Princess Grill & Pizzeria in Iowa Falls famous for pizza, ice cream and more

Chances are, you know somebody who has a memory from the Princess (now Princess Grill & Pizzeria) in Iowa Falls. After all, it’s been in operation for more than a century and is known for its soda fountain, which just happens to be the largest remaining soda fountain in the country.

The Princess originally opened its doors on November 20, 1915. “Cousins Ernie Karrys and Nick Pergakis, who were originally from Greece, were the first owners,” said current owner Minette Zaimes, who has owned the business along with her husband, Tom, since 1998. “From what I understand, we are the sixth owners.”

The Art Deco building, which was rebuilt after a fire in 1934, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places – and the interior remains essentially unchanged since this time.

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Zaimes said, “My absolute favorite part (about owning the business) is our amazing customers and the stories they tell about growing up in the Princess or memories made at the Princess. We have customers come in and tell us that they and their spouse shared a meal in a specific booth they can point out on their first date 50 years ago. Or that they proposed in ‘THAT BOOTH’ 60 years ago. It's so great knowing our place has so much meaningful history to people in addition to just being a restaurant.”

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“I loved the old-world elegance of the place,” recalled Joan Peterson, who now lives in Osceola but lived just outside Iowa Falls in Alden from 1968-76. She recalls stopping at the Princess to take a break from shopping downtown Iowa Falls with a toddler and a baby. “The girls loved sitting in the big booths, where we would order drinks from the soda fountain.”

When the Zaimes couple purchased the Princess, they added pizza to the menu, thus changing the name to Princess Grill & Pizzeria.

“We wanted to draw attention to the fact the Princess was now going to be serving homemade pizzas,” said Zaimes. “We are the only owners to serve pizza, and it's been very well received. In fact, that's one of the things we're best known for.” Most popular are their Crab Rangoon and Jalapeno Popper pizzas.

Not in the mood for pizza? No worries. They have you covered, with a wide range of options on the menu, ranging from steaks to burgers to pasta and salads – basically everything except breakfast. Customers also love their All-You-Can-Eat Walleye Nights and Prime Rib Specials.

Zaimes said they see a combination of “regulars” and newcomers to the restaurant.

“We have plenty of regulars that the staff don't even have to ask what they'd like, because they know. But we also have lots of new people come check us out too, which is fun,” she said. “We actually also have some regular customers that drive quite a ways to come eat – some from Cedar Falls, Nevada and Des Moines. It makes us feel really good about what we do when we have people willing to drive over an hour to eat at our restaurant when they live in bigger towns with lots of dining options.”

“The Princess is definitely worth a trip on a tankful because it's a one-of-a-kind step back in time just to see,” said Zaimes. “Throw in great food and delectable ice cream treats, and it's hard to beat.”

Address: 607 Washington Ave., Iowa Falls

Phone: (641) 648-9602

Distance from Downtown Des Moines: 83 miles

Hours: 11 a.m.-2 p.m. and 5-8 p.m. Monday-Thursday; 11 a.m.-2 p.m. and 5-9 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

Ice Cream: The soda fountain isn’t just for looks. The Princess has a completely separate ice cream menu. “It's three pages of creations,” said Zaimes. “Our homemade malts and shakes, and old-fashioned cherry Cokes are our most popular items because lots of people drink them with their meals. If customers have room, our banana splits and sundaes are a big hit.” The Snickers and Caramel Cashew Sundaes are among those most requested.

Drinks: Along with ice cream and soda drinks, the soda fountain also serves as a bar, where guests can order from a selection of beers and wines.

While You’re There: “The Swinging Bridge is a unique and beautiful site to visit here in Iowa Falls,” said Zaimes. Make it an overnight trip and book a night at the Swinging Bridge Cottage on airbnb.com, which overlooks the Swinging Bridge and the Iowa River. Don’t miss a stop at Calkins Nature Area, located between Iowa Falls and Alden, which boasts a 6000-square-foot nature center, three miles of walking trails, a butterfly house, educational rain garden and more.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Iowa Falls' Princess Grill & Pizzeria is famous for pizza, ice cream