East Village - Des Moines, IA Area Guide

Sandwiched between Interstate 235 and the Des Moines River, historic East Village housed one of the original business districts of the town. The state capitol can be found in the village, and the community has some of the oldest buildings in town, many of which are on the National Register of Historic Places.

The State Historical Museum can be found in East Village, and admission remainss free to the public. Many exhibits showcasing the lives of Iowans line the floors of the museum, including a Civil War exhibit and a diorama depicting the wildlife in Iowa’s past.

Holiday Promenade takes place after Thanksgiving in East Village. Businesses have open houses, and guests can take a free trolley ride or ice skate at Brenton Plaza. The Ballet Des Moines performs scenes from the Nutcracker, and Santa lights the Christmas tree, something local children wait for all year.

Historic East Village in downtown Des Moines provides residents places to dine or kick back with friends for a drink. Whether you’re in the mood for fine dining or something a little different, you can find it in East Village.

The Continental Lounge serves up fine dining tapas-style. Small plates and drinks come cheap during happy hour from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and the locals recommend the Truffled Mushrooms, button mushrooms sautéed with garlic, truffle oil and Madeira wine. For larger appetites, try the Hanger Steak topped with a whisky cream sauce, served with roasted new potatoes and garlic-basil toast.

What started out as a taco stand in the farmers market has now become the place to go for fusion tacos in Des Moines. Tacopocalypse melds Mexican and Korean flavors into great tasting food. The house specialty that started the fanaticism is the braised-pork-shoulder taco and vegan-chorizo-with-slaw taco, all nicely placed inside a hand-pressed tortilla. The restaurant has both vegetarian and vegan menu options, so all diners have plenty from which to choose.

If you’re dying for food, head over to Zombie Burger + Drink Lab. Don’t let the zombie decor or strange menu names fool you, as this place serves up some killer food. Try the Undead Elvis burger. With toppings of peanut butter, fried bananas, bacon, cheese, egg and mayo atop the burger, which sits between two pieces of fried macaroni and cheese, you may think the king of rock and roll is cooking in the kitchen. If you dare, order the Chuck Norris – a shot of Maker’s Mark served up with bacon. The restaurant also has a great beer selection, and you can even order a spiked milkshake to go with your meal.

A classy joint to take a date or just hang with friends after work, The LIFT has the best martinis in town and has an award-winning martini menu with drinks such as the Maggie, made with raspberry vodka, raspberry schnapps, cranberry and cream. On Tuesday nights, live jazz groups play for guests, and Wednesday nights have the locals stopping by for two-for-one martinis.

Beechwood Lounge gets the top votes for the perfect neighborhood bar. Guests enjoy the occasional band or DJ playing in the basement of the bar, and the all-day happy hour on Tuesdays helps stretch the beverage budget a little further.

Residents and visitors traveling by car to East Village use Interstate 235, which runs through the heart of the city. This interstate connects with both Interstate 80 and Interstate 35, making commuting to work and shopping relatively easy. Several parking ramps can be found downtown, which are convenient for workers who commute from outlying neighborhoods.

Public transportation through the Des Moines Area Regional Transit system provides riders access to all areas of the East Village and other neighborhoods within the Des Moines metro area. The D-line trolley also gives riders a free ride around downtown Monday through Friday.

B-cycle allows villagers to bike share for rides all throughout the downtown area during the spring and summer months. Taxi services and Uber provide other convenient ways for locals to get to their destinations.

A beautiful downtown location for music, the Simon Estes Amphitheater hosts Nitefall on the River. Located just south of City Hall near the Walnut Street Bridge, locals bring chairs and blankets to listen to some of the best entertainment in town. Food and drinks served on the premises make for a fun evening in the park.

Located downtown, the Greater Des Moines Botanical Center has free admission for members and $5 for nonmembers. Various exhibits and classes change frequently at the center. Guests of the center can also dine in the park at Trellis, which has a plant-inspired menu.

Ewing Dog Park has a large fenced-in area for all pets to enjoy, as well as a smaller, 1-acre fenced area for smaller dogs. Residents do need a permit to use the park.

Residents who live in the East Village have affordable living, as the overall cost of living ranks 14 percent less than the rest of the country. The monthly rent for a one-bedroom apartment costs approximately $779, 10 percent higher than the rest of Iowa but 19 percent less than the national average. A gallon of gas in the area runs almost 9 percent less than the national average, and a bus pass for a month costs $48. Craft beers cost roughly $5 to $8 for an import beer depending on the bar, but domestics generally cost about $4.

East Village houses a variety of high-end shops for apparel and jewelry. Many craft shops and antique stores also call East Village home.

Shoppers who want to find unusual gifts love Off innaZONwerld. This shop features handmade creations from around the world, as well as locally produced wines. Fine fashions for women can be found at Velvet Coat; beautiful quality clothing, accessories and shoes are staples at this shop.

The Des Moines Downtown Farmers Market operates on Saturdays from May until October, and residents can shop for a variety of groceries here. Fresh eggs, organic produce and meats, wine, honey and herbs await. With free street parking and a bike valet service, this market gives locals a convenient place to shop.

Other nearby places to shop include Gateway Market for artisan groceries and prepared foods, New Oriental Food Store for Asian staples and Graziano Bros. Italian Foods for gourmet Italian goods.