All the entrees were large and very extremely tasty. Highlights include veal parm and Brashioli. Do yourself a favor and stop down for dinner. read more

My first time trying was for a friend's birthday lunch! I really enjoyed the atmosphere as this is a Des Moines institution. Our server was fantastic. She was friendly, knowledgeable and provided great recommendations. I was torn between 2 dishes so I told her which and asked her to choose her favorite to surprise me. I ended up with cavatelli and it was perfect! The noodle to sauce and cheese ratio was perfect! The servings are big and priced fairly. I think absolutely everyone loved their dishes and the service we received. I definitely want to return! read more

4.5/5 Such a delicious family Italian restaurant just south of downtown! I visited here the first week I moved to DSM in august 2020 and wow, the flavors, the sizing, and the added soup/salad plus rolls are hard to not crave. When with my family during my first visit, we had no complaints! Phenomenal service, great presentation, and a fun relaxing environment. Server was very attentive and gave us great recommendations! My second visit, just me. But still just as wonderful even though I just sat at the bar. This is not a fine dining italian restaurant where you pay for butler dressed servers and a fancy atmosphere and get mediocre food...this is the real deal of good italian food! Although, im sure they wouldnt judge if you wanted to dress up haha such a fun place! read more

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I've lived in Des Moines for 25 years and talked about wanting to eat here for years but just never got around to it. Tonight my husband and I finally tried it for the first time and we loved it. We can see why it's so popular and a Des Moines favorite. The parking lot was full so we were expecting a very long wait. However, when we got inside we discovered we'd only have to wait a couple minutes. That was a nice surprise. I ordered the cavatelli with Graziano sausage and my husband got the Penne Salsiccia. I thought my cavatelli was excellent and very cheesy, but I have to say that it's not the best cavatelli I've ever had. I was kind of hoping it would be a little spicier but it was still very good. My husband liked his pasta a lot, too, and said it was spicy. I stole a bite and agreed that it was really good. We didn't have to wait very long for our food and it came out not too long after we finished our salads. The portions for both of our dishes were a pretty good size and we both took home leftovers. I really appreciated that they also gave us each two pieces of bread and a nice-sized salad with our entrees. Most newer restaurants don't include that with their dinners. And it wasn't just a cheap iceberg lettuce salad. There was a combination of iceberg lettuce, leaf lettuce and romaine. Their salad dressings were also awesome. I really loved the house dressing which was a creamy garlic parmesan and my husband liked his blue cheese dressing. They both tasted homemade. The place isn't fancy and it's not the most romantic if you're taking a date there but it makes up for it with the great food and the awesome service. It looks a little bit dated but it feels homey with all the family photos on the wall. Our waitress Natalie was awesome and she was on the ball the whole time we were there. She refilled my water even before my water glass was completely empty. I usually have to track down someone when I need my water refilled. She also checked in on us a couple times to make sure everything was alright. Her friendliness and upbeat attitude were really refreshing. I wish more servers had the same attitude as her. I really like the unpretentiousness of this place. It's a great neighborhood restaurant and you get great food at a reasonable price. I'm so happy to add this to our list of favorite restaurants. We'll be back for sure. read more

Tumea & Sons Restaurant - Cavatelli with Graziano's sausage - Italian Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

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