Posted November 30, 2022in Belly Up To...
It’s Iowa. It’s winter. It’s cold and snowy. What can Iowans do to keep warm and dry during these dreary months? Here’s an idea. Head over to McDivot’s Indoor Sports Pub, where you’ll find indoor games, drinks and food. Located just off Highway 141 in Grimes at 3390 S.E. Crossroads
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Posted November 02, 2022in Belly Up To...
As the East Village boosts its dining and drinking establishments, Coa Cantina is a solid contender as one of the best in the district with its fresh Mexican menu and tequila drinks to wash it down. Coa Cantina is located at 425 E. Grand Ave. in a century-old building. Built
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Posted October 05, 2022in Belly Up To...
Is it a coffee shop, or a bar? Vintage Brewhouse says, “Why not both?” Open since December last year, Vintage Brewhouse is located in the northwest corner of Ankeny, minutes down the road from the area’s long-awaited second Costco. Walk into the newly constructed building, and it feels anything but
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Posted August 31, 2022in Belly Up To...
When a popular restaurant closes and a new one opens in its place, there’s bound to be comparisons to the previous location. Aura Restaurant and Lounge opened in the old Trostel’s Dish location in Clive in March 2021. As Trostel’s was known for its popular tapas menu, Aura also offers
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Posted August 03, 2022in Belly Up To...
The former Garden Nightclub has been transformed into The Twisted Vine Brewery, an ultra-modern brewery in the budding Market District in East Village at 112 S.E. Fourth St. The interior of the nearly 150-year-old building was gutted, leaving wood and metal structures throughout the brewery. The old dance floor and
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Posted July 06, 2022in Belly Up To...
The corporate world is full of meetings, Zoom calls and an inbox of endless emails. A break in the daily grind seems hours away, until 4:30 p.m. finally arrives. The question is, where to go — and how fast can I get there? In the midst of the corporate world
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Posted June 01, 2022in Belly Up To...
It’s 10 a.m. Sunday morning and, feeling discouraged, you realize the weekend is just about over. But wait — there’s always an excuse for a Sunday fun day when you can head outside during the summer at a patio near you. Or better yet, head to a winery with wide
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Posted May 04, 2022in Belly Up To...
After visiting Stevie C’s half a dozen times with friends, I suggested writing a Belly Up column on this dive bar-ish place. My friend cautioned, “No! We don’t want people to know about this bar because they’ll get too busy.” Sorry, friends. It’s already popular. With a motto such as
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Posted April 06, 2022in Belly Up To...
A century-old boiler room in downtown Des Moines is the latest to become a cocktail and patio bar — and it’s the envy of local downtown historic developers. After Des Moines Does Things (DMDT) hospitality group announced it was purchasing a building at 110 S.W. Fifth St., other developers lamented
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Posted March 02, 2022in Belly Up To...
At Pots & Shots in West Des Moines, you won’t find any weeds in the multitude of plants in this unique cocktail bar/plant store. However, you’ll find a variety of shots of booze. Pots & Shots opened in January 2022 with a cocktail bar on one side (shots) and plants
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