Expansion at Trailside Tap in Ankeny's Uptown will double seating, add upstairs lounge

A two-story expansion is planned for Trailside Tap in Ankeny that will double its seating space and make way for new offerings and events.

Trailside Tap, 710 S.W. Third St in Uptown, opened in 2020 and serves up dishes like burgers, smoked chicken, bulgogi fries, sticky ribs and a weekend brunch spread. The expansion, which will include the demolition of a house at 714 S.W. Third St., will bring a second-story lounge alongside a bigger kitchen and more dining space, which currently are limited.

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The 9,700 square-foot addition will allow Trailside Tap to boost its menu offerings and have more square footage for catering and events like larger parties or pop-up dinners. The goal is to elevate the experience and become a regional draw, chef and operator Mike Holman said.

"That's the whole driving factor of this," Holman said. "We just need to be able to do more."

Both the future upstairs bar and lounge and the downstairs dining room are designed to be open air in the warmer months and bring in natural light. There also will be an open kitchen, so diners can see the action up close, and a wood-fired grill and oven.

Trailside is hoping to have the expansion open in the late spring or early summer of 2024.

Ankeny's Uptown neighborhood, the historic downtown core, has seen substantial investment in recent years, including a new commercial building that features the Uptown Dairy ice cream shop and a Mullet's restaurant.

Chris Higgins covers the eastern suburbs for the Register. Reach him at chiggins@registermedia.com or 515-423-5146 and follow him on Twitter @chris_higgins_.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Trailside Tap, in Ankeny's Uptown, to expand with new upstairs lounge