9 special occasion restaurants in Des Moines for celebrating birthdays, anniversaries
Valentine’s Day arrives Feb. 14, and just about every one of your favorite restaurants offers something special on the menu, with some that are typically closed on Mondays opening for one night to help couples celebrate the Hallmark holiday.
Instead of listing every special, we opted to showcase nine Des Moines restaurants that really deliver when it comes to special occasions — birthdays, anniversaries or just a night out to celebrate.
RōCA
This long-time Court Avenue restaurant serves contemporary American small plates and entrees in an upscale atmosphere that combines modern and historic decor. Diners can share flatbreads, charcuterie boards, grilled ribeye skewers and chicken Parmesan sliders, or head to the entrees for wild mushroom toast, blackened red snapper or mac and cheese with smoked chicken and bacon jam.
RōCA, 208 Court Ave., 515-282-3663. Open 4 to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 4 to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
More: Court Avenue mural of 'The Bachelor' replaced by 'Love Blooms,' new art celebrating diversity
Fresko
Downtown newcomer Fresko keeps it fresh with local products when possible and a wide array of gluten-free, vegan and vegetarian options, marked clearly on the menu. Start with wood-fired octopus or steak tartare, or try pan-seared scallops or curried fish stew for an entrée. Tacos, flatbreads, and sushi options (except on Sundays) round out the offerings.
Fresko, 909 Locust St., 515-630-7009. Open 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday; 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday; and 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday.
More: New downtown Des Moines restaurant Fresko will focus on local, healthy, fresh ingredients
Aposto
When romance is in the air, head to Aposto for a candlelit dinner in a Victorian mansion. Owner Tony Lemmo’s southern Italian restaurant in Sherman Hill changes its menu often, but if you're not sure what to order, the cavatelli bathed in marinara and house Calabrian sausage is a can’t miss, along with Lemmo's mother’s recipe for Italian wedding cake.
Aposto, 644 18th St., 515-244-1353. Open 5 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday and 5 to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
More: Datebook Diner: Everything about Aposto is just right
801 Chophouse
Aged USDA Prime beef makes the menu of this stalwart steakhouse inside the tallest building in Des Moines, decked out in clubby dark woods with pockets of booths. This is a place to see and be seen. Order the Sunday night prix fixe menu and get your choice of salmon, prime rib or a petite filet mignon de burgo for $47, including a salad and dessert.
801 Chophouse, 801 Grand Ave., 515-288-6000. Open 5 to 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 5 to 9 p.m. Sunday.
More: Restaurant review: 801 Chophouse coasts on pedigree and neglects what made its name
Alba
This upscale American restaurant and wine bar in the East Village features brightly colored reclaimed doors hanging from the ceiling and gets its name from the white oak trees in front of the building. Those same trees find a home on a mural inside. Owner Jason Simon changes up his menu all the time to coincide with the seasons, but the burger is always a must-try, with truffle aioli, Swiss cheese and caramelized onions. The restaurant earned a James Beard Foundation nomination for Best Chef Midwest in 2010.
Alba, 524 E. Sixth St., 515-244-0261. Open nightly from 4 p.m. to close.
More: Sink your teeth into the Alba burgers
Mulberry Street Tavern
This relatively new restaurant inside the Surety Hotel offers a convivial dining room with historic charm. Order cauliflower steak with a tomato coulis, Skuna Bay salmon topped with miso beurre blanc, oysters on the half shell, or a steak for two meant to share. Brunch brings hot fried chicken and biscuits, shakshuka and beignets on Saturday mornings.
Mulberry Street Tavern, Surety Hotel, 206 Sixth Ave., 515-985-2066. Open 5 to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday and 5 to 10 p.m. Friday, with brunch from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday.
Proof
Proof is moving toward a seven-course monthly tasting menu from executive chef Diego Rodriguez-Negrete. Of course, diners can still order from a short menu for the table that includes monthly dishes such as bay scallop aguachile with adonis berry paired with habanero, Bell & Evans roasted chicken with green cabbage and caramelized white chocolate tarts from pastry chef Megan Snyder that Rodriguez-Negrete says will "make you cry, they're so good." Don’t be fooled by the restaurant’s "polished casual” experience; the knowledgeable and passionate staff can guide diners through the menu for a singular experience not found anywhere else in Des Moines. For a truly extraordinary memory, sign up for Second Saturday, a blind tasting menu that trots through seven courses.
Proof, 1301 Locust St., Suite C, 515-244-0655. Open 5 to 10 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.
More: With a fresh look and perspective, Des Moines' Proof Restaurant is reopening
Lucca
Steve Logsdon, James Beard Foundation semifinalist for Best Chef Midwest in 2009, serves his elevated four-course prix fixe that changes weekly. The East Village restaurant features exposed brick from the original building along with an exposition kitchen where diners can watch the chefs at work. A pasta course and mains such as salmon, eggplant, scallops and a New York strip steak anchor the menu. During lunch, spiced chicken sandwiches, light salads and ricotta and spinach rigatoni lead the way.
Lucca, 420 E. Locust St., 515-243-1115. Open 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, and 5 to 9 p.m. Thursday through Saturday.
More: Get a taste of Lucca over the lunch hour
Django
Classic French dishes served in a brasserie-style setting are the calling cards at Django. Diners can find chef-partner Derek Eidson’s coq au vin, steak frites and bouillabaisse or delve into moules frites with Hollander and de Koning mussels or a crepe stuffed with roasted butternut squash for a truly French experience. Django made the move to its space across from the Pappajohn Sculpture Garden in 2018, bringing its decorating touches such as chandeliers and copper pots from the old space in the Hotel Fort Des Moines, as well as the cheese, charcuterie and raw oyster bar.
Django, 1420 Locust St., 515-288-0268. Open 4 to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 4 to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
More: It's back! Django to reopen near sculpture park in downtown Des Moines
Susan Stapleton is the entertainment editor at The Des Moines Register. Follow her on Facebook, Twitter or drop her a line at sstapleton@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: The 9 Des Moines restaurants for a date night, birthday or anniversary
