When people think of Iowa, the last thing they think of is food. The believe the Midwestern state is full of corn and windmills. They spread rumors that everyone is cousins with everyone. They share legends of our grandfathers driving to school on their tractors. Food is far from their mind because Iowa doesn’t have anything different than what other states have, However, they are heavily mistaken. Western Iowa (specifically, Council Bluffs) is full of wondrous restaurants that offer a variety of food. Here are five places below that I have experienced to myself and would highly recommend

1. Boxer Barbeque Catering Company

Quality barbeque is hard to find in the Midwest. In the region, Kansas City is known for their replications of savory sauces and meats that fall apart the moment a bite is taken out of it. So who would imagine that Council Bluffs would have a barbecue joint? I was able to experience the mouth-watering deliciousness that is smoked meats and potato salad while dining in the restaurant was an option. Though I am a brisket girl, I could not get enough of the pulled pork. I devoured every bite like I had been starving for the past week. The sides were all delicious, my favorite being the fries (simply because it’s hard to mess up a good potato). Though I am sad the dining portion of the restaurant is no longer open, I may consider having them cater my first meal the next time I go home.

2. Duncan's Cafe

Duncan’s Cafe is the place to go if someone is looked to skip their physical education test (at least at my school). The small dining center located downtown offers some of the best breakfast food available in western Iowa. Their pancakes are to die for. Large, fluffy, and golden to perfection, these breakfast delicacies are like a cloud. I’ve been tempted to take a nap on one, but I know I probably wouldn’t wake up. The cafe also offers a wide variety of other breakfast basics, such as eggs, toast with jam, and coffee. Everything is also available for a great price, which is great because finding a legal place to park near the restaurant is a bit difficult.

3. Dixie Quicks

Though I have never experienced the food at Dixie Quicks, this restaurant has to be on the list simply because of the ambiance in the restaurant. The restaurant is connected to a small art gallery, where paintings and statues from everyone’s wildest dreams come alive. How often is someone able to eat Mexican cuisine and look at an abstract painting at the same time? Never - that is the answer. The gallery brings out the inner child in everyone, and the fun-loving partners who own the establishment bring out the best in every customer that steps through their door. What else could be needed?

4. Great Wall and Taste of China

What’s better than one Chinese restaurant? Two Chinese restaurants, of course! Council Bluffs is full of places to get delicious Americanized Chinese cuisine. I had a tough time deciding which to place on the list. Personally, I am a Taste of China junkie. Give me a hot bowl of wonton soup any day of the week and I will be a happy camper (with the fried noodles). However, everyone at my high school would argue that Great Wall is the place to be. I have not been to the acclaimed establishment in over a decade, but I heard they have a sweet and sour soup so good that it could run for president and win. I have a feeling I know who I am voting for in the next election.

5. Tish’s

I remember the first time I ever stepped foot in Tish’s, I thought I wasn’t going to like it. I was around eight, and I looked over the menu as if everything was in a foreign language because I familiar with ordering from the McDonald’s kids menu. However, that didn’t stop me from having one of the best meals an eight-year-old could eat. It started off with fried cauliflower. Though kids usually have a hard time eating their vegetables, these delicate flowers were crispy and fried until golden brown and make me wonder why we just don’t fry every vegetable. I’ve always had a thing for pasta, so the chicken fettuccine was my go-to main course for the evening. It was delicious, as all chicken fettuccine is, and every other member of my family seemed to enjoy their meal just as much as I did. I would recommend this restaurant to any family with picky-eater because if I was able to eat a vegetable, then they most certainly will be able to as well.

Though western Iowa is full of corn and windmills, it’s easy to see that a variety of food is offered. From Chinese to Mexican, my old hometown offers cuisine from every country imaginable (or at least desired by high school students). Next time, I would recommend stopping at one before considering going over the border - the food is better on this side of the river anyways.